Prince George’s County Public Schools
14201 School Lane · Upper Marlboro · MD 20772
Website: www.PGCPS.org Follow us: @PGCPS, Facebook, Youtube
RESEARCH REPORT
Effective Interventions for
Ninth Grade Students
Prepared by
Hanover Research, Washington, DC.
DIVISION OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
Phone: 301-780-6807
Fax: 301-952-6147
Kevin Maxwell, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer
Lisa D. Price. PMP, CGPM, Performance Officer
Kola K. Sunmonu, Ph.D., Director of Research and Evaluation
BOARD OF EDUCATION: Segun C. Eubanks, Ed.D., Chair ● Carolyn M. Boston, Vice Chair ● Beverly Anderson, Ph.D. ●
Edward Burroughs, III ● Zabrina Epps, M.P.M. ● Patricia Eubanks ● Peggy Higgins, LCSW-C ● Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq.
● Daniel Kaufman, Ph.D. ● Lyn J. Mundey, MBA, CIPP/G ● Curtis Valentine, M.P.P. ● Amber Waller ● Sonya Williams ●
Rukayat Muse-Ariyoh, Student Member ● Kevin Maxwell, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Secretary/Treasurer
February 2014 © Prince George's County Public Schools
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... ii
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... ii
Organization of Report ....................................................................................................... ii
Summary of Findings .......................................................................................................... ii
Section I: Introduction ..................................................................................................................1
Purpose of Study ................................................................................................................. 1
Research Methodology ....................................................................................................... 1
Section II: Overview of Available Intervention Practices ..........................................................3
Available Intervention Approaches .................................................................................... 3
At-Risk Student Identification ...................................................................................... 4
Summer Support and Remediation ............................................................................... 5
Academic and Emotional Support Programming ......................................................... 5
School Restructuring ..................................................................................................... 7
Effectiveness of Intervention Practices ............................................................................... 9
Section III: Selected Effective Intervention Practices ..............................................................11
Identifying At-Risk Students ............................................................................................ 11
Evidence of Effectiveness ........................................................................................... 12
Characteristics of Highly Effective Early Warning Systems ...................................... 13
Early Warning Indicators and Student Success .......................................................... 14
Summer Support and Remediation ................................................................................... 15
Evidence of Effectiveness ........................................................................................... 16
Characteristics of Effective Summer Bridge Programming ....................................... 17
Academic Support Programs ............................................................................................ 18
Ninth Grade Faculty Teams ........................................................................................ 19
Peer Mentoring Programs ........................................................................................... 20
Check & Connect ........................................................................................................ 21
School Restructuring ......................................................................................................... 22
Ninth Grade Academies .............................................................................................. 23
Career Academies ....................................................................................................... 25
Section IV: Conclusions...............................................................................................................28
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
Researchers have long recognized the ninth grade year as critical to students’ educational
persistence and success. The existing body of literature provides strong evidence to suggest that
students who do not succeed in the ninth grade have a reduced chance of graduating from high
school on time. Like many U.S. school districts, Prince George’s County Public Schools
(PGCPS) has high rates of retention among its ninth grade students; a large percentage of
PGCPS’s ninth graders also fail to meet proficiency targets on state-mandated assessments.
To aid PGCPS in improving rates of achievement and engagement among ninth grade students,
this analysis aims to answer the following questions:
 Which types of interventions have been shown to positively impact ninth grade student
outcomes?
 How can PGCPS augment or expand its existent intervention efforts to better align with
effective practices?
ORGANIZATION OF REPORT
This study draws on a review of literature to answer the questions above. We review qualitative
and quantitative studies to identify interventions geared toward improving ninth grade outcomes.
The report comprises the following sections:

Section I provides an overview of the research objectives and discusses the
methodology used to identify effective interventions.

Section II broadly reviews the literature to identify available intervention practices
geared toward decreasing retention rates and improving academic achievement and
engagement among ninth graders.

Section III discusses several interventions identified as effective in Section II, exploring
quantitative and qualitative evidence suggesting effectiveness and providing examples
of practices in use.

Section IV provides concluding remarks, summarizing major themes and implications
for PGCPS.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Over the last two decades, various intervention strategies have emerged in
response to the ninth grade “bottleneck.” Available interventions tend to fall into
four broad categories:
o At-Risk Student Identification – These approaches utilize data analysis to identify
struggling students and determine how to effectively provide support for them.
These approaches are often utilized in conjunction with other interventions.
o Summer Support and Remediation – These intervention programs are offered in
the summer prior to ninth grade or the summer following the ninth grade. They
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
ii
offer transition support and/or can provide struggling ninth grade students the
opportunity to recover credits and avoid being retained.
o Academic and Emotional Support Programming – These include a wide range of
intervention efforts offered during the ninth grade year. This category includes
academic, social, and emotional support programs aimed at struggling students or a
district’s/school’s entire ninth grade population.
o School Restructuring – These efforts include more holistic initiatives that
restructure the curriculum, coursework, and classroom for the ninth grade in
particular or for high school more broadly. These programs (e.g., career academies)
often also employ interventions in other categories to enhance impact.

Across these categories, there are multiple types of specific interventions; of
these, several have demonstrated evidence of effectiveness and constitute
potential areas of new implementation or existing program expansion for PGCPS.
Quantitative and qualitative evidence suggests that the following individual
intervention types have been effective in decreasing retention rates and/or improving
on-time graduation rates and academic achievement:
o ALAS
o Early Warning Systems
o Summer Bridge Programs
o Ninth Grade Faculty Teams
o Peer Mentoring Programs
o Check & Connect
o Ninth Grade Academies
o Career Academies
o Early College High Schools
o Talent Development High Schools

Early Warning Systems (EWS) have been proven effective in identifying at-risk
students, particularly when schools effectively coordinate data collection and
analysis. While PGCPS’s EWS accords in most aspects with recognized effective
practices, districts that have seen significantly high rates of success – i.e., substantially
reduced retention and dropout rates – have enacted large-scale changes to
infrastructure to ensure maximum impact of the EWS. Such changes may include the
hiring of dedicated staff or the development of targeted resources to guide teachers and
administrators in the effective use of EWS data.

Summer bridge programs, similar to Jumpstart to Graduation at PGCPS, have also
been linked to improved student outcomes. Research suggests that effective summer
bridge programs, though varying significantly in structure, share a number of core
characteristics, including the utilization of student data to provide differentiated
instruction in some cases. PGCPS’s existent summer bridge program is clearly aligned
with best practices and shares characteristics with similar highly-effective programs. It
is possible that the current program could exert a greater impact if it had a wider reach.

Individual academic support programs, such as ninth grade faculty teams and
peer mentoring programs, have also shown effectiveness in supporting ninth
grade students throughout the academic year. Faculty team approaches enable
teachers to collaborate and share information about students, with the aim of providing
individualized support. Peer mentoring programs provide personalized support from
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
iii
older students, improving ninth grade student success while also giving upper-level
high school students’ leadership experience.

Finally, a number of comprehensive school restructuring efforts, such as ninth
grade academies, have shown promising results. Ninth Grade Academies (NGAs)
operate as a “school within a school” to allow for more personalized learning
experiences. The existing body of literature on the impact of NGAs – particularly in
terms of their large-scale implementation – is somewhat limited, but a study conducted
by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction indicates positive results.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
iv
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
Ninth grade is recognized as an important transition point, with a growing body of research
suggesting that student performance during the freshman year can have a significant impact on
high school persistence rates.1 The ninth grade year, in addition to being a challenging transition
from middle to high school, can be:2
...one of the most emotionally difficult, academically challenging events in a young
person’s life. Occurring during the middle stage of adolescent development, when youth
begin to exert their own independence and complete their physical development, high
school entry often introduces a unique set of challenges that can adversely affect the
learning process.
Prince George’s County Public Schools, like many districts throughout the country, struggles
with ninth grade achievement and retention, with significant numbers of first-time ninth graders
retained and high percentages rated below proficient on the State of Maryland’s Algebra I
assessment. These issues pose serious challenges to the district, and to its surrounding
community, in the long term: research suggests that repeating ninth grade significantly increases
a student’s chances of not graduating on time or of dropping out of high school – outcomes
which have been shown to have far-reaching negative societal implications.3
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The goal of the present study is to identify effective interventions that PGCPS may employ to
reduce the incidence of retention and improve ninth grade achievement and engagement. The
analysis draws on a wide body of research to assess available interventions and programming
and to isolate interventions with evidence of effectiveness.
To the extent that PGCPS already employs several of the interventions identified as effective in
the literature, the analysis also provides information on the context in which specific programs
have been shown to be effective. This will help identify ways in which PGCPS may augment
existent programming to ensure the greatest impact.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This analysis reviews a wide body of literature to assess available interventions and programs
geared toward improving ninth grade student outcomes. Sources reviewed include best practice
databases, studies conducted by key research organizations with a relevant focus (such as the
1
Wheelock, A. and Miao, J. “The Ninth-Grade Bottleneck.” The School Administrator, March 2005.
https://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=8728
2
Calderon, S. et al. “Ninth-Grade Remediation Programs: A Synthesis of Evidence-Based Research.” MPR Associates, June 2005.
p. 1. http://www.mprinc.com/products/pdf/Ninth_Grade_Remediation.pdf
3
West, T. “Still a Freshman: Examining the Prevalence and Characteristics of Ninth-Grade Retention Across Six States.” Center
for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University, 2009. pp. 1-24. http://new.every1graduates.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/StillFreshman.pdf. For a more recent study, see Bornsheuer, J. et al. “The Relationship between
Ninth-Grade Retention and On-Time Graduate in a Southeast Texas High School.” Journal of At-Risk Issues, 16 (2), 2011. pp.
9-16. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ960072.pdf
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
1
Johns Hopkins Everyone Graduates Center and the Great Schools Partnership),4,5 and scholarly
literature assessing the effectiveness of individual interventions. After identifying the main types
of relevant interventions currently available, the analysis isolates those with evidence of
effectiveness.
To identify interventions with reliable evidence of effectiveness, we review quantitative and
qualitative research studies examining program impact. Interventions that show evidence of
effectiveness, based on the findings of rigorous research studies, are identified; several of these
interventions are explored in detail in Section III. While the review of literature does not
constitute an exhaustive meta-analysis – an approach of potentially limited utility in any case,
given the relatively small size of the available body of literature on any single intervention – it
relies on rigorous studies to establish effectiveness and elaborates the evidence of effectiveness
for promising interventions.
4
5
“Everyone Graduates Center.” Johns Hopkins University. http://www.every1graduates.org/
Great Schools Partnership. http://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
2
SECTION II: O VERVIEW OF AVAILABLE INTERVENTION
PRACTICES
This section provides a broad review of the literature, offering a comprehensive overview of
available intervention practices for ninth graders. Sources consulted include:

