Student Outcomes

5 pages single spaced. Background / Context: Description of prior research and its intellectual context. To address concerns about low graduation rates and a lack of workforce readiness, states and districts have been experimenting with different models of high school reform. One of the most popular models has been the Early College High School (ECHS) model, small schools that blur the line between high school and college. Since 2002, over 200 ECHSs have been created under the auspices of the Early College High School Initiative, which is primarily funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. North Carolina has the largest concentration, with over 70 ECHSs across the state. Given the rapid expansion of this model, it is critical to understand if the model works and for whom it works