A cost-effectiveness analysis of classwide math intervention

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Economics
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Schools face resource limitations, necessitating evaluation of intervention costs alongside effectiveness.
• Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) provides a framework for quantifying the ratio of intervention costs to their outcomes.
• Understanding the financial implications of educational interventions is crucial for informed decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To calculate the cost-effectiveness of a classwide math intervention for fourth- and fifth-grade students.
• To provide an overview of CEA methodology for a broader audience.
• To determine the cost per student for specific academic gains and for preventing assessment failures.

Main Methods:

• Secondary data analysis from a randomized controlled trial (N=537) involving fourth- and fifth-graders.
• Utilized the ingredients method to calculate costs associated with the math intervention.
• Calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and number-needed-to-treat (NNT).

Main Results:

• For fourth-graders, the ICER was $169.07 per student for a 1 standard deviation increase in state assessment scores.
• For fifth-graders, no significant effect was found on state assessments, but curriculum-based measurement (CBM) scores improved.
• Fifth-grade ICERs for CBM improvements ranged from $65.08 to $469.12. NNT was $126.90 to prevent assessment failure for specific fourth-grade subgroups.

Conclusions:

• The math intervention demonstrated cost-effectiveness for fourth-graders on state assessments.
• Results for fifth-graders suggest targeted benefits on CBMs, with varying cost-effectiveness.
• CEA provides valuable data for resource allocation in educational settings, particularly for at-risk student groups.