Best practices databases such as the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), maintained
by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education, 6 as well
as the Texas Education Agency’s Best Practices Clearinghouse.7

Studies conducted by major research organizations, such as the Johns Hopkins
Everyone Graduates Center and the Great Schools Partnership, with a strong focus on
ninth grade student success and more general student achievement.8,9

The ProQuest education database of scholarly research on primary and secondary
education. This includes journal publications and news articles addressing issues
related to ninth grade student achievement and retention.10

A general scan of the research literature to identify studies not captured in the
ProQuest database. This includes detailed reports on intervention efforts produced by
individual school districts or state departments of education, where available.
AVAILABLE INTERVENTION APPROACHES
U.S. school districts utilize a wide range of intervention practices to decrease student retention
rates and improve academic outcomes. A scan of the WWC, for example, identifies 13 dropout
prevention interventions applicable to students at the ninth grade level (though many of these are
either variations of the same type of intervention or do not examine evaluation studies related to
ninth graders in particular).11 Additional research indicates that available interventions tend to
fall into four broad categories (see Figure 1).12
6
“About Us.” What Works Clearinghouse. Institute of Education Sciences. U.S. Department of Education.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/aboutus.aspx
7
“The Best Practices Clearinghouse.” Texas Education Agency. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/best_practices/
8
“Everyone Graduates Center,” Op. cit.
9
Great Schools Partnership, Op. cit.
10
“ProQuest Education Journals.” ProQuest. http://www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/databases/detail/pq_ed_journals.shtml
11
“Find What Works.” What Works Clearinghouse. Institute of Education Sciences. U.S. Department of Education.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/findwhatworks.aspx. This total includes several interventions that are no longer active or that
are not directly relevant to PGCPS’s needs (e.g., programs targeted specifically toward teenage welfare mothers), which we
exclude from the analysis.
12
These categories generally mirror the set of distinctions made in MPR Associates’ recent comprehensive analysis of ninth
grade remediation programs (see footnote 2), with one minor adjustment – the addition of emotional intervention
programming, which better reflects the variety of interventions geared toward ninth grade achievement in general (as
opposed to remediation exclusively).
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
3
Figure 1: Broad Intervention Practice Categories
Category
At-Risk Student
Identification
Summer Support and
Remediation
Academic and
Emotional Support
Programming
School Restructuring
Description
Intervention approaches that utilize data analysis to identify struggling students
and determine how to effectively provide support for them. Often utilized with
other intervention approaches to maximize impact.
These intervention programs are offered in the summer prior to ninth grade or
the summer following the ninth grade. They can provide transition support or the
opportunity to recover credits and avoid retention.
Includes a wide range of intervention efforts offered during the ninth grade year.
This category includes academic, social, and emotional support programs aimed
at either an entire ninth grade population or specifically those students who are
struggling.
Encompasses more holistic intervention efforts that restructure the curriculum,
coursework, and classroom for the ninth grade (or for all four years of high
school) – for instance, through the formation of career academies or ninth grade
academies. These programs often incorporate interventions from the other
categories in a supplementary capacity.
AT-RISK STUDENT IDENTIFICATION
To bolster ninth grade student success, education researchers have focused on creating tools to
effectively identify students struggling and at risk of retention or dropout. Since roughly the mid2000s, these types of efforts have been recognized as useful in improving student outcomes in
ninth grade and beyond. Across the country, “researchers and nonprofit organizations have been
working with states and school districts to develop” at-risk student identification tools that allow
faculty and staff to engage with potential student issues as early as possible.13
Early Warning Systems (EWS) track student Early Warning Indicator (EWI) data, often focusing
on eighth grade (or earlier) student achievement to flag warning signs of potential ninth grade
struggles. Faculty and administrators can use EWI data to pinpoint the proper approach to
improving a student’s achievement and to continually monitor the impact of these efforts.14
Section III provides more detail on effective development, implementation, and maintenance of
Early Warning Systems, and identifies school districts that have achieved success with this type
of approach.15
13
West, T. “Using an Early Warning Indicators Approach to Identify Potential Dropouts across All Grades.” Center for Social
Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University, 2013. p. 9. http://new.every1graduates.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/JusttheRightMixWest20131.pdf
14
See, for example, Herzog, L., Davis, M. and Legters, N. “Learning What It Takes: An Initial Look at how Schools are Using Early
Warning Indicator Data and Collaborative Response Teams to Keep All Students on Track to Success.” Center for Social
Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University, 2012. http://new.every1graduates.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/04/Learning_what_it_Takes.pdf
15
Information on PGCPS’s existent EWS system, touched on in Section III, was drawn from: Adams, C. and Taylor, E. “Evaluation
of Prince George’s County Public Schools’ Early Warning System.” Prince George’s County Public Schools, September 2011.
Retrieved at http://www1.pgcps.org/researchandevaluation/index.aspx?id=52518
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
4
SUMMER SUPPORT AND REMEDIATION
Summer support and remediation programs – like PGCPS’s Jumpstart to Graduation – can be an
effective tool for improving student outcomes at the ninth grade level and beyond.16 Districts
have taken a variety of approaches to developing these programs, though models typically fall
into two categories: those focused on the transition into ninth grade (summer bridge) and those
that provide remedial support to students who have struggled during the ninth grade year.
In recent years, summer bridge programs have received growing attention in the literature, as
researchers increasingly recognize the importance of a smooth transition for students’ long-term
success.17 Credit recovery programs have also been the focus of some recent research, as several
districts have transitioned to new hybrid or fully-online options to provide more flexible
opportunities to complete coursework.18 Figure 2 summarizes the general characteristics of each
approach.
Figure 2: Example Summer Support and Remediation Programs
Intervention Type
Description
Summer Bridge
Programs
These programs, offered to students in the summer
prior to ninth grade, are designed to help students
transition from middle to high school and provide
academic and social supports.
Summer credit recovery programs provide students
who have failed coursework the opportunity to make
up academic requirements through accelerated inperson, online, or independent study prior to entry
into tenth grade.
Summer Credit
Recovery Programs
Examples of Schools/ Districts with
these Programs
Portland Public Schools (OR);
Antioch High School (CA)19
Chicago Public Schools (IL); 20 Ivan
Sands Community High School
(MN);21 Fremont Union High School
District (CA)22
ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMING
More general academic, social, and emotional interventions provide an additional dimension of
support to ensure that struggling students avoid retention. Researchers analyzing ninth grade
interventions have noted that supplemental academic support is typically provided as a part of
16
Abbott, S. and Templeton, K. “Ninth Grade Counts: Using Summer Bridge Programs to Strengthen the High School Transition.”
Great Schools Partnership, 2013. p. 7.
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/slcp/ninthgradecounts/ninthgradecountssummerbridgeguide.pdf
17
“Summer Bridge Programs.” Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, 2009.
http://www.ldonline.org/article/33371/
18
Other (non-summer) credit recovery options are discussed later in this section. See, for instance, Butrymowicz, S. “Students
short on educational credits turn to ‘recovery’ programs.” The Hechinger Report, August 2, 2010.
http://hechingerreport.org/content/students-short-on-educational-credits-turn-to-%E2%80%98recovery%E2%80%99programs_3883/
19
Abbott and Templeton, Op. cit., pp. 1-11.
20
Allensworth, E., Nomi, T., and Heppen, J. “Paper 4: Pay-Offs from Expanding Summer Credit Recovery in Algebra.” Conference
Abstract, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Spring 2013. pp. 1-8.
https://www.sree.org/conferences/2013s/program/downloads/abstracts/858_4.pdf
21
“High School Summer Credit Recovery Schedule 2013.” Ivan Sand Community School.
http://iscs.elkriver.k12.mn.us/ivan_sands.cfm?subpage=18494
22
“Summer Credit Recovery.” Fremont Union High School District. http://www.fuhsd.org/summercreditrecovery
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
5
any intervention effort; in some cases, it is the sole area of focus. 23 A review of the WWC and
ProQuest identifies a variety of available interventions, summarized in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Example Academic and Emotional Support Programs
Intervention Type
Description
ALAS
ALAS (Spanish for “wings”), an intervention for
ninth graders as well as other middle and high
school students, provides students with a
counselor/mentor who monitors student attendance,
behavior, and academic achievement. 24
Credit recovery programs provide students who
have failed classes the opportunity to redo the
coursework through accelerated in-person, online,
or independent study.
Double dose programs provide struggling students
with the opportunity to enroll in math or English
support programs alongside typical coursework.
Ninth grade faculty members collaborate and share
information about students to ensure that students
are receiving effective instruction across the
curriculum.
Students redo substandard work until it meets
acceptable levels.
Credit Recovery
Programs (throughout
academic year)
Double Dose Math or
English
Ninth Grade Faculty
Teams
No-Zero Grading
Policy
Peer Mentoring
Mentors act as ninth grade 'buddies' to help eighth
graders transition into high school. Support
continues through the beginning of the ninth grade
year.
Examples of Schools/ Districts
with these Programs
Los Angeles Unified School
District (CA); Glendale Unified
School District (CA)25
Aldine Independent School District
(TX);26 Omaha Public Schools
(NE)27
Chicago Public Schools28
Carnegie Vanguard High School
(TX)29
Orange County Public Schools
(FL);30 Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools (NC)31
East High School (WI)32
23
Calderon, Op. cit., p. 8.
See Raise Inspired Kids, http://raiseinspiredkids.com/. The National Dropout Prevention Center also highlights the program;
see http://www.dropoutprevention.org/modelprograms/show_program.php?pid=219.
