Limited scholarship examines districtwide turnaround reforms beyond the first few years of implementation or efforts to replicate successes in new contexts. We study Massachusetts, home to a state takeover of the Lawrence school district that led to academic gains in early reform years, and where state leaders attempted to replicate this success in three additional communities. We use statewide student-level administrative data (2006-07 to 2018- 19) and event study methods to estimate medium-term impacts on student outcomes across four districts. We find the initial improvements were largely sustained in Lawrence. We observe evidence of successful replication in Springfield but not Holyoke or Southbridge. The two turnarounds with positive outcomes both struck a unique balance between state and local input into decision-making.
Can States Sustain and Replicate School District Improvement? Evidence from Massachusetts
Education level
Document Object Identifier (DOI)
10.26300/2psy-nw21
EdWorkingPaper suggested citation:
Schueler, Beth, Liz Nigro, and John Wang. (). Can States Sustain and Replicate School District Improvement? Evidence from Massachusetts. (EdWorkingPaper:
-882). Retrieved from
Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/2psy-nw21