Making the Case for Integrated
Magnet Schools: Challenges for
Researchers and Policy Makers
Casey D. Cobb, Chair and Professor
Department of Educational Leadership
University of Connecticut
Goodwin College
December 12, 2013
Prior Research
1. Study of magnets compared to non-magnets showed
higher average achievement effects for magnet
students (Bifulco, Cobb, & Bell, 2009)
• Lottery-based design allowed for valid estimates
Prior Research
2. Student Survey that measured:
• attitudes toward learning
• perspectives on school climate
• intergroup relationships
• aspirations for college
• peer academic norms
• academic press
Making Comparisons
Traditional Schools
Magnet Schools
Experimental Designs
• Gold standard for assessing effects
• Accounts for systematic sampling bias
• Fall back is quasi-experimental designs
• Still not perfect design
• Example: Lottery-based studies
Students
who want to
attend a magnet
LOTTERY
Magnet
School Non-Magnet
School
Summary Results (Bifulco, Cobb, & Bell, 2009)
Middle school lottery (magnet vs. non-magnet):
.28 SD higher in reading
.14 SD higher in math
Estimates from larger sample using statistical matching:
.09-.15 SD higher in math (middle school)
.22-.27 SD higher in math (high school)
.22-.30 SD higher in reading (high school)
What’s Inside the Black Box???
INPUTS OUTPUTS
Magnet School
Magnet School Theory of Action
Academic press
Skilled teachers
High expectations
Innovative pedagogy
Thematic curriculum
High quality facilities
Strong peer effects
Mission driven
Choice effect
School uniforms
Something else?
Positive
Student
Outcomes
Causal logic
Sample T.O.A.
Study 2
• Survey of magnet school students vs. non-magnet
students
• Mostly descriptive
• Need to collect more data and with stronger analytic
design to estimate causal influences
• Do magnets offer environments more conducive to
learning, foster greater student aspirations, etc.
Perceptions of School Climate
• peer support for academic achievement is stronger in magnets than in
non-magnet city schools;
• magnet city students perceive more encouragement and support for
college attainment than city students in non-magnets;
• magnet students are less likely to be absent or skip classes than either
non-magnet city or non-magnet suburban students;
• overall, magnet schools provide an academic climate similar to that
found in a wealthy, suburban non-magnet high school.
• teacher-student relationships (ninth grade only) and students’ sense of
safety and belonging slightly weaker in magnet schools
Source: the High School Student Survey
Intergroup Attitudes
• city magnet students perceive more positive intergroup relations than do students in non-magnet city schools;
• minority students in magnet city schools report feeling significantly closer to whites and more white friends than minorities in non-magnet city schools;
• white magnet students report feeling closer to minority students and more minority friends than white students from the non-magnet suburban school;
• magnet school students expressed stronger future multicultural interests and are more likely to report that their school experience helped them understand people from other groups.
Source: the High School Student Survey
What is it about magnets that
make them successful?
• What is different about magnets
• Are all magnets the same
More Questions
• How best to make the case for magnets?
• What research is needed?
Academic Press and Student
Aspirations
high
high
low
low
aspirations
aca
dem
ic p
ress
Magnets
Non-magnets
Analytic model: Variables measured by the High
School Student Survey
Central city students Peer Academic
Norms (a scale of 1-5 with 5 indicating a
higher norms)
Figure _. Central city students Social
Distance with White/Asian (a scale of 1-7,
with a 7 indicating high closeness and
comfortableness)
Central city students Future
Multicultural Interests (scale of 1-5, with
5 suggesting more interest)
Central city students College
Expectations (z score scale, with a mean
of 0 and standard deviation of 1)
Recommendations
• Work with your leadership teams to develop your
theory of action as a magnet school (or magnet district
or program)
• Partner with researchers to jointly assess the degree to
which your theory of action is being carried out with
fidelity. Why or why not?
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