1 Public Primary Schools and Making Connections Neighborhoods Denver CHAPSS Learning Exchange May 15, 2008 Tom Kingsley and Leah Hendey The Urban Institute

2 Purpose and content Purpose: Examine characteristics of public primary schools attended by Making Connections (MC) neighborhood students Topics Where do MC kids go to school? (spatial pattern) What kinds of schools? (characteristics, quality) How much mobility, what distances moved? How do movers’ schools compare? (char., quality) Does the district make a difference?

3 Data sources & approach MC cross-site survey Large neighborhood sample, 2002/03 & 2005/06 Followed mover families with children Identified schools attended by each child Match schools with National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) database: public primary schools High match rate: 81% average Available indicators Enrollment levels, % minority, % eligible for free & reduced price lunch (FRPL) (from NCES) Proficiency scores in reading and math (from School Data Direct) Parental satisfaction (from MC survey)

4 MC kids attend many primary schools - Most schools outside of neighborhood - Typical site: 36 schools total, 27 outside neigh.

5 But kids concentrated in neigh. schools - 60% of kids in neigh. schools, on average - Range 9% to 89% inside the neighborhood

6 In most sites, MC kids concentrated in relatively small number of schools - Other kids spread out in many schools

7 Neighborhood schools, characteristics - Mixed enrollment trends (1990/00 – 2005/06) - High % minority, FRPL eligible (2005/06) - Similar ratios students to instruct.staff ratios (2005/06)

8 Differences in racial composition - San Antonio almost all Hispanic, Louisville almost all black - all other sites mixed

9 Mixed trends in neigh. school enrollment - Growth in Des Moines, White Center, San Antonio (from +0.9%/yr. to +3.2%/yr.) - Decline in other sites (-1.4%/yr.to -4.6%/yr.)

10 High FRPL eligibility, MC kids’ schools - From 66% (Des Moines) to 88% (Providence) - MC average 28% pts. above county Note: Reliable data for San Antonio not available.

11 Neighborhood schools, quality - Lower avg. school reading & math proficiency (2006/07) - Parents less satisfied (2005/06) - Decline in satisfaction ( to 2005/06)

12 Gaps in reading proficiency, MC kids’ schools vs. their counties - MC average 11% pts. below county - From 1% (San Antonio) to 21% (White Center)

13 % of parents “very satisfied” with schools (2005/06) - From 30% (Louisville) to 72% (Des Moines) - In 3 sites, parents of kids in schools inside the neigh. more satisfied than those with kids in outside schools

14 High residential mobility, all sites - Of MC public primary school students in 2002/03, 62% moved by 2005/06 - From 50% (Des Moines) to 74% (Indianapolis)

15 48% moved under 2 mi., 26% over 5 mi. - Share under 2 mi., from 28% (Indi.) to 65% (Providence)

16 Many moving 2 mi. or more still go to schools neighborhood kids attend - 67% for 2-5 mi. movers, but only 20% for 5+ mi. movers

17 Schools of movers who moved less than 2 miles - Much higher % minority & FRPL eligible - Declining enrollment - Little difference in student-staff ratio

18 Schools of movers who moved less than 2 miles - Much lower avg. school reading & math proficiency - Lower parental satisfaction - Decline in satisfaction since 2002/03

19 Move to new school district matters - 25% of mover-kids attending school in new district farther out in 2005/06 - Notable differences, proficiency & satisfaction

20 Key findings and implications Pattern (concentration and spread) implies Transporting lessons from focus schools to just a few other schools would help large share neighborhood kids But still need for improvements district-wide to help all neighborhood kids Residential mobility critical “Launch-pad” moves are to be expected/supported But efforts warranted to curtail “churning” moves in or near neighborhood