September 2021

This is the third annual report that was released as part of our evaluation of the Partnership Model. This evaluation includes analyses of student academic outcomes, educator outcomes, surveys of teachers and principals in Partnership districts (in both Partnership and non-Partnership schools in those districts), and interviews with Partnership district system leaders.

The purpose of this report is to provide an updated overview of Partnership Model implementation and outcomes in Partnership schools and districts across the state. Given that this report covers both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, it documents how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Partnership schools and districts as they work to support students and families during this unprecedented time.

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• Pre-pandemic student achievement gains were strongest among the lowest achieving students
• The COVID-19 Pandemic struck Partnership communities especially hard, undermining  opportunities to learn in Partnership schools and districts
• Progress toward improving graduation rates in Partnership high schools appears to have stalled during the pandemic
• In low-performing schools in Michigan, students moved to new schools and districts at lower rates than previous years but left public schooling  at higher rates
• Kindergarten enrollment declined sharply in Partnership schools in 2020-21
• Student absenteeism was pervasive in Partnership districts as educators grappled with educating and supporting students who did not attend
• Partnership schools and districts continued to monitor goals even as Partnership evolved from a sanctions-based accountability policy to a supportive capacity-building intervention
• While elements of school climate and culture improved in Partnership schools, perceptions of student motivation and parent engagement declined during the pandemic
• The share of teachers leaving their schools and districts dipped slightly in 2020-21, but more teachers left the profession entirely
• School leadership continued to be a bright spot in Partnership districts and Partnership schools in particular