Absence of conflict of interest
Citation
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of the P-TECH 9-14 model on credit accumulation.
- The study was a randomized controlled trial in New York City schools. Using NYC Department of Education administrative data records, the authors conducted statistical models to compare the outcomes of the treatment and control groups over three years.
- When compared to students in the control group, the study found that P-TECH 9-14 students earned significantly more total credits in years 2 and 3 and significantly more CTE credits in all years.
- This study receives a high causal evidence rating for year 1 outcomes. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the P-TECH 9-14 model, and not to other factors. This study receives a moderate evidence rating for outcomes in years 2 and 3. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the P-TECH 9-14 model, but other factors might also have contributed.
Intervention Examined
P-TECH 9-14 Model
Features of the Intervention
The P-TECH 9-14 model was created in 2010 and included components of career and technical education (CTE) and early college programs. The model included a private-public partnership of secondary education, a community college, and one or more local employers. It also included a six-year, integrated education program of high school and college courses, as well as internships and work-based learning opportunities.
The P-TECH 9-14 high school experience included an accelerated high school schedule where many students complete their high school requirements before grade 12. Students also received advice and guidance on high school course work. Incoming ninth graders were enrolled in a summer preparatory program before high school began. Students were encouraged to take college readiness exams before or during tenth grade, after which they could start early college course work at no cost. Additionally, students received resume and interview guidance. Students engaged in work-based learning (WBL) including internships and job shadowing. Finally, students were exposed to mentorship opportunities and received help from the school's employer partners and school staff in exploring their career interests and options.
The program model targeted historically underrepresented students. The student body was comprised of students who selected a P-TECH 9-14 school in their list of high school choices in eighth grade (as part of NYC high school lottery process). P-TECH 9-14 schools do not have academic admissions requirements so students who live in the same borough as the school or have contacted the school previously to express interest were prioritized. After these categories of students were admitted, all other interested students gained admission through a lottery.
Features of the Study
This study was a randomized controlled trial in New York City public schools. The study sample were 9th grade cohorts of students offered admission between 2013 and 2017. Using the NYC high school lottery system, the treatment sample were students who gained admission to one of the seven P-TECH 9-14 schools via lottery (i.e., they were not in a priority category). The control sample were students who expressed interest in P-TECH schools but were admitted to another school (one of 399 other high schools across New York City) based on the lottery process. The total study sample was 3,161 students, with 1,479 in the treatment group and 1,682 in the control group. Less than half of the student sample were female (42%), and the majority were racially and ethnically diverse (46% Hispanic and 42% Black). The authors used administrative data records from the longitudinal file of the New York City Department of Education. Students were followed for up to three years (their first, second, and third years of high school). The authors used statistical models to compare the outcomes of treatment and control group members.
Study Sites
- P-TECH High School in Brooklyn
- Energy Tech High School in Queens
- HERO High School in the Bronx
- Inwood Early College for Health and Information Technologies in Manhattan
- MECA High School in Manhattan
- B-TECH High School in Queens
- City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology in Brooklyn
Findings
Education and skills gains
- The study found that P-TECH students earned significantly more cumulative CTE credits than students in the control group in year 1 (1.1), year 2 (2.3), and year 3 (2.9).
- The study also found that P-TECH students earned significantly more total credits in year 2 (1.4) and year 3 (2.0) than students in the control group. No significant differences were found in year 1.
- However, the study did not find any significant differences between the groups in cumulative academic credits earned.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
Although the study was a randomized controlled trial, the study had high attrition in years 2 and 3. However, the authors accounted for baseline differences between the treatment and control groups, so the study is eligible for a moderate evidence rating. Also, the study reported intent-to-treat findings, which can be interpreted as the impact of being offered the treatment. The authors noted that some students who were offered admission to P-TECH 9-14 schools chose not to attend the schools. As a result, the program’s impact on students who actually participated might be higher than the study’s estimates.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is high for the year 1 outcomes because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the P-TECH 9-14 model, and not to other factors. For the outcomes in years 2 and 3, the quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with high attrition but the authors ensured that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the P-TECH 9-14 model, but other factors might also have contributed.