MDRC Report

8/3/2019 MDRC Report

1/12

B u i l d i n g K n o w l e d g e i m p r o v e S o c i a l p o l i c y

mdrc

J a n u a r y

2 0 1 2

imprving academic prgress and

substantiay imprving graduatin

prspects, particuary fr disadvantaged

students. This reprt incuded data fr

ver 21,000 students frm fur chrts

wh entered ninth grade between fa2005 and fa 2008.4 Findings in the reprt

were based n a series f randmized

tteries that were used when SSCs had

mre appicants than seats, in rder t

determine wh gt ffered an pprtunity

t enr in an SSC and wh did nt. SSC

tteries are a itte-knwn byprduct

f the current district-wide high sch

appicatin prcessing system (HSAPS).5

These tteries make it pssibe trigrusy estimate the effects f enring

in an SSC versus enring in sme ther

New Yrk City pubic high sch, based

n a cmparisn f subsequent utcmes

fr ttery winners and ttery sers and

a prcedure that accunts fr wh amng

them enr in an SSC.6

In a arge sampe, ike that used fr the

MDRC study, ttery winners and ttery

sers are the same, n average, in a

ways befre they enter high sch.

Cnsequenty, it is vaid t attribute any

differences in their future academic

utcmes t their access t an SSC.

Because students wh se an SSC

ttery attend ver 200 high schs that

vary widey in their size, age, structure,

academic prgrams, and effectiveness,

the MDRC reprt judged SSCs against the

Sst pst effts gt rtsp b n yk cts S

pb Hh Shs f chBy Hward S. Bm and Rebecca Unterman

During the past decade, NewYrk City undertk a district-wide high sch refrm that is perhaps

unprecedented in its scpe, scae, and pace.

Between fa 2002 and fa 2008, the sch

district csed 23 arge faiing high schs(with graduatin rates bew 45 percent),1

pened 216 new sma high schs (with

different missins, structures, and student

seectin criteria), and impemented a

centraized high sch admissins prcess

that assigns ver 90 percent f the rughy

80,000 incming ninth-graders each year

based n their sch preferences.

At the heart f this refrm are 123 sma,academicay nnseective, pubic high

schs. Each with apprximatey 100

students per grade in grades 9 thrugh 12,

these schs were created t serve sme f

the districts mst disadvantaged students

and are cated mainy in neighbrhds

where arge faiing high schs had been

csed.2 Hence, they prvide a reaistic

chice fr students with widey varying

academic backgrunds. MDRC researchers

ca them sma schs f chice (SSCs)

because f their sma size and the fact that

they d nt screen students based n their

academic backgrunds.3

In June 2010, MDRC, a nnprt,

nnpartisan research rganizatin,

reeased a reprt n the effectiveness

f 105 f the 123 new SSCs, which

demnstrated that they are markedy

P

o

l

I

C

Y

B

R

I

E

F

demnstrated that they are markedy


2/12

M D r C P o l i C y B r i e

resurces during start-up.8 By integrating a

demanding and cmprehensive academic

curricuum, persna attentin t student

academic prgress, and rea-wrd experiences

with cmmunity partners, the new smaschs intended t prepare students fr bth

cege and career.

In ther cities, sma high schs are ften

fashined by recnguring arge existing

schs int smaer units in the same

buidings with the same teachers and students;

in cntrast, the typica SSC was created argey

frm scratch with a principa, teachers, and

students wh were new t the sch. At thesame time, many SSCs are cated with ther

SSCs in buidings that previusy hused a

arge pubic high sch that was csed.

SSCs are nt just sma in size. They are

purpsefuy rganized arund smaer

educatina units that are designed t give

students a better chance f being knwn by

their teachers and ther aduts in the buiding.

Fr exampe, many SSCs have created speciastudent advisry structures that prvide

cmmn panning time fr teachers t discuss

their students prgress and prbems.

SSCs received start-up funding frm

phianthrpic rganizatins pus technica

assistance and picy supprt frm the New

Yrk City Department f Educatin and

intermediary rganizatins that were ften

experienced in managing the aunching f

new schs which heped t faciitate

sch eadership devepment, staff hiring,

and prgram start-up. Mst SSCs began with

ny a ninth-grade cass, adding a subsequent

grade each year. Finay, SSCs received specia

awances with respect t serving Engish

language learners and specia educatin

students during their rst tw years f start-up.

The creatin f SSCs was supprted by a

cnsrtium f funders, ed by the Bi &

vera effectiveness f a diverse grup f

ther high schs.7 The resuts reeased in

2010 indicated that, n average, the 105 SSCs

studied increased student prgress tward

graduatin during their rst three years fhigh sch and increased students fur-year

graduatin rates.

