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ERIC Number: ED512285
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2010-May
Pages: 44
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: ISBN-978-0-9845-0760-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Chicago High School Redesign Initiative: Schools, Students, and Outcomes. Research Report
Sporte, Susan; de la Torre, Marisa
Consortium on Chicago School Research
Between 2002 and 2007, the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative (CHSRI) opened 23 small high schools. Implemented in partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), this initiative aimed to provide populations of low-performing students in under-served areas of the city with high-quality, small high schools. These schools were formed (1) by converting large high schools into a number of small ones, which were called redesigned schools, or (2) by creating new-start schools. This initiative was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with additional funding provided by local foundations. CHSRI ceased to exist as a separate entity in August 2008, leaving 17 small high schools still in full operation in their original locations. This report focuses on student outcomes at CHSRI schools and how they compare to other similar CPS schools. The authors paid particular attention to graduation rates and were guided by the following three sets of questions: (1) Did the population of students served by CHSRI schools change over time as CHSRI created new schools?; (2) On average, how did CHSRI schools compare to other schools serving similar students in terms of absences, academic achievement, and graduation? Have these differences changed over time?; and (3) To what extent did CHSRI graduation rates vary across schools? Were some CHSRI schools more effective at graduating the students they serve? And, were CHSRI schools more effective at graduating some students than others? Their findings show that this initiative did accomplish much, but not all, of what it was intended to do. CHSRI schools seem to have created an environment that encourages student attendance and persistence in school. CHSRI students' academic outcomes are similar or slightly better than those of similar students. However, being "slightly better" than similar students does not mean that these students are college ready. Many other school districts are facing the same problem: how to bring under-performing students to college readiness in the span of four years. Countless researchers and practitioners are searching for a replicable, scalable method to accomplish this formidable task. The CHSRI schools have gotten at least part of the equation: their students persist in school and they graduate. This foundation should be recognized and built upon--and not forgotten--as schools continue to find ways to accelerate academic achievement for their students. Appendices include: (1) CHSRI Theory of Action; and (2) Statistical Models and Variables Used. (Contains 10 figures, 9 tables, and 24 endnotes.)
Consortium on Chicago School Research. 1313 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 773-702-3364; Fax: 773-702-2010; Web site: http://ccsr.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Chicago Community Trust
Authoring Institution: Consortium on Chicago School Research
Identifiers - Location: Illinois
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A