Q: How did CFA identify schools that were "beating the odds"?

A:
       

The methodology is a three-step process:

First, the research team studied the state’s Stanford 9 test scores in 3rd grade reading and 8th grade math for schools serving mostly low-income, mostly Latino students.  They found 12 elementary and middle schools in Arizona that had made either steady gains or significant leaps in student achievement over a 10-year period. The 10-year record was important because the team was looking for sustained performance.
Second, the team compared the 12 higher achieving schools to a set of other schools that were similar in every way but performance.
Our proportion of the world’s population of college students has fallen from 30 percent to 14 percent.
Finally, using a combination of interviews and data analysis tools, the researchers looked for similarities and differences. What common characteristics were shared by schools that “beat the odds” over the 10-year period?


The team identified Six Keys to Success with specific recommendations for improving Arizona schools.