Evaluation of the Demonstration Sites in the ConnectEd Network

In California, the James Irvine Foundation created ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career to promote multiple pathways that link to the state's 15 major industry sectors. The ConnectEd Network of Schools, a demonstration project supported by Irvine, plays a critical role in expanding student options through multiple pathways and illuminating how pathways work and what they can accomplish. The Network consists of 16 sites spread across the state that vary significantly in structure, ranging from small autonomous schools to Regional Occupational Programs (ROPs) serving several districts, and including a charter school and a program run by a nonprofit organization. ConnectEd has made a strong commitment to rigorous evaluation of multiple pathways since its inception. A major objective of the Network sites is to provide data on a set of core indicators of student outcomes to document the effectiveness of multiple pathways. Undertaken during the 2007-08 school year, with follow-up ongoing in 2008-09, this evaluation of Network sites sought to answer these questions: (1) What is the evidence that multiple pathways produce greater student engagement, improved achievement, and higher rates of school completion than do more conventional high school programs?; (2) What is the impact of the pathways approach on student attitudes, behaviors, "soft skills," motivation, awareness of career options, and workplace readiness?; (3) What key program variables characterize implementation of pathways at each site?; (4) How well have sites implemented pathways, according to a rubric defining the key pathways features thought to contribute to improved student outcomes?; (5) What other variables (e.g., factors related to students and teachers) influence implementation?; (6) What are the relationships between student outcomes and fidelity of implementation of key features?; and (7) What major implementation themes emerge that are important to understanding whether and how pathways influence student outcomes? A full description of the evaluation methods is contained in Appendices A-C of the report. This paper presents the findings of the evaluation. Appended are: (1) Logic Model and Data Request Tools; (2) Evaluation Methods; (3) Evaluation Instruments; (4) Achievement Data Tables for Network Overall; and (5) Achievement Data Tables for Individual Site Comparisons. A glossary of terms is included. (Contains 24 exhibits, 193 tables. and 3 footnotes.)