Staying on Track: Testing Higher Achievement's Long-Term Impact on Academic Outcomes and High School Choice
Herrera, Carla; Grossman, Jean Baldwin; Linden, Leigh L. (2013). MDRC. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED545471
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examining815Students, grades5-8
Grant Competition
Review Details
Reviewed: February 2016
- Grant Competition (findings for Higher Achievement)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SAT-10: Reading Comprehension |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 2 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
SAT-10: Reading Comprehension |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
SAT-10: Reading Comprehension |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 1 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SAT-10: Mathematics Problem Solving |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 2 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
SAT-10: Mathematics Problem Solving |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
SAT-10: Mathematics Problem Solving |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 1 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
High school matriculation- private |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.15 |
0.09 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school admission- private |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.21 |
0.14 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school application- private |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.27 |
0.21 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school matriculation- neighborhood public |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.40 |
0.35 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school application- competitive public charter/magnet |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.54 |
0.55 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school admission- competitive public charter/magnet |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.46 |
0.49 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school matriculation- competitive public charter/magnet |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.39 |
0.43 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school application- noncompetitive public charter/magnet |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.14 |
0.22 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school admission- noncompetitive public charter/magnet |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.10 |
0.16 |
Yes |
|
|
|
High school matriculation- noncompetitive public charter/magnet |
Higher Achievement vs. None |
Year 4 |
Pooled cohorts;
|
0.06 |
0.13 |
Yes |
|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 59%
Male: 41% -
Urban
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District of Columbia, Virginia
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Race Black 75% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 13% Not Hispanic or Latino 87%
Staying on Track: Testing Higher Achievement's Long-Term Impact on Academic Outcomes and High School Choice
Review Details
Reviewed: April 2014
- Single Study Review (122 KB) (findings for Higher Achievement)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Abbreviated SAT-10: Reading |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Abbreviated SAT-10: Math |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Matriculation at private school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Admission to private school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Application to private school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Matriculation at neigbhorhood public high school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Application to competitive public charter/magnet school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Admission to competitive public charter/magnet school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Matriculation at competitive public charter/magnet school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Application to noncompetitive public charter/magnet school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Admission to noncompetitive public charter/magnet school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
|
Matriculation at noncompetitive public charter/magnet school |
Higher Achievement vs. Comparison students did not participate in Higher Achievement |
Posttest |
Year 4 participants;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 59%
Male: 41% -
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
- v
- x
- w
- y
District of Columbia, Virginia
-
Race Black 75% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 13% Not Hispanic or Latino 87%
Additional Sources
In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.
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Linden, L. L., Herrera, C., & Grossman, J. B. (2013). Achieving academic success after school: A randomized evaluation of the Higher Achievement program (Working Paper). Retrieved from http://www.leighlinden.com
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
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Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).