Introduction to Theory-Driven Program Evaluation, 2nd Edition

12 The Case: Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy¹

Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy is an elementary school located between an urban port city and a historically blue-collar suburb. The dignified and well-maintained school structure is a much-sought-after refuge for students, both African American and Latino, from the neighboring smaller suburb, well known for poverty, crime, racial tension, and low performing schools. The school is a beacon of hope and stability in an industrial area of the large city and is in sharp contrast to the nearby schools of the smaller, more notorious, adjacent suburb. Bunche is a “lighthouse” created by a unique partnership between the district and a nonprofit educational company specializing ...