IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/tpr/edfpol/v9y2014i1p36-58.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/EDFP_a_00119
    Download Restriction: Access to PDF is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    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.
    4. Joshua D. Angrist & Susan M. Dynarski & Thomas J. Kane & Parag A. Pathak & Christopher R. Walters, 2012. "Who Benefits from KIPP?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 837-860, September.
    5. repec:mpr:mprres:6676 is not listed on IDEAS
    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.
    8. Philip Gleason & Melissa Clark & Christina Clark Tuttle & Emily Dwoyer, 2010. "The Evaluation of Charter School Impacts (Presentation)," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 770e250b2ef343a3b1ec8c932, Mathematica Policy Research.
    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.
    10. repec:mpr:mprres:7443 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Atila Abdulkadiroğlu & Joshua D. Angrist & Susan M. Dynarski & Thomas J. Kane & Parag A. Pathak, 2011. "Accountability and Flexibility in Public Schools: Evidence from Boston's Charters And Pilots," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(2), pages 699-748.
    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.
    13. repec:mpr:mprres:7547 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Christina Clark Tuttle & Philip Gleason & Melissa Clark, "undated". "Using Lotteries to Evaluate Schools of Choice: Evidence from a National Study of Charter Schools," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 0d72bc371734463a852a060b9, Mathematica Policy Research.
    15. Will Dobbie & Roland G. Fryer, 2011. "Are High-Quality Schools Enough to Increase Achievement among the Poor? Evidence from the Harlem Children's Zone," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(3), pages 158-187, July.
    16. repec:mpr:mprres:6210 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Ron Zimmer & Brian Gill & Kevin Booker & Stephane Lavertu & Tim Sass & John Witte, "undated". "Charter Schools in Eight States: Effects on Achievement, Attainment, Integration, and Competition," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 6f5b31366ca2499e87ac2c1d0, Mathematica Policy Research.
    18. repec:mpr:mprres:7293 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. repec:mpr:mprres:6720 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. repec:mpr:mprres:6673 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. repec:mpr:mprres:7069 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sarah R. Cohodes, 2016. "Teaching to the Student: Charter School Effectiveness in Spite of Perverse Incentives," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 11(1), pages 1-42, Winter.
    2. Fortson, Kenneth & Gleason, Philip & Kopa, Emma & Verbitsky-Savitz, Natalya, 2015. "Horseshoes, hand grenades, and treatment effects? Reassessing whether nonexperimental estimators are biased," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 100-113.
    3. Carlson, Deven & Lavertu, Stéphane, 2016. "Charter school closure and student achievement: Evidence from Ohio," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 31-48.
    4. Christina Clark Tuttle & Brian Gill & Philip Gleason & Virginia Knechtel & Ira Nichols-Barrer & Alexandra Resch, "undated". "KIPP Middle Schools: Impacts on Achievement and Other Outcomes," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 4e2030d4eef1429395a8dd457, Mathematica Policy Research.
    5. Ron Zimmer & Brian Gill & Jonathon Attridge & Kaitlin Obenauf, 2014. "Charter School Authorizers and Student Achievement," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 9(1), pages 59-85, January.
    6. Vilsa E. Curto & Roland G. Fryer Jr., 2014. "The Potential of Urban Boarding Schools for the Poor: Evidence from SEED," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 32(1), pages 65-93.
    7. Patrick L. Baude & Marcus Casey & Eric A. Hanushek & Gregory R. Phelan & Steven G. Rivkin, 2020. "The Evolution of Charter School Quality," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 87(345), pages 158-189, January.
    8. repec:mpr:mprres:7680 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Roland G. Fryer, Jr, 2016. "The Production of Human Capital in Developed Countries: Evidence from 196 Randomized Field Experiments," NBER Working Papers 22130, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Joe Regan-Stansfield, 2016. "Do good primary schools perform even better as academies?," Working Papers 141167564, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    11. Eyles, Andrew & Machin, Stephen & McNally, Sandra, 2017. "Unexpected school reform: Academisation of primary schools in England," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 108-121.
    12. Brian Gill & Joshua Furgeson & Hanley S. Chiang & Bing-Ru Teh & Joshua Haimson & Natalya Verbitsky-Savitz, "undated". "Replicating Experimental Impact Estimates with Nonexperimental Methods in the Context of Control Crossover," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 2798055510274fa9b4fdfa54b, Mathematica Policy Research.
    13. Joshua M. Cowen & Marcus A. Winters, 2013. "Do Charters Retain Teachers Differently? Evidence from Elementary Schools in Florida," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 8(1), pages 14-42, January.
    14. Regan-Stansfield, Joseph, 2018. "Does greater primary school autonomy improve pupil attainment? Evidence from primary school converter academies in England✰," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 167-179.
    15. Ron Zimmer & Brian Gill & Jonathon Attridge & Kaitlin Obenauf, "undated". "Charter School Authorizers and Student Achievement (Journal Article)," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 6e4664294f7341868c9a78142, Mathematica Policy Research.
    16. Kevin Booker & Brian Gill & Tim Sass & Ron Zimmer, "undated". "Charter High Schools' Effects on Long-Term Attainment and Earnings (Working Paper)," Mathematica Policy Research Reports cfe561a4b1924b7eafb64f918, Mathematica Policy Research.
    17. Joshua D. Angrist & Sarah R. Cohodes & Susan M. Dynarski & Parag A. Pathak & Christopher R. Walters, 2016. "Stand and Deliver: Effects of Boston's Charter High Schools on College Preparation, Entry, and Choice," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(2), pages 275-318.
    18. Will Dobbie & Roland G. Fryer Jr., 2013. "Getting beneath the Veil of Effective Schools: Evidence from New York City," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 5(4), pages 28-60, October.
    19. Lisa Dragoset & Susanne James-Burdumy & Kristin Hallgren & Irma Perez-Johnson & Mariesa Herrmann & Christina Tuttle & Megan Hague Angus & Rebecca Herman & Matthew Murray & Courtney Tanenbaum & Cheryl , 2015. "Usage of Practices Promoted by School Improvement Grants," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 8e99f01663504ef5b9f8357f6, Mathematica Policy Research.
    20. Kenneth Fortson & Philip Gleason & Emma Kopa & Natalya Verbitsky-Savitz, "undated". "Horseshoes, Hand Grenades, and Treatment Effects? Reassessing Bias in Nonexperimental Estimators," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 1c24988cd5454dd3be51fbc2c, Mathematica Policy Research.
    21. Fatih Unlu & Douglas Lee Lauen & Sarah Crittenden Fuller & Tiffany Berglund & Elc Estrera, 2021. "Can Quasi‐Experimental Evaluations That Rely On State Longitudinal Data Systems Replicate Experimental Results?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(2), pages 572-613, March.

    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

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:9:y:2014:i:1:p:36-58. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Kelly McDougall (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://direct.mit.edu/journals .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.