Houston Education Research Consortium

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https://hdl.handle.net/1911/117369

The Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) is a research-practice partnership between the Kinder Institute and 10 Houston-area school districts to guide data-driven, equity-minded policy. HERC uses a jointly developed research agenda that involves both researchers and school district leaders working together on critical issues to improve educational equity. The research center follows a long-term, rather than project-based, collaboration to solve longstanding problems with a focus on informing decision-makers directly.

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Equality of Pre-Kindergarten Educational Opportunities: The Relationship between Pre-k Quality and Student Outcomes (Part 2)
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2017) Baumgartner, Erin M.
This study is the second of a two-part series examining the equality of student pre-kindergarten experiences in HISD, examining variations in outcomes occurring at the end of pre-k for students who were enrolled in HISD pre-k programs. Part 1 of this series found that there were disparities in enrollment in pre-k programs of differing qualities, with Hispanic and Asian students and students with limited English proficiency (LEP) enrolling in programs determined to reach fewer National Institute for Early Education Research quality benchmarks. Part 2 of this series (this brief) finds that, on average, there appears to be no direct association between the total number of quality benchmarks attained by a student’s school and the student’s average CIRCLE assessment score at the end of pre-k. For some groups, however, quality is positively associated with academic outcomes at the end of pre-k. Compared to their peers, non-economically disadvantaged students, students who have limited English proficiency, or are inbilingual programs, exhibit higher CIRCLE scores when enrolled in programs with a higher number of quality benchmarks. Of the individual quality benchmarks, teacher professional development and specialized training in early childhood education appear to be associated with higher CIRCLE scores.
Changing Schools, Part 2: Student Mobility during the School Year in Texas and the Houston Area. Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District. Volume 8, Issue 5.
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2019) Potter, Daniel; Alvear, Sandra; Bao, Katharine; Min, Jie
Student mobility refers to students changing schools. In this series of research briefs, the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) examines and describes the amount of student mobility in Texas, with particular focus on Houston area public schools. This second research brief focuses on providing an overview of how much mobility takes place during the school year (i.e., within school years). Other research briefs give more detail on school changes during the summer time, the percentage of mobility that stays within district and how much crosses between school districts, as well as differences in mobility across subgroups of students.
Availability of and Equity in Access to HISD Pre-K Programs (Part 1). Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District. Volume 8, Issue 4.
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2019) Baumgartner, Erin; Thrash, Courtney; Sanchez, Luis
This study examines student access to HISD pre-k programs, measured in multiple ways: whether a program exists in their elementary zone and whether a program exists within one mile of their residence. Researchers also estimated whether there is equity in access, by examining whether students who have the greatest need (including economically disadvantaged and English learners) also have the greatest access to pre-k. Across measures, researchers found that economically disadvantaged students have a greater likelihood of access to pre-k than their non-economically disadvantaged peers. However, English learners, another population targeted by the state policy to receive pre-k, are not more likely to have access to pre-k than their peers who are not English learners.
The Role of College Prep Course Offerings and Course-Taking in Long-Term Educational Outcomes. Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District. Volume 8, Issue 2.
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2019) Holzman, Brian; Stroub, Kori; Kennedy, Camila Cigarroa; Lewis, Bethany
In this brief, we describe the distribution of college prep course offerings across Texas and determine which school characteristics are associated with higher and lower numbers of course offerings. We also examine how college prep course offerings are related to student-level college prep course-taking and, in turn, how course-tak- ing behaviors are related to long-term educational out- comes. This investigation of the distribution of college prep course offerings across Texas high schools reveals that more college prep courses are offered at larger, urban and suburban schools with higher levels of academic achievement and lower levels of economic disadvantage. Offering more college prep courses is associated with higher levels of course-taking, which, in turn, is associat- ed with improved chances of completing a postsecondary credential, particularly for lower-achieving students.
Changing Schools, Part 3: Student Mobility within and between Districts in Texas and the Houston Area.