Given data that were avaiabe at the time,

the rst MDRC reprt cud ny fw

the rst student chrt (that entered in fa

2005) thrugh fur years f high sch t

examine its graduatin rates. This picy

brief extends the anaysis by a year, which

adds infrmatin n high sch graduatinrates fr the 2006 chrt and prvides a fth

year f fw-up fr the 2005 chrt. This

infrmatin makes it pssibe t address the

fwing three questins:

Was the psitive average effect f SSCs n

fur-year graduatin rates fr the studys

rst student chrt sustained thrugh the

secnd chrt?

Was this psitive average effect sustained

acrss subgrups f students with differentprir academic prciency, famiy incme,

race/ethnicity, and gender?

Was the average fur-year graduatin effect

sustained after ve years?

The answer t a three f these questins is yes.

w H a T a r e S S c s ?

SSCs were deveped thrugh a cmpetitive

prpsa prcess that was designed t

ensure that sch funders met specied

cnditins and t stimuate innvative ideas

frm a range f stakehders and institutins.

SSCs emphasize academic rigr and strng

and sustained persna reatinships amng

students and facuty. In additin, mst were

funded with cmmunity partners wh ffer

students reevant earning pprtunities inside

and utside the cassrm and prvide sch

facuty with additina stafng supprt and


3/12

Meinda Gates Fundatin, the Carnegie

Crpratin f New Yrk, and the open

Sciety Institute. SSCs were impemented

in cabratin with the United Federatin

f Teachers and the Cunci f SchSupervisrs and Administratrs.10 Unike

charter schs, which typicay perate

independenty f the sch district in which

they are cated, SSCs are directy respnsibe

t the New Yrk City Department f Educatin.

w H y S T u d y S S c s ?

Amst a majr urban sch districts in the

U.S. and a but fur states have attempted

t create new sma schs r attemptedt transfrm arge schs int campuses

with sma earning cmmunities.11 This

mvement had its beginnings in the 1960s,

when urban educatrs and cmmunity

rganizatins began t impement smaer

sch structures as an aternative t the arge

high schs that dminated the andscape,

many f which were faiing. By the ate 1990s,

sma schs had emerged as a natina

refrm strategy champined by such grupsas the Caitin f Essentia Schs and the

Natina Assciatin f Secndary Sch

Principas. This strategy priferated thrugh

district- and fundatin-ed initiatives in majr

cities ike Chicag, Phiadephia, Bstn,

oakand, and New Yrk. In 2000, the Bi &

Meinda Gates Fundatin aunched a natina

campaign t imprve faiing urban high

schs, with sma schs as a key strategy.12

The cmmn thery f change underying

bth sma schs and sma earning

cmmunities species that smaer

educatina units prmte strnger

reatinships amng students, amng

aduts, and between students and aduts.

These reatinships, in turn, are expected

t increase student engagement and hep

teachers respnd t students academic and

scia needs, thereby increasing students

academic achievement.13 Prir research n

sma schs has prduced mixed resuts

abut their effectiveness. Sme studies have

fund that they imprve student utcmes,

such as increasing eves f academicachievement and wering rates f sch

drput.14 In additin, sme studies suggest

that these effects are mst prnunced

fr disadvantaged students.15 on the ther

hand, a majr study f a arge number f

sma schs initiatives suggests that they

d nt imprve student academic utcmes

appreciaby.16 In a f these cases hwever, the

nnexperimenta nature f the research imits

its abiity t supprt causa cncusins.

MDRCs ndings abut SSCs are reevant

t current federa picy n high sch

refrm, particuary the U. S. Department f

Educatins Sch Imprvement Grants

(SIGs) fr faiing schs. Refrms funded by

SIGs incude sch transfrmatin, sch

restart, sch csing, and sch turnarund.

SSCs stradde severa f these categries since

they are typicay repacements fr schsthat have csed and they perate as reguar

pubic schs. Hwever, it is imprtant t

recgnize that SSCs represent far mre than

just changes in sch size and structure.

They as represent innvative ways t use

these structura changes t everage human,

nancia, and curricuar resurces.

The cuping f sma schs with a

system f chice fr a entering ninth-

graders as has reevance fr the natina

debate abut charter schs. on the ne

hand, SSCs share many simiarities with

charters they are sma and persnaized;

mst began with the hep f intermediary

spnsrs that resembe charter management

rganizatins; the students and teachers

are there by chice; and the curricua are

demanding. on the ther hand, SSCs are

verseen by the Department f Educatin

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2


4/12


4

The reprt fund simiar psitive effects n

prgress tward graduatin in ninth grade

fr subgrups f students wh varied in

terms f their reading and math prciency

befre entering high sch, their eigibiity

fr free r reduced-price unches, and theirrace/ethnicity and gender.

