Bridging the School-to-Work Divide: Interim Implementation and Impact Findings from New York City's P-TECH 9-14 Schools
Rosen, Rachel; Byndloss, D. Crystal; Parise, Leigh; Alterman, Emma; Dixon, Michelle (2020). MDRC. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED605308
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examining1,203Students, grades9-PS
Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: October 2023
- Practice Guide (findings for P-TECH 9-14)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
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 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
58.40 |
50.60 |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
47.60 |
40.80 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
8.20 |
1.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
42.00 |
25.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
42.70 |
40.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
34.40 |
31.50 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
4.40 |
4.00 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Cumulative number of English Language Arts Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
0.80 |
0.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of English Language Arts Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
0.20 |
0.00 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of English Language Arts Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
1.10 |
0.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of Math Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
1.30 |
1.10 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
1.30 |
1.10 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
3.00 |
2.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of Math Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
0.60 |
0.50 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative number of Math Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
0.90 |
0.90 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cumulative total credits earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
33.60 |
31.60 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Cumulative career and technical education (CTE) and other credits earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
5.00 |
2.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative career and technical education (CTE) and other credits earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
7.30 |
4.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative career and technical education (CTE) and other credits earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
2.50 |
1.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative total credits earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
22.80 |
21.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative total credits earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
11.70 |
11.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attendance rate |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Year 3 Sample;
|
70.60 |
66.80 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Attendance rate |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-1 Years |
Year 2 Sample;
|
74.30 |
71.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Attendance rate |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
-2 Years |
Year 1 Sample;
|
78.50 |
76.60 |
No |
-- | ||
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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11% English language learners -
Female: 47%
Male: 53% -
Urban
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New York
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Race Asian 7% Black 42% Other or unknown 48% White 3% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 47% Not Hispanic or Latino 53% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Other or unknown 100%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in New York City public schools among students who applied for admission to at least one of seven P-TECH 9-14 schools.
Study sample
Students in the sample were followed for up to three years during their first, second, and third years of high school. The Year 3 sample – when students were in their third year of high school – includes 1,203 students. Among these students, 42 percent were Black, three percent were White, seven percent were Asian, and 48 percent did not report race. Eleven percent of students were English learners, 47 percent were female, and 47 percent were Hispanic.
Intervention Group
P-TECH 9-14 schools partner with local community colleges to provide students with an opportunity to earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, free of cost. During the six-year program, employers who are partners support P-TECH 9-14 schools by providing students with internships, mentoring, job shadowing, and other work-based learning experiences.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group applied to one of the P-TECH 9-14 schools, but were not selected for admission and, instead, enrolled in one of 399 other high schools across New York City. One hundred of these schools were either dedicated career and technical education (CTE) high schools or academic high schools with some CTE programming available. Thirty-eight percent of comparison group students were enrolled in dedicated CTE high schools or schools that offered some CTE programming; the rest of the comparison group students attended other academic high schools.
Support for implementation
Each P-TECH 9-14 school relies on a partnership between the high school, college partner, and employer partners. In New York City, the P-TECH 9-14 school development process is co-led by CUNY’s Early College Initiative (ECI) and NYC Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Readiness (OPSR). These organizations collaborate to identify employer partners and provide support for and oversight of the P-TECH 9-14 model implementation. More specifically, during the startup of a school, ECI and OPSR provide analysis of labor market trends to identify potential career pathways, map out necessary skills, and contact and convene partners. After startup, P-TECH 9-14 schools meet regularly with ECI and OPSR staff, who conduct professional development activities for school staff members, participate in steering committees made up of representatives from each partner organization, and convene P-TECH 9-14 school principals at least twice a year.
