Lessons learned from years of applied research in the area of student engagement, dropout prevention and school completion are offered. This article begins with a summary of theoretical constructs that guided the development of Check & Connect and continues with descriptions of multiple applications of this targeted intervention. The roles of key personnel are identified and seven core elements of the model are highlighted including the importance of "persistence plus," relationship building and individualized intervention. Considerations for effective implementation, derived from the experiences of longitudinal implementation studies, are discussed. These insights are offered for consideration to those who are in positions to influence the educational trajectory of youth for whom school completion is likely to be difficult.
Conceptual issues related to dropping out, student engagement, and school
completion are raised. Thirteen criteria explicated by Crane (1998a) are described as
guidelines for designing, evaluating, and documenting programs to enhance
successful school completion for all students. The status of the current
intervention research is summarized relative to the specified criteria.
Recommendations for future research and practice include implementation of
interventions, systematic application of criteria in evaluating interventions,
focus on school completion across school years, and capturing
students’ experiences and using the information to develop
contextualized interventions.
The number of students enrolled in alternative settings for youth at risk of school failure has increased significantly in recent years. Students with disabilities, primarily students with emotional/behavioral disabilities and learning disabilities, are included in the population of students who are being educated in these settings. This article provides a synthesis of information gathered through (a) a comprehensive review of legislation and policy on alternative schools/programs from 48 states and (b) a national survey about alternative schools and students served completed by key contacts at state departments of education. Information is organized and discussed with regard to state-level definitions of alternative schools, enrollment criteria, school characteristics, students served, staffing, curriculum and instruction, and outcomes. In addition, information about the provision of special education in these settings and the extent to which students with disabilities enroll is included.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.