At tw and three years after students entered

high sch, the study fund that SSCs

increased their prgress tward graduatin by

rughy the same amunt as they did during

the rst year. And at fur years after students

entered high sch, the study fund that

SSCs increased high sch graduatin rates

by 6.8 percentage pints (t 68.7 percent fr

target SSC enrees frm 61.9 percent fr

their cntr grup cunterparts).

n Fs gt c

rss f T Stt chts: Findings

in Tabe 1 indicate that SSC effects n

fur-year high sch graduatin rates are

sustained thrugh a secnd chrt f entering

ninth-graders. Enring in an SSC instead

f anther type f New Yrk City pubic high

with uninized teachers and principas;

the schs are nnseective and pen t

students regardess f academic prciency;

and the sch chice prcess was designed

t engage a entering ninth-graders, nt just

the mst mtivated parents and chidren thatmight seek ut charter schs.

H o w m u c H d o S S c s

H e l p S T u d e n T S ?

ps St Fs: Because students

became part f the study sampe in fur

annua chrts, MDRCs rst reprt n the

effects f SSCs was based n fur years

f fw-up fr the rst chrt f entering

ninth-graders, three years f fw-up fr the

secnd, tw years f fw-up fr the third,

and ne year f fw-up fr the furth chrt.

Based n data fr a fur chrts, the reprt

fund that SSCs increased the percentage

f students wh were n track17 tward

graduatin in ninth grade by 10.0 percentage

pints (t 58.5 percent fr target SSC

enrees frm 48.5 percent fr their cntr

grup cunterparts).18

Table 1. estimtd avrg effcts of SSCs on Four-Yr Grdution Rts: Studnt Cohorts 1 nd 2

ouTcome (%)TargeT

SScenrolleeS

conTrolgroup

counTerparTS

eSTimaTedeFFecT

p-value ForeSTimaTed

eFFecT

graduaTion

graduaTed From HigH ScHool 67.9 59.3 8.6 ** 0.000

l t 19.9 19.6 0.3 0.406

rts t 41.5 34.9 6.5 * 0.041

a rts t 6.2 4.7 1.6 0.154

college readineSS

pss mth rts t 75 hh 23.3 22.5 0.8 0.682

pss esh rts t 75 hh 37.3 29.7 7.6 ** 0.002

NoTES: There are 13,064 student observations for cohorts one and two combined. There are no statistically signicant differences betweenestimated effects for the two cohorts. Because of rounding error and the complex calculations involved, results by diploma type do not sumexactly to those for overall graduation rates.


5/12

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

subgrups examined that had sampes that

were arge enugh t supprt ndings.21

Cnsider the resuts fr subgrups dened

by students prir academic prciency, asmeasured by their eighth-grade state test

scres in reading and math. New Yrk State

reprts this prciency in fur eves. leves 1

and 2 (did nt meet r partiay met standards)

represent student perfrmance that is bew

grade eve. leves 3 and 4 (fuy met standards

r met standards with distinctin) represent

perfrmance that is at r abve grade eve.

Since very few sampe members scre in the

tp categry, n ndings are reprted fr it.The ndings indicate that SSCs increased fur-

year graduatin rates appreciaby fr students

in eves 1, 2, and 3 f reading and math prir

prciency.

Athugh specic estimates vary smewhat

(frm 7.7 t 11.3 percentage pints fr reading

and frm 8.6 t 11.4 percentage pints fr

math), a f the effects are appreciabe and

statisticay signicant, indicating that everygrup beneted substantiay frm attending

an SSC. Fr exampe the 11.4 percentage pint

gain in high sch graduatin rates prduced

by SSCs fr students with a eve 1 eighth-grade

math prciency scre impies a 33 percent

increase (11.4/34.5) in graduatin rates fr this

subgrup f students with especiay weak math

preparatin. Hwever, there is n cear pattern

t the variatin in resuts acrss prciency

subgrups; s whie the impacts are statisticay

signicant, the reprted differences between

subgrups are nt statisticay signicant.

Therefre, ne shud nt cncude, fr

instance, that SSCs wrked differenty fr eve 1

students than fr eve 2 students, even thugh

the pint estimates differ.

These subgrup ndings by academic

prciency are especiay striking given

the dramatic differences that exist in the

sch increased average fur-year graduatin

rates fr the rst tw chrts cmbined by 8.6

percentage pints (t 67.9 percent fr target

SSC enrees frm 59.3 percent fr their

cntr grup cunterparts).19 Amst a fthis graduatin effect reects an increase in

receipt f New Yrk State Regents dipmas.

Fr this type f dipma, students must pass

a minimum f ve Regents examinatins

(Engish language Arts, Mathematics,

Science, Gba Histry, and American

Histry) with a scre f 65 pints r abve

and must pass a curses that are required

by the state. Nne f the SSC graduatin

effect appears t reect an increase in receiptf ca dipmas, which have ess stringent

standards fr scres n Regents examinatins

and are being phased ut by New Yrk State

fr the graduating cass f 2012. likewise,

itte if any f the SSC graduatin effect

reects an increase in receipt f Advanced

Regents dipmas, which have the mst

stringent standards and are received by very

few students wh appy t SSCs.