25
See “ALAS: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=22
26
Watson, J. and Gemin B. “Using Online Learning for At-Risk Students and Credit Recovery.” North American Council for Online
Learning, June 2008. p. 8.
http://www.k12hsn.org/files/research/Online_Learning/NACOL_CreditRecovery_PromisingPractices.pdf
27
Dessoff, A. “Reaching Graduation with Credit Recovery.” District Administration, October 2009.
http://www.districtadministration.com/article/reaching-graduation-credit-recovery#0
28
Nomi, T. and Allensworth, E. “‘Double-Dose’ Algebra as a Strategy for Remediation: Classroom Composition and Instruction as
Mediators of Policy Effects on Student Achievement.” Conference Abstract, Society for Research on Educational
Effectiveness, 2011. pp. 1-17. https://www.sree.org/conferences/2011/program/downloads/abstracts/36.pdf
29
See “Ninth-Grade Teaming to Support College and Career Readiness—Carnegie Vanguard High School.” Best Practices
Clearinghouse, Texas Education Agency. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/Best_Practice_Summaries_V2/NinthGrade_Teaming_to_Support_College_and_Career_Readiness--Carnegie_Vanguard_High_School_(magnet).aspx
30
Roth, L. “New ‘no zero’ grading system at Orange high schools raises questions.” Orlando Sentinel, July 21, 2013.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-07-21/features/os-orange-no-zero-grades-20130721_1_zeros-grading-policyevans-high
31
Watson, S. “CMS schools replacing failing ‘zero’ grades with score of ‘50.’” WCNC.com, May 17, 2013.
http://www.wcnc.com/news/iteam/CMS-schools-replacing-failing-zero-grades-with-score-of-50-207945941.html
32
th
Kruger, E. “The Power of Peers: Lessons Learned from Facilitating a Pilot Peer Mentorship Program for Incoming 9 Grade
Students.” East High School, 2010. pp. 1-44. http://oldweb.madison.k12.wi.us/sod/car/abstracts/665.pdf
24
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
6
Intervention Type
Description
Check & Connect
A comprehensive intervention approach designed
to enhance student engagement through constant
monitoring and individual student interventions.
Intensive program focused on case management
and mentoring for ninth grade students, which may
continue throughout high school. Services include
after-school tutoring, computer-assisted instruction,
and developmental and recreational activities.
Quantum
Opportunity Program
Project GRAD
Project Graduation Really Achieves Dreams
(GRAD) is an initiative providing four-year college
scholarships and summer institutes for
disadvantaged youth to increase high school
completion rates.35
Examples of Schools/ Districts
with these Programs
Numerous Minnesota School
Districts33
Most recent demonstration
projects took place across multiple
school sites in D.C.; Cleveland,
Ohio; Fort Worth, TX; Yakima,
WA; Philadelphia, PA; and
Houston, TX 34
Current sites in Atlanta, Akron,
and Knoxville, and Los Angeles36
SCHOOL RESTRUCTURING
A final, more comprehensive approach some districts have taken to improve ninth grade
outcomes involves partial or total school restructuring. School restructuring efforts commonly
result in Ninth Grade Academies (NGAs), essentially “schools within schools” designed to help
ninth grade students transition into the high school setting. Similar efforts may either be
implemented at current high schools or developed off-campus at postsecondary institutions, such
as the PGCPS Middle College High School at Prince George’s Community College. 37 NGAs in
particular have become increasingly common in recent years,38 although the available body of
literature on their impact is still relatively small. Figure 4 outlines major school restructuring
intervention models addressed in the literature.
33
See “Check & Connect: A Comprehensive Student Engagement Intervention.” Institute on Community Integration, University
of Minnesota. http://checkandconnect.umn.edu/
34
See “The Quantum Opportunity Program: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences,
U.S. Department of Education, July 2, 2007. pp. 1-16.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/intervention_reports/WWC_QOP_070207.pdf. See also the QOP entry in the Promising
Practices Network, http://www.promisingpractices.net/program.asp?programid=27.
35
“Project Grad: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/intervention_reports/WWC_Project_GRAD_073007.pdf
36
See ProjectGradUSA.org for full listing of current sites.
37
“Middle College High School.” Prince George’s Community College.
https://www.pgcc.edu/About_PGCC/Academy_of_Health_Sciences.aspx
38
th
For one recent, potentially promising example in Minnesota, see O’Neill, E. “Northfield High School’s 9 Grade Academy
already seeing positive results.” Northfield News, October 17, 2013.
http://www.southernminn.com/northfield_news/news/article_962f060e-6b58-5a34-a075-a57b57d13138.html
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
7
Figure 4: Example School Restructuring Models
Intervention Type
Ninth Grade
Academies
Early College
High School
Model
Talent
Development
High School
Model
First Things First
Description
Ninth Grade Restructuring
"Schools within schools" that separate ninth graders from the
general school population. NGAs generally employ small
class sizes with discrete groups of students attending classes
together. NGAs promote relationship-building with peers
and teachers and can help prevent feelings of isolation.
School-wide Restructuring
Early college high schools are small schools, most often
located on college campuses, serving students in grades 912. The goal of these schools is to increase the number of
students graduating from high school who are prepared for
college and work.
Talent Development is a school reform model for
restructuring large high schools with persistent attendance
and disciplinary problems, poor student achievement, and
high dropout rates. The model calls for schools to reorganize
into small "learning communities"—including ninth-grade
academies for first-year students and career academies for
students in upper grades—to reduce student isolation and
anonymity. It also emphasizes high academic standards and
provides all students with a college-preparatory academic
sequence.42
A whole school reform model designed to restructure
elementary, middle, and high schools serving high
proportions of at-risk students. The model incorporates small
learning communities, an ‘advocate system’ linking school
and family, and instructional improvements geared toward
promoting success on standardized state assessments.44
Examples of Schools/
Districts with these Programs
District of Columbia Public
Schools;39 Aldine
Independent School District
(X); Alief Independent School
District (TX)40
Gateway to College at
Montgomery College (MD);
Friendship Collegiate
Academy (DC)41
Various high schools in
Baltimore, MD and
Philadelphia, PA43
Kansas City Public School
District (KS)45
39
“DCPS Establishes Ninth Grade Academies to Support Incoming Freshman.” Press Release, District of Columbia Public Schools,
July 1, 2013.
http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/About+DCPS/Press+Releases+and+Announcements/Press+Releases/DCPS+Establishes+Ninth+Gra
de+Academies+to+Support+Incoming+Freshman
40
th
Reents, J. “Isolating 9 Graders.” The School Administrator, March 2002.
https://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=10402
41
“Schools.” Early College Designs. http://www.earlycolleges.org/schools.html#Maryland
42
See “Talent Development High Schools: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=506
43
See Kemple, J., Herlihy, C., and Smith, T. “Making Progress toward Graduation: Evidence from the Talent Development High
School Model.” MDRC, May 2005. pp. 1-113. http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_432.pdf; see also “Talent
Development Secondary.” http://www.talentdevelopmentsecondary.com/
44
“First Things First: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/intervention_reports/WWC_FTF_012408.pdf
45
See “Turning the Tide: The Achievements of the First Things First Education Reform in the Kansas City, Kansas Public School
District.” MDRC. http://www.ydsi.org/ydsi/pdf/TurningTheTideFullReport.pdf
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
8
Intervention Type
Description
Career
Academies
Also often a “school within a school” model offering
coursework geared toward a particular career theme,
typically along with work experience facilitated through
school partnerships with local employers. 46
These “alternative” high schools are typically located on
college campuses and targeted toward at-risk students. This
model differs from the Early College model in terms of the
amount of postsecondary coursework required (four years vs.
five years). The program also provides support services such
as mentoring, counseling, and career development
opportunities.48
Middle College
High School
Examples of Schools/
Districts with these Programs
Howard County Public
Schools (MD)47
Durham Public Schools
(NC);49 San Bernardino City
Schools (CA)50
EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTION PRACTICES
To gauge the effectiveness of the interventions identified above, we reviewed analyses
completed by the WWC and other available quantitative and qualitative studies. We consider an
intervention to have evidence of effectiveness if either 1) the WWC has identified a ‘positive’ or
‘potentially positive’ effect on staying in school, completing school, or progressing in school or
(if the intervention has not been examined by the WWC) if reviewed studies suggest that the
program has a positive effect on these outcomes. Interventions found to have no discernible
effect by the WWC are considered not to have evidence of effectiveness. Figure 5 shows
interventions with evidence of effectiveness.
Evidence of effectiveness does not mean that an intervention has been proven effective across all
published research, simply that the intervention has been shown to have a positive impact in the
context in which a reviewed study (or studies) took place. Section III elaborates the evidence of
effectiveness, including details on specific studies, for a selection of promising interventions.
46
“Career Academies: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=70 & National Career Academy Coalition.
http://www.ncacinc.com/
47
“Career Academies.” Howard County Public School System. http://www2.hcpss.org/cte/academies/career_academies.html
48
“Middle College High School: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=318
49
“Middle College High School.” Durham Public Schools. http://mchs.dpsnc.net/
50
“Middle College High School.” San Bernardino City Schools. http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?nid=358
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
9
Figure 5: Interventions with Evidence of Effectiveness
Intervention Type
At-Risk Student Identification
Early Warning Systems
Summer Support and Remediation Programs
Summer Bridge Programs
Academic, Social and Emotional Support Programs
ALAS*
Ninth Grade Faculty Teams
Peer Mentoring
Check & Connect*
Ninth Grade Restructuring
Ninth Grade Academies
School-wide Restructuring
Early College High School Model
Talent Development High School Model*
Career Academies*
*Indicates an intervention shown to have ‘potentially positive’ or ‘positive’ effects based a study or studies
meeting WWC evidence standards. We do not include interventions found to have a positive impact based on
WWC review if the studies investigated did not include ninth graders. Programs reviewed by the WWC that are
no longer active or available are also excluded from this analysis.
Figure 6: Effectiveness Ratings for Interventions Reviewed by the WWC
Intervention
ALAS
No. of Studies Reviewed
1 (met WWC standards)



