Research

The WWC reviewed four studies of the effectiveness of Talent Development High Schools . One study (Kemple, Herlihy, & Smith, 2005) used a quasi-experimental research design and met WWC evidence standards with reservations. The other three studies did not meet WWC evidence screens.

Met evidence standards with reservations

The Kemple, Herlihy, & Smith (2005) study of Talent Development High Schools used a quasi-experimental research design known as comparative interrupted time series analysis. The study focused on five Philadelphia high schools that began implementing Talent Development High Schools between 1999 and 2001 . These schools were matched to six similar Philadelphia high schools that did not implement the program. The study compared the outcomes of ninth graders who entered Talent Development High Schools in the years immediately after the program was implemented with the outcomes of ninth graders from these schools in the years just before program implementation and the outcomes in the comparison schools. The difference between outcomes before and after implementation in Talent Development High Schools and the comparison schools is the estimate of the program's effects.

Extent of evidence

The WWC categorizes the extent of evidence in each domain as small or medium to large (see the What Works Clearinghouse Extent of Evidence Categorization Scheme). The extent of evidence takes into account the number of studies and total sample size across the studies that met WWC evidence standards with or without reservations. ³

The WWC considers the extent of evidence for Talent Development High Schools to be small for progressing in school. No studies that met WWC evidence standards with or without reservations addressed staying in school or completing school.