Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms Evaluation. Final Summative Report [Revised]
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| Title: | Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms Evaluation. Final Summative Report [Revised] |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Ryan Williams, Bo Zhu, Max Pardo, Crystal Aguilera, Tara Zuber, American Institutes for Research (AIR) |
| Source: | American Institutes for Research. 2026. |
| Availability: | American Institutes for Research. 1400 Crystal Drive 10th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. Tel: 202-403-5000; Fax: 202-403-5001; e-mail: inquiry@air.org; Web site: https://www.air.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 50 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) (ED), Education Innovation and Research (EIR) |
| Contract Number: | U411C180114 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Grade 5 Intermediate Grades Middle Schools |
| Descriptors: | Prosocial Behavior, Active Learning, Faculty Development, Learner Engagement, Grade 5, Mathematics Instruction, Science Instruction, Teamwork, Program Effectiveness, Elementary Education, Classroom Environment, Teacher Student Relationship, Cooperation |
| Geographic Terms: | Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri |
| Abstract: | Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms is a year-long teacher professional development program designed to increase students' prosocial behavior and engagement in 5th grade mathematics and science classrooms that use active, team-based lessons by altering the way that teachers interact with students using research-based strategies. The project is funded by a 6-year Education Innovation and Research grant and implemented by the eMINTS National Center and the Prosocial Development and Education Research Lab (ProsocialEd Lab) at the University of Missouri. The American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), as an independent evaluator, has completed an implementation and impact study of PAL Classrooms. The evaluation involves a mixed-methods study to assess the implementation of the program and a multicohort, school-level randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the impact of the program. The evaluation took place in 41 districts in three states--Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. For the impact study, AIR randomly assigned two cohorts (2021-22 and 2022-23) of elementary schools to receive PAL Classrooms immediately (treatment) or conduct business as usual and receive PAL Classrooms a year later (control). A total of 41 schools (21 treatment and 20 control), with 65 teachers and their 1,399 students, participated in the RCT. This final report summarizes the PAL Classrooms program and AIR's evaluation methods; findings on the extent to which PAL Classrooms' key components were implemented with fidelity; and the impact of PAL Classrooms on teacher outcomes (i.e., student-reported use of strategies, instructional quality), proximal student outcomes (i.e., prosocial behavior, engagement, perceived classroom climate, collaboration, teacher-student relationship), and student math and science achievement. Results of implementation analyses indicated that PAL Classrooms was generally implemented with fidelity despite occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program delivered key professional development activities and teachers generally participated as intended. In addition, teachers implemented strategies that promoted student prosocial behavior. Results were consistent across both cohorts. Results of impact analyses indicated PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on teachers' use of prosocial strategies including praise and induction, with effect sizes of 0.30 and 0.29 standard deviations (SD), respectively. In addition, results reveal that schools assigned to PAL Classrooms had higher levels of overall instructional quality, student engagement, emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, measured by classroom observation; however these were not statistically significant. Results reveal that PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on proximal student outcomes measured by self-report surveys. Students assigned to PAL Classrooms reported higher levels of prosocial behavior in their peers and behavioral engagement, with effect sizes of 0.31 and 0.22, respectively, compared with students in control schools. Analyses of students' self-reported prosocial behavior of themselves and their teachers, affective and cognitive engagement, classroom climate, and student-teacher relationships also yielded positive results, although the impact estimates were not statistically significant. Impacts on student-reported collaboration and more distal student achievement in math and science were less conclusive, with the impact estimates being smaller and not statistically significant. Additionally, the impact results on student achievement did not vary by student background characteristics (i.e., free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, or receipt of academic services under an individualized education plan). |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679558 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Prosocial and Active Learning (PAL) Classrooms is a year-long teacher professional development program designed to increase students' prosocial behavior and engagement in 5th grade mathematics and science classrooms that use active, team-based lessons by altering the way that teachers interact with students using research-based strategies. The project is funded by a 6-year Education Innovation and Research grant and implemented by the eMINTS National Center and the Prosocial Development and Education Research Lab (ProsocialEd Lab) at the University of Missouri. The American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), as an independent evaluator, has completed an implementation and impact study of PAL Classrooms. The evaluation involves a mixed-methods study to assess the implementation of the program and a multicohort, school-level randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the impact of the program. The evaluation took place in 41 districts in three states--Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. For the impact study, AIR randomly assigned two cohorts (2021-22 and 2022-23) of elementary schools to receive PAL Classrooms immediately (treatment) or conduct business as usual and receive PAL Classrooms a year later (control). A total of 41 schools (21 treatment and 20 control), with 65 teachers and their 1,399 students, participated in the RCT. This final report summarizes the PAL Classrooms program and AIR's evaluation methods; findings on the extent to which PAL Classrooms' key components were implemented with fidelity; and the impact of PAL Classrooms on teacher outcomes (i.e., student-reported use of strategies, instructional quality), proximal student outcomes (i.e., prosocial behavior, engagement, perceived classroom climate, collaboration, teacher-student relationship), and student math and science achievement. Results of implementation analyses indicated that PAL Classrooms was generally implemented with fidelity despite occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program delivered key professional development activities and teachers generally participated as intended. In addition, teachers implemented strategies that promoted student prosocial behavior. Results were consistent across both cohorts. Results of impact analyses indicated PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on teachers' use of prosocial strategies including praise and induction, with effect sizes of 0.30 and 0.29 standard deviations (SD), respectively. In addition, results reveal that schools assigned to PAL Classrooms had higher levels of overall instructional quality, student engagement, emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, measured by classroom observation; however these were not statistically significant. Results reveal that PAL Classrooms had statistically significantly positive impact on proximal student outcomes measured by self-report surveys. Students assigned to PAL Classrooms reported higher levels of prosocial behavior in their peers and behavioral engagement, with effect sizes of 0.31 and 0.22, respectively, compared with students in control schools. Analyses of students' self-reported prosocial behavior of themselves and their teachers, affective and cognitive engagement, classroom climate, and student-teacher relationships also yielded positive results, although the impact estimates were not statistically significant. Impacts on student-reported collaboration and more distal student achievement in math and science were less conclusive, with the impact estimates being smaller and not statistically significant. Additionally, the impact results on student achievement did not vary by student background characteristics (i.e., free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, or receipt of academic services under an individualized education plan). |
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