Results & Evaluation

Higher Achievement’s model of high expectations and high support creates a positive cycle of change and achievement: Increased academic opportunity leads to increased interest, which gives way to increased effort, which produces greater academic success. Academic success leads to additional opportunities, and the virtuous cycle continues.

Moreover, Higher Achievement goes beyond academics and prepares students to become engaged citizens. Higher Achievement scholars carry the lessons they learn into all aspects of their lives. As a result, the benefits are evident not only in the classroom, but also in scholars’ interactions with their families and communities.

Higher Achievement’s program is grounded in research and driven by data – the organization has embarked on rigorous internal and external evaluations that measure academic and non-academic outcomes.

External Evaluation

In October 2011, Higher Achievement became one of the first organizations focused on out-of-school time that can offer proven results with the release of a groundbreaking longitudinal, independent evaluation showing that the intensive year-round program had a significant impact on youth’s standardized test scores.

The summer and 24-month preliminary evaluation, conducted by Public/Private Ventures (P/PV) and Dr. Leigh Linden from The University of Texas at Austin, showed that Higher Achievement’s program helps close the opportunity gap during the critical middle school years—the time experts say is the pivot point for future success in both school and life. The study finds that Higher Achievement’s program significantly increases students’ math and reading scores.  Additionally, the findings point to an increase in students’ desire to attend competitive high schools.  Among the results:

• The longstanding Higher Achievement model is making a difference in the academic lives of motivated, at-risk students who could easily fall through the cracks.


• Higher Achievement’s intensive year-round program had a significant impact on youth’s standardized reading and math test scores.


• The study also shows that Higher Achievement regularly engages parents, with 64 percent of parents of children attending the program confirming at their first-year follow-up that they spoke to Higher Achievement staff about their child’s progress at least once a month.

Click here to learn more.

Internal Evaluation

Higher Achievement floods our scholars with opportunities throughout their middle school years, and the program dramatically improves their achievement. On average, scholars who complete the program:

• Increase their GPAs at least one letter grade.


• Graduate with a B average.


• Show improved attendance.


• Demonstrate improved attitudes and behaviors toward their peers and adults.

On average, 95 percent of Higher Achievement scholars who complete the program advance to top academic high schools. This success is striking because during the transition to middle school, students from all socioeconomic groups typically experience a decline in academic achievement.

To learn more about Higher Achievement's impact, read about us in the news and learn about our awards.