A Research Report from EPIC

Partnership Turnaround:
Year Four Report

September 2022

This report is the fourth in our multi-year evaluation of the implementation and efficacy of the Partnership Model of school and district turnaround. The Partnership Model aims to build district capacity to improve outcomes in a set of Michigan’s low-performing schools and districts by providing them with resources and supports from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Intermediate School Districts (ISDs), and local community partners.

This report examines the final year of Partnership Model implementation for the first three identification rounds (in two implementation cohorts) of Partnership districts, selected for intervention in the 2016-17 (Round 1, Cohort 1) and 2017-18 (Rounds 2 and 3, Cohort 2) school years. This evaluation includes analyses of student and teacher mobility outcomes, 2020-21 student benchmark assessment data, graduation and dropout rates, enrollment data, surveys of teachers and principals in both Partnership and non-Partnership schools in Partnership districts, interviews of Partnership district superintendents and charter leaders, and county-level data on COVID-19 transmission.

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• The COVID-19 Pandemic Continues to Disproportionately Affect Partnership Schools, Districts, and Communities
• Partnership Schools and Districts Provided Several Services Intended to Address Interrupted Learning as Well as Support Student Mental Health and Well-Being
• Despite Pre-Pandemic Growth, Students in Partnership Districts Struggled Academically and Improvements in Graduation Rates Stalled During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Partnership District Enrollment Continued to Decline as Student Exits Remained Elevated and the Pandemic Kindergarten Cohort Did Not Return in Fall 2021
• Partnership Districts Experienced Substantial—and in Some Cases Exacerbated—Human Capital Challenges
• COVID-19 Relief and State Turnaround Funding Helped to Mitigate Pandemic-Induced Challenges