Tabe 1 as indicates that enring in an

SSC increased students cege readiness

in Engish but nt in math, as measured

by the percentage wh scred 75 pints r

higher n the crrespnding New Yrk State

Regents examinatins.20 This threshd

is used by the City University f New Yrk

t exempt students frm taking remedia

curses in these subjects.

n Sb Fs gt

f T Stt chts: Adding a secnd

chrt f students t the anaysis f SSC

effects n fur-year graduatin rates

increased the sampe size by enugh t

make it pssibe t examine hw these

effects vary acrss subgrups f students

with diverse backgrunds. Findings in Tabe

2 indicate that SSCs increased fur-year high

sch graduatin rates appreciaby fr a


6/12


Table 2. estimtd effcts of SSCs on Four-Yr Grdution Rts for Studnt Sugroups: Studnt Cohorts 1 nd 2

STudenT cHaracTeriSTicTargeT

SScenrolleeS

conTrolgroup

counTerparTS

eSTimaTedeFFecT

p-valueSTima

eFFe

8TH-grade reading proFiciency

nt t Stt l Sts ( 1) 37.3 29.6 7.7 * 0

pt t Stt l Sts ( 2) 66.7 55.5 11.2 **


7/12

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

experienced a 7.6 percentage pint increase

in fur-year graduatin rates; the rughy 43

percent f students in the sampe wh were

nt knwn experienced a 10.1 percentage

pint increase. Bth ndings are statisticaysignicant athugh they are nt statisticay

signicanty different frm each ther. Thus,

cntrary t what might be expected, students

wh make an effrt t becme knwn t their

SSC d not benet mre frm attending it

than students wh d nt make this effrt.

n Fs F-y gt

rts f th Sts Fst Stt cht:

Cmpeting hyptheses exist abut the ikeyeffects f SSCs n ve-year graduatin

rates. Fr exampe, SSCs might be especiay

effective at keeping strugging students

engaged in sch fr a fth year in rder

t meet their graduatin requirements. If

s, then SSC effects n ve-year graduatin

rates might be greater than their effects n

fur-year graduatin rates. on the ther

hand, SSC effects n fur-year graduatin

rates might reect their abiity t speedup graduatin fr students wh therwise

wud need ve years. In additin, due t

their sma staffs, SSCs might nt have the

capacity t prvide the additina resurces

needed t adequatey assist students in their

fth year. Fr either r bth f these reasns,

SSC effects n ve-year graduatin rates

might be ess than their effects n fur-year

graduatin rates.

Tabe 3 presents estimates f SSC effects n

graduatin rates at ve years after the studys

rst student chrt entered high sch, as

we as their fur-year graduatin rates (frm

MDRCs rst reprt). These ndings indicate

that between year fur and year ve, graduatin

rates fr target SSC enrees and their cntr

grup cunterparts increased by amst exacty

the same amunt. Hence, the effect f SSCs n

graduatin rates did nt change.

graduatin prospects fr each subgrup, as

measured by its cntr grup cunterparts

graduatin rate. Fr exampe, rates range

frm 29.6 t 55.5 t 69.8 percent fr eves 1,

2, and 3 in reading, respectivey. Therefre,SSCs increase high sch graduatin rates

appreciaby fr students with extremey weak

graduatin prspects, mdest prspects,

and strnger prspects.

Findings fr subgrups f students wh were

and were nt eigibe fr free r reduced-

price unch te a simiar stry. They indicate

that SSCs increased graduatin rates fr

bth subgrups (by 11.2 and 6.9 percentagepints) even thugh their graduatin

prspects differed substantiay.

Findings fr subgrups f students by race/

ethnicity and gender further reinfrce the

preceding resuts. They indicate that SSCs

increase graduatin rates appreciaby fr

a subgrups with a sampe that is arge

enugh t detect these effects.22 Specicay,

SSCs increase graduatin rates fr backmaes and femaes by 9.9 and 8.3 percentage

pints and fr Hispanic maes and femaes

by 7.7 and 8.7 percentage pints.23

The na subgrup ndings in the tabe

are based n whether r nt students were

knwn ahead f time t the SSC in whse

ttery they participated.24 A student can

becme knwn t an SSC by cntacting it

in persn r by teephne, by visiting it, by

meeting with its representatives at a high

sch fair, r in ther ways. T prmte

infrmed sch chice, the New Yrk City

Department f Educatin encurages eighth-

graders and their parents t d a f these

things, which require initiative and effrt.

