Appendix A1 Extent of evidence
| Intervention name | Staying in school | Progressing in school | Completing school | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of studies | Sample size (schools/ students) |
Extent of evidence1 | Number of studies | Sample size (schools/ students) |
Extent of evidence1 | Number of studies | Sample size (schools/ students) |
Extent of evidence1 | |
| Accelerated Middle Schools | 3 | 14/848 | Medium to large | 3 | 14/848 | Medium to large | 0 | 0 | na |
| ALAS (Achievement for Latinos through Academic Success) | 1 | 1/94 | Small | 1 | 1/81 | Small | 0 | 0 | na |
| Career Academies | 1 | 9/345 | Small | 1 | 9/316 | Small | 1 | 9/360 | Small |
| Check & Connect | 2 | nr/238 | Small | 1 | nr/92 | Small | 1 | nr/144 | Small |
| Financial Incentives for Teen Parents to Stay in School | 2 | nr/1,819 | Medium to large | 1 | nr/913 | Small | 2 | nr/1,819 | Medium to large |
| First Things First | 1 | 16/nr | Small | 0 | 0 | na | 0 | 0 | na |
| High School Redirection | 3 | 3/1,634 | Medium to large | 2 | 2/732 | Medium to large | 3 | 3/1,510 | Medium to large |
| Job Corps | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 105/11,313 | Small | 1 | 105/8,597 | Small |
| JOBSTART | 0 | 0 | na | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 13/1,941 | Small |
| Middle College High School | 1 | 1/394 | Small | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 1/394 | Small |
| New Chance | 0 | 0 | na | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 16/2,079 | Small |
| Project GRAD | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 13/nr | Small | 1 | 13/nr | Small |
| Quantum Opportunity Program | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 11/766 | Small | 1 | 11/915 | Small |
| Talent Development High Schools | 0 | 0 | na | 1 | 11/nr | Small | 0 | 0 | na |
| Talent Search | 0 | 0 | na | 0 | 0 | na | 2 | 200+/9,854 | Medium to large |
| Twelve Together | 1 | 9/219 | Small | 1 | 9/219 | Small | 0 | 0 | na |
|
na = not applicable |
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Appendix A2 Targeted population
| Intervention name | Students targeted by the intervention | Students in reviewed studies same as full target population? |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerated Middle Schools | Middle school students who are behind grade level | Yes |
| ALAS (Achievement for Latinos through Academic Success) | Middle school students deemed at risk of dropping out; served throughout their three years of middle or junior high school | Yes |
| Career Academies | High school students; program originally served only at-risk students; now serves a more general student population | No. Studies reviewed focused only on at-risk students. |
| Check & Connect | Middle and high school students deemed at risk of dropping out; served throughout their time in middle or high school | No. Studies reviewed focused only on high school students. |
| Financial Incentives for Teen Parents to Stay in School | Teen parents receiving cash assistance | Yes |
| First Things First | Students in elementary, middle, and high schools serving significant proportions of economically disadvantaged students | No. Studies reviewed focused only on high school students. |
| High School Redirection | High school students who have dropped out or are considered at risk of dropping out | Yes |
| Job Corps | Economically disadvantaged youth, most of whom lack a high school diploma or GED certificate | Yes |
| JOBSTART | Young disadvantaged high school dropouts | Yes |
| Middle College High School | High school students who have dropped out or are considered at risk of dropping out | Yes |
| New Chance | Young welfare mothers without a high school diploma or GED certificate | Yes |
| Project GRAD | Serves all students in a participating high school, as well as its feeder elementary and middle schools | No. Studies reviewed focused only on high school students. |
| Quantum Opportunity Program | Students from high schools with high dropout rates; support provided for four to five years beginning in the ninth grade | Yes |
| Talent Development High Schools | School-wide reform serving all students in a participating high school | Yes |
| Talent Search | Low-income middle and high school students; middle and high school students whose parents did not earn high school degrees | No. Studies reviewed focused only on high school students. |
| Twelve Together | Middle and early high school students; serves a mix of those at high risk of academic failure as well as those at lower risk; services provided for one year | No. Studies reviewed focused only on middle school students. |
Appendix A3 Characteristics of interventions
