|
|
Dropout
Effectiveness
Findings
The WWC review of interventions for dropout prevention addresses student outcomes in three domains: staying in school, progressing in school, and completing school.
Staying in school. One study of High School Redirection showed statistically significant effects on staying in school. The Stockton study indicated that High School Redirection youth were enrolled 39 more days on average in the first follow-up year than control group youth (110 days versus 71 days) and 17 more days on average in the second follow-up year (67 days versus 50 days). In addition, at the end of the third follow-up year, fewer High School Redirection youth had dropped out (43% versus 53%). 6 The other two studies showed no statistically significant or substantively important effects of High School Redirection on staying in school.
Progressing in school. The Stockton study found that, at the end of the fourth follow-up year, High School Redirection youth had, on average, earned more credits toward graduation than control group youth—10.5 versus 8.5 credits—a difference that was statistically significant. The Wichita study found no statistically significant effect on total credits earned. The Cincinnati study did not examine outcomes associated with progressing in school.
Completing school. The Stockton study found that, by the end of the third follow-up year, High School Redirection youth were more likely than control group youth to have completed high school or earned a GED certificate—40% versus 32%—a difference that was not statistically significant. The Wichita and Cincinnati studies found no difference between the research groups in completing school at the end of the second follow-up year. 7
Rating of effectiveness
The WWC rates the effects of an intervention in a given outcome domain as: positive, potentially positive, mixed, no discernible effects, potentially negative, or negative. The rating of effectiveness takes into account four factors: the quality of the research design, the statistical significance of the findings,8 the size of the difference between participants in the intervention and the comparison conditions, and the consistency in findings across studies (see the WWC Intervention Rating Scheme).
7 The Cincinnati study did find that High School Redirection had a small, statistically significant positive effect on receiving a high school diploma; however, the intervention did not have a significant effect on the combined outcome of receiving either a high school diploma or a GED certificate.
8 The level of statistical significance was reported by the study authors or, where necessary, calculated by the WWC to correct for clustering within classrooms or schools and for multiple comparisons. For an explanation about the clustering correction, see the WWC Tutorial on Mismatch. See Technical Details of WWC-Conducted Computations for the formulas the WWC used to calculate the statistical significance. In the case of High School Redirection, no corrections for clustering were needed.