Findings in Tabe 2 indicate that the rughy

57 percent f students in the subgrup

sampe wh were knwn t their SSC


8/12


Specicay, graduatin rates increased frm

68.7 percent in year fur t 75.2 percent in year

ve (r by 6.5 percentage pints) fr target SSC

enrees and frm 61.9 percent in year fur t68.1 percent in year ve (r by 6.2 percentage

pints) fr their cntr grup cunterparts.

The effect f SSCs n ve-year graduatin rates

(a 7.1 percentage pint increase) therefre was

amst identica t the effect f SSCs n fur-

year graduatin rates (a 6.8 percentage pint

increase).25 In additin, at ve years, the majrity

f the SSC impact cmes frm receiving Regents

dipmas, as was the case at fur years.

w H y a r e T H e S e

F i n d i n g S i m p o r T a n T ?

T pace these ndings in perspective,

cnsider: (1) the scae f the interventin

evauated, (2) the size f the effects it

prduced, (3) the nature f the ppuatin it

served, (4) the diversity f subppuatins

it beneted, (5) the institutina nature f

the interventin, and (6) the rigr f the

evauatin cnducted.

The 105 SSCs studied serve abut1.

45,000 students at fu capacity. This

is equivaent in size t the entire high

sch ppuatin f Hustn, Texas,the seventh argest sch district in the

United States.

The estimated 8.6 percentage pint effect2.

f SSCs n fur-year graduatin rates

is equivaent in magnitude t abut 43

percent f the gap in graduatin rates

between white students and students f

cr in New Yrk City.26 Furthermre,

this effect is reative t currenty existing

schs, nt t the 23 arge faiing high

schs that were csed, schs that had

graduatin rates that were much wer than

the rates f the cntr grup schs that

the SSCs were cmpared with in this study.

SSC effects reect a student ppuatin3.

that is 93.2 percent back r Hispanic,

83.9 percent eigibe fr free r reduced-

price unch, 21.8 percent verage fr

Table 3. estimtd avrg effcts of SSCs on Four-Yr nd Fiv-Yr Grdution Rts: Studnt Cohort 1

ouTcome (%)TargeT

SScenrolleeS

conTrolgroup

counTerparTS

eSTimaTedeFFecT

p-value ForeSTimaTed

eFFecT

Four-year graduaTion

graduaTed From HigH ScHool 68.7 61.9 6.8* 0.013l t 24.6 21.9 2.8 0.261

rts t 39.5 34.6 4.9 0.074

a rts t 4.4 5.5 -1.1 0.366

Five-year graduaTion

graduaTed From HigH ScHool 75.2 68.1 7.1* 0.018

l t 27.3 24.4 3.0 0.265

rts t 44.9 40.0 4.9 0.081

a rts t 4.7 5.8 -1.1 0.368

NoTES: There are 5,363 and 5,428 student observations for the four-year and ve-year analyses, respectively. The difference represents65 students who reenrolled in a NYC public high school between their fourth and fth years. Because of rounding error and the complexcalculations involved, results by diploma type do not sum exactly to those for overall graduation rates


9/12

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

grade, and 70.5 percent bew grade eve

in reading and 63.9 percent bew grade

eve in math, based n state tests in

these subjects in eighth grade.

SSC effects were experienced by students4.

with widey varying graduatin prspects,

by students wh were and were nt

eigibe fr free and reduced-price unch,

by students wh were mae and femae,

back and Hispanic, and by students wh

were knwn and nt knwn t their SSCs.

New Yrk Citys SSCs were deveped5.

thrugh a demanding prpsa prcessthat was designed t ensure specied

cnditins and t stimuate innvatin

frm a range f stakehders and

institutins. This differs markedy frm

many sma schs in ther jurisdictins

that are created by recnguring existing

schs. Furthermre, SSCs perate

within the sch district, in cntrast

t charter schs, which perate mre

independenty.

These ndings are based n data fr a6.

very arge sampe that was created by a

series f naturay ccurring randmized

tteries. Hence, they prvide unusuay

rigrus evidence abut the causa

effects f SSCs. And instead f reying

n a singe test scre as a prxy fr

ater ife utcmes, the study measures

actua grade prgressin, high sch

graduatin, and Regents dipmas

attained and scres achieved.

w H a T a r e T H e n e x T S T e p S

F o r r e S e a r c H o n S S c s ?

over the next three years, with funding frm

the Bi and Meinda Gates Fundatin,

MDRC and its partners wi expand and

deepen their research n SSCs t address

such questins as:

D SSCs increase cege readiness and

success in pstsecndary educatin?

Hw were SSCs created? Hw d they

perate? What bstaces d they face?

Hw are they deaing with these bstaces?What are their mst imprtant surces

f nancia and human resurces? What

factrs d they beieve are mst imprtant

t their success?

Hw d SSC effects vary by sch and

what factrs predict this variatin?

