Making the Case: Compelling Data
This growing library features data points describing the impacts and outcomes of student-centered and competency-based teaching and learning. The data are sourced from research studies, evaluation reports and journal articles, as well as evidence collected directly by classroom, school, district and state leaders.
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Early College High Schools Lead to Higher Postsecondary Attainment
A 14-year, experimental study found North Carolina students who attended early college high schools were more likely to have earned some kind of postsecondary credential after six years than those not in early college. 44.3% earned degrees, compared to 33.0% of the control group.
Early College High Schools Benefit Economically Disadvantaged Students
An experimental study in North Carolina found the impact of attending an early college high school was higher for economically disadvantaged students. While all students who attended early college high schools were 3.9 percentage points more likely to have obtained a bachelor's degree, economically disadvantaged students were 4.5 percentage points
Partnership in Meaningful Research Bolsters Student Agency
A Vermont high school teacher’s dissertation showed students exhibited higher levels of agency after participation in a Youth Action Research Project. They reported they felt heard, effectively represented other students and contributed to meaningful change. They could describe the impact of growing adult-student partnerships on their agency.
California Personalized Learning Charters Thrive in Pandemic
A CA public charter network focused on personalized learning pivoted quickly, supporting student growth through the pandemic. The number of network students meeting state standards increased from 47% in 2018-19 to 49% in 2021-22 in ELA and from 29% to 31% in math. Meanwhile, district students meeting standards decreased 4% in ELA and 6% in math.
Collective Educator Agency Decreases Academic Gaps
In the AVID program a collective sense of efficacy leads teachers to insist on rigor, remove barriers, align work and advocate for students; improving learning; and decreasing academic gaps between groups. 2020 college enrollment of AVID students varies by only 1% for black, Hispanic and white students, compared to a 10% difference nation-wide.
Rural School Delivers Most Industry Credentials in State
A rural school in Kansas offers courses leading to recognized professional credentials for students in fields key to revitalizing the community's economy. In 2019 students earned the most web design and web and mobile application industry certifications of all schools in Kansas regardless of their location.
Mastery-Based Texas Charter Closes Learning Gaps
When a public charter school in Austin, Texas, moved to competency-based, personalized learning they saw improved results for all students. The school earned 96 out of 100 points for student achievement and 100 out of 100 for closing achievement gaps on the 2018-2019 Texas state report card.
Teachers Rank Relationships Biggest Lever for Student Engagement
In a nationally representative survey, fourth to twelfth grade teachers ranked relationship-building as the most effective way to build student engagement. Seventy-eight percent of the 400 people surveyed selected it as a “highly effective” strategy.
Teachers See Self-Direction as Key to Student Engagement
In a recent poll of fourth to twelfth grade teachers across the country, a lack of skills to self-direct the learning process was ranked second of all the reasons students may not be engaged, with 63% of teachers selecting it.
Teachers Say Relevance is Key to Student Engagement
Surveyed teachers ranked several student-centered strategies among the top five ways to improve student engagement. Strategies marked "highly effective" included: connecting learning to real-world skills (72%); leveraging students’ personal interests and passions within learning (65%); and incorporating active, hands-on learning experiences (64%)
Personalized Public Charter in Indiana Boasts High Graduation Rates
In 2022, the three campuses of Purdue Polytechnic, an individualized, project-based and career-oriented school in Indianapolis, Indiana, reported graduation rates of 83%, 86% and 100%, compared to rates closer to 79% in the rest of the district.
Parents Want More Flexible Learning Post-Pandemic
In a survey of 6,000 parents about post-pandemic teaching and learning, 40% wanted their children learning at multiple sites, compared to 37% who preferred learning in a traditional classroom exclusively.
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