Implementation and Performance in New American Schools Three Years into Scale Up

by Berends, Mark; Kirby, Sheila Nataraj; Naftel, Scott; McKelvey, Christopher

• ISBN13: 9780833029027
• ISBN10: 0833029029
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-20
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

New American Schools (NAS) was established in July 1991, as a private, non-profit corporation funding school reform at the elementary and secondary levels. RAND, in its ongoing role as evaluator of the NAS initiative, has conducted a wide range of studies in an effort to better understand the effects of NAS reform efforts on student outcomes. This book provides a detailed analysis of school and district progress toward adopting NAS designs, including demographic descriptors, survey results and performance outcomes.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. xi
Tables	p. xv
Summary	p. xvii
Acknowledgments	p. xxiii
A Brief History of New American Schools and Rand's Role in Monitoring the Effort	p. 1
History of NAS and RAND's Role	p. 3
Research Questions Underlying RAND'S Overall Evaluation	p. 7
Significant Features of RAND Research	p. 8
Purpose of Current Report	p. 9
Organization of the Report	p. 10
Analyzing Implementation and Performance in Nas Schools: A Conceptual Framework	p. 11
Core Elements of Designs	p. 11
Factors Affecting Implementation	p. 15
External Assistance by Design Teams	p. 16
Teacher Background	p. 18
School Characteristics	p. 19
District Factors	p. 20
Other Factors	p. 22
Implementation and Performance	p. 23
Rand's Sample of New American Schools	p. 25
A Sample of New American Schools	p. 25
Historical Context of Sample	p. 26
Toward the Final Analysis Sample	p. 27
Teacher Sample	p. 32
Overview of NAS Schools in Analysis Sample	p. 33
Status of Implementation	p. 37
Research Questions	p. 37
Measuring Implementation Within and Across Designs	p. 38
Implementation Indices	p. 41
Core Implementation Index	p. 42
Change in Implementation over Time and by Number of Years of Implementation	p. 45
Design Team-Specific Implementation Index	p. 49
Changes in Implementation Between 1997 and 1998	p. 52
Summary	p. 54
Differences Across Jurisdictions	p. 54
Differences Across Design Teams	p. 55
Differences by Years Implementing	p. 58
Factors Affecting Implementation	p. 59
Operationalizing the Variables Affecting Implementation	p. 60
Teacher Background Characteristics	p. 60
School Characteristics	p. 61
Designs and Design Team Assistance	p. 62
District Support	p. 64
Variation in Implementation: MultiLevel Analysis	p. 64
The Analysis Sample	p. 66
Variance Components of the Dependent Variable	p. 69
Multivariate Results	p. 70
Teacher-Level Effects	p. 71
School-Level Effects	p. 74
Goodness of Fit	p. 76
Summary	p. 77
Performance Trends in Nas Schools	p. 79
Monitoring Academic Progress with School-Level Test Scores	p. 80
Comparing NAS Schools to District Averages: Setting Expectations	p. 83
Sample of NAS Schools for Performance Trend Analyses	p. 83
Performance Trends in Cincinnati	p. 83
Grades 3-5 Combined	p. 85
Grade 7	p. 87
Summary for Cincinnati	p. 88
Performance Trends in Dade	p. 90
Grade 5	p. 91
Grade 8	p. 92
Grade 9	p. 92
Summary for Dade	p. 95
Performance Trends in Kentucky	p. 96
Grades 4-5	p. 97
Grades 7-8	p. 100
Grade 11	p. 101
Summary for Kentucky	p. 103
Performance Trends in Memphis	p. 104
Grades 3-5	p. 105
Grades 7-8	p. 106
Summary for Memphis	p. 109
Performance Trends in Philadelphia	p. 110
Grade 4	p. 110
Grade 8	p. 111
Grade 11	p. 111
Summary for Philadelphia	p. 113
Performance Trends in San Antonio	p. 113
Grades 4-5	p. 115
Grade 8	p. 117
Grade 10	p. 117
Summary for San Antonio	p. 120
Performance Trends in Washington	p. 120
Grade 4	p. 121
Grade 8	p. 123
Grade 11	p. 125
Summary for Washington	p. 125
The Link Between Implementation and Performance	p. 127
Summary	p. 129
Differences in School Performance by Jurisdiction	p. 129
Differences in School Performance by Design Team	p. 131
Qualitative Outcome Indicators	p. 133
Teacher-Reported Effects on Professional Development, Teaching, and Student Achievement	p. 134
Modeling Teacher-Reported Effects of Designs on Student Achievement	p. 138
Teacher Level Effects	p. 138
Design-Related Variables	p. 140
School-Level Variables	p. 140
Goodness of Fit	p. 140
Summary	p. 141
Conclusions and Policy Implications	p. 143
Implementation of NAS Designs Varies for Several Reasons	p. 143
Teachers' Perceptions Matter	p. 144
School Characteristics: Importance of Size, Level, and Leadership	p. 144
Design Teams: Importance of Clear Communication and Teacher Support	p. 145
District Support Is Critical	p. 146
Appropriate Allocation of Critical Resources	p. 148
"Schoolwide" Reform?	p. 149
Early Performance Trends	p. 150
Setting Expectations for Comprehensive School Reform	p. 151
Appendix
Key Studies in Rand's Evaluation of Nas School Reform	p. 155
Description of Additional Implementation Indicators of the Designs, By Jurisdiction and Design Team, 1997 and 1998	p. 161
Models of Performance Expectations, Instructional Strategies, and Professional Development and Implementation Indices	p. 185
Description of Standardized Tests Used By Various Jurisdictions	p. 189
Graphs for Reading Scores for Nas Schools in Everett, Northshore, and Shoreline Districts in Washington	p. 197
Rand Principal and Teacher Questionnaires	p. 203
References	p. 245
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