WWC review of this study

Are High Quality Schools Enough to Close the Achievement Gap? Evidence from a Social Experiment in Harlem. NBER Working Paper No. 15473

Dobbie, Will; Fryer, Roland G., Jr. (2009). National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED507097

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    467
     Students
    , grades
    6-8

Reviewed: December 2017



Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Study sample characteristics were not reported.

Reviewed: March 2010

At least one finding shows promising evidence of effectiveness
At least one statistically significant positive finding
Meets WWC standards without reservations
English language arts achievement outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

English Language Arts (ELA) Score

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 8;
467 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

English Language Arts (ELA) Score

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 6;
467 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

English Language Arts (ELA) Score

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 7;
467 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
General Mathematics Achievement outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Math score

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 8;
467 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
21
 

Math score

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 7;
467 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
11
 

Math score

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 6;
467 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
10
 
Staying in School outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Number of absences

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 6;
467 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Number of absences

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 7;
467 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Number of absences

Promise Academy Middle School vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grade 8;
467 students

N/A

N/A

No

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • Female: 53%
    Male: 47%

  • Urban
    • B
    • A
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F
    • G
    • I
    • H
    • J
    • K
    • L
    • P
    • M
    • N
    • O
    • Q
    • R
    • S
    • V
    • U
    • T
    • W
    • X
    • Z
    • Y
    • a
    • h
    • i
    • b
    • d
    • e
    • f
    • c
    • g
    • j
    • k
    • l
    • m
    • n
    • o
    • p
    • q
    • r
    • s
    • t
    • u
    • x
    • w
    • y

    New York
  • Race
    Black
    84%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    15%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    85%
 

Your export should download shortly as a zip archive.

This download will include data files for study and findings review data and a data dictionary.

Connect With the WWC

loading
back to top