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Do KIPP Schools Boost Student Achievement?

Author

Listed:
  • Philip M. Gleason

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Geneva, NY)

  • Christina Clark Tuttle

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC)

  • Brian Gill

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA)

  • Ira Nichols-Barrer

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA)

  • Bing-ru Teh

    (Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA)

Abstract

The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) is an influential and rapidly growing nationwide network of charter schools serving primarily disadvantaged minority students. Prominent elements of KIPP's educational model include high expectations for student achievement and behavior, and a substantial increase in time in school. KIPP is being watched closely by policy makers and educators as a possible model for urban education, but existing studies of KIPP's effects on students have been subject to methodological limitations, making them less than conclusive. We measure the achievement impacts of forty-one KIPP middle schools across the country, using propensity-score matching to identify traditional public school students with similar characteristics and prior-achievement histories as students who enter KIPP. We find consistently positive and statistically significant impacts of KIPP on student achievement, with larger impacts in math than reading. These impacts persist over four years following admission, and are not driven by attrition of low performers from KIPP schools. © 2014 Association for Education Finance and Policy

Suggested Citation

  • Philip M. Gleason & Christina Clark Tuttle & Brian Gill & Ira Nichols-Barrer & Bing-ru Teh, 2014. "Do KIPP Schools Boost Student Achievement?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 9(1), pages 36-58, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:9:y:2014:i:1:p:36-58
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joshua D. Angrist & Parag A. Pathak & Christopher R. Walters, 2013. "Explaining Charter School Effectiveness," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 1-27, October.
    2. Christina Clark Tuttle & Bing-ru Teh & Ira Nichols-Barrer & Brian P. Gill & Philip Gleason, "undated". "Student Characteristics and Achievement in 22 KIPP Middle Schools," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 69064a347d534ffa8947d7b6e, Mathematica Policy Research.
    3. Philip Gleason & Melissa Clark & Christina Clark Tuttle & Emily Dwoyer, "undated". "The Evaluation of Charter School Impacts," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 3066da11915a4b04a77b38848, Mathematica Policy Research.
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    6. Kenneth Fortson & Natalya Verbitsky-Savitz & Emma Kopa & Philip Gleason, 2012. "Using an Experimental Evaluation of Charter Schools to Test Whether Nonexperimental Comparison Group Methods Can Replicate Experimental Impact Estimates," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 27f871b5b7b94f3a80278a593, Mathematica Policy Research.
    7. Kenneth A. Couch & Robert Bifulco, 2012. "Can Nonexperimental Estimates Replicate Estimates Based on Random Assignment in Evaluations of School Choice? A Within‐Study Comparison," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(3), pages 729-751, June.
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    9. Thomas D. Cook & William R. Shadish & Vivian C. Wong, 2008. "Three conditions under which experiments and observational studies produce comparable causal estimates: New findings from within-study comparisons," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 724-750.
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    12. Ira Nichols-Barrer & Brian P. Gill & Philip Gleason & Christina Clark Tuttle, 2012. "Student Selection, Attrition, and Replacement in KIPP Middle Schools," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 2da654e0cc1a41b6b0c2edf36, Mathematica Policy Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Atila Abdulkadiroğlu & Joshua D. Angrist & Yusuke Narita & Parag A. Pathak, 2017. "Research Design Meets Market Design: Using Centralized Assignment for Impact Evaluation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 85, pages 1373-1432, September.
    2. Philip M. Gleason, "undated". "What's the Secret Ingredient? Searching for Policies and Practices that Make Charter Schools Successful," Mathematica Policy Research Reports eea6e24d9bf1409f92f60ae29, Mathematica Policy Research.
    3. Charisse A. Gulosino & Elif ÅžiÅŸli Ciamarra, 2019. "Donors and Founders on Charter School Boards and Their Impact on Financial and Academic Outcomes," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 14(3), pages 441-471, Summer.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Knowledge Is Power Program; charter schools; student achievement; minority students;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid

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