Addressing Early Warning Indicators: Interim Impact Findings from the Investing in Innovation (i3) Evaluation of Diplomas Now
Corrin, William; Sepanik, Susan; Rosen, Rachel; Shane, Andrea (2016). MDRC. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED566904
-
examining59Schools, grades6-9
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
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Percentage of students who had no core-course failures during the year |
Dropout Prevention vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample, cohort 1;
|
73.20 |
70.90 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Percentage of students who had no core-course failures during the year |
Dropout Prevention vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Full sample, cohort 2;
|
73.50 |
72.80 |
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.
-
Urban
-
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
Midwest, Northeast, South, West
Study Details
Setting
The study includes 62 schools across 11 urban school districts in the U.S. All are high-need schools that serve large shares of poor and minority students and are eligible for Title I funds.
Study sample
The intervention group analysis sample of cohort 2 students was 54 percent black, 37 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Asian, 4 percent white, 1 percent of another race, 55 percent male, 18 percent English Language Learners, 19 percent eligible for special education, and 32 percent overage for grade. The comparison group analysis sample of cohort 2 students was 62 percent black, 28 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian, 5 percent white, 1 percent of another race, 54 percent male, 17 percent English Language Learners, 17 percent eligible for special education, and 32 percent overage for grade. Characteristics of cohort 1 students is not presented in the report.
Intervention Group
Diplomas Now is a school wide, multiyear intervention. There are 9 key inputs, organized by pillar. Pillar 1: teacher teams and small learning communities - input is strong learning environments (extended class periods, interdisciplinary teams with common planning time) Pillar 2: curriculum and instruction with professional development - inputs are professional development and peer coaching (math and ELA instructional coaching, principal leadership network) and curriculum for college readiness (academic reform curriculum, transitional support classes) Pillar 3: tiered student supports - inputs are tiered intervention model (early warning system and response meetings), student supports (tutoring, mentoring, near-peer role modeling, after-school programs), and student case management (needs assessment, counseling, specialized interventions) Pillar 4: can-do culture and climate - inputs are integrated on-site support (transformation facilitator, site coordinator, City Year AmeriCorps members, instructional coaches) and family and community involvement (school events, parent and community outreach, community services). The ninth input (spanning all pillars) is program staff training and development (Diplomas Now Summer Institute for school-based staff members, national Diplomas Now Implementation Support Team).
Comparison Group
Control group students were randomly assigned to a business-as-usual comparison condition.
Support for implementation
A key component of the Diplomas Now program is staff training and development, including a Diplomas Now Summer Institute for school-based staff members and interaction with the Diplomas Now Implementation Support Team. The program model also includes three key partners that support implementation: Talent Development Secondary; City Year; and Communities in Schools.
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.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).