MISE has made a significant impact on the character of teaching and learning science in its partner school districts, according to research performed over a 15-year period first by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) and subsequently by Horizon Research, Incorporated (HRI).

The reports from HRI, which were solely focused on the work of MISE in middle school mathematics and science classrooms of four New Jersey districts, found that the professional development provided by MISE had an impact on teachers' instructional strategies, the ability to diagnose student thinking, and the use of formative assessment strategies. Additionally, the professional development strengthened classroom culture, increased focus on content and use of questioning to elicit student thinking.

The external analyses also show that MISE is helping to:

• Elevate science as a priority in partnership schools and districts
• Support rigorous, inquiry-based teaching in partnership classrooms
• Support research-based adoption of instructional materials
• Improve hiring and recruitment practices that put more emphasis on teachers' knowledge about content and instructional strategies
• Inform administrators about what to look for in a high-performing classroom
• Develop new district-wide science assessments

Most importantly, MISE has achieved results in the classroom. Analysis of student performance on standardized tests by CPRE found that students receiving science instruction from teachers who participated in MISE professional development activities over several years outperformed students whose teachers had only one or no years of MISE training. The differences were statistically significant when comparing the students of teachers with multiple years of MISE professional development to students of teachers with few years of MISE professional development.

Additionally, in spring 2008, analyses of student achievement data across all four Consortium districts in New Jersey on the State's Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment found that the race/ethnicity achievement gap is significantly smaller in science for students of teachers who participated in coaching than for students whose teachers did not participate in coaching. MISE provides academic content and pedagogical support for these coaches.