School-Level Implementation Factors Predict Student Academic Outcomes in 24 Federally Funded Magnet Schools

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Learning From Desegregation, Magnet Schools, and Equity-Oriented Choices

Abstract

Magnet schools enroll nearly as many students as charter schools, making them the second most popular type of choice schools in the United States. Their unique origin as desegregation vehicles, in conjunction with a rising popularity among families seeking alternate public education, raises questions about their impact not only on racial equity but on academic outcomes. In this study of more than 4,000 students in 24 federally funded magnet schools across five districts and four states, we found no differences between magnet students and non-magnet matched peers on academic outcomes. However, when comparing the magnet schools to each other, we found significant variation in implementation, as evidenced by two school-level factors that predicted academic achievement.

Authors

• Jia Wang, University of California - Los Angeles

• Joan L. Herman, University of California - Los Angeles

• Julie Haubner, University of California - Los Angeles