The Long-Term Impact of Systemic Student Support in Elementary School: Reducing High School Dropout

Abstract

Dropping out of high school has adverse consequences, including negative effects on employment, lifetime earnings, and physical health. Students often fail to complete high school for complex reasons that often manifest long before they reach high school. This study examines the link between participation in a comprehensive elementary school student support intervention and high school dropout. In this study, students who attended intervention elementary schools in a large, urban, high-poverty district during 2001–2014 ( N=894) were compared to students who did not attend intervention schools ( N=10,200). Likelihood of dropping out in grades 9–12 was estimated using propensity score-weighted Discrete Event History Analysis. Intervention students had approximately half the odds of dropout ( p<.001); the probability of dropout for intervention was 9.2%, compared to 16.6% for non-intervention students. Individually tailored student support interventions during elementary school can lead to lasting and meaningful effects.

Provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education in an Adult Jail during COVID-19: The Case of Charles H. et al. v. District of Columbia et al.

“…The frustrations may also lead youth to feel disconnected from the school environment and abandon hope for earning a high school diploma. Researchers have found school engagement, including attendance, active participation in classroom activities, and a positive perception of "school belonging" are factors that help prevent students from dropping out [28].…”

Dropout in youth and adult education: a multilevel analysis of students and schools in Chile

“…Its precursors are absenteeism, low performance, failure, grade repetition, and educational backwardness ( Jurado and Tejada, 2019 ). Hence, school dropout is a major cause of inequality and social exclusion and one of the most entrenched phenomena in education systems, affecting millions of vulnerable young and adult people ( Lee-St et al, 2018 ; Tarabini, 2020 ; Contreras-Villalobos et al, 2022 ).…”

Psychological Strategies and Protocols for Promoting School Well-Being: A Systematic Review

“…According to Lee-St. John et al (2018) , drop out intervention strategies research should go beyond the typical school boundaries to mitigate dropout risk factors. Still, schools cannot achieve outreach independently and will require significant, meaningful and effective partnerships with community agencies.…”

“…However, the barrier to research regarding dropout intervention strategies is that many interventions that can be comprehensively evaluated are narrow in focus and modest in scope. Moreover, complex interventions that address the comprehensive needs of students at risk of dropout can be challenging to study ( Lee-St. John et al, 2018 ). The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the current state of knowledge regarding the risk factors associated with school dropping out and deviant behaviours and identify interventions used to prevent dropouts, as well as their outcomes and effectiveness.…”