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: April 2021
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for P-TECH 9-14)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
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 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
58.40 |
50.60 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
8.20 |
1.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative number of English Language Arts Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
0.80 |
0.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of English Language Arts Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
0.20 |
0.00 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of English Language Arts Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
1.10 |
0.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
45.00 |
23.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
42.00 |
25.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Passed ELA Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
12.10 |
-0.50 |
Yes |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
47.60 |
40.80 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
24.20 |
17.30 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative number of Math Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
1.30 |
1.10 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of Math Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
0.60 |
0.50 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
37.10 |
31.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative number of Math Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
0.90 |
0.90 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
34.40 |
31.50 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Passed math Regents exam to The City University of New York admissions standard |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
42.70 |
40.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cumulative Total Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
33.60 |
31.60 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Cumulative CTE/Other Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
5.30 |
2.80 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative CTE/Other Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
5.00 |
2.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative CTE/Other Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
2.90 |
1.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative CTE/Other Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
2.50 |
1.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative CTE/Other Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
7.30 |
4.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative Total Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
23.60 |
21.60 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative Total Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
22.80 |
21.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative Total Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
12.00 |
11.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative Total Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
11.70 |
11.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative Academic Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
16.20 |
16.60 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative Academic Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
23.20 |
24.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative Academic Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
15.80 |
16.50 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative Academic Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
8.10 |
8.60 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Cumulative Academic Credits Earned |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
8.00 |
8.70 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
4.40 |
4.00 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
1.40 |
1.00 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
3.10 |
2.50 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
3.00 |
2.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Cumulative number of New York State Regents Exams passed with a score of 65 or higher |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
1.30 |
1.10 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attendance (out of 180 days) |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
70.60 |
66.80 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Attendance (out of 180 days) |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Stable sample;
|
75.40 |
71.00 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Attendance (out of 180 days) |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
2 Years |
Full sample;
|
74.30 |
71.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Attendance (out of 180 days) |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample;
|
78.50 |
76.60 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Attendance (out of 180 days) |
P-TECH 9-14 vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Stable sample;
|
79.80 |
77.80 |
No |
-- | ||
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.
-
11% English language learners -
Female: 37%
Male: 63% -
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
New York
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Race Asian 7% Black 45% Other or unknown 45% White 3% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 43% Not Hispanic or Latino 57%
Study Details
Setting
The study was conducted in New York City public schools. Students in the intervention group enrolled in one of seven P-TECH 9-14 high schools. Students in the comparison group enrolled in one of 399 other New York City high schools.
Study sample
The students in the sample were 45% Black, 7% Asian, 3% white, 43% Hispanic, and 2% of another race or ethnicity. Thirty-seven percent were female. More than 70% scored below proficient in both math and English language arts prior to entering high school as measured by state exams. Eleven percent were classified as English learners before high school. Students in both the intervention and comparison group applied to a P-TECH 9-14 school and were entered into a lottery for admission.
Intervention Group
The P-TECH 9-14 school model brings together a high school, local community college, and employer partner(s) to prepare students for college and a career in a specific career pathway. It is a whole school model that begins in grade 9. Over six years, students participate in accelerated high school coursework; work-based learning activities, which include job shadowing and paid internships; and college preparation activities, including the opportunity to earn up to 60 college credits. All schools focus on career and technical education programs. College coursework offered in each school is designed to complement the career and technical education coursework.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group attended one of 399 other high schools in New York City, which encompasses nearly all non-P-TECH 9-14 high schools in the city. One hundred of the schools attended by students in the comparison group offered CTE programming or were dedicated CTE high schools. Approximately 26 percent of students in the comparison group attended a school that offered dual-enrollment or dual-credit.
Support for implementation
The P-TECH 9-14 school development process is led by the City University of New York's Early College Initiative (ECI) and the New York City Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Readiness (OPSR). These organizations also help schools identify employer partners and provide support and oversight for implementation. ECI and OPSR staff conduct professional development for P-TECH 9-14 school staff, participate in school steering committees, and bring together school principals at least twice per year. In addition, each P-TECH 9-14 school has a college partner and one or more employer partners. These partners help to monitor implementation and participate in steering committee meetings.
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.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
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).