Evaluating the impact of an urban comprehensive school reform: An illustration of the need for mixed methods

Abstract

An abundance of comprehensive school reform (CSR) literature exists illustrating CSRs are effective in improving student outcomes. However, much of this research reports on top-down reforms, focuses on academic outcomes, and uses quantitative methods alone. Many educational researchers have argued for the use of mixed methods for providing a holistic understanding of a CSR's impact on student outcomes. While mixed methods evaluations are frequently implemented, additional examples exemplifying “how” and “why” they should be used are needed. This study reports on the impact of an eight-year bottom-up CSR initiative on academic and non-academic student outcomes in an urban junior high school, and illustrates how the use of mixed methods was essential in providing a holistic evaluation of the program's impact.