Check & Connect
6
(1 met WWC standards; 1 met
standards with reservations)



Talent Development
High School Model
4
(0 met WWC standards; 1 met WWC
standards with reservations)
Career Academies
7
(1 met WWC standards)






Effectiveness Ratings
Staying in School: Potentially
Positive Effects
Progressing in School: Potentially
Positive Effects
Completing School: Effects Not
Reported
Staying in School: Positive Effects
Progressing in School: Potentially
Positive Effects
Completing School: No Discernible
Effects
Staying in School: Not Assessed
Progressing in School: Potentially
Positive Effect
Completing School: Not Assessed
Staying in School: Potentially
Positive Effects
Progressing in School: Potentially
Positive Effects
Completing School: No Discernible
Effects
Source: What Works Clearinghouse
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
10
SECTION III: SELECTED EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION
PRACTICES
Several of the interventions reviewed in the previous section have shown evidence of
effectiveness in improving student outcomes. This determination is based on an analysis of the
available literature for each intervention type, as outlined in Section II. Below, we review
quantitative and qualitative evidence suggesting effectiveness and provide examples of several
effective intervention practices in use.
IDENTIFYING AT-RISK STUDENTS
Figure 7: Early Warning Systems
Intervention
Early Warning
System
Examples of Schools/ Districts
with these Programs
Chicago Public Schools (IL);
Baltimore City Schools (MD);
School District of Philadelphia
(PA)
How is it effective?
Evidence of Effectiveness
Identifies struggling students;
provides a tool to determine
what types of supports and
services can benefit these
students.51
A comprehensive 2011 research
study conducted by the Johns
Hopkins University Everyone
Graduates Center details
significant increases in ‘on-track’
rates across multiple districts,
including Chicago Public Schools
and the School District of
Philadelphia.
Early Warning Systems can be a high-impact tool in the ninth grade student intervention process.
Early Warning Systems provide a data-driven method for analyzing a student population and
subsequently determining those students most at risk of retention or dropout. As related
initiatives have increased across the country, researchers have attempted to quantify the impact
and benefits of EWS models.52
Researchers at the Everyone Graduates Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of
Education have played a particularly significant role in measuring the impact of EWS models.53
The Center’s 2011 report, “On Track for Success: The Use of Early Warning Indicator and
Intervention Systems to Build a Grad Nation,” completed in conjunction with the public policy
firm Civic Enterprises, provided the “first national assessment of EWS at the district, state, and
national levels,” highlighting the impact of these systems can be in framing effective
interventions at the ninth grade level. 54
51
Bruce, M. et al. “On Track for Success: The Use of Early Warning Indicator and Intervention Systems to Build a Grad Nation.”
Civic Enterprises and the Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University, 2011. p. 19.
http://www.civicenterprises.net/MediaLibrary/Docs/on_track_for_success.pdf
52
For one such analysis, see Jerald, C. “Identifying Potential Dropouts: Key Lessons for Building an Early Warning Data System.”
Achieve, Inc., June 2006. pp. 1-53. http://www.achieve.org/files/Identifying-Potential-Dropouts.pdf
53
“Early Warning and Response Systems.” Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins University.
http://new.every1graduates.org/tools-and-models/early-warning-and-response-systems/
54
Bruce, M. et al., Op. cit., p. 19.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
11
Note that the EWS instituted by Prince George’s County Public Schools in 2010 does accord, in
principle, with most research recommendations regarding the implementation of these systems.
While PGCPS has encountered issues related to EWS oversight and the timeliness and
consistency of data preparation,55 the system does generally align with effective EWS models,
such as those employed in Chicago Public Schools (discussed below).
The most notable area of divergence between PGCPS and other districts examined is related to
the broader context of EWS implementation. Districts that have seen substantial positive impacts
resulting from an EWS have typically enacted broader changes to staffing and infrastructure to
support effective utilization of data. Both Chicago Public Schools and the School District of
Philadelphia have also had systems in place for a decade or more, suggesting that it may take
several years to realize the full impact of an EWS.
EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS
The Johns Hopkins “On Track for Success” analysis – the most comprehensive assessment of
EWS effectiveness to date – outlined evidence of EWS success across multiple districts.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), for instance, offers a particularly notable benchmark for
effective EWS implementation.
CPS worked with the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) in developing its EWS.
The CCSR analyzed longitudinal district data to identify key factors predicting on-time high
school completion. The factors CCSR identified – failing no more than one class a semester and
completing enough credits to remain on track for grade promotion – were incorporated into the
district’s “Freshman On-Track” rate (see Figure 9), ultimately “prov[ing] more accurate at
predicting at-risk students than standardized test scores or demographics” alone.56 By 2007, the
CPS EWS system’s “Freshman On-Track” rate, considered in conjunction with a student’s GPA
and number of course failures, enabled CPS to accurately predict the likelihood of dropout or
graduation in 80 percent of cases.57
CPS’s EWS development was accompanied by larger-scale changes to infrastructure that also
contributed to overall effectiveness. These included highly regularized dissemination of student
data, watch lists, and resource guides, as well as the development of grant-funded “On-Track
Labs” in selected schools. Labs were each staffed with two coordinators, who aided teachers and
counselors in effectively analyzing and utilizing EWS data. As of 2010, data indicated that
district schools with On-Track Labs had a 76 percent “on track” rate – higher than CPS’s overall
average on-track rate (just under 64 percent). Overall, the district’s rate of “on-trackness” grew
from 56-59 percent in the initial years of implementation (2004-2007) to 69 percent by 2010.58
55
Adams and Taylor, Op. cit.
Bruce et al., Op. cit., p. 30.
57
Ibid.
58
Ibid., p. 31.
56
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
12
The School District of Philadelphia has also seen significant success in improving student
outcomes through the use of an EWS system. Similar to CPS, the district partnered with external
organizations (Johns Hopkins University and the Philadelphia Education Fund) to conduct
analyses identifying “reliable signals of students falling off the path to graduation.” 59 This
research led to the identification of several middle school-level indicators, which were
subsequently incorporated into the district’s student information system. While these indicators
were successful in identifying students at risk of falling off track, school personnel initially
found the volume of identified students “overwhelming” – simply put, “there were not enough
adults to meet all the needs of the students.”60
This led the district to pilot a “whole-school intervention” on three selected campuses, which
incorporated the EWS with a “second shift of adults, integrated into the school fabric through an
on-site facilitator.” This effort – which eventually led to the development of the Diplomas Now
model – led to significant decreases in the number of students falling off track: 56 percent fewer
off-track in attendance; 53 percent fewer off-track in behavior; 82 percent fewer off-track in
math, and 78 percent fewer off-track in literacy.61
CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS
Since their initial development in the late 1990s in CPS, Early Warning Systems have become an
increasingly important tool in the ninth grade intervention process. 62 Early Warning Systems
now enable administrators and teachers “to not only target and tailor school interventions, but
also identify students likely to be retained in ninth grade years before they arrive in high
school.”63 The 2011 study completed by the Johns Hopkins’ Everyone Graduates Center
identified several characteristics as essential for a high-impact EWS, shown in Figure 8.
59
Ibid., p. 26.
Ibid.
61
Ibid., p. 37. For more information on Diplomas Now, see http://diplomasnow.org.
62
For an early report on EWS at Chicago Public Schools, see Allensworth, E. and Easton, J. “The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor
of High School Graduation.” Consortium on Chicago School Research, University of Chicago, June 2005. pp. 1-26.
http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/p78.pdf
63
West, “Still a Freshman: Examining the Prevalence and Characteristics of Ninth-Grade Retention Across Six States,” Op. cit.,
p. 9. (Emphasis added.)
60
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
13
Figure 8: Characteristics of High-Impact Early Warning Systems








