School-Based Mentoring Program for At-Risk Middle School Youth
Solution types
Mentoring
Problems addressed
Externalizing behaviors/problems
School dropout
Effectiveness

Promising

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Promising

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Life periods served
Teenagers (14 to 17 years)
Where the program was applied
Education establishment
Country of application
United States
Description

This is a mentoring program for students in grades 7 to 9, to increase school attendance and improve the bond with the school. The intervention lasts 18 weeks, with weekly meetings between the mentor and the student.
The program has four components:
1) Time commitment;
2) Prosocial behavior;
3) Effective communication; and
4) Building trust.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation showed that the program was associated with a significant decrease in the number of disciplinary referrals to management and a significant increase in school connectedness. However, the program did not have a significant impact on unexcused absences [1].
The study had a quasi-experimental design with a sample of 32 students, 16 of whom were randomly assigned to school mentoring (treatment) and 16 to the control condition [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Converse, N. & Lignugaris/Kraft, B. (2009). Evaluation of a School-based Mentoring Program for At-Risk Middle School Youth. Remedial and Special Education, 30(1), 33–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932507314023

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