| Intervention name | Academic approach | Support services |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerated Middle Schools | An additional year of curriculum is covered during a student’s one to two years in the intervention | Small class sizes, tutoring, attendance monitoring, counseling, and family outreach |
| ALAS (Achievement for Latinos through Academic Success) | Regular school curriculum supplemented with special classes on problem-solving skills | Close monitoring of attendance, regular feedback to parents and students on performance, case management, and counseling |
| Career Academies | School-within-a-school approach operating within a regular high school; coursework organized around a career theme | Internships and mentors from local employers that reinforce the specific career theme of the academy |
| Check & Connect | Regular school curriculum supplemented with tutoring as needed | Close monitoring of attendance, mentoring, case management, and family outreach |
| Financial Incentives for Teen Parents to Stay in School | Does not include an academic component | Bonuses and sanctions applied to the welfare grant to encourage school attendance and improved academic performance; case management |
| First Things First | Theme-based small learning communities, family and student advocate system, and instructional improvements | Students assigned an advocate, typically one of their teachers, who serves as a mentor and a liaison between the school and the student’s family |
| High School Redirection | Alternative high school model focusing on basic skills acquisition, remedial reading instruction, and accelerated credit accumulation | Onsite child care, limited extracurricular activities |
| Job Corps | Remedial education, GED preparation, vocational training, job placement assistance | Residential living services, counseling, health services, social-skills training, and a biweekly living allowance |
| JOBSTART | Basic academic skills instruction, GED preparation, occupational skills training, job placement assistance | Training-related support services, such as transportation assistance and childcare |
| Middle College High School | Alternative high school operating on a college campus; college-preparatory curriculum emphasizing individualized attention and the development of critical thinking skills | Community service opportunities, internships, peer support, and specialized counseling |
| New Chance | GED preparation classes and a parenting and life skills curriculum, followed by occupational training and job placement assistance | Case management and child care |
| Project GRAD | Model uses regular school curriculum at the high school level; includes curriculum reforms at the elementary and middle school level focused on reading and math instruction | College scholarships for students performing well academically, six-week academic summer program on a college campus, counseling on college preparation and admissions |
| Quantum Opportunity Program | Regular school curriculum supplemented with tutoring, computer-assisted learning, and life skills instruction | Case management, mentoring, transportation assistance, child care, and financial incentives to promote participation |
| Talent Development High Schools | School restructured into small "learning communities," curriculum emphasizes college preparation and reading and math instruction | Ongoing technical assistance and professional development for school staff |
| Talent Search | Regular school curriculum supplemented with tutoring and study skills assistance | Career exploration, aptitude assessment, academic advising, college campus visits, college and financial aid application assistance, assistance with preparing for college entrance exams |
| Twelve Together | Regular school curriculum supplemented with homework assistance | Weekly peer support sessions led by trained adult facilitators, college campus visits, social events |
Appendix A4 Summary of statistically significant1 or substantively important2 positive findings
| Intervention name | Staying in school | Progressing in school | Completing school | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive findings | Findings across outcomes | Positive findings | Findings across outcomes | Positive findings | Findings across outcomes | |
| Accelerated Middle Schools | ||||||
| Dynarski, Gleason, Rangarajan, & Wood, 1998—Georgia study (randomized control trial with differential attrition) | Dropped out of school | ns, Substantively important |
Highest grade completed after two years | Statistically significant, Substantively important |
na | na |
| Dynarski, Gleason, Rangarajan, & Wood, 1998—New Jersey study (randomized control trial) | None | ns, nsi | Highest grade completed after two years | Statistically significant, Substantively important |
na | na |
| Dynarski, Gleason, Rangarajan, & Wood, 1998—Michigan study (randomized control trial with differential attrition) | Dropped out of school | Statistically significant, Substantively important |
