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Publications about the Stand Alone ECHS

Books

Early Colleges as Model for Schooling: Creating New Pathways for Access to Higher Education. A recently published book by members of the ECRC team synthesizes years of early college research to argue that all students should have access to a combined high school and college experience.

Blogs

Brookings Brown Center Chalkboard

Briefs

Updated Findings on the Impact of Early Colleges on Postsecondary Performance and Completion

The Impacts, Costs, and Benefits of NC Early Colleges: Results from an experimental study

Smoothing the way to college: The Impact of Early College High Schools

A Better 9th Grade

Peer Reviewed Publications

Early College Implementation

Mulhern, C., McNeill, S., Unly, F., Phillips, B., Edumunds, J., Grebing, E. (2024). Spillover effects of specialized high schools. Journal of Public Economics, 234, 105170.

While much literature examines charter school spillover effects and the effects of specialized schools on the students who attend them, little is known about the spillover effects of specialized high schools on traditional public schools (TPS). Using an event study design, we show that one type of specialized high school, North Carolina’s Cooperative Innovative High Schools, initially attracted students who were higher achieving and more likely to be white than TPS students, but these specialized schools became more representative of the district population over time. On average, the opening of specialized schools had a mix of null and positive spillover effects on TPS student achievement.

Hutchins, B., Arshavsky, N. & Edmunds, J.A. (2019). Why some Early College High School students do not transition to a 4-year college: An exploration of perceived barriers and schooling experiences on students’ transition plans. Psychology in the Schools.

This article uses survey data to explore why some students who graduate from an early college do not continue on to a four-year university. Analyses show that students who do not continue on to a four-year are a disparate group. Some students experience multiple barriers to continued post-secondary education; for others, they do not see continued college as relevant to their career goals.

Edmunds, J.A., Arshavsky, N., Lewis, K., Thrift, B., Unlu, F., & Furey, J. (2017). Preparing students for college: Lessons learned from the early college. NASSP Bulletin, 101:2, 117-141.

This paper describes how early college high schools prepare students for college and what lessons comprehensive high schools may be able to apply from the model.

Glennie, E., Mason, M. & Edmunds, J.A. (2016). Retention and satisfaction of novice teachers: Lessons from a school reform model. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 4:4, 244-258.

This paper explores the influence of the early college model on novice teachers.

Edmunds, J.A. (2012). Early Colleges: Redesigning high school for college readiness. New Directions for Higher Education, 158: 81-90.

This paper describes the early college model as implemented in North Carolina.

Key Impact Findings

Glennie, E.J., Unlu, F., Edmunds, J. & Lauen, D. (2022). Missing academic targets in ninth grade: Do early college high schools give students second chances for college?  Research in Higher Education, February 2022.

Edmunds, J.A., Unlu, F., Furey, J., Glennie, E., & Arshavsky, N. (2020). What happens when you combine high school and college? The impact of the early college model on postsecondary performance and completion. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 42(2), 257-278.

Winner, 2021 AERA Palmer O. Johnson Memorial Award. Findings reported in this article include:
positive and large impacts on the attainment of two-year degrees; no overall impact on attainment of
four-year degrees within six years; ECHS students take less time to degree and no significant impact
on GPA.

Edmunds, J.A., Unlu, F., Glennie, E., Bernstein, L., Fesler, L., Furey, J. & Arshavsky, N. (2017).  Smoothing the transition to postsecondary education: The impact of the early college model. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 10(2), 297-325.

Winner of the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness’ inaugural Outstanding Article award,
this paper reports large positive impacts on college credits earned in high school and on post-
secondary enrollment. 

Edmunds, J.A., Willse, J., Arshavsky, N.; & Dallas, A. (2013). Mandated engagement: The impact of early college high schools. Teachers College Record, 115(7), 1-31.

As reported in this article, early college students had higher levels of various forms of engagement
than control students.

Edmunds, J.A., Bernstein, L., Unlu, F., Glennie, E., Willse, J., Smith, A. & Arshavsky, N. (2012). Expanding the start of the college pipeline: Ninth grade findings from an experimental study of the impact of the early college high school model. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 5:2, 136-159.

This article presents findings for 9th grade, including positive impacts on college preparatory course
taking, attendance, and suspensions.

Edmunds, J. A.; Bernstein, L.; Glennie, E.; Willse, J.; Arshavsky, N.; Unlu, F.; Bartz, D.; Silberman, T.; Scales, W.D. & Dallas, A. (2010). Preparing students for college: The implementation and impact of the Early College High School model. Peabody Journal of Education, 85:3, 348-364.

The first peer-reviewed paper to come out of the early college study, it presents an overview of initial
positive impacts on students’ college preparatory course taking.

Methodology Papers

Edmunds, J.A. (2017). A lottery-based experimental study: Examining the impact of early colleges. SAGE Research Methods Cases Part 2.

This paper uses the early college study as a case on how to conduct a lottery-based randomized
controlled trial. It includes practical methodological tips.