WWC review of this study

Bridging the Gap: An Impact Study of Eight Developmental Summer Bridge Programs in Texas. NCPR Brief

Barnett, Elisabeth A.; Bork, Rachel Hare; Mayer, Alexander K.; Pretlow, Joshua; Wathington, Heather D.; Weiss, Madeline Joy (2012). National Center for Postsecondary Research. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED539188

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    1,318
     Students
    , grade
    PS

Reviewed: February 2016

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

Student had passed first college-level math course

Summer bridge programs vs. Business as usual

Two years post random assignment

Full sample;
1,318 students

0.47

0.43

No

--

Student had passed first college-level writing course

Summer bridge programs vs. Business as usual

Two years post random assignment

Full sample;
1,318 students

0.72

0.68

No

--

Student had passed first college-level reading course

Summer bridge programs vs. Business as usual

Two years post random assignment

Full sample;
1,318 students

0.73

0.72

No

--
Credit accumulation and persistence outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

College level credits attempted

Summer bridge programs vs. Business as usual

Two years post random assignment

Full sample;
1,318 students

24.20

23.50

No

--

Ratio of college level credits earned to attempted

Summer bridge programs vs. Business as usual

Two years post random assignment

Full sample;
1,318 students

0.66

0.68

No

--

Semesters registered

Summer bridge programs vs. Business as usual

Two years post random assignment

Full sample;
1,318 students

3.30

3.40

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.

    • 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
    • x
    • w
    • y

    Texas
  • Race
    Black
    7%
    White
    9%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    84%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    16%

Reviewed: March 2015

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

Passed college-level math

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level writing

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level reading

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Passed college-level math

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Female;
810 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level math

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Male;
489 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level reading

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Male;
489 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level writing

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Female;
810 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level writing

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Male;
489 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Passed college-level reading

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Female;
810 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Access and enrollment outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

First-semester registration at any college

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Credit accumulation and persistence outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

College-level credits earned

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

15.90

15.90

No

--

Registered at any college

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Semesters registered at any college

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

College students;
1,318 students

3.30

3.40

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

College-level credits earned

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Female;
810 students

15.70

15.20

No

--

Semesters registered at any college

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Women;
810 students

3.30

3.30

No

--

College-level credits earned

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Male;
489 students

16.60

16.70

No

--

Semesters registered at any college

Developmental Summer Bridge Programs vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Male;
489 students

3.30

3.50

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.


  • 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
    • x
    • w
    • y

    Texas
  • Race
    Black
    7%
    White
    9%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    84%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    16%

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.

  • Pretlow, J., III. (2011). The impact of a Texas summer bridge program on developmental students (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3484625)

  • Wathington, Heather D.; Barnett, Elisabeth A.; Weissman, Evan; Teres, Jedediah; Pretlow, Joshua; Nakanishi, Aki. (2011). Getting Ready for College: An Implementation and Early Impacts Study of Eight Texas Developmental Summer Bridge Programs. NCPR Brief. National Center for Postsecondary Research.

  • Wathington, Heather; Pretlow, Joshua; Mitchell, Claire. (2011). The Impact of Developmental Summer Bridge Programs on Students' Success. Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness.

 

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