ESSA Evidence Review of the Principal Pipeline Initiative
A memorandum prepared for The Wallace Foundation
- Author(s)
- Cristofer Price and Barbara Goodson
- Publisher(s)
- Abt Associates
Summary
How we did this
Abt Associates compared the research methods and analysis used by RAND in its pipeline impact study with definitions for ESSA's evidence tiers. These definitions were developed for the publication Afterschool Programs: A Review of Evidence Under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
This independent analysis by Abt Associates examines RAND Corporation research about The Wallace Foundation’s Principal Pipeline Initiative. This initiative helped six large districts set up a systematic approach, or “pipeline,” to train, hire, and support new school principals. The RAND research found that pipeline district schools markedly outperformed schools in comparison districts in both reading and math. Pipeline districts also saw better principal retention than comparison districts.
The 2019 report describing this research is Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way for Districts to Improve Schools.
The Abt analysis determined that the RAND research is of sufficient quality to meet the evidence standards of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). These standards fall into four tiers, with Tier I being the most rigorous.
- Student achievement findings in the RAND study meet criteria for Tier II.
- Principal retention findings in the RAND study meet criteria for Tier III.
These rankings establish the eligibility of pipeline work for funding under Title I of ESSA and other pertinent sections of the law. Title I is aimed at improving education for students from low-income families. Funding under this section typically requires evidence of effectiveness in the top three tiers.
Note to readers: The memorandum here, posted April 25, 2019, is a slightly revised version of the original, released April 8, 2019.
Key Takeways
- This independent analysis by Abt Associates examines RAND Corporation research about The Wallace Foundation’s Principal Pipeline Initiative. This initiative helped six large districts set up a systematic approach, or “pipeline,” to train, hire, and support new school principals. The RAND research found that schools in pipeline districts outperformed schools in comparison districts in both reading and math. Principal retention also benefited.
- The Abt analysis determined that the RAND research is of sufficient quality to meet certain evidence-of-effectiveness criteria under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
- Student achievement findings in the RAND study meet criteria for Tier II evidence of effectiveness. Principal retention findings in the RAND study meet criteria for Tier III.
- This establishes the eligibility of principal pipeline work for funding under Title I of the ESSA and other pertinent sections of the law.
