Transforming an Urban School System

School Change and Promise Are Making Progress Toward Meeting Their Goals

• Average scores on state tests improved in the first three years of the reform, which was comparable to districts across Connecticut with similar sociodemographic and achievement profiles.
• Students in the lowest-performing schools yielded the largest gains in test scores, relative to forecasts RAND conducted based on prereform trends.
• Dropout rates in the lowest-performing schools improved and were on par with dropout rates in districts across Connecticut with similar sociodemographic and achievement profiles.
• The percentage of graduating high school students eligible for Promise scholarships increased through time, and college enrollment for all students slightly increased on average — regardless of whether students were eligible for Promise.

New Haven Public Schools Still Need Improvement in Some Areas

• Students still lagged behind the rest of the state in state test scores.
• Promise Scholars in our focus groups noted changes in school climate when they were in high school but did not perceive specific changes in teachers' instruction, learning environment, or school safety.
• Only one-third of NHPS graduates obtained the minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to be eligible for the Promise scholarship.
• Promise Scholars in our focus groups did not feel fully prepared for college-level coursework, even after the School Change reform efforts had been put in place. Scholars specifically mentioned struggling with study skills, time management, and self-discipline. (However, we did not ask respondents for their GPAs or coursework in high school to determine differences across Promise Scholars in preparation.)