Overview

Transfer high schools in New York City serve students ages 16 to 21 who are at risk of aging out of high school before obtaining a diploma. Many of these schools partner with community-based organizations to provide advising, career development, and other forms of support that help students reengage in education and plan for the future.

MDRC and the Research Alliance for New York City Schools are studying three interventions in the transfer school context: one focused on work-based learning (education that combines classroom learning with real-world work), one focused on dual enrollment (earning college credits while in high school), and one focused on Career Development and Occupational Studies credential attainment (a New York State work-readiness credential that provides an alternative path to graduation by emphasizing applied, career-focused learning). The project will document lessons from implementing these interventions and generate evidence about their effects on students’ college and career readiness and other outcomes.

The research questions are:

• What conditions are needed to implement, sustain, and expand these interventions? 
• How do the interventions affect participation in work-based learning, dual enrollment, and credential programs? 
• How do the interventions influence student employment, continued enrollment in high school, high school graduation, and enrollment in college? 
• To what extent do outcomes vary across student groups?

Findings from this work are intended to inform schools, community-based organizations, and policymakers seeking to help high school students who have fallen behind academically, as those students seek to graduate, enroll in college, and achieve career success.