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2020) Potter, Daniel; Alvear, Sandra; Bao, Katharine; Kennedy, Camila; Min, Jie
Students who move between schools in the same district often have different experiences than students who move into an entirely new school district. Changing schools within a district allows students to stay embedded in the larger district structure and their student information often follows them in real-time, as schools within districts have efficient ways of sharing information across campuses (Kerbow, Azcoitia, & Buell, 2003). Alternatively, students changing districts have new structures and cultures to adjust to, as well as possible delays in their student information following them to their new school. This can leave students without services and accommodations they might otherwise receive sooner (Xu, Hannaway, & D’Souza, 2009). This brief examines the prevalence of these within-district, between-district, and non-Texas public school system moves in Texas and the Houston area.
Pre-K Preferences: How and Why HISD Parents Choose Pre-K Programs
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2020) Baumgartner, Erin; Thrash, Courtney
This study is the third in a series of briefs examining pre-k enrollment and access for students in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). The aims of this study are to identify characteristics that drive enrollment, understand where parents receive their information about HISD pre-k options, and understand parental beliefs about which program characteristics are most important. Findings suggest distance from home is one of the primary drivers of pre-k parental choice for their children. Additionally, program characteristics are important, specifically whether programs have highly trained teachers and teacher aides. However, variation in parental beliefs exist by language of survey participation and campus-level proportions of English-language learners (EL) or economically disadvantaged students. Parents report learning about HISD pre-k programs through family and friends.
Inequalities in Postsecondary Attainment by English Learner Status: The Role of College-Level Course-Taking. Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District. Volume 9, Issue 2.
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2020) Holzman, Brian; Salazar, Esmeralda Sánchez; Chukhray, Irina
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, it is estimated that 10% of U.S. public school students are currently classified as English Learner (EL). This report finds that gaps in four-year college outcomes by EL status are large, but are entirely explained by differences in sociodemographic, academic and school characteristics. After controlling for sociodemographic and school characteristics, EL students reclassified in middle and high school take fewer college-level courses during the junior and senior years of high school than Never EL students. In contrast, Never EL students and EL students reclassified in elementary school appear to take similar numbers of college-level courses. When considering academic characteristics like reading test scores, math test scores, average course grades and the number of college-level courses taken, differences in college-level course-taking explain 7% to 22% of the gap in four-year college enrollment between Never EL students and students reclassified in elementary, middle and high school. In terms of four-year college completion, differences in college-level course-taking explain 14% of the gap between Never EL students and students reclassified in middle school and 40% of the gap between Never EL students and students reclassified in high school.
Strategies for Increasing Access to HISD Pre-K Programs. Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District. Volume 9, Issue 1.
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2020) Baumgartner, Erin; Thrash, Courtney
This is the second in a series of briefs examining student access to Houston ISD pre-kindergarten programs. The study finds that among 2018-19 kindergarteners in HISD who did not attend HISD pre-k, about two-thirds of students likely qualified for enrollment. Zoning pre-k, which would include adding pre-k programs to elementary zones that do not have them and/or establishing Early Childhood Centers as zoned schools, would increase access to pre-k by providing campuses in students' neighborhoods and reducing the distance to the nearest program. The first research brief analyzed the variability in who has access to HISD pre-k programs in their elementary zone, the neighborhood and within one mile of their residence.
Changing Schools, Part 1: Student Mobility during the Summer Months in Texas and the Houston Area
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2020) Potter, Daniel; Alvear, Sandra; Bao, Katharine; Kennedy, Camila; Min, Jie
Changing schools impacts students’ achievement, educational attainment, and their relationships with peers and teachers. Mobile students tend to have lower grades and test scores, experience grade retention more frequently, and are more likely to drop out of school (Rumberger, 2003; South, Haynie, & Bose, 2007). As the evidence of student mobility’s negative consequences grows, understanding the influence of mobility on schooling in Texas and the Houston area becomes increasingly important. Before examining mobility’s impact, however, we have to understand its prevalence. This research brief offers an initial, descriptive look at summer mobility, or mobility that takes place between school years.
