New report from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research shines light on what effective schools do well, demonstrating the value of taking a holistic approach to student development in high school and in transition from 8th to 9th grades. Effective schools cultivate an environment in which students and teachers have positive and productive interactions, students develop peer connections and have a sense of belonging, and students’ orientation toward hard work, effort, and engagement is nurtured. Compared to schools with a singular focus on test scores, schools promoting grown on all dimensions had a greater impact on short- and long-term…
Megan Austin, Benjamin Backes, Dan Goldhaber, Dory Li, Francie Streich (2022). Leveling Up: A Behavioral Nudge to Increase Enrollment in Advanced Coursework. CALDER Working Paper No. 271-1022
This study provides new evidence of the pandemic’s negative impact on student outcomes, highlighting its variable and disproportionate effects for historically marginalized groups, including Black and Hispanic students, EDS students, and ELL students. Results underscore the need for implementing tiered, targeted interventions to provide appropriate supports for students with different needs, as well as the imperative that administrators, policymakers, and researchers pay attention to the full distribution of student outcomes to ensure recovery reaches all students.