WWC review of this study

Long-Term Impacts of KIPP Middle Schools on College Enrollment and Early College Persistence

Coen, T., Nichols-Barrer, I., & Gleason, P. (2019). Mathematica Policy Research.

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    1,177
     Students
    , grade
    PS

Reviewed: July 2020

At least one statistically significant positive finding
Meets WWC standards without reservations
College Enrollment outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Ever Enrolled in College

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

65.00

59.50

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Ever Enrolled in a Four-Year College

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

47.80

41.00

Yes

 
 
7

Enrolled On-Time in Any College

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

57.30

50.40

No

--

College Admission Rate (0 - 50%)

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

13.10

11.10

No

--

College Admission Rate (51 - 100%)

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

53.40

50.00

No

--

Ever Enrolled in a Two-Year College

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

24.10

22.40

No

--
Progressing in College outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Percent of Possible Semesters Enrolled (Any College)

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

49.30

45.90

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Persisted through First Four Semesters (Four-Year College)

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

30.40

25.60

No

--

Percent of Possible Semesters Enrolled (Four-Year College)

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

37.10

32.70

No

--

Enrolled in all Four Semesters (Any College)

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

38.20

34.10

No

--

Enrolled Two Springs After High School Graduation

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

45.80

43.00

No

--

Number of Consecutive Semesters Enrolled

KIPP middle school vs. Business as usual

6 Years

Full sample;
1,177 students

1.87

1.70

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.


  • 47% English language learners

  • Female: 50%
    Male: 50%

  • 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

    California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Texas
  • Race
    Black
    35%
    Other or unknown
    6%
    White
    3%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    55%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    45%

Setting

The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) serves more than 100,000 students across a network of more than 240 schools located throughout the United States. KIPP started as a network of urban middle schools serving disadvantaged students in underserved communities. The key KIPP goals are to prepare students to succeed in college and close the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantage students. This study follows 1,177 students who applied to enter one of 13 KIPP middle schools located in cities in California (n=3), the District of Columbia (n=2), Georgia (n=2), Massachusetts (n=1), New York (n=1), and Texas (n=4). Staff at these schools held a total of 19 admissions lottery process for either the 2008–2009 school year or the 2009–2010 school year. At the time of the analyses presented here, students in this study were old enough to attend college for at least two years, so the study examined the impact of KIPP middle schools on their college attendance and persistence. Note that the study focuses on KIPP impacts on enrollment and persistence in four-year colleges; however, the WWC focused on outcomes in any college (two or four year).

Study sample

The students in the analytic sample were 5th and 6th graders at time of random assignment. These students were similar across study conditions (i.e., KIPP middle schools or standard middle schools) in terms of characteristics such as prior academic achievement, gender, race and ethnicity and family income. Among students who attended KIPP middle schools, approximately 55 percent are Hispanic, 38 percent are black, 83 percent are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and 46 percent speak another language other than English at home. These students also tended to show average academic achievement at the beginning of the study.

Intervention Group

KIPP’s education model is designed to prepare students for success in college by emphasizing high expectations for students and developing their character, expanding the school day and year, and empowering teachers and school leaders to lead a school team. The KIPP model is meant to create safe, predictable and nurturing school and classroom environments so students can maximize their learning. KIPP counselors focus on helping students prepare for college and a career.

Comparison Group

Students in the comparison group attended public, private, religious, and other non-KIPP charter schools starting in either the 2008–2009 or 2009–2010 school year.

Support for implementation

No implementation supports are described in the reviewed study. However, KIPP is a national model and details about KIPP schools are available via an Internet search.

 

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