End-users have an important role in shaping the EWS.
Student records are flagged when school adults recognize that one or more thresholds are being
reached and those students are placed on a support list.
Schools determine their capacity for helping support list students. The size of the list, and availability
of help and time, forces choices and often causes new partners to be sought, both internally within
school buildings, and externally from the community
Teams of educators and others responsible for support list students match available interventions
with needs—or design new ones.
Student records are reviewed frequently—often bi-weekly. In the best cases, teams of educators who
share the same students share pertinent knowledge about the students, monitor the effect of
interventions, and create new assistance plans.
Short, simple analytical reports and data dashboards are created that are easy to view, understand,
and act on.
Educators and other users are supported in understanding and using data, with tools ranging from
web-based manuals to professional development.
Data is kept and shared about the success of interventions. Efforts focus on understanding the
efficacy of, and determining the best intervention for, different students in different situations.
Source: Bruce et al.64
EARLY WARNING INDICATORS AND STUDENT SUCCESS
Early Warning Indicator data is the most important component of Early Warning Systems. In
order to be effective, it is essential that EWIs are specific to a school district’s students and
educational system. Research completed for the National High School Center at the American
Institutes for Research (AIR) notes that:65
[L]ocal context matters, and it is possible that the pathways to dropping out do vary in
some school systems. School districts are uniquely positioned to initiate the
development of strong early warning systems by starting with a retrospective,
longitudinal analysis of their own students' dropout and graduation patterns.
Nonetheless, research suggests that there are a number of more general indicators that are
strongly predictive of student outcomes – outside of school-specific demographic and
socioeconomic variables. The “ABCs” of Early Warning Systems have been consistently
identified in the research on at-risk student identification, particularly in studies completed on
student outcomes in Philadelphia and Chicago. The “ABCs” consist of three primary predictive
indicators: Attendance, Behavior, and Course Performance.66 Basic thresholds for these
indicators include:67, 68, 69
 Attendance: Missing 20 days or being absent 10 percent of school days.
 Behavior: Two or more mild or more serious behavior infractions.
64
Bruce et al., Op. cit., p. 22.
Heppen, J. and Therriault, S. “Developing Early Warning Systems to Identify Potential High School Dropouts.” National High
School Center, American Institutes for Research, 2009. http://www.betterhighschools.org/pubs/ews_guide.asp
66
Bruce et al., Op. cit., p. 13.
67
Ibid.
68
Neild, R., Balfanz, R., and Herzog, L. “An Early Warning System.” Educational Leadership, 65, 2, 2007. p. 28-33.
http://new.every1graduates.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Early_Warning_System_Neild_Balfanz_Herzog.pdf
69
Pinkus, L. “Using Early-Warning Data to Improve Graduation Rates: Closing Cracks in the Education System.” Policy Brief,
Alliance for Excellent Education, August 2008. pp. 1-14.
http://beta.fresnounified.org/gradtf/Shared%20Documents/Using%20Early%20Warning%20Data%20to%20Improve%20Gr
aduation%20Rates,%20Closing%20Cracks%20in%20the%20Education%20System.pdf
65
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
14
 Course Performance: Student grades and performance in the years prior to ninth grade, as well
as in the first semester of ninth grade, can provide strong indication of future academic
difficulties. Research suggests that course failures and GPA should both be employed in
identification efforts:
o Failure in Ninth Grade Coursework: Research suggests that students who fail one or
more courses in the fall semester of their first year of high school are less likely to
graduate than students who do not. Students with three or more semester Fs are also
less likely to graduate high school. Since effective early warning systems monitor course
failures for first-year students every term, students with one or more Fs in any course
should be flagged for possible early intervention.
o Grade Point Average Benchmarks: On average, students who earn a 2.0 GPA or lower in
their freshman year have significantly lower graduation rates than students who earn a
2.5 or higher (on a 4-point scale). Students on track to earn a GPA of 2.0 or lower at the
end of their first year of high school should be considered at risk for dropping out.
Figure 9 provides a sample of EWIs currently in use at several large U.S. school districts.
Figure 9: Early Warning Indicators in Use at Selected Major School Districts
School District
Chicago Public Schools
School District of
Philadelphia
Portland Public Schools
Baltimore City Public
Schools
EWIs
Ninth Grade “On-Track” Indicators: (1) Having one or no semester F grades in
core courses; (2) Earning five or more credits freshman year (minimum needed to
be promoted to 10th grade)
Eighth Grade Indicators: (1) Attendance less than 80% and/or (2) Failed English or
math
Focused on “Academic Priority Students” (D or F in a core course in 9th grade or
failing to meet proficiency in “two out of three standards”) and “late entrants”
(entered the district in 10th grade or later).
Sixth Grade Indicators: (1) Missing 20 or more days of school, (2) Failing English,
or math, or both and/or a failing average for English, math, science, and social
studies, (3) Being at least one year over-age (suggesting an earlier retention), and
(4) Being suspended for three or more days
Source: John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities, Stanford University70
SUMMER SUPPORT AND REMEDIATION
Of the interventions falling into the broad category of summer support/summer remediation,
bridge programs are associated with the largest body of research indicating effectiveness.
Summer bridge programs have become increasingly common in recent years as school districts
have sought to provide additional opportunities to ease the transition into ninth grade.71
70
“Using Early Warning Systems to Predict and Prevent Dropout.” John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities,
Stanford University, 2011. http://jgc.stanford.edu/resources/policy_fact_sheets/PFS_Using_2011_07_26.pdf
71
See Butrymowicz, S. and Shaw, L. “Summer-bridge classes help kids kick-start high school.” The Hechinger Report, September
8, 2010. http://hechingerreport.org/content/summer-bridge-classes-help-kids-kick-start-high-school_4226/
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
15
Figure 10: Summer Bridge Programs
Intervention
Summer Bridge
Programs
Examples of Schools/ Districts
with these Programs
Portland Public Schools (OR);
Antioch High School (CA)
How is it effective?
Can improve student outcomes
for ninth graders, including
lower retention rates.72
Evidence of Effectiveness


The Great Schools Partnership
details evidence of effective
summer bridge programs
across multiple districts.
Individual studies find
evidence of gains in test scores
for participants of isolated
summer bridge programs.
EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS
While researchers have noted that rigorous quantitative research related to summer bridge
programs is somewhat lacking – insofar as it is “exceedingly difficult to identify evaluations of
[such] programs that use a random-assignment strategy73 – several research groups (most notably
the Great Schools Partnership) have clearly established the potential for summer bridge programs
to substantially improve student success in ninth grade and throughout high school. The
Partnership’s research on students at PGCPS and in other summer bridge programs suggest that
such offerings can contribute to lower retention rates and improve student academic outcomes
during the ninth grade.74
The Partnership specifically highlights the College Readiness Academy at Antioch High
School, a nine-week intensive summer program that provides instruction “in the essential math
and English skills students will need to succeed in high school,” as well as personalized
advisement supports geared toward positive socio-emotional development.75 Throughout the
program, students work with their Academy teacher and with college tutors in a personalized
educational program punctuated by three college visits (made by the student with his or her
family). The Academy program serves as a feeder into the district’s multiple career academies,
as a result of the success students have experienced by pursuing this path. The Great Schools
Partnership notes that students who completed the College Readiness Academy and subsequently
enrolled in the district’s Engineering Academy reached extremely high levels of success on high
school exit exams – 97 percent proficiency in ELA and 98 percent in math.76
Research on summer programming more generally (for ninth graders as well as students in other
grade levels) suggests that summer instruction can be a particularly useful tool for improving
success, especially among low-income students.77, 78 As related to ninth graders specifically, a
72
Abbott and Templeton, Op. cit., pp. 1-11.
Nield, R. “Falling Off Track during the Transition to High School: What We Know and What Can Be Done.” America’s High
Schools, 19, 1, Spring 2009.
http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=30&articleid=38&sectionid=86
74
Abbott and Templeton, Op. cit.
75
Ibid., p. 9.
76
Ibid.
77
See, for instance: Cooper, H. et al. “Making the Most of Summer School: A Meta-Analytic Narrative Review.” Monographs of
the Society for Research in Child Development, 65, 1, 2000. pp. 1-118. http://nichcy.org/research/summaries/abstract78
73
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
16
recent comprehensive analysis of evidence-based research (using a WWC-developed review and
synthesis approach) conducted by MPR Associates, Inc. on ninth grade remediation programs
assessed one such offering in detail – the Chicago Public Schools Summer Bridge program.79
The Summer Bridge program at Chicago Public Schools is a mandatory summer intensive
session, with instruction in reading and math, for students who fail to meet promotion thresholds
after grades 3, 6 or 8. The evaluation study examined in MPR’s review assessed passing and
promotion rates among eighth grade participants using pre- and post-participation comparisons,
regression discontinuity designs, and cohort analyses. The data included 297 schools that ran the
program annually from 1997 to 2000. The analysis found that the average eighth grade Summer
Bridge completer increased Iowa Test of Basic Skills (the test required for promotion) scores
“substantially” over the summer, increasing “reading achievement at over three times the rate of
the academic year” and resulting in better preparation for high school. 80 Between 1997 and 2000,
about half of the students who completed the program met promotional targets by the end of the
summer. At the time of the study, the program provided 140 hours of instruction spread over
seven weeks.81
Another example of an effective summer bridge program is provided by DeKalb County
Schools, in Georgia. The district allows all eighth grade students poised to attend its Stephenson
High School to participate in a week-long summer bridge session, with classes from 7:30 a.m.
(starting with breakfast) to 3:30 p.m. each day. Instructional content incorporates
interdisciplinary small-group learning, as well as a “High School 101” course in which students
learn about study skills and the logistical aspects of high school (e.g., scheduling). Evaluation
details released in 2009 showed that 90 percent of summer bridge completers were promoted to
tenth grade on time, and that these students also scored better on end-of-course assessments than
their non-participating peers. Initial data also suggest lasting impacts of the program, with
summer bridge completers typically taking three AP courses in their junior year, as compared to
their non-participant peers (who typically took only one AP course on average).82
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAMMING
Research suggests that effective summer bridge programs, though varying significantly in
structure, share a number of key characteristics. At the broadest level, effective programs are
designed to “eliminate skill gaps, accelerate learning, and prepare all participating students for
78
See also, for instance: Lauer, P. et al. “Out-of-School-Time Programs: A Meta-Analysis of Effect for At-Risk Students.”
Educational Research, 76, 2, Summer 2006. pp. 275-285, 292, 295, 297-298, 300, 303-313. Retrieved via ProQuest.
79
Calderon, Op. cit., citing Roderick, M., Engel, M., and Nagaoka, J. 2003. “Ending Social Promotion: Results from Summer
Bridge.” Consortium on Chicago School Research. See also
http://www.cps.edu/Programs/Academic_and_enrichment/Summer_school/Pages/SummerBridge.aspx.
80
Calderon, Op. cit., p. 19.
81
Ibid.
82
“Policy Brief: Summer Bridge Programs,” p. 4. The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement. May 2009.
http://www.centerforcsri.org/files/Center_PB_May09.pdf
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
17
success in high school.”83 Figure 11 lists high impact practices for summer bridge programs.
These are drawn from an analysis prepared by the Great Schools Partnership.84
Figure 11: High Impact Summer Bridge Program Practices







