WWC review of this study

The effect of mentoring on school attendance and academic outcomes: A randomized evaluation of the Check & Connect program (Working Paper WP-16-18)

Guryan, J., Christenson, S., Claessens, A., Engel, M., Lai, I., Ludwig, J., ... Turner, M. C. (2017). Evanston, IL: Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University.

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    6,960
     Students
    , grades
    1-7

Reviewed: January 2018

No statistically significant positive
findings
Meets WWC standards without reservations
School Attendance outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

% of Membership Days Present Year 2

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4;
1,646 students

N/A

94.20

No

--

% of Membership Days Present Year 2

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 5, 6, 7;
1,235 students

N/A

90.80

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

% of Membership Days Present Year 1

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4;
1,746 students

N/A

93.80

No

--

% of Membership Days Present Year 1

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 5, 6, 7;
1,311 students

N/A

92.30

No

--

Days Absent Year 2

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4;
1,646 students

N/A

10.10

No

--

Days Absent Year 2

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 5, 6, 7;
1,235 students

N/A

15.70

No

--

Days Absent Year 1

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4;
1,746 students

N/A

10.60

No

--

Days Absent Year 1

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 5, 6, 7;
1,311 students

N/A

13.30

No

--

Days Present Year 2

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 5, 6, 7;
1,235 students

N/A

160.00

No

--

Days Present Year 1

IES Funded Studies (NCER) vs. Business as usual

0 Years

Cohort 2; Grade: 1, 2, 3, 4;
1,746 students

N/A

163.70

No

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • Female: 47%
    Male: 53%

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    Illinois

Setting

The study examines the effectiveness of Check & Connect (C&C) on students in grades 1–7. The study is conducted in 23 Chicago Public Schools.

Study sample

The Cohort 1 randomized sample was made up of 53% male students. The intervention group included 59% African-American students, 38% Hispanic students, 18% of students old for grade, and 11% of students were identified as having a learning disability. The comparison group composition included 57% African-American students, 40% Hispanic students, 15% of students old for grade, 10% of students were identified as having a learning disability. The Cohort 2 randomized sample was made up of 53% male students. The intervention group included 46% African-American students, 49% Hispanic students, 12% of students old for grade, and 5% of students were identified as having a learning disability. The comparison group included 47% African-American students, 47% Hispanic students, 10% of students were old for grade level, and 6% of students were identified as having a learning disability.

Intervention Group

C&C is a structured mentoring program that targets youth who are disengaging from school or at risk of dropping out of school (such students were identified based on attendance rates). Students in the intervention condition were offered the chance to participate in the C&C program in which a trained mentor provided support for student attendance and engagement over a 2 year period. The C&C mentors stayed with their assigned students for the full 2 years (unless they left or a student moved away). Mentors monitored student attendance and academic achievement, provided individualized timely interventions when needed to improve attendance and achievement outcomes, and engaged with parents. The Cohort I intervention took place during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years. The Cohort II intervention took place during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years. The C&C program costs were approximately $1,700 per student per year.

Comparison Group

Students in the comparison condition received business-as-usual instruction.

Support for implementation

The C&C program was implemented by the SGA Youth and Family Services social service agency (SGA). SGA hired and trained the mentors to work in the Chicago Public Schools. Research consultants from the University of Minnesota conducted bi-annual trainings with the C&C mentors including training on C&C program fidelity. SGA had a project manager who supervised the mentors and provided support, feedback, and weekly meetings. CPS also had a project manager which oversaw the SGA project manager and provided data collection support.

 

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This download will include data files for study and findings review data and a data dictionary.

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