What re des teacher seectin, training,

and quaity pay in prducing SSC effects?

c o n c l u S i o nIn summary, the present ndings prvide

highy credibe evidence that in a reativey

shrt perid f time, with sufcient

rganizatin and resurces, an existing

sch district can impement a cmpex

high sch refrm that markedy imprves

graduatin rates fr a arge ppuatin f

w-incme, disadvantaged students f cr.

e n d n o T e S1 The csure f the 23 arge high schs happened vertime as they n nger accepted entering ninth-gradersand, thus, phased ut ver fur years.

2 Fifty SSCs are in the Brnx and 31 are in Brkyn. Manyf them are in the citys prest neighbrhds.

3 other new sma secndary schs created by New YrkCity during this time perid incude 38 genera high schsfr grades 9-12, which screen students based n theiracademic backgrunds; 21 transfer schs that are designedt hep students wh are verage fr grade and under-credited; 33 midde/high schs fr grades 6-12 r 7-12; andne speciaized high sch fr high-perfrming students.

4 Bm, levy Thmpsn, and Unterman (2010).5 SSC tteries are nt pubic events, but rather the resut fthe rues by which HSAPS assigns students t SSCs. of the123 SSCs created in New Yrk City, 105 had at east ne t-tery fr ne f the fur student chrts in the present study.

6 Appendix A f Bm, levy Thmpsn, and Unterman(2010) describes hw HSAPS creates SSC tteries, hwan SSC ttery creates a treatment grup f SSC tterywinners and a cntr grup f SSC ttery sers, andhw this infrmatin was used, tgether with infrmatinabut the schs in which students enred, t estimatethe effects fenrollingin an SSC reative t enring insme ther New Yrk City pubic high sch.


10/12

SSCs wrked better fr the secnd chrt than the rst.

20 These ndings n cege readiness fr chrts neand tw cmbined te the same stry as thse fr chrtne in MDRCs rst reprt.

21 T estimate SSC effects fr student subgrups, thesampe fr each SSC ttery is stratied by the studentcharacteristics that dene each subgrup. Because nt

a tteries cntain students frm each stratum, the ttasampe represented by each type f student characteristic(e.g., by reading prciency r race/ethnicity) varies.

22 The sampe fr ther maes cmprised ny 283 stu-dent bservatins; fr ther femaes, the sampe wasny 261 student bservatins.

23 The estimated SSC effect fr Hispanic maes is nt sta-tisticay signicant at the 0.05 eve, athugh it is statisti-cay signicant at the 0.10 eve, which is used by manyresearchers. Furthermre, this nding is cnsistent withthse fr the ther three subgrups f students f crand is nt statisticay signicanty different frm them.Hence, the data suggest that SSCs increase fur-year

graduatin rates fr Hispanic maes, athugh the evi-dence fr this subgrup is weaker than that fr the thers.

24 Bm, levy Thmpsn, and Unterman (2010) de-scribe hw each SSC ttery incudes either students whwere knwn t the SSC r students wh were nt knwnt it, but nt bth. lttery winners and sers are thusperfecty matched in this regard.

25 The sight discrepancy between the reprted differencein changes ver time f graduatin rates fr target SSCenrees and their cntr grup cunterparts and thechange ver time in the estimated impact f SSCs n thegraduatin rate is due t runding.

26 MDRC cmputatins based n 2011 data frm the NYC

Department f Educatin indicate a gap between citywidefur-year graduatin rates fr white students and studentsf cr equa t 21.0 percentage pints fr the fa 2005chrt and 18.8 percentage pints fr the fa 2006 chrt.The average gap is thus 19.9 percentage pints.

reFerenceS

Fr a anayses in this brief, MDRCs cacuatins useHigh Sch Appicatin Prcessing System data frmeighth-graders in 2004-2005 t 2006-2007, as we asdata frm New Yrk City Department f Educatin atten-dance, curse credits, Regents exam, and enrment esfrm the 2005-2006 t 2009-2010 sch years.

Aenswrth, Eaine, and Jhn Q. Eastn. 2005. The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation .Chicag: Cnsrtium n Chicag Sch Research.

Bm, Hward S., Saskia levy Thmpsn, and RebeccaUnterman. 2010. Transforming the High School Experience:How New York Citys New Small Schools Are Boosting Stu-dent Achievement and Graduation Rates. New Yrk: MDRC

Evan, Aimee, Jamie Shknik, Mette Huberman, BeckySmerdn, Barbara Means, Mengi Sng, Karen Mitche,Chares Strey, linda Shear, and Kazuaki Uekawa. 2006.Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations HighSchool Grants Initiative. Washingtn, DC: American Insti-tutes fr Research.


0

Crrespnding ndings fr the effects f winning an SSCttery are presented in Appendix B f the rigina reprt.These ndings are cnsistent with thse fr the effects fenring in an SSC. The anaysis in this picy brief usesthe same methdgy.

