This meta-analysis reviews research on the achievement effects of comprehensive school reform (CSR) and summarizes the specific effects of 29 widely implemented models. There are limitations on the overall quantity and quality of the research base, but the overall effects of CSR appear promising. The combined quantity, quality, and statistical significance of evidence from three models, in particular, set them apart. Whether evaluations are conducted by developers or by third-party evaluators and whether evaluators use one-group pre-post designs or control groups are important factors for understanding differences in CSR effects. Schools that implemented CSR models for 5 years or more showed particularly strong effects, and the benefits were consistent across schools of varying poverty levels. A long-term commitment to research-proven educational reform is needed to establish a strong marketplace of scientifically based CSR models.

Several renowned early interventions have compelling evidence of enduring achievement effects for at-risk children: Perry Preschool; the Abecedarian Project; and the Tennessee Class-Size Experiment. The costs and potential for national dissemination of such model programs, though, represent key practical concerns. This article examines the long-term outcomes and costs of another popular early intervention: Success for All. Relative to controls, Success for All students completed 8th grade at a younger age, with better achievement outcomes, fewer special education placements, fewer retentions, and at the same educational expense. Further cost-effectiveness comparisons to the three prominent interventions suggest that Success for All is deserving of similar recognition as a sound educational investment that provides strong and lasting educational benefits. None of these exemplary programs, though, can be expected to be the “great equalizer.”