Student performance data are used to identify students who are at greater risk of failing, dropping
out, or struggling emotionally, socially, and academically in high school, and identified students are
proactively targeted for participation in the program.
Student data are provided to teachers before the program begins, and teachers personalize
instruction and support to address identified learning gaps.
There is an intensive academic focus on the foundational reading, writing, math, and academic skills
that are critical to success in high school and in all content areas.
Courses and learning experiences are taught by experienced, skilled, and qualified teachers—ideally,
the same teachers who will instruct program students when they enter ninth grade.
The curriculum is based on clear learning goals and expectations that have been aligned with ninth
grade courses and learning standards.
Teachers, counselors, and advisors embed social and emotional development into all learning
experiences, and help students prepare for the challenges they are likely to encounter in ninth grade.
The curriculum also includes orientation activities for both students and families, assistance with
study skills and organizational habits, and proactive postsecondary-planning guidance.
Source: Abbott and Templeton85
ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Research identifies at least three academic support programs with a base of evidence indicating
effectiveness for ninth graders: Ninth Grade Faculty Teams, Peer Mentoring Programs, and
Check & Connect.
83
Abbott and Templeton, Op. cit., p. 1.
Ibid., p. 3.
85
Ibid. Figure contents quoted from source.
84
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
18
Figure 12: Academic Support Programs
Intervention
Ninth Grade
Faculty Teams
Peer Mentoring
Programs
Check &
Connect
Examples of Schools/School
Districts with these Programs
Aldine Independent School District
(TX); Omaha Public Schools (NE)
How is it effective?
Evidence of Effectiveness
Increases student success on
standardized math and
reading assessments.86

East High School (WI)
Helps ease eighth-to-ninth
grade transition process,
encourages student
engagement.87

Numerous Minnesota school
districts;88Oswego City Schools
(NY);89 Missouri Department of
Elementary and Secondary
Education90
Exerts positive effect on
staying in school and
potentially positive effect on
progressing in school.91

Research examined by the TEA
Best Practices Clearinghouse
indicates a positive effect on
passing state-mandated
assessments
Research reviewed by the
National Dropout Prevention
Center indicates strong
evidence of effectiveness on
student academic success
2 studies meeting WWC
evidence standards (1 with
reservations) indicate positive
or potentially positive impacts
NINTH GRADE FACULTY TEAMS
The Texas Education Agency’s Best Practices Clearinghouse has identified ninth grade faculty
teams as an effective intervention practice in some contexts.92 While team teaching efforts
appear to be fairly common, particularly in the context of NGAs and other more comprehensive
approaches to intervention, the faculty team approach outlined by the TEA suggests a less
involved, more cost-effective approach to teaming that could improve student success.93 The
evaluation examined by the TEA Best Practices Clearinghouse (afforded an accountability rating
of ‘exemplary’) assessed the impact of teaming on ninth grade achievement at a gifted and
talented magnet high school, Carnegie Vanguard, in the Houston Independent School District.94
Carnegie Vanguard implemented this approach in response to ninth grade students falling behind
with coursework, due to varying ability levels at the time of entry. Results showed positive
gains:95
Prior to program implementation, in 2005–06, 98% of Carnegie Vanguard ninth-grade
students passed all subject-area TAKS, compared to the state average of 56%. In
reading, 52% of ninth graders performed at the Commended level, compared to the
86
“Ninth-Grade Teaming to Support College and Career Readiness—Carnegie Vanguard High School (magnet),” Op. cit.
Kruger, Op. cit., pp. 1-44.
88
“Check & Connect.” What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=78.
89
“Check and Connect.” Oswego City Schools. http://oswego.org/instruction.cfm?subpage=7780
90
“Check & Connect Spotlight: Winter 2013-2014 – Missouri Statewide Implementation of Check & Connect.” University of
Minnesota Institute on Community Integration. http://checkandconnect.umn.edu/community/spotlight_missouri.html
91
“Check & Connect.” WWC, Op. cit. See also the Check & Connect entry in the “Social Programs that Work” database of the
Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy. http://evidencebasedprograms.org/1366-2/check-and-connect
92
“Ninth-Grade Teaming to Support College and Career Readiness—Carnegie Vanguard High School (magnet),” Op. cit.
93
For example, see Smith, T. “Managing the Transition to Ninth Grade in a Comprehensive Urban High School.” National High
School Center, May 2007. p. 2. http://betterhighschools.org/docs/NHSC_Snapshot_EdisonAcademy.pdf
94
“Ninth-Grade Teaming to Support College and Career Readiness—Carnegie Vanguard High School (magnet),” Op. cit.
95
Ibid. Figure contents quoted from source.
87
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
19
state average of 20%, and in mathematics, 42% of ninth graders performed at the
Commended level, compared to the state average of 14%.
Ninth-grade TAKS’ performance increased slightly since 2005–06 to 100% passing in
2007–08, compared to the state average of 58%. In reading, 83% of ninth graders
performed at the Commended level, compared to the state average of 32%, and 73%
performed at the Commended level in mathematics, compared to the state average of
21%.
Figure 13: Faculty Teaming Intervention Approach at Carnegie Vanguard High School








