The initiative was associated with an overall increase in promotions to the next grade, concentrated among special education students¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2008 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Promotions to the next grade increased overall, with the increase concentrated among special education students. → Susanne James-Burdumy 2008

Evidence¶

Susanne James-Burdumy 2008¶

Susanne James-Burdumy, Irma Perez-Johnson, Sonya Vartivarian. (2008). High School Reform in Boston Public Schools: The Effect of Focus on High Schools on Student Academic Outcomes. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research. https://www.mathematica.org/publications/high-school-reform-in-boston-public-schools-the-effect-of-focus-on-high-schools-on-student-academic-outcomes

q2 · i? · causal · r?

The report's summary of outcome changes states there was "an overall increase in promotions to the next grade, concentrated among special education students." No effect size is printed in the available text.

"There was also an overall increase in promotions to the next grade, concentrated among special education students."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Learning Disabilities and Developmental Differences — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it

Related Claims¶

• Boston's Focus on High Schools initiative was associated with reductions in student math and English scores after implementation — related
• Capitation-based special education finance was associated with a rising share of local funding — related
• Word attack gains from the Wilson Reading System were concentrated among students with high initial word attack or vocabulary scores and students not eligible for free/reduced lunch — related
• Post-capitation disability-rate declines were concentrated in subjectively diagnosed categories and occurred more quickly in less severe categories — related