Departmentalization

in Intermediate
Elementary Grade
Levels
and Student
Performance in
Mathematics

Paige McMahon
Florida State University
 Problem of Practice
• Despite inconsistent findings linking departmentalization to improved
math performance, school districts across the country have altered the
instructional organization of their elementary schools from a generalist
setting to some degree of a departmentalized setting.
• While overall math performance has increased over the past twenty
years, many students do not have access to the quality of mathematics
instruction necessary to support them in achieving high levels of math
performance.
• When students do not receive the critical mathematical foundations in
their elementary years, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to
catch up and to succeed in advanced math coursework.
 Literature Review
Pros of Departmentalization
• Content-area specialists with an
expertise in mathematics can
create the best learning
environment for students.
• Teachers will gain instructional
time, increased time for planning,
higher morale, and increased job • No subject-specific elementary level
satisfaction.
Cons of Departmentalization
• Departmentalization may not be
positive for young elementary
students who may find it difficult to
establish a caring and supportive
relationship with their teachers if
they see up to five teachers daily.
certifications exist in Florida which
make it difficult to deem a teacher a
“specialist” of any particular subject.
 Purpose &
Research Questions
Purpose
• This study has important
implication for district policy
and practice on
departmentalization.
• If departmentalization is
found to be associated with
increased mathematics
performance, more schools
may consider adopting the
model.
Research Questions
• What are the levels of departmentalization at the
fourth and fifth grade levels, and what school
background characteristics are associated with
the degree of departmentalization?
• How did principals decide to departmentalize
fourth or fifth grade classrooms and how do they
assign teachers to teach mathematics in
departmentalized classrooms?
• What is the relationship between the degree of
departmentalization and fourth and fifth grade
students’ mathematical performance growth,
controlling for student background
characteristics?
 Methodology:
Mixed Methods Design
Qualitative Component
• Email survey of all 26 elementary/ • District administrative data on school
K-8 school principals who serve
fourth and fifth grade students
(100% response rate)
• Semi-structured interviews of 8
selected elementary/K-8 principals
whose schools use some degree of
departmentalization
• Interviews were coded and
analyzed to identify emerging
themes
Quantitative Component
background characteristics and fourth and
fifth grade student performance in
mathematics and student background
characteristics (race, gender, and free or
reduced price lunch status) from the 2017-
2018 school year
• Descriptive statistics, multiple regression,
independent samples t-test, ANOVA, and
post-hoc analysis were used to examine
relationships between students’
mathematical performance and the degree
of departmentalization
 Findings
What are the levels of departmentalization at the fourth and fifth grade levels,
and what school background characteristics are associated with the degree of
departmentalization?
• Fourth Grade: One third of all of the schools (34.6%) used semi-
departmentalization and no school used complete departmentalization.
• Fifth Grade: A majority (80%) of schools used semi-departmentalization, a
small number of schools (15%) used semi-departmentalization, and only one
school did not use any departmentalization.
• High poverty schools and small schools are most likely to use the semi-
departmentalized model at the fourth grade level
 Findings
How did principals decide to departmentalize fourth or fifth grade
classrooms and how do they assign teachers to teach mathematics in
departmentalized classrooms?
• The decision to departmentalize is largely teacher-directed and
assignment of subject-area(s) is based on teacher strength based on
supporting student data, comfort levels, and personality of
collaboration, rather than improved instruction and student learning
opportunities.
 Findings
What is the relationship between the degree of departmentalization
and fourth and fifth grade students’ mathematical performance
growth, controlling for student background characteristics?
• Multiple regression analyses showed a statistically significant negative
relationship between departmentalization and student math
achievement growth from fall to spring.
• Students who are self-contained classrooms improved their math scores
significantly more than the students who are in departmentalized
classrooms.
 Discussion
Limitations
• Principal interviews were informative, but the
inclusion of teacher interviews could have shed
more light on the details of departmentalization.
• Differing levels of quality mathematics
instruction could directly impact student
performance, regardless of whether a
departmentalized model was being utilized or
not, and teachers were not observed/evaluated
for effective pedagogical practices.
• Correlational data does not imply a causal
relationship. Though there were some
statistically significant results, it is impossible to
say whether the departmentalized model being
utilized is the reason for those differences.
Future Study
• Future research could be conducted at a
larger scale beyond a single school district
such as St. Lucie Public Schools.
• St. Lucie Public Schools is a medium-
sized district with high levels of poverty
and diversity meaning results from this
study cannot be generalized to the entire
state of Florida.
• Had this study been performed in a
district with different levels of student
enrollment, poverty, and/or diversity, the
findings could have also been very
different.
 Recommendations
• Departmentalization should be used with caution. Despite mixed
findings on departmentalization and student achievement in the
literature, this study showed statistically significant negative
relationship between departmentalization and students’ mathematical
performance growth.
• Principals need to carefully consider not only teachers’ comfort levels
with certain subject areas, but also their personality for collaboration
when assigning them to teach in a departmentalized model.
• On a state level, departmentalization could possibly be more effective
if there were a way for elementary teachers to become certified as
subject-area specialists, as they do at the secondary level.
 Key References
• Chang, F. C., Muñoz, M. A., & Koshewa, S. (2008). Evaluating the impact of departmentalization on elementary school students.
Planning and Changing, 39(3/4), 131.

• DelViscio, J. L., & Muffs, M. L. (2007). Regrouping Students. School Administrator, 64(8), 28.

• Gerretson, H., Bosnick, J., & Schofield, K. (2008). A case for content specialists as the elementary classroom teacher. The Teacher
Educator, 43(4), 302-314.

• McGrath, C. J., & Rust, J. O. (2002). Academic achievement and between-class transition time for self-contained and
departmental upper-elementary classes. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 29(1), 40-44.

• McPartland, J., & Braddock, I. I. JH (1993). A conceptual framework on learning environments and student motivation for
language minority and other underserved populations. In Proceedings of the third national research symposium on LEP student
issues: Focus on middle and high school issues (Vol. 1).

• Pianta, R. C., & Stuhlman, M. W. (2004). Teacher-child relationships and children's success in the first years of school. School
psychology review, 33(3), 444.

• Reys, B. J., & Fennell, F. (2003). Who should lead mathematics instruction at the elementary school level? A case for mathematics
specialists. Teaching Children Mathematics, 9(5), 277.

• Strohl, A., Schmertzing, L. C., Schmertzing, R., & Hsiao, E. L. (2014). Comparison of Self-Contained and Departmentalized
Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Classroom Structure and Job Satisfaction. Journal of Studies in Education, 4(1), 109-127.

• Taylor-Buckner, N. C. (2014). The effects of elementary departmentalization on mathematics proficiency (Doctoral dissertation).
Columbia University.