Harlem Children's Zone does not currently qualify for our highest ratings.
More information:
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We credit Harlem Children's Zone with rigorously evaluaing one of its charter schools.1 For more on this evaluation, see our blog posts on the Harlem Children's Zone:
- Fryer and Dobbie on Harlem Children's Zone: what they found.
- Fryer and Dobbie on the Harlem Children's Zone: significance.
- Followup on Fryer/Dobbie study of "Harlem miracle."
In July 2010, we reviewed Harlem Children's Zone's web site, and, in January 2011, we spoke with representatives of the organization.2 Harlem Children's Zone discussed its evaluation process, which includes the use of a combination of internal and external evaluators. They stated that most of their evaluations are designed for internal program improvement and not for external use. Exceptions include the study by Harvard scientists Will Dobbie and Roland Fryer that is discussed above.
Harlem Children's Zone also discussed how it would invest additional donations. This includes funding ongoing growth in the number of children served, a program for helping young people graduate from college, its endowment, and capital dollars for a new facility for one of the charter schools whose performance results are mentioned above.
Because Harlem Children's Zone will not provide us with internal studies, we have not been able to confirm the organization's reports of how it monitors program quality on an ongoing basis and the degree to which its programs are effective. With the information we have, Harlem Children's Zone does not currently qualify for our highest ratings.
Sources
- Dobbie, Will, and Roland G. Fryer, Jr. 2009. Are high-quality schools enough to close the achievement gap? Evidence from a bold social experiment in Harlem (PDF).
- Harlem Children's Zone representatives. Phone call with GiveWell, January 18, 2011.
