Publications

Evaluations & External Reviews

Turning the Tide: The Achievements of the First Things First Education Reform in the Kansas City, Kansas Public School District

This evaluation, using a rigorous quasi-experimental design and conducted over six years, tracked a variety of student and staff outcomes during implementation of First Things First (FTF). Findings reflect significant improvements over the course of the evaluation in outcomes including student engagement, attendance, achievement, and graduation; as well as improvements in the quality of relationships between school staff and between teachers and students.

The Challenge of Scaling Up Educational Reform: Findings and Lessons from First Things First

This five-year research evaluation examined the implementation and impact of First Things First (FTF) in five districts. Findings reflect "large gains that were sustained over several years" in Kansas City, Kansas on outcomes including student achievement, attendance, dropout and graduation.

Additional findings document the early stages of implementation at FTF "expansion" sites and show tentative signs of positive impacts. Findings from one high school in Houston, TX registered particularly promising gains in reading achievement and levels of teacher support and engagement.

Scaling Up First Things First: Findings from the First Implementation Year

Beginning in 1999, this evaluation conducted by MDRC follows the implementation of First Things First (FTF) in schools in Texas, Missouri, and Mississippi. Findings focused on the level and quality of implementation of FTF's three major components at each of the "scale-up" sites.

Scaling Up First Things First: Site Selection and the Planning Year

This first stage of the five-year research evaluation "Scaling Up First Things First," documented the process of initial site selection undertaken by the Institute for Research and Reform in Education (IRRE). Findings reflect both the experiences IRRE staff and those of the schools during the initial "planning year."

First Things First: Creating the Conditions and Capacity for Community-Wide Reform in an Urban School District

This first evaluation of First Things First (FTF) documents the earliest stages of the reform's development and partnership with the Kansas City Kansas school district. The report provides a descriptive account of the collaborative efforts of the schools, the district, IRRE, and the primary funder the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.