Comparing Mathematics and Science Achievement of Students from Schools with PLTW versus Schools without PLTW

Abstract

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) has been developed to provide a rigorous engineering curriculum that allows high school students to learn about advanced engineering concepts and their application in various STEM-related subjects. The present study was designed to examine the effectiveness of PLTW curriculum on high school students’ mathematics and science achievement. Mathematics and science scores of students attending PLTW schools and students attending non-PLTW schools were compared using student data gathered from the 2016 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STARR). In the present study, T-STEM schools were removed to avoid the impact of other STEM curricula on participants’ mathematics and science achievement. Scores on the mathematics STARR test were gathered from 804 students in PLTW schools and 805 students in non-PLTW schools, and scores from the science STARR test were gathered from 800 students in PLTW schools and 800 students in non-PLTW schools. The results indicated that the mean of students’ mathematics achievement in PLTW schools was higher than the mean of students’ mathematics achievement in non-PLTW schools ($d = {0.400, 95{\%} }\, CI =$[0.300, 0.498]). The mean of students’ science achievement in PLTW schools was higher than the mean of students’ science achievement in non-PLTW schools ($d = {0.197, 95{\%} }\, CI =$ [0.099, 0.295]).