- Elementary school students who received comprehensive services as part of the City Connects program, which began in Boston Public Schools roughly 20 years ago, were almost half as likely as those not in the program to drop out of high school, according to a study published this week by the American Educational Research Association.
- Conducted by researchers at Boston College, the study finds that among the 894 students who participated in the program from kindergarten through 5th grade, there was a 9.2% dropout rate, compared to 16.6% among nonparticipants. In each City Connects school, a full-time counselor or social worker works with teachers to review each student’s needs and coordinates services in partnership with community organizations to address any academic, social-emotional, health or family support issues.
- “There are many pathways to school dropout. A comprehensive intervention in elementary school that addresses a wide range of out-of-school factors can disrupt those pathways, supporting strengths and building resilience,” Mary Walsh, a professor at Boston College, one of the study’s authors and the executive director of City Connects, said in a news release. The findings suggest that interventions that expand beyond academic and behavioral issues may be necessary to prevent students from dropping out, and that waiting until high school to provide additional support may be too late, the researchers say.
Read the full article on the Education Dive website.