Highest grade completed after two years | Statistically significant, Substantively important |
na | na |
| ALAS (Achievement for Latinos through Academic Success) | ||||||
| Larson & Rumberger, 2005 (randomized controlled trial) | Enrollment: end of grade 9 | Statistically significant, Substantively important | On track to graduate on time: end of 9th grade | Statistically significant, Substantively important | na | na |
| Career Academies | ||||||
| Kemple, 2004 (randomized controlled trial) | Dropped out of school | Statistically significant, Substantively important | Total credits earned Credits earned met graduation requirements | Statistically significant, Substantively important | None | ns, nsi |
| Check & Connect | ||||||
| Sinclair, Christenson, Evelo, & Hurley, 1998 (randomized controlled trial) | Dropped out of school | Statistically significant, Substantively important | Credits earned | Statistically significant, Substantively important | None | ns, nsi |
| Sinclair, Christenson, & Thurlow, 2005 (randomized controlled trial with attrition problems) | Dropped out of school | Statistically significant, Substantively important | na | na | None | ns, nsi |
| Financial Incentives for Teen Parents to Stay in School | ||||||
| Long, Gueron, Wood, Fisher, & Fellerath, 1996 (randomized controlled trial) | None | ns, nsi | None | ns, nsi | None | ns, nsi |
| Mauldon, Malvin, Stiles, Nicosia, & Seto, 2000 (randomized controlled trial with attrition problems) | Dropped out of school | Statistically significant, nsi | na | na | None | ns, nsi |
| First Things First | ||||||
| Quint, Bloom, Black, & Stephens, 2005—Houston study (quasi-experimental design) | None | ns, nsi | na | na | na | na |
| High School Redirection | ||||||
| Dynarski & Wood, 1997—Stockton study (randomized controlled trial with control group crossover) | Number of days enrolled: year 1 Number of days enrolled: year 2 | Statistically significant, Substantively important | Total credits earned: end of year 4 | Statistically significant, Substantively important | None | ns, nsi |
| Dynarski & Wood, 1997—Wichita study (randomized controlled trial) | None | ns, nsi | None | ns, nsi | None | ns, nsi |
| Dynarski & Wood, 1997—Cincinnati study (randomized controlled trial) | None | ns, nsi | na | na | None | ns, nsi |
| Job Corps | ||||||
| Schochet, Burghardt, & Glazerman, 2001 (randomized control trial) | na | na | None | na, nsi | Earned a high school diploma/GED |
Statistically significant, Substantively important |
| JOBSTART | ||||||
| Cave, Bos, Doolittle, & Toussaint, 1993 (randomized control trial) | na | na | na | na | Earned a high school diploma/GED |
Statistically significant, Substantively important |
| Middle College High School | ||||||
| Dynarski, Gleason, Rangarajan, & Wood, 1998 (randomized controlled trial) | None | ns, nsi | na | na | None | ns, nsi |
| New Chance | ||||||
| Quint, Bos, & Polit, 1997 (randomized control trial) | na | na | na | na | Earned a high school diploma/GED |
Statistically significant, nsi |
| Project GRAD | ||||||
| Snipes, Holton, Doolittle, & Sztejnberg, 2006 (quasi-experimental design) | na | na | None | ns, nsi | None | ns, nsi |
| Quantum Opportunity Program | ||||||
| Schirm, Stuart & McKie, 2006 (randomized controlled trial with differential attrition) | na | na | None | ns, nsi | None | ns, nsi |
| Talent Development High Schools | ||||||
| Kemple, Herlihy, & Smith, 2005 (quasi-experimental design) | na | na | Total credits earned: end of year 2 Enrolled in 10th grade: end of year 2 |
Statistically significant, nsi | na | na |
| Talent Search | ||||||
| Constantine, Seftor, Martin, Silva, & Myers, 2006—Texas study (quasi-experimental design) | na | na | na | na | Earned high school diploma/GED | Statistically significant, Substantively important |
| Constantine, Seftor, Martin, Silva, & Myers, 2006—Florida study (quasi-experimental design) | na | na | na | na | Earned high school diploma/GED | Statistically significant, Substantively important |
| Twelve Together | ||||||
| Dynarski, Gleason, Rangarajan, & Wood, 1998 (randomized controlled trial with differential attrition) | Dropped out of school | ns, Substantively important | None | ns, nsi | na | na |
|
ns = not statistically significant 1According to WWC criteria, if a program finds a statistically significant effect, there is less than a 5% chance that this difference is due to chance. The level of statistical significance was calculated by the WWC and, where necessary,
corrects for clustering within classrooms or schools and for multiple comparisons. For an explanation about the clustering comparison, see the WWC Tutorial on Mismatch. For the formulas the WWC used to calculate statistical significance, see the Technical Details of WWC-Conducted Computations. |
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