C3: Choice in Cultural Competency. Charleston EIR Impact Evaluation Report
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| Title: | C3: Choice in Cultural Competency. Charleston EIR Impact Evaluation Report |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Christy Derrick, Catherine Snyder, Kathy Dowell, Kristin LaRoche, Katie Beck, Cherish Mack, The Evaluation Group (TEG) |
| Source: | Grantee Submission. 2026. |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 45 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) (ED), Education Innovation and Research (EIR) |
| Contract Number: | S411C200014 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education High Schools Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Intervention, Cultural Awareness, Faculty Development, Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Mathematics Achievement, Academic Achievement, Program Effectiveness, Racial Composition, Students with Disabilities, Program Implementation, Fidelity, Elementary School Students, Middle School Students, High School Students, Culturally Relevant Education |
| Geographic Terms: | South Carolina |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Intercultural Development Inventory |
| Abstract: | This study evaluated the impact of the C3: Choice in Cultural Competency program, an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) early-phase grant implemented in Charleston County School District. The intervention aimed to improve student outcomes by providing teachers with access to personalized, teacher-directed professional learning (PL) focused on cultural competency that was supported by stipends, individualized assessment using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), and ongoing coaching. Using a quasi-experimental design aligned with What Works Clearinghouse standards, the study examined impacts on classroom-level student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, as well as teacher intercultural competency over a four-year period. Results indicated no statistically significant impacts of the intervention on student achievement or teacher intercultural competency. Across both ELA and math analyses, baseline achievement and classroom-level student characteristics, particularly racial composition and the proportion of students with disabilities, were the strongest predictors of outcomes, while teacher-level variables were not significant. Similarly, no meaningful changes were observed in teachers' IDI Developmental Orientation scores over time. Implementation findings provide important context for these results. While core program infrastructure was implemented with high fidelity, key teacher-facing components, including stipend utilization and the use of assessment data to guide professional learning, did not meet intended thresholds, limiting overall exposure to the intervention. In contrast, coaching supports improved over time and emerged as a potentially important mechanism for influencing practice. These findings suggest that access to professional learning alone is insufficient to produce measurable changes in instructional practices or student outcomes. Sustained engagement, stronger alignment between assessment and professional learning, and high-quality, job-embedded coaching are likely critical to achieving a significant impact. The study contributes to the evidence base on teacher-directed professional learning models and offers insights for refining scalable approaches to improving culturally responsive teaching and educational equity. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680281 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study evaluated the impact of the C3: Choice in Cultural Competency program, an Education Innovation and Research (EIR) early-phase grant implemented in Charleston County School District. The intervention aimed to improve student outcomes by providing teachers with access to personalized, teacher-directed professional learning (PL) focused on cultural competency that was supported by stipends, individualized assessment using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), and ongoing coaching. Using a quasi-experimental design aligned with What Works Clearinghouse standards, the study examined impacts on classroom-level student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, as well as teacher intercultural competency over a four-year period. Results indicated no statistically significant impacts of the intervention on student achievement or teacher intercultural competency. Across both ELA and math analyses, baseline achievement and classroom-level student characteristics, particularly racial composition and the proportion of students with disabilities, were the strongest predictors of outcomes, while teacher-level variables were not significant. Similarly, no meaningful changes were observed in teachers' IDI Developmental Orientation scores over time. Implementation findings provide important context for these results. While core program infrastructure was implemented with high fidelity, key teacher-facing components, including stipend utilization and the use of assessment data to guide professional learning, did not meet intended thresholds, limiting overall exposure to the intervention. In contrast, coaching supports improved over time and emerged as a potentially important mechanism for influencing practice. These findings suggest that access to professional learning alone is insufficient to produce measurable changes in instructional practices or student outcomes. Sustained engagement, stronger alignment between assessment and professional learning, and high-quality, job-embedded coaching are likely critical to achieving a significant impact. The study contributes to the evidence base on teacher-directed professional learning models and offers insights for refining scalable approaches to improving culturally responsive teaching and educational equity. |
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