Career Academies: Impacts on Students' Initial Transitions to Post-Secondary Education and Employment.
Kemple, James J. (2001). Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED463412
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examining1,454Students, grades9-12
Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2017
- Practice Guide (findings for Dropout Prevention)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Total course credits |
Dropout Prevention vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
2000 study ;
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22.30 |
21.80 |
No |
-- |
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Did not drop out (%) |
Dropout Prevention vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
2000 study;
|
89.90 |
87.60 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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California, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas
Study Details
Setting
The intervention was delivered in 10 schools. Schools are clustered in the East (3 schools in PA, MD, DC), Florida (2 schools) Texas (1 school) and California (3 schools).
Study sample
Evaluators sought to include study sites that shared typical characteristics of large urban centers and small cities. The vast majority of students identified themselves as Hispanic or black. A moderate proportion of students are from low-income families, single-parent households, and receiving welfare or Food Stamps. No significant differences are present between treatment and control youth at baseline.
Intervention Group
The Career Academies included in this study were organized as schools within schools. A small learning community was formed within the larger high school by clustering 3 to 5 teachers and 50 to 75 students per grade in grades 9-12 or 10-12. Teachers were drawn from various academic and career-related disciplines and remained with students from year to year. Students took 2 to 4 courses per year in the Academy and their remaining courses in the regular high school. The academies used academic and technical curricula based on a career theme. Students took 3 or more academic courses and at least 1 career- or occupation-related course per year. Occupational classes were structured around a range of areas in a career field rather than training in specific job skills. The career themes were chosen on the basis of local employment needs and demand for expertise. For example, the career themes included health professions, business and finance, electronics, travel and tourism, and information technology. Formal relationships with a group of employers in the community aimed to support Academy programs and to sponsor work- and career-related activities for students. In addition, efforts were made to encourage parental involvement.
Comparison Group
Researchers purposefully chose the Career Academies to include in the study. In particular, they looked for a clear contrast between the selected Career Academy and the other programs available to potential Academy students in that area. Approximately 6.8 percent of the control group enrolled in Career Academies in the study.
Support for implementation
Career Academy teachers came from a variety of academic and vocational disciplines and had similar background characteristics as other teachers in the same high school. Professional development opportunities included focusing on student-related concerns and on coordinating the career development and employer-related activities.
Career Academies Intervention Report - Dropout Prevention
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2015
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Additional source not reviewed (View primary source).
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Please see the WWC summary of evidence for Career Academies.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Study sample characteristics were not reported.Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2009
Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do Practice Guide- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Additional source not reviewed (View primary source).
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Study sample characteristics were not reported.Additional Sources
In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.
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Kemple, James J. (2001). Career Academies: Impacts on Students' Initial Transitions to Post-Secondary Education and Employment.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
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Study findings for this report.
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non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).