What Can We Learn from Positive Outlier Elementary Schools? NYKids New Study Aims to Find Out

What if the keys to improving student academic performance and their engagement in school could be found in the everyday practices happening in schools across New York state? 

That’s the question driving NYKids’ newest study. Building on two decades of research into what helps educators achieve better outcomes for kids, NYKids researchers are launching an ambitious investigation into elementary schools whose students are achieving above-predicted levels of academic performance and attendance. 

 

Why This Study Matters Now 

The landscape of K-12 education has shifted dramatically in recent years. We’ve witnessed unprecedented challenges – from pandemic-related learning disruptions to growing concerns about student wellbeing and widening academic performance gaps. Against this backdrop, educators are hungry for evidence-based insights and practical wisdom drawn from schools that are getting better results. 

Here’s what makes this research different: Rather than starting with assumptions about what should work, the study team is going directly to schools that have trends of better student outcomes than their peers and asking, “What are you doing, and how can we learn from you?” 

 

Questions Worth Exploring  

The study is designed to answer critical questions that keep educators and policymakers up at night:  

• What specific instructional practices are most effective for supporting diverse elementary learners in meeting and exceeding grade level proficiency targets in core subjects and extracurriculars?  

• How do positive outlier school educators build and sustain collaborative cultures among teachers and staff in service of children and youth?  

• What role does leadership play in creating conditions for both staff and student learning and persistence?  

• How do educators effectively partner with families and communities to better serve children and families?  

Perhaps most importantly: How do these policies, processes, and practices intersect and reinforce each other to create coherent systems of support for children and youth? 

 

The Research Approach: Learning from Success 

The study will unfold in three phases: 

Phase 1: Identifying Positive Outliers
NYKids researchers analyze three years of data from elementary schools across New York State to identify those demonstrating exceptional student outcomes in terms of academic performance and attendance rates (one proxy for engagement). Our analysis takes into account the economic disadvantage of students served and other demographic characteristics favoring those facing average to above-average challenges with average to below average resources.  

Phase 2: Going To the Source 
From this pool of “positive outlier schools”, the NYKids team identifies a sub-sample varying in demographic characteristics and distributed across regions of New York State and invites educators in those schools to participate in the study. This phase isn’t about quick surveys or standardized observations. Rather, NYKids researchers will spend time in these buildings talking with district-level leaders, principals and assistant principals, teachers, and support staff members to probe deeply into the consequential policies, processes, and practices that they see associated with their students’ outcomes and experiences. 

Phase 3: Sharing What Works 
Finally, findings will be transformed into accessible resources such as case studies, policy briefs, practitioner guides, and presentations designed for real-world applications. As always, the NYKids research team’s goal will be to share knowledge that is readily applicable to education policy and practice through our social media, website, and partner advisory board organizations. And, of course, add to the existing research literature as we go.  

From Evidence to Action 

We’ve all seen research that looks great on paper but feels impossible to implement in the messy reality of actual classrooms and schools. The NYKids team is committed to bridging that gap. Our track record speaks volumes—previous studies have directly influenced policy implementation decisions and provided research from different regions of our state that is relevant to local planning and decision making. 

Key features that make this research actionable: 

• Grounded in real schools with near average to above average challenges 

• Focused on replicable practices rather than unique circumstances 

• Designed with improvement initiative implementation in mind from the start 

• Translated into multiple formats to reach different audiences 

Looking Ahead 

As this study moves forward over the 2025-26 school year, it promises to generate insights that could reshape how we think about elementary education in New York state today.  

The ultimate question isn’t just what these successful schools are doing differently—it’s how their practices can be adapted and implemented in diverse contexts across the state and beyond. 

For educators and researchers alike, this study represents an opportunity to move beyond anecdote and assumption about what works toward a deeper, more nuanced understanding of what works for whom and under what conditions. The findings could inform everything from teacher and leader preparation programs to school improvement planning, from resource allocation decisions to professional development priorities. 

For more information about NYKids’ research initiatives and opportunities to engage with this work and other resources, please visit the NYKids website or contact the research team nykids@albany.edu. You can also find us on LinkedIn Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky!