Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, December 2001
Accelerated Schools is a well-known schoolwide reform model developed by Henry Levin and now used in some 700 elementary and middle schools. But does it work? Until now, there hasn't been any persuasive outside evidence. Now the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), funded by the Ford Foundation, has closely examined the implementation and impact of Accelerated Schools in eight elementary schools over 8 years. The bottom line, says this study, is that when the program is faithfully executed over several years, third grade test scores begin to rise and, by the fifth year, exceed "predicted" levels in reading and math by a "statistically significant amount." How significant? About as much as is claimed for the celebrated Tennessee class-size reduction program. Program supporters assert that these Accelerated School findings may understate the program's impact because the scores that were compared include all children found in third grade when the tests were given, not just those who were in the schools long enough to be affected by the program's impact. They also say that program improvements during the 90's mean that Accelerated Schools works better and faster today than in the years studied by MDRC. But the study also has some serious limitations. It involves just 8 schools. There's no control group, which means score gains are compared with predicted test scores based on what third graders in those schools were scoring before the program arrived. It's not a longitudinal look at the same kids, but consecutive looks at successive cohorts of third graders. Though the researchers sought to control for changes in student demographics during that time, it's a little hard to accept their bland statement that these eight schools "experienced no or few major changes...or implementation of other reforms during the study period." In other words, we are asked to swallow their assertion that any changes in student performance must have been caused by the Accelerated Schools program, not by such other developments (widespread in the 1990's) as state standards and tests, teacher turnover, internet access in children's homes, etc. There's simply no way to know for sure whether the gains reported here are due to the program or to sunspots. But MDRC generally does high quality work and you will probably want to see for yourself, particularly if you're interested in the efficacy of schoolwide reform in K-12 education. You can obtain a PDF version on the web at http://www.mdrc.org/Reports2001/AcceleratedSchools/AccSchools-Overview.htm.
