Successes and Cautionary Notes from a Two-Year Study of the Ohio Network of Education Transformation

Abstract

The Ohio Network of Education Transformation (ONET) funded schools to implement different models of school reform including Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), the Asia Society's International Studies Schools Network (ISSN), New Tech, and Early College. This article introduces these four reform models and considers their implementation and impacts for two sites each. Findings from a two-year evaluation focus on overarching themes and lessons learned across reform models. Four subsequent articles present findings from each model in greater detail. Taken together, this set of articles provides an in-depth understanding of educational reform implementation for often understudied reform models.

Challenges with Implementing the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) Reform Model

“…This case study is part of a larger evaluation (see Stringfield et al, 2017, for further description). Briefly, this examination used a case study design (Yin, 2014) to gather quantitative and qualitative data to describe the implementation, perceived outcomes, and sustainability of AVID in two high schools.…”

Implementation of the International Studies Schools Network (ISSN) Reform Model

“…This case study is part of a larger evaluation (see Stringfield et al, 2017, for detailed methods description). Briefly, this ISSN model examination used a holistic case study design (Yin, 2014) to gather qualitative and quantitative data to describe the extent of implementation, perceived outcomes, and ISSN model sustainability in two schools.…”

“…A A key decision within any school reform effort is the selection of the guiding reform model. The evaluation of the Ohio Network of Education Transformation (ONET) component of Ohio's implementation of the Race to the Top (RttT) initiative provided a unique opportunity in which to examine and compare the implementation of different educational reform models (Stringfield et al, 2017). Five districts in Ohio originally received funding ($600,000 over three years) to implement the International Studies Schools Network (ISSN) model.…”