Intervention Approach
In 2006−07, the campus established a ninth-grade team consisting of all the core-area ninth-grade teachers.
The team originally met weekly at lunch time to discuss individual student needs. In the second year of the
program, all core-area teachers on the team had a common planning period. Foreign language and fine arts
teachers were invited to participate regularly.
In addition to discussing individual student needs and monitoring student progress, the team coordinated
scheduling of classroom testing and assignments so that student workloads were evenly distributed.
The team developed intensive writing requirements in all subjects and cross-curricular projects. The team
also developed long-term research assignments and a portfolio related to college choices and requirements
that were supported through the cross-curricular assignments.
The campus instituted a two-day, team-building “camp” for ninth graders, which was held the week before
school started. The camp was chaperoned by the ninth-grade teachers with upperclassmen serving as
counselors. The camp was subsidized by the campus’ PTO and cost $100 per student. Scholarships were
available for any student who wished to attend. Approximately 70% of students participated.
All ninth-grade teachers began using a common online grading program that parents and students could
access. The program, called SnapGrades, allowed teachers to send e-mails to parents and students about
assignments and attendance, attach assignments, and provide a weekly preview of upcoming activities and
assignments for each class. The program cost $40/year per teacher, and the PTO sponsored teacher
subscriptions. The ninth-grade team collected all parent and student e-mail addresses at the beginning of
the year. For students and families that did not have e-mail access, the ninth-grade team leader posted
communications and assignments to a ninth-grade Web site.
For students who needed extra help and/or had learning disabilities, the team jointly reviewed student
work and developed growth plans. Teachers, students, and parents met every quarter to discuss progress.
A peer tutoring/social support program was established for ninth graders, most of whom were the only
students from their middle school attending the high school. Staff reported that this strategy addressed
some of the social isolation ninth graders felt and provided additional academic support.
In 2009−10, the ninth-grade team planned to introduce a study skills component to the ninth-grade
program as some students coming to the school lack adequate academic strategies.
Source: TEA Best Practices Clearinghouse96
PEER MENTORING PROGRAMS
Peer mentoring programs have consistently been shown to have a positive effect on ninth grade
student outcomes, and offer a unique way to support incoming freshman while also empowering
students rising into the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades.97, 98 Research for one peer mentoring
program, Peer Group Connection (PGC), suggests that peer mentoring programs can have a
significant impact on retention and graduation rates. In a four-year longitudinal study conducted
by the Center for Supportive Schools (the PGC program developer), “a significantly higher
percentage of students who participated in the program (77%) as compared to the percentage of
96
Ibid.
“Peer Group Connection (PGC).” Center for Supportive Schools. http://supportiveschools.org/solutions/peer-groupconnection/
98
Kruger, Op. cit., pp. 1-44.
97
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
20
students in the control group (67%) completed high school in four years.”99 The National
Dropout Prevention Center has reviewed the Center’s research, classifying the study as having
“strong” evidence of effectiveness.100
Though peer mentoring programs vary in structure, they typically pair mentors with mentees at
the beginning of the mentees’ ninth grade year. The peer mentoring program at East High School
in Madison, Wisconsin begins the program at the start of a mentee’s ninth grade year, with a 45minute mentor-mentee meeting on the first day of school. It subsequently ensures mentors and
mentees continue to interact at least once a month through a formal meeting, overseen by the
program’s organizer. Informal interaction in the program is also encouraged. 101 The PGC
program is organized slightly differently, encouraging the junior and senior mentors to co-lead
groups of 10-12 freshmen…102
... in sessions once each week in which the freshmen participate in engaging, hands-on
activities and simulations in supportive environments that enable them to practice
essential academic, social, and emotional skills, such as critical thinking, goal setting,
decision-making, time management, teamwork, and communication.
CHECK & CONNECT
Check & Connect “is a comprehensive intervention designed to enhance student engagement at
school and with learning for marginalized, disengaged students in grades K-12, through
relationship building, problem solving and capacity building, and persistence.”103 The program is
based around “checking” on students through assessment of attendance, behavior and grades, as
well as “connecting” with students through interventions “in partnership with school personnel,
families, and community service providers.” The program is implemented by a “trained mentor”
(also referred to as a monitor) who constantly works to engage a student. 104 The WWC provides
further details:
Basic interventions involve regular structured discussion between the monitor and
student – at least twice a month for secondary students and weekly for elementary and
middle school students – about their progress in school and problem-solving steps to
resolve conflicts and cope with challenges. When intensive interventions are required
because of particularly poor attendance or school performance, they are tailored to
students’ specific circumstances.105
The Check & Connect program has been assessed by the WWC. Of six reviewed studies, one
met WWC evidence standards, and one met evidence standards with reservations:106
99
“Model Program: Peer Group Connection.” National Dropout Prevention Center.
http://www.dropoutprevention.org/modelprograms/show_program.php?pid=360
100
Ibid.
101
Kruger, Op. cit., pp. 13-15.
102
“Peer Group Connection: Summary Paper.” Center for Supportive Schools, 2013. http://supportiveschools.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/11/solutions-PGC_2013-11-05.pdf
103
“Check & Connect: A Comprehensive Student Engagement Intervention,” Op. cit.
104
Ibid.
105
“Check & Connect: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of
Education, September 21, 2006. p. 2.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/intervention_reports/WWC_Check_Connect_092106.pdf
106
Ibid., pp. 3-4.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
21

The study that met evidence standards was a randomized, controlled trial including 94
high school students in Minneapolis public schools with “learning, emotional, or
behavioral disabilities.”107 Students were randomly assigned to participate in the
program at the start of their ninth grade year (47 students were assigned to the
treatment group and 47 to the control group). Students in both the treatment and
control groups participated in Check & Connect in seventh and eighth grade; only
students in the treatment group continued to participate in ninth grade.

The study that met evidence standards with reservations was a randomized, controlled
trial including 144 ninth grade Minneapolis public school students (also identified as
having emotional or behavioral disabilities).108 The treatment and control groups
included 71 and 73 students, respectively. Treatment group students received Check &
Connect services throughout high school; control group students did not receive any
Check & Connect services. The WWC’s reservations stem from the high attrition rate
associated with the study, which initially included a 30 percent larger student base.
The WWC found positive effects on staying in school (average of +25 percentile points) and
potentially positive effects on progressing in school (average of +30 percentile points). The
WWC found no discernible effects (average +1 percentile point) on completing high school. 109
SCHOOL RESTRUCTURING
One of the more radical approaches to ninth grade intervention involves school restructuring
efforts, something which PGCPS has already implemented on some campuses.110 Research
suggests that this type of approach can be especially effective in decreasing retention and
improving on-time graduation rates among at-risk ninth graders. Ninth grade academies in
particular have become increasingly common in recent years, and are often incorporated into
broader whole-school high school reform efforts – such as the Talent Development High School
Model – to ensure a successful transition into high school. Though recent research suggests
promising impacts, the body of research on NGAs is still emerging; by contrast, Career
Academies have been proven effective across several studies.
107
Sinclair, M. F., Christenson, S. L., Evelo, D. L., and Hurley, C. M. 1998. “Dropout Prevention for Youth with Disabilities: Efficacy
of a Sustained School Engagement Procedure. Exceptional Children, 65(1), pp. 7–21.
108
Sinclair, M. F., Christenson, S. L., and Thurlow, M.L. 2005. “Promoting School Completion of Urban Secondary Youth with
Emotional or Behavioral Disabilities.” Exceptional Children, 7 (4), pp. 465-482.
109
110
“Check & Connect: Intervention Report,” Op. cit. For improvement index details, see p. 4.
“Important News and Information.” Dr. Henry A. Wise, Jr. High School, Prince George’s County Public Schools.
http://www1.pgcps.org/drhenrywisejr/ipage.aspx?Pageid=167907&id=170526
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
22
Figure 14: School Restructuring Models
Intervention
Ninth Grade
Academies
Career
Academies
Examples of Schools/School
Districts with these Programs
District of Columbia Public
Schools; Aldine Independent
School District (TX); Alief
Independent School District
(TX)
Various (see National Career
Academy Coalition ‘Model
Academy’ list)112
How is it effective?
Evidence of Effectiveness
Promotes bonding between
students and teachers. Small class
sizes promote individualized
attention. Can ease students'
transition into high school.111

Increases rates of persistence and
academic achievement;113 promotes
postsecondary and career
readiness.114


State-level study in North
Carolina found a decrease in
ninth grade retention rates
as a result of ninth grade
academy participation
One study meeting WWC
evidence standards
indicates potentially positive
effects on both staying in
school and progressing in
school
Individual long-term studies
conducted by MDRC and
CASN find positive impacts
on college and career
readiness.
NINTH GRADE ACADEMIES
Ninth Grade Academies (NGAs) provide ninth grade students with a “school within a school” to
allow for a more personalized learning experience. These programs are designed to ease the
transition into high school and ensure that students remain on-track through what is typically the
most difficult year of their secondary school careers. Several studies have identified fundamental
elements that enable successful, ongoing implementation of NGAs.115 As noted, these programs
have often been developed in the context of broader school restructuring efforts designed to
improve student success, such as Talent Development High Schools.116
While there are concerns about ninth grade academies’ overall effectiveness, particularly as
results for different NGAs have varied, there is evidence that these programs can be effective in
reducing retention and dropout rates. A study conducted by the North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction found that NGAs were “successful in reducing non-promotion and dropout
rates for students” across the state, based on an analysis of six years (2001-2007) of “non111
See Calderon, Op. cit., pp. 12-14; Cook. C., H. Fowler and T. Harris. “Ninth Grade Academies: Easing the Transition to High
School.” North Carolina State Board of Education Department of Public Instruction, 2008.
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/intern-research/reports/9thgradeacademies.pdf
112
“NCAC Model Academies from 2009 to Present.” National Career Academy Coalition.
http://www.ncacinc.com/academies/model
113
“Career Academies: Intervention Report.” What Works Clearinghouse, October 2006.
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=70
114
See, Kemple, J. and Willner, C.J. “Career Academies: Long-Term Impacts on Labor Market Outcomes, Educational
Attainment, and Transitions to Adulthood.” MDRC, June 2008. http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_50.pdf and
“Career Academies: A Proven Strategy to Prepare High School Students for College and Careers.” UC Berkeley/Career
Academy Support Network. February 2010. http://casn.berkeley.edu/resource_files/Proven_Strategy_2-25-1010-03-12-0427-01.pdf
115
See, for instance, Reents, Op. cit.
116
Kemple, Herlihy, and Smith, Op. cit., pp. 1-113.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
23
promotion data, student proficiency data and dropout data” among 82 qualifying ninth grade
academies and comparable high schools in the state. Specifically, the study found that while no
statistically significant relationship was present between eight grade reading and ninth grade
English proficiency scores:117
From 2001–2007, non-promotion rates decreased for schools with Ninth Grade
Academies. Ninth Grade Academies ha[d] a non-promotion rate of fifteen percent in
comparison to the twenty-two percent state average. Dropout rates also indicated a
significant change. The dropout rate in Ninth Grade Academies was 6.6% compared to a
state average of 12.5%, almost double that number.
Academies included in the North Carolina study were developed based on a variety of models,
including:



