Setting
This study took place across several schools in different U.S. cities. Specifically, the following schools participated in the study: Paschal (Fort Worth, TX), Collinwood (Cleveland, OH), Eastern (Washington, D.C.), Anacostia (Washington, D.C.), Yates (Houston, TX), Austin (Houston, TX), Hillcrest (Memphis, TN), Hamilton (Memphis, TN), Carver (Memphis, TN), Franklin (Philadelphia, PA), and Davis (Yakima, WA).
Study sample
52% of the intervention group and 56% of the comparison group were male students. 26% of the intervention group and 26% of the comparison group were Hispanic. 68% of the intervention group and 68% of the comparison group were Black.
Intervention Group
The Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP) is a program that offers intensive and comprehensive services to help at-risk youth (students with low grades who entered high schools with high dropout rates) graduate from high school and enroll in postsecondary education or training. The QOP model consisted of four main components: case management and mentoring, education, developmental activities, and community service. Secondary components included financial incentives (stipends, accrual accounts, enrollee bonuses, and staff bonuses) and supportive services (snacks, transportation assistance, and other services as needed such as child care, health and mental health services, and substance abuse treatment). The QOP program began for students in 9th grade and students received services for 5 years. QOP participants were to have 250 hours per year dedicated for activities in three service components - education, developmental activities, and community service (for a total of 750 hours per year until an enrollee graduated from high school).
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison condition received no QOP services, but could have participated in the usual services offered to high school students in their area.
Support for implementation
Although all sites were encouraged to implement the QOP model, neither the Department of Labor nor the Ford Foundation required sites to implement fully all of the elements of the QOP model.