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participated in focus-group interviews during the 
first year and 52 students during the second year. 
Interviews were conducted in the school library, 
a hallway, or in a classroom.
Classroom observations 
Classroom observations were conducted by 
three researchers in three, three-week periods in 
four randomly selected schools in 2009 and six 
schools in 2010. Half of the schools selected in 
2009 and 2010 were Title I. One teacher from 
Kindergarten to Grade 4 was observed at least 
six times. Classroom observations supplemented 
journal data by focusing on teachers’ 
explanations and modeling of the new 
curriculum together with the dialogue and 
interactions between the teacher and students 
about mathematical concepts, examples, or 
activities (Mercer, 2001; Muijs, 2006).
Student mathematics achievement 
The criterion-referenced competency 
(CRT) is administered each April for all grade 
levels. The CRT is a standardized, state 
assessment that tests students’ knowledge in 
grades 1 through 8 of mathematics, language 
arts, and reading, with grades 3 through 8 also 
assessed in science and social studies. The Iowa 
Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is a standardized, 
norm-referenced test administered to 
Kindergarten to Grade 5 students every 
September. Student achievement results from 
the CRT and ITBS from 2006 to 2010 were 
provided by the county to the researchers. 
Data Analysis 
The sections below analyze the gathered 
data. Journal entries, teacher interviews, and 
classroom observation data were coded with 
MAXQDA, a computer-assisted software 
program to analyze quantitative and qualitative 
data, text, and multimedia. Using grounded 
theory as a framework to systematically group 
the coded data into similar concepts or themes, 
recurring themes were identified (Marshall & 
Rossman, 1995; Miles & Huberman, 1994; 
Rubin & Rubin, 2005; Saldana, 2009).