Long-Term English Learners (LTELs): Predictors, Patterns, & Outcomes. Brief 1: Defining LTEL
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2020) Cashiola, Lizzy; Potter, Daniel
This is the first in a series of briefs the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) will release on long-term English learners (LTELs). The full study will examine LTELs in Texas, with particular focus on 10 Houston-area public school districts. Currently, there is no formal definition of LTEL in Texas. The purpose of this brief was to compare three common definitions of LTEL (remaining an English learner for more than three years, more than five years, and more than seven years) using seven criteria based on its research and practitioner application to identify the most useful definition. The definition of LTEL as remaining EL after five years satisfied the most criteria. Using this definition of LTEL, HERC will move forward with this study by examining characteristics of LTELs and the schools that serve them, overall patterns of reclassification for ELs and LTELs, and the educational outcomes of LTELs.
Student Mobility Networks in the Greater Houston Area: Elementary School Student Mobility Networks
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Bao, Katharine; Molina, Mauricio; Kennedy, Camila; Potter, Daniel
The Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC), in collaboration with 10 public school districts in the Greater Houston area, set out to better understand the prevalence, patterns, and consequences of student mobility on Houston-area students and schools. This brief explores the informal networks of elementary school student mobility in the Greater Houston area across 27 independent school districts (ISDs), which include HERC’s 10 school district partners involved in the Student Mobility and Continuous Enrollment project, their 17 neighboring districts, and non-district charter schools. Six mobility networks were identified in the Greater Houston area. These mobility networks crossed district boundaries and differed in terms of their size, student demographics, and school characteristics. About 70 percent of student mobility that started from a campus in one of the six networks stayed within that same network.
Increases in Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) in Texas
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Cashiola, Lizzy; Potter, Daniel
The number of English learners (ELs) who do not reclassify as English proficient in the first five years of schooling has increased across the state of Texas. ELs are a diverse population of students with varying levels of English proficiency. Many students who begin school as an EL reclassify as English proficient in a timely manner and go on to achieve academic success. Students who remain EL after five years in school are considered “long-term English learners” (LTELs). Research has shown that LTEL status corresponds with negative academic outcomes, such as lower test scores, higher risk of drop out, and lower on-time high school graduation rates. Between the 2000-01 and 2014-15 school years, the percent of first graders who began school as ELs has increased slightly. In contrast, the percent of ELs who go on to become LTELs during this same time frame has increased by almost 90 percent. Similar trends were found in many urban and non-urban areas throughout the state. The increased proportion of EL students becoming LTEL threatens to undermine the educational success of EL students in Texas. This brief highlights the increasing percent of ELs becoming LTEL in the last two decades, and points to a set of mechanisms that may serve to explain this increase.
Changing Schools, Part 4: Differences in School Year Student Mobility by Subgroup
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Potter, Daniel; Alvear, Sandra; Bao, Katharine; Kennedy, Camila; Min, Jie
This study used seven years of data from the state of Texas (2010-11 through 2016-17) to illustrate how statewide patterns of school year student mobility differed by subgroup. There were differences in the rates of mobility during the school year by both race and socioeconomic status. Specifically, Black students and economically disadvantaged students had higher mobility rates than their peers from other subgroups. There were also subgroup differences in the destination of these moves. A higher percent of the moves made by Hispanic and Black students, economically disadvantaged students, and English learners (EL) students took place within districts. A higher percent of moves made by White, Asian, and non-economically disadvantaged students took place out of the Texas Public School System (TPSS).
