Can ethnic studies make a difference in graduation rates?

Holyoke High School freshmen who took at least one ethnic studies course in 2016-17 graduated (within 5 years) at a higher rate than those who didn't, according to a Globe Magazine analysis that controlled for demographics, eighth-grade performance, and other factors.

Data source: Holyoke Public Schools.
Data analysis: Yuriko Schumacher, Northeastern University graduate student, with guidance from Arindrajit Dube, professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst. See methodology at bostonglobe.com/magazine.
Margin of error: The difference in graduation rate was 11.9 percentage points, with a margin of error of +/- 9.6 percentage points.