Understanding the Effect of KIPP as it Scales: Volume I, Impacts on Achievement and Other Outcomes

Understanding the Effect of KIPP as it Scales: Volume I, Impacts on Achievement and Other Outcomes

Published: Sep 17, 2015
Publisher: Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research
Download
Associated Project

KIPP: Preparing Youth for College

Time frame: 2007-2017

Prepared for:

Arnold Ventures

Authors

Christina Clark Tuttle

Kevin Booker

Thomas Coen

Key Findings

Key Findings:

  • KIPP elementary schools have positive, statistically significant, and educationally meaningful impacts on three of four measures of reading and mathematics skills.
  • Consistent with prior research, KIPP middle schools have positive, statistically significant, and educationally meaningful impacts on student achievement in math, reading, science, and social studies. Average impacts of middle schools were positive and statistically significant throughout the 10-year period covered by the study, though higher in earlier years than recent years.
  • KIPP high schools have positive, statistically significant, and educationally meaningful impacts on student achievement for high school students new to the KIPP network. For students continuing to KIPP high schools from KIPP middle schools, impacts on achievement are not statistically significant. For this group of continuing KIPP students, KIPP high schools have positive impacts on a variety of college preparation activities and the likelihood of applying to college.

In the first high-quality study to rigorously examine the impacts of the network of KIPP public charter schools at all elementary and secondary grade levels, Mathematica found that KIPP schools have positive impacts on student achievement, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels. In addition, the study found positive impacts on student achievement for new entrants to the KIPP network in high school. For students continuing from a KIPP middle school, KIPP high schools' impacts on student achievement are not statistically significant, on average.

How do you apply evidence?

Take our quick four-question survey to help us curate evidence and insights that serve you.

Take our survey