Friday, June 25, 2010

Education Research Report: First Report on National Study of KIPP Schools Consistent, Substantial Positive Impacts on Math and Reading Achievement

Education Research Report: First Report on National Study of KIPP Schools Consistent, Substantial Positive Impacts on Math and Reading Achievement


First Report on National Study of KIPP Schools Consistent, Substantial Positive Impacts on Math and Reading Achievement

Ω

The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) is a network of charter schools designed to transform and improve the educational opportunities available to low-income families, and ultimately, prepare students to enroll and succeed in college. KIPP has grown from a core of two middle schools established in the mid 1990s to a nationwide network of 82 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia. In the wake of its growth, the KIPP Foundation was eager to rigorously assess the programs’ effectiveness and identify best practices that lead to positive student outcomes.

Study: Mathematica Policy Research is conducting a multiyear evaluation of KIPP scheduled to continue through 2014. The evaluation includes both experimental and quasi-experimental components designed to examine KIPP’s impacts on student achievement and college readiness. This initial report uses a matched,


The GED

The General Educational Development (GED) credential is issued on the basis of an eight hour subject-based test. The test claims to establish equivalence between dropouts and traditional high school graduates, opening the door to college and positions in the labor market. In 2008 alone, almost 500,000 dropouts passed the test, amounting to 12% of all high school credentials issued in that year.

This paper reviews the academic literature on the GED, which finds minimal value of the certificate in terms of labor market outcomes and that only a few individuals successfully use it as a path to obtain post-secondary credentials. Although the GED establishes cognitive equivalence on one measure of scholastic aptitude, recipients still face limited opportunity due to deficits in noncognitive skills such as persistence, motivation and