Setting
The study took place in 41 high schools in 22 school districts within a single state in the United States. There were 11 high schools located in mid-size cities, 15 high schools located in small cities/towns, and 15 high schools located in rural areas. Students in grade 9 are included in the analysis. (pp. 1, 3, 11)
Study sample
First-time grade 9 students are included in the analysis. The grade 9 analytic sample was 38 percent African American, 59 percent White, and 3 percent of another race. Fifty percent of the analytic sample were female, 2 percent were Latino/a, and 61 percent qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. (Table 2, p. 13)
Intervention Group
The EWI Team model is designed to help school staff monitor and intervene when grade 9 students exhibit early warning indicators of a student being off-track toward graduation. These early warning indicators are “high absenteeism, behavior problems, and course failure” (p. 364). In the schools assigned to the EWI Team model intervention condition, a half-time on-site facilitator, with an education or social work background, was placed in the school. Using a team-based model, the on-site facilitator provides school administrators, teachers, and school staff (the EWI team) with early warning indicator data used to identify at-risk and off-track students, works with the EWI team to develop a plan, and monitors the impacts. The EWI Team model is based on aspects of, and shares similarities with, other published dropout prevention models including the Check & Connect-type case management model, the Diplomas Now School Transformation/Turnaround model, and the Early Warning Intervention and Monitoring System intervention. (pp. 3-7)
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison condition schools received business as usual support. Schools assigned to the comparison condition received $5,000 each year for their two years of participation in the study. (p. 10)
Support for implementation
The EWI Team, including the on-site facilitator, school administrators, teachers, and school staff, completed a three-day professional training prior to the implementation of the program. The on-site facilitator participated in separate four-day trainings throughout the school year. External staff from the EWI model development team or the State Department of Education visited the intervention schools bi-monthly for day-long visits to provide implementation support. The study estimates that the cost per school for the half-time on-site facilitator and external staff is approximately $44,000 per year in the state in which the study was implemented. (pp. 4, 7)