Implementation of the Framework for Great Schools: Lessons from New York City

This dissertation explores the implementation of the Framework for Great Schools in the New York City Department of Education from 2015 through 2019. The study addresses a gap in the literature, specifically regarding NYC School Survey data and the relationship between it, school context, and student outcomes, at a time when families and district leaders regularly use publicly available school-level data to inform their decision-making, understanding how frameworks such as the Framework for Great Schools is essential. The Framework focuses on six elements: Rigorous Instruction, Supportive Environment, Collaborative Teachers, Effective School Leadership, Strong Family and Community Ties, and Trust. It has been central to the New York City Department of Education’s vision for improving schools. This study focused on three research questions, which addressed (1) how the elements and measures influenced each other in varying school contexts, (2) how the elements and measures related to student outcomes, and (3) how changes in measures influenced changes in outcomes. To address these questions, this dissertation employed Exploratory Data Analysis to uncover patterns, relationships, and anomalies. The study used a variety of relatively simple statistical techniques to probe survey results, school context variables, and student outcomes at the school level. The analysis shows that, although the system as a whole did not exhibit significant improvement at the district level across five of the six elements, there was considerable change at the school level. The elements of Supportive Environment and Rigorous Instruction were most closely linked to student outcomes, but there was no significant correlation between annual changes and improvements in student performance. Notably, schools serving a high percentage of English Language Learners and schools with high levels of economic need showed improvement. In contrast, schools with a high percentage of students with IEPs did not experience similar gains. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the significant influence of student socio-economic status on outcomes and demonstrates that strong performance in the Framework scores was insufficient to outweigh disparities in student achievement.