Student Mobility during School Year Detrimental for Houston Area Students' Achievement and Attainment
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Stroub, Kori; Gill, Patrick
Tens of thousands of students in the Houston area switched schools during the school year annually. In moving from one school to another, students often experienced disruptions to their education. This study examined what this mobility meant for students’ performance on state accountability tests, high school grade retention, high school dropout, and high school graduation. In the state of Texas, students who changed schools during the school year saw a decline in their State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores. Student mobility also increased the chances a student was retained during their freshman year of high school. Finally, students who changed schools were at a higher risk of dropping out of high school and were less likely to graduate on‐time (i.e., within four years).
Exit Only or Revolving Doors: Student Mobility to and from Non-Texas Public Schools and Non-District Charters
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Potter, Daniel; Bao, Katharine; Kennedy, Camila Cigarroa
Every year, thousands of students leave traditional, Houston-area public schools for private schools, homeschools, or non-district charter schools. Some of these students eventually return to the public school setting. To investigate this phenomenon of “returners,” Houston Education Research Consortium researchers followed two types of leavers in a cohort of Houston-area students to see if and when they return. First, the researchers followed students who left the Texas public school system (TPSS) entirely. Because these students left TPSS entirely, it was not clear where they went (i.e., private schools, schools in other states), and only one-third of these leavers returned and stayed in Texas public schools. Second, the researchers followed students who left traditional public schools for non-district charter schools. Since charter schools in Texas are public schools, the researchers were able to follow leavers, and found that nearly 60 percent of these leavers eventually returned to and stayed at a traditional public school. Understanding that certain types of mobility function as a “revolving door” between educational entities has implications for how schools inform, serve, and support their students and families.
Predictors of School Year Student Mobility in the Houston Region
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Gill, Patrick
This study identified student characteristics associated with school year mobility for more than 260,000 students in grades 4 through 8 who began the 2016-17 school year at a school in one of ten Houston area school districts. Of these students, 20,154, or just under 8%, changed schools at least once during the school year. Three characteristics stood out in predicting whether a student changed schools. First, Black students were more likely to be mobile during the year than students from other race/ethnicity groups, but a portion of these differences were explained by other characteristics. Second, students with lower STAAR scores in the prior school year were more likely to change schools than their peers with higher STAAR scores. Finally, prior mobility predicted future mobility as students who changed schools in the previous school year were more likely to be mobile again than their non-previously mobile peers.
The Relationship between School-Year Mobility and School Performance in the Houston Area
(Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2021) Gill, Patrick; Molina, Mauricio; Potter, Daniel
The Kinder Institute for Urban Research's Houston Education Research Consortium, in a study of 10 public school districts in the Houston area, found that the higher the school-year mobility rate at a school, the lower its accountability performance. This association was largest in high schools, where school-year mobility rates fluctuated yearly, but was seen in elementary and middle schools as well. Implications for schools in the Houston area are discussed.
HISD Student Needs Survey: Fall 2021
(Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2022) Cigarroa Kennedy, C.; Stroub, K.
HISD's student needs survey was administered in December 2021 and January 2022 to all HISD students in two age groups: Grades 3-6 and Grades 7-12. In total, the survey asked respondents to identify needs across five categories: health, mental health, basic needs, home learning environment and enrichment activities. Recommendations and briefs summarizing student, parent and campus survey findings are available.
Problems with How Texas Measures Continuous Enrollment and Proposed Solutions: A Methodological Report
(Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2022) Nguyen, D.; Gill, P.; Potter, Daniel
Texas' current definition of continuous enrollment suggests a level of stability in schools that does not align with the lived experiences of students and teachers. This report proposes alternative definitions that identify a smaller percentage of students as continuously enrolled. It also looks at the relationship between student continuous enrollment and performance.
Long-term English learners: How is timing of reclassification associated with middle and high school outcomes?
(Kinder Institute for Urban Research, 2022) Cashiola, L.; Cigarroa Kennedy, C.; Molina, Mauricio; Ma, H.; Varghese, L.
The purpose of this brief is to examine middle and high school outcomes of long-term English learners in the Houston region, with a specific focus on how the timing of reclassification—when an EL student is reclassified as English proficient—was associated with academic achievement and school engagement.

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