7 Because MDRCs study examines ny one component fNew Yrk Citys vera high sch refrm initiative (thatis, the sma schs f chice), it des nt attempt t de-termine the vera effect f these refrms. Neither desit attempt t determine the effect f csing the 23 argefaiing high schs n students wh wud have attendedthem had they nt been csed.

8 Fr exampe, a aw rm prvides internships and em-beds rea-wrd exampes in the curricuum fr the UrbanAssemby Sch fr law & Justice, and the Urban Assem-by New Yrk Harbr Sch is grwing ne f the argestyster beds in the regin.

9 As a resut f a curt decisin, the New Yrk CityDepartment f Educatin ended this practice.

10 As described by Randi Weingarten at a frum n sma

schs spnsred by the Aiance fr Exceent Educatinin Nvember f 2010, the United Federatin f Teachersparticipated in the panning and apprva prcess frmany f the new sma schs in New Yrk City.

11 By 2008, 46 f 50 states and the District f Cumbiahad received mutimiin-dar federa grants fr smaearning cmmunities (U.S. Department f Educatin,n.d.).

12 Whie the Gates Fundatins stated ga was t sup-prt the creatin f schs that pssessed seven Attri-butes f High Perfrming Schs, it was the structurafcus n sch size (nt t exceed 100 students pergrade) that became a key strategy f the fundatinsgrantmaking (Evan et a., 2006).

13 See Finn and Vek (1993); lee and leb (2000); Was-ey et a. (2000); Kem and Cnne (2004).

14 Fr student achievement, see Haer, Mnk, and Tien(1993); Hwey (1989); Hwey and Huang (1991); leeand Smith (1997). Fr drput rates, see Pittman andHaughwut (1987); McMuen, Sipe, and Wf (1994).

15 See lee, Bryk, and Smith (1993); lee and Smith (1995);lee and Smith (1997).

16 See Evan et a. (2006).

17 The n-track measure was deveped by the Cnsr-tium n Chicag Sch Research. High sch studentswh are n track t graduate by the end f their rst year

meaning that they have earned at east 10 credits andare faiing n mre than ne cre subject are three anda haf times mre ikey t graduate in fur years than arether students (Aenswrth and Eastn, 2005).

18 Target SSC enrees are sampe members fr whmSSC effects are reprted. Appendix A f Bm, levyThmpsn, and Unterman (2010) describes hw thisgrup is dened and hw ndings fr it are btained.

19 The estimated average effect f SSCs n fur-yeargraduatin rates was 9.9 percentage pints fr the secndchrt and 6.8 fr the rst chrt. Bth f these estimatesare statisticay signicant, athugh the difference betweenthem is nt. Hence, ne cannt say with cndence that


11/12

Finn, Jeremy D., and Kristen E. Vek, 1993. Sch Char-acteristics Reated t Student Engagement.Journal ofNegro Education 62, 3: 249-268.

Haer, Emi J., David H. Mnk, and lydia T. Tien. 1993.Sma Schs and Higher-order Thinking Skis.Journalof Research in Rural Education 9, 2: 66-73.

Hwey, Craig B. 1989. Synthesis f the Effects f Sch

and District Size: What Research Says Abut Achievementin Sma Schs and Sch Districts.Journal of Ruraland Small Schools 4, 1: 2-12.

Hwey, Craig B., and Gary Huang. 1991. ExtracurricuarParticipatin and Achievement: Sch Size as a PssibeMediatr f SES Inuence Amng Individua Students.ERIC Dcument N. ED336247. Charestn, WV: Appaa-chia Educatina labratry.

Kem, Adena M., and James P. Cnne. 2004. Reatin-ships Matter: linking Teacher Supprt t Student Engage-ment and Achievement.Journal of School Health 74, 7:262-273.

lee, Vaerie E., Anthny S. Bryk, and Juia B. Smith. 1993.

The organizatin f Effective Secndary Schs. Re-view of Research in Education 19, 1 (January): 171-267.

lee, Vaerie E., and Susanna leb. 2000. Sch Sizein Chicag Eementary Schs: Effects n Teachers At-titudes and Students Achievement.American EducationResearch Journal 31, 1:3-31.

a c K n o w l e d g m e n T S

This picy brief and the study upn which it is based

are funded by the Bi & Meinda Gates Fundatin. The

authrs thank the fundatin eaders wh supprted thiswrk Aan Gstn, Vicki Phiips, and James Shetn

(frmery f Gates) and the fundatin staff wh pr-

vided hepfu guidance and feedback: David Siver (ur

prject fcer), Adam Tucker, Sara Aen, Isis Randph-

McCree, and Nah Wepman.

