Research Articles and Evaluations on Comer SDP

"Comer's School Development Program in Chicago: A Theory-Based Evaluation," (2000), by Thomas D. Cook, Robert F. Murphy, and H. David Hunt, American Educational Research Journal, 37(2), 525-97

This publication is the second in a series of reports done by the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University evaluating Comer's School Development Program in different cities and suburbs.  The report evaluates fifth through eighth graders in 10 inner city Chicago schools that use the Comer Process, analyzing how well the proram is implemented, how it affects school climate, how it influences change in student outcomes and why it has the effect it does.   http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/publications/comer.pdf   (PDF - Adobe Reader Required)

"The Kids Got Smarter: Case Studies of Successful Comer Schools," (2001), by George W. Noblit, William Malloy, and Carol E. Malloy, Cresskill, MJ: Hampton Press, Inc.

In this book the authors investigate school reform in five urban Comer schools:  three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school.  The implication of the successes reported in this volume show that children from all income, geographic, language, ethnic and cultural groups can gain the social and academic skills needed to do well in school when the education enterprise adequately addresses their needs.

"I Don't Want Your Nasty Pot of Gold": Urban School Climate and Public Policy," (1997), by Charles Payne, Northwestern University Institute for Policy Research

This paper explores how dysfunctional relationships between teachers, administrators, and parents can undermine the implementation of reform programs, even when all parties generally agree about the strategy and goals.  The data examines the day-to-day realities of 16 schools in Chicago that are using the Comer model.  http://www.eric.ed.gov - report #ED41213