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Can Successful Schools Replicate? Scaling Up Boston’s Charter School Sector

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Listed:
  • Sarah Cohodes
  • Elizabeth Setren
  • Christopher R. Walters

Abstract

Can schools that boost student outcomes reproduce their success at new campuses? We study a policy reform that allowed effective charter schools in Boston, Massachusetts to replicate their school models at new locations. Estimates based on randomized admission lotteries show that replication charter schools generate large achievement gains on par with those produced by their parent campuses. The average effectiveness of Boston’s charter middle school sector increased after the reform despite a doubling of charter market share. An exploration of mechanisms shows that Boston charter schools reduce the returns to teacher experience and compress the distribution of teacher effectiveness, suggesting the highly standardized practices in place at charter schools may facilitate replicability.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Cohodes & Elizabeth Setren & Christopher R. Walters, 2019. "Can Successful Schools Replicate? Scaling Up Boston’s Charter School Sector," NBER Working Papers 25796, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25796
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    Cited by:

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    2. David N. Figlio & Cassandra M.D. Hart & Krzysztof Karbownik, 2020. "Effects of Scaling Up Private School Choice Programs on Public School Students," NBER Working Papers 26758, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Matthew A. Kraft & John P. Papay & Olivia L. Chi, 2020. "Teacher Skill Development: Evidence from Performance Ratings by Principals," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 315-347, March.
    4. Canaan, Serena & Mouganie, Pierre & Zhang, Peng, 2022. "The Long-Run Educational Benefits of High-Achieving Classrooms," IZA Discussion Papers 15039, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Sorensen, Lucy C. & Holt, Stephen B., 2021. "Sorting it Out: The Effects of Charter Expansion on Teacher and Student Composition at Traditional Public Schools," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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