The Effect of Texas High School Project Programs on Student Outcomes

• In Event: Lessons Learned: Evaluating the Impact of School Reform

Abstract

This paper reports on the final-year student outcomes study of the four-year longitudinal evaluation of the Texas High School Project (THSP). The study examined effects on student performance for THSP-funded programs through comparing student outcomes between funded schools and their carefully matched comparison schools. It also investigated the longitudinal THSP effect by tracing the same cohort of students and by comparing different cohorts of students across years. Results indicate that effects on student outcomes varied across THSP programs and across student cohorts within programs. In general students in programs featuring newly opened schools of choice outperformed their peers in the comparison group, while programs that supported reforms at existing comprehensive high schools did not demonstrate consistent effect on student outcomes.

Authors

• Haiwen Wang, SRI International

• Viki M. Young, SRI International

• Kristin Klopfenstein, The University of Texas - Dallas

• Priyanka Singh, The University of Texas - Dallas