In 2017, the Barr Foundation launched Engage New England (ENE), a signature initiative that provides a unique opportunity for local education agencies and nonprofits to plan for and develop innovative schools designed to serve students off track to high school graduation.
SRI Education, the research partner for the ENE initiative, captured the learnings from the planning process through interviews, classroom observations, and student focus groups conducted during March and April 2018. This brief focuses on lessons learned during the initial Understand and Design phases of work. The findings in this brief are based on the reflections of the school and design leaders and staff members involved in the design process as well as Springpoint staff members who supported the design process.
This brief is designed to benefit all three cohorts of ENE grantees as they plan and build their schools and to highlight key elements of planning for innovative school models.
Nancy Adelman
SRI Author
Taking Stock of the California Linked Learning District Initiative: Seventh-Year Evaluation Report
This report from SRI International’s multiyear evaluation of the California Linked Learning District Initiative is the first to include postsecondary outcomes for students in Linked Learning pathways and confirms many of the promising findings from previous years. Compared with similar peers in traditional high school programs, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways were more likely to graduate from high school, were less likely to drop out, and earned, on average, more credits. In addition, certified pathways were doing just as well as traditional high school programs at helping students complete the a–g requirements even as they retained more students who might otherwise have dropped out and were unlikely to pursue the full college preparatory curriculum. Certified pathway students were as likely as similar peers in traditional high schools to enroll in college. Conditional on enrollment in any postsecondary institution, pathway students were also equally likely to enroll in a 4-year college and to persist in school to a second year. Although the finding for enrollment in a 4‑year college is not significant in the overall sample, it is significant and positive for African American students and students with low prior achievement. Finally, 1 year out of high school, pathway students were more likely than their nonpathway peers to obtain jobs with benefits such as vacation and sick leave. These results, as well as more detail about the sustainability of the initiative, key district and pathway implementation strategies, and student access and equity regarding pathways are available in this seventh-year evaluation report.
Revised August 2018 to reflect updated graduation data and analysis
Taking Stock of the California Linked Learning District Initiative: Seventh-Year Evaluation Report, Executive Summary
This report from SRI International’s multiyear evaluation of the California Linked Learning District Initiative is the first to include postsecondary outcomes for students in Linked Learning pathways and confirms many of the promising findings from previous years. Compared with similar peers in traditional high school programs, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways were more likely to graduate from high school, were less likely to drop out, and earned, on average, more credits. In addition, certified pathways were doing just as well as traditional high school programs at helping students complete the a–g requirements even as they retained more students who might otherwise have dropped out and were unlikely to pursue the full college preparatory curriculum. Certified pathway students were as likely as similar peers in traditional high schools to enroll in college. Conditional on enrollment in any postsecondary institution, pathway students were also equally likely to enroll in a 4-year college and to persist in school to a second year. Although the finding for enrollment in a 4‑year college is not significant in the overall sample, it is significant and positive for African American students and students with low prior achievement. Finally, 1 year out of high school, pathway students were more likely than their nonpathway peers to obtain jobs with benefits such as vacation and sick leave. These results, as well as more detail about the sustainability of the initiative, key district and pathway implementation strategies, and student access and equity regarding pathways are available in this seventh-year evaluation report.
Taking Stock of the Linked Learning District Initiative: Sixth Year Evaluation Report
This report from SRI International’s multiyear evaluation of the California’s Linked Learning District Initiative is the first to include end-of-high school outcomes for students in Linked Learning pathways, and confirms many of the promising findings from previous years. Compared with similar peers in traditional high school programs, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways are more likely to graduate from high school, less likely to drop out, and earn, on average, more credits. In addition, certified pathways are doing just as well as traditional high school programs at helping students complete the a–g requirements even as they retain more students who might otherwise have dropped out and are unlikely to pursue the full college preparatory curriculum. Certified pathway students also have better college readiness outcomes than similar students in traditional high school programs. These promising graduation and college readiness findings hold for students coming into Linked Learning with low prior achievement levels.
These positive outcomes for certified pathway students, however, do not accrue to students in non-certified pathways. Certification indicates that pathways have implemented certain structures such as integration of career technical education course sequences and work-based learning experiences into students’ program of study. The lack of positive findings for non-certified pathways suggest that it is critical for these structures to be in place to produce positive effects on student outcomes. These results, as well as more detail about the sustainability of the initiative, pathway quality and fidelity, and student access and equity to pathways are available in the sixth-year evaluation report.
Taking Stock of the Linked Learning District Initiative: Sixth Year Evaluation Report, Executive Summary
This report from SRI International’s multiyear evaluation of the California’s Linked Learning District Initiative is the first to include end-of-high school outcomes for students in Linked Learning pathways, and confirms many of the promising findings from previous years. Compared with similar peers in traditional high school programs, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways are more likely to graduate from high school, less likely to drop out, and earn, on average, more credits. In addition, certified pathways are doing just as well as traditional high school programs at helping students complete the a–g requirements even as they retain more students who might otherwise have dropped out and are unlikely to pursue the full college preparatory curriculum. Certified pathway students also have better college readiness outcomes than similar students in traditional high school programs. These promising graduation and college readiness findings hold for students coming into Linked Learning with low prior achievement levels.
These positive outcomes for certified pathway students, however, do not accrue to students in non-certified pathways. Certification indicates that pathways have implemented certain structures such as integration of career technical education course sequences and work-based learning experiences into students’ program of study. The lack of positive findings for non-certified pathways suggest that it is critical for these structures to be in place to produce positive effects on student outcomes. These results, as well as more detail about the sustainability of the initiative, pathway quality and fidelity, and student access and equity to pathways are available in the sixth-year evaluation report. You can access the full report here: http://sri.com/linkedlearningY6
Taking Stock of the California Linked Learning District Initiative: Fifth-Year Evaluation Report
New results from an ongoing, rigorous evaluation of the Linked Learning District Initiative show promising student outcomes. Compared with similar peers in traditional high school programs, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways earn more credits in the first three years of high school, are more likely to be on track at the end of 10th grade to complete the courses required for four-year public colleges in California, and are more likely to stay in their school district instead of transferring or dropping out before graduation.
These students also report greater confidence than comparison students in their life and career skills and are more likely to say they are experiencing rigorous, integrated, and relevant instruction. In addition, student subgroups most frequently underserved by traditional schools—such as English learners, African American and Latino students, and underachieving students—who enrolled in certified pathways perform at least as well as (if not better) on credit accumulation and test score outcomes compared with their peers in the same subgroup in traditional high school programs. These results, as well as lessons learned based on a multi-year evaluation conducted by SRI International, are available in this new research report.
Taking Stock of the California Linked Learning District Initiative: Fourth-Year Evaluation Report
New results from an ongoing, rigorous evaluation of the Linked Learning District Initiative show significant gains in student outcomes. Compared with similar peers, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways earn more credits in the first two years of high school, are more likely to be on track with the a-g credits they need for college eligibility, and report greater confidence in their life and career skills. These results, as well as lessons learned based on a multi-year evaluation conducted by SRI International, are available in this new research report.
Taking Stock of the California Linked Learning District Initiative: Fourth-Year Evaluation Report Executive Summary
New results from an ongoing, rigorous evaluation of the Linked Learning District Initiative show significant gains in student outcomes. Compared with similar peers, students participating in certified Linked Learning pathways earn more credits in the first two years of high school, are more likely to be on track with the a-g credits they need for college eligibility, and report greater confidence in their life and career skills. These results, as well as lessons learned based on a multi-year evaluation conducted by SRI International, are available in this new research report.