The study wud nt have been pssibe withut cntinued

supprt and cperatin frm s many persns frm the

New Yrk City Department f Educatin that they are t

numerus t name. In additin, we beneted frm discus-

sins with Avin Rth, Parag Pathak, Atia Abdukadirgu,

and Nei Drsin, creatrs f New Yrks High SchAppicatin Prcessing System, wh shared their insights

abut ur study design. Furthermre, we received much

hepfu advice frm Jennifer Hi, Brian Jacb, Thmas Kane,

Jeffrey King, Sean Reardn, and Richard Murnane, and frm

ur current and frmer ceagues at MDRC: Grdn Ber-

in, Fred Ditte, Jhn Hutchins, Rb Ivry, James Kempe

(frmery f MDRC), Saskia levy Thmpsn (frmery f

MDRC), Pei Zhu, Micah Delaurentis, and Christian Fster.

Disseminatin f MDRC pubicatins is supprted by the

fwing funders that hep nance MDRCs pubic picy

utreach and expanding effrts t cmmunicate the re-

lee, Vaerie E., and Juia B. Smith. 1995. Effects f HighSch Restructuring and Size n Eary Gains in Achieve-ment and Engagement. Sociology of Education 68, 4:241-270.

lee, Vaerie E., and Juia B. Smith. 1997. High SchSize: Which Wrks Best and fr Whm? EducationalEvaluation and Policy Analysis 19, 3: 205-227.

McMuen, Bernard. J., Cynthia l. Sipe, and Wendy C.Wf. 1994. Charter and Student Achievement: Early Evi-dence from School Restructuring in Philadelphia. Phiade-phia: Center fr Assessment and Picy Devepment.

New Yrk City Department f Educatin. 2011. NYCGraduatin Rates Cass f 2010 (2006 Chrt). Web site:http://schs.nyc.gv

Pittman, Rbert B., and Perri Haughwut. 1987. Inu-ence f High Sch Size n Drput Rate. EducationEvaluation and Policy Analysis 9, 4: 337-343.

U.S. Department f Educatin. n.d. Smaller Learning Com-munities Program. Web site: www.ed.gv/prgrams/scp/funding.htm.

Wasey, Patricia A., Michee Fine, Matt Gadden, NiceE. Hand, Sherry P. King, Esther Msak, and linda C.Pwe. 2000. Small Schools: Great Strides. New Yrk: BankStreet Cege f Educatin.

Weingarten, Randi. (2010, octber). lecture. Presentedat the Aiance fr Exceent Educatins Sma SchsFrum. Washingtn, DC.

suts and impicatins f ur wrk t picymakers, practi-

tiners, and thers: The Ambrse Mne Fundatin, The

Annie E. Casey Fundatin, Carnegie Crpratin f New

Yrk, The Kresge Fundatin, Sander Fundatin, andThe Starr Fundatin.

In additin, earnings frm the MDRC Endwment hep sus-

tain ur disseminatin effrts. Cntributrs t the MDRC

Endwment incude Aca Fundatin, The Ambrse M-

ne Fundatin, Anheuser-Busch Fundatin, Brist-Myers

Squibb Fundatin, Chares Stewart Mtt Fundatin, Frd

Fundatin, The Gerge Gund Fundatin, The Grabe

Fundatin, The lizabeth and Frank Newman Charitabe

Fundatin, The New Yrk Times Cmpany Fundatin, Jan

Nichsn, Pau H. oNei Charitabe Fundatin, Jhn S.

Reed, Sander Fundatin, and The Stupski Famiy Fund, as

we as ther individua cntributrs.

The ndings and cncusins in this brief d nt neces-

sariy represent the fcia psitins r picies f the

funders.

Cpyright 2012 by MDRC. A rights reserved.

a B o u T T H e a u T H o r S

Hward S. Bm is MDRCs Chief Scia Scientist, and

Rebecca Unterman is a Research Assciate in MDRCs

K-12 Educatin Picy Area.

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2


12/12

B u i l d i n g K n o w l e d g eT o i m p r o v e S o c i a l p o l i c y

mdrc16 East 34th StreetNew Yrk, NY 10016-4326

cHange Service reQueSTed

NoNPRoFIT

oRGANIZATIoN

US PoSTAGE

PAID

WASHINGToN, D

PERMIT No. 3070

Sst pst effts gt rtsp b n yk cts S pb Hh Shs f ch

By Hward S. Bm and Rebecca Unterman

T aking advantage f ttery-ike features in New Yrk Citys high schadmissins prcess, this study prvides rigrus evidence that new sma

pubic high schs are narrwing the educatina attainment gap and markedy

imprving graduatin prspects, particuary fr disadvantaged students. The newndings in this picy brief demnstrate that these schs are having a sustained effect

n graduatin rates, with psitive impacts fr virtuay every subgrup, incuding mae

and femae students f cr, students with w eighth-grade prciency in math and

Engish, and students eigibe fr free and reduced-priced unch. In additin, the sma

high schs shw psitive impacts n ve-year graduatin rates and n a measure f

cege readiness.2

Documents

MDRC Report