Project Activities
The research team will work with the Turnaround Consulting Team (TCT) and school staff in three high-need middle schools to implement and improve the Turnaround Intervention model and establish those metrics that most effectively capture fidelity of implementation and impact. The model is structured around the development of multi-disciplinary, problem-solving teams, enhanced access to student support resources, and targeted knowledge and skill-building for staff with the goal of removing barriers to teaching and learning, which will result in higher achievement. The model is transferred to schools through an intensive facilitated implementation process led by the TCT. Qualitative and quantitative measures including focus groups and interviews, surveys, structured observations, student records, and school indicators will be used to track the work and provide feedback for improved implementation and the further design of those model components that have not been well elaborated to date.
Structured Abstract
Setting
Three middle schools in high poverty communities within the New York City public school system will participate in the Year 1 and 2 design work. The Year 3 pilot study will be conducted in three similar schools in New York City.
Sample
The project will focus on model development and piloting for urban middle schools in high-poverty neighborhoods. These schools serve high percentages of students who are racial/ethnic minorities, receive free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, and are English language learners.
Intervention
The Turnaround model is comprised of three components: (1) building a principal and leadership team partnership with a common vision and agreed upon practices that correspond to the implementation of the model, (2) support systems for high- and moderate-risk students, and (3) universal support systems for all students. The model is structured around the development of multi-disciplinary, problem-solving teams, enhanced access to student support resources, and targeted knowledge and skill-building for staff. The model's theory of action is that it is critical first to address the needs of the highest risk groups whose disruptive behaviors destabilize the school as a whole. This then becomes a negative norm for other students and takes school leaders and classroom teachers off task. This sets the stage for universal programs/training to address classroom management, social-emotional learning, and instructional efficacy.
Research design and methods
The project uses a mixed method design to collect relevant process, output, and outcome data based on a detailed intervention model outlining key model mechanisms and intended effects. Formative data coming from principal interviews, focus groups, surveys, and classroom observations will be used as feedback for model refinement and improvement. Context data will be collected to better understand enabling conditions and potential barriers to success. During the pilot study in Year 3, a pre-post design will be used at three middle schools and the results compared city schools with a similar profile using their outcome data collected by the New York City Department of Educations' Learning Environment Survey.
Control condition
The pilot study will identify similar schools in New York City not implementing the model and compare their outcomes, using administrative data, to those of the three project schools piloting the model.
Key measures
Key outcomes are student attitudes and behaviors with regard to adjustment and academics and classroom and school environment. Data will be collected through principal interviews, focus groups, and service provider and school records. Changes in adjustment for highest need students and those who are individually treated by teams will be measured by teacher ratings on the IOWA Conners Rating Scale. Classroom observations will also be made using the Classroom Observations of Conduct and Attention Deficit Disorders and school records. Universal changes in student adjustment/engagement and academic achievement will be measured through Christensen et al.'s student engagement survey as well as through aggregated school-level indicators such as attendance, suspensions and standardized test scores. Changes in classroom practice and environment will be measured through observation with structured protocols (CLASS-Secondary, School Observation Method, and/or Student Behavior/Teacher Response) and teachers' self-report on the Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale. School environment will be measured by the NYC Department of Education's Learning Environment Surveys, supplemented by Bryk & Schneider's Relational Trust Survey.
Data analytic strategy
Interview and focus group data will be analyzed by coding for key themes. Trend analysis will be conducted for quantitative process data (surveys and observations) to gauge implementation progress and identify areas of need. Pre-post analysis will be conducted to measure change in student and school outcome data and using archival data from New York City schools. Comparative trend analysis will be conducted for those data that are publicly available, such as test scores, attendance, and the city's Learning Environment Surveys.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Products: The products of this project will be a fully developed version of the Turnaround Intervention for transforming high poverty, low-performing schools; a set of key metrics and instruments for tracking implementation progress and impact; a Training manual; and published reports and papers documenting the work.
Supplemental information
Co-Principal Investigator: Rebecca Herman (AIR)
** This project was submitted to and funded under Education Policy, Finance, and Systems in FY 2010.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
