Updated: NOV 20, 2017
Program: A dropout prevention program for high school students with learning, emotional, and/or behavioral disabilities.
Evaluation Methods: Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a combined sample of 300 9th grade students.
Key Findings: RCTs show a sizable decrease in students’ dropout rates, and increase in attendance and academic credits earned.
Check and Connect is a dropout prevention program for high school students with learning, emotional, and/or behavioral disabilities. Students typically enter the program in 9th grade, and are assigned a monitor (e.g., a graduate student, special education teacher, or community member with experience in human services), who works with them year-round as a mentor, advisor, and service coordinator.
The program is overseen at the school level by a program coordinator (e.g., special education coordinator or school psychologist), who provides monitors with regular advice and feedback. Check and Connect costs approximately $1,955 per student per year to implement, in 2017 dollars.
Sinclair, Mary F., Sandra L. Christenson, and Martha L. Thurow. Promoting School Completion of Urban Secondary Youth With Emotional or Behavioral Disabilities. Exceptional Children. Vol. 71, No. 4, 2005, pp. 465-482.
Sinclair, Mary F., Sandra L. Christenson, David L. Evelo, and Christine M. Hurley. Dropout Prevention for Youth with Disabilities: Efficacy of a Sustained School Engagement Procedure. Exceptional Children. Vol. 65, No. 1, 1998, pp. 7-21.
To see our full evidence summary:
Randomized controlled trials show sizable effects on reading and math achievement of elementary and middle school students two to three years after random assignment.
Randomized controlled trial shows a sizable positive impact on earnings of participants eight years after their scheduled high school graduation.
Randomized controlled trials show a sizable impact on math achievement, sustained through the end of eighth grade.