High Schools that Work (HSTW) – A reform model developed by the Southern
Regional Education Board and centered around 10 key practices shown to impact
student engagement and promote higher levels of achievement, including the
implementation of higher academic expectations, the use of cross-disciplinary teacher
support teams, and the utilization of data to foster continuous improvement;118
Career Academies – A “school within a school” model, in which curricula focus on
postsecondary and/or career preparation;119 and
Talent Development – A large-scale initiative geared toward structural changes in
school management and organization for low-achieving schools.120
Other smaller-scale studies of ninth grade academies have echoed the findings of the North
Carolina analysis, emphasizing the importance of rigorous, relevant instruction that encourages
students to take “ownership of their learning.”121 The capacity for NGAs to foster strong
relationships between students and teachers — often a challenge at large high schools “due to the
sheer number of students”— is considered a key benefit of the NGA model.122 Currently, the
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), a nonprofit organization concerned
with educational outcomes, is conducting a U.S. DOE-funded evaluation of ninth grade
academies in and around Broward County, Florida, in conjunction with Johns Hopkins
University. The study is “the first investigation of the large-scale implementation and
effectiveness of NGAs as a strategy to improve … transition into and through high school.”123
This research will build on MDRC’s previous research into the Talent Development High School
model specifically, which found “significant and substantial gains during students’ first year of
117
Cook, et al. Op. cit., p. 3.
See “Key Practices.” High Schools That Work. http://www.sreb.org/page/1139/key_practices.html
119
See, e.g., the National Career Academy Coalition. http://www.ncacinc.com/
120
See, e.g., Kemple, J.J. et al. “Making Progress toward Graduation: Evidence from the Talent Development High School
Model,” Op. cit.
121
See, e.g., Bennett, C.L. “The Freshman Academy Impact: A Comparison of Ninth Grade Structures through Analyses of
Student Perceptions and Performance Data.” Dissertation, Appalachian State University, 2012. p. 25.
http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Bennett,%20Christopher_2012_Dissertation.pdf; see also Kimball, E.P. “What is the Impact
of a Ninth Grade Transition Program in Building Resiliency in First Year Freshmen?” Dissertation, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2007.
https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/indexablecontent/uuid:2ac9e676-d440-40d0-8d1f-3f32d18566c1
122
Ibid., p. 26.
123
“Project Overview: Evaluation of Ninth Grade Academies.” MDRC. http://www.mdrc.org/project/evaluation-ninth-gradeacademies#featured_content
118
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
24
high school in attendance, academic course credits earned, and promotion rates.” Though
indicating positive results based on the core components shared by NGAs and the Talent
Development model (e.g., instruction oriented around small communities of learners), MDRC
researchers note that the feasibility of large-scale NGA implementation has still not been fully
established.124
The North Carolina DPI has identified four primary elements that contribute to the success of
ninth grade academies, shown in Figure 15. These characteristics provide an indication of the
core components of NGAs that produced positive student-level effects.
Figure 15: Primary Elements of Effective Ninth Grade Academies
Authentic Learning
Experience
Personalization
Rigorous and Relevant
Instruction
Professional Learning and
Collaboration
Experiences that connect students to the world outside of the school environment. For
example: internships, community outreach, college and business partnerships and research
projects that require students to … investigate societal challenges.
Implementing this strategy includes, but is not limited to more classroom-based staff,
smaller class sizes and more accountability (i.e. , [as related to] student attendance and
teacher-parent communication).
A strategy that enables students to overcome the barriers often associated with race,
poverty, language or initially low academic skill. Academies that wish to prepare all ninth
grade students with the tools needed to successfully transition to high school will need to
develop curriculum and instruction that is demanding and relevant. Authentic learning
experiences, personalization and relevant instruction work interdependently with one
another, promoting a greater chance to engage students academically.
Provides teachers with greater opportunities for collaboration, curriculum and instruction
design, and to gain insights from their peers. This development not only increases the
morale of teachers, but also transcends the learning environment, which ultimately benefits
students.
Source: Cook et al.125
CAREER ACADEMIES
Career Academies, a model closely related to NGAs and often a byproduct of broader school
restructuring efforts, are associated with a wider body of research suggesting effectiveness. The
WWC’s most recent intervention report on Career Academies reviewed seven studies, one of
which met its evidence standards.126 The study was based on a randomized, controlled trial
including 1,764 students applying to nine Career Academies in either ninth or tenth grade. Of
these students, 747 were identified as being at high-risk for dropout. The study tracked outcomes
at the end of a student’s (projected) twelfth grade year (total credits earned) and four years after a
student’s projected twelfth grade year (earning a diploma or GED). Results were positive: among
students with the highest risks, Career Academy participants earned two credits more on average
than their non-participating peers, and 40 percent of participants were on track to graduate
(versus 26 percent of the comparison group).127
124
Legters, N. et al. “Implementing Ninth Grade Academies in Broward County, Florida,” p. ES-1. MDRC.
http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Implementing_Ninth_Grade_Academies_FR.pdf (see also Kemple et al., Op. cit.).
125
Cook, et al., Op. cit., p. 2. Figure contents quoted from source.
126
Kemple, J. J., & Snipes, J. C. 2000. “Career Academies: Impacts on Students’ Engagement and Performance in High School.”
MDRC. http://www.mdrc.org/publication/career-academies-impacts-student-engagement-and-performance-high-school
127
“Career Academies: Intervention Report,” Op. cit., p. 3.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
25
A later iteration of the study reviewed by the WWC – MDRC’s 2008 analysis “Career
Academies: Long-Term Impacts on Labor Market Outcomes, Educational Attainment, and
Transitions to Adulthood” – also strongly suggests the effectiveness of Career Academies.
MDRC’s study constitutes the most rigorous and long-term evaluation of the Career Academy
model to date; the 2008 report presents the results of a 15-year evaluation of outcomes across
nine U.S. high schools. Using a random assignment design, the analysis focused on impacts to
students in high school and post-graduation, finding that:128

For students who entered the programs at high risk of dropping out, the Academies
increased the likelihood of staying in school through the end of the twelfth grade year,
improved attendance, and increased the number of credits earned toward graduation.

For students at medium to low risk of dropping out, the Academies increased career and
technical course-taking and participation in career development activities without
reducing academic course-taking.
The analysis also showed positive impacts on wage and employment outcomes, which in turn
benefitted local labor markets.129
Finally, a review of the literature conducted by the Career Academy Support Network (CASN)
summarized a variety of evidence concerning the effectiveness of Career Academies, shown in
Figure 16.
Figure 16: Summarization of Relevant Literature Identified by CASN
Authors & Dates
Main Findings
Academic Performance and High School Completion: Students in Career Academies vs. Non-Career
Academy Students
Reller, 1984 &
Academy students earned more course credits than comparison group. One-year
1985130
dropout rates 2 to 6% in academies, 10 to 21% in comparison group.
Snyder & McMullan
Graduation rate for 1981 sophomores in 3 business academies was 77%,
1987131
compared to citywide average of 67% for freshmen.
Stern, Dayton, Paik,
Academy students overall performed significantly better than comparison
Weisberg & Evans,
groups in attendance, credits earned, average grades, and likelihood of staying in
1988 & 1989132
school. 3-year dropout rate for cohort entering 1985 was 7.3% in academies,
14.6% in the comparison group.
Hayward &
Academies showed generally better results, improving students' attendance,
Talmadge,
credits, grades, and the likelihood of completing high school.
1995133
128
Bullet points quoted from: Kemple and Willner, Op. cit. p. 8.
Ibid. Full details of the study sample are described exhaustively in: Ibid., pp. 3-6.
130
Reller, D. “The Peninsula Academies: Final Technical Evaluation Report.” The American Institutes for Research, 1984.
Available for purchase at http://vocserve.berkeley.edu/research/CASN/resources/orderform.pdf; Reller, D. J. “The
Peninsula Academies, Interim Evaluation Report, 1984-85 School Year.” American Institutes for Research, 1984.
131
Snyder, P. and McMullan, B.J., 1987. Allies in Education, Schools and Businesses Working Together for At-risk Youth.
Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures.
132
Stern, D., Dayton, C., Paik, I., Weisberg, A., and Evans, J. 1988. “Combining Academic and Vocational Courses in an Integrated
Program to Reduce High School Dropout Rates: Second-Year Results from Replications of the California Peninsula
Academies.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 10(2): 161-170; Stern, D., Dayton, C., Paik, I., and Weisberg, A. 1989.
“Benefits and Costs of Dropout Prevention in a High School Program Combining Academic And Vocational Education: ThirdYear Results from Replications of the California Partnership Academies.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 11(4):
405-416. Both available for purchase through SAGE Publications.
133
Hayward, B. and Talmadge, G. 1995. Strategies for Keeping Kids in School. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
129
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
26
Authors & Dates
McPartland,
Legters,
Jordan, & McDill,
1996;134
McPartland,
Balfanz,
Jordan, & Legters,
1998135
Kemple and Snipes,
2000;136
Kemple, 2001137
Maxwell and Rubin,
1997 & 2000138
Elliott, Hanser, and
Gilroy, 2002139
Source: CASN140
Main Findings
Attendance in first implementation year rose from 71 to 77% at [academy],
compared to districtwide decline from 73 to 70% in grades 9-12. Survey of
teachers found big improvement in reported school climate.
Academy students overall earned a larger number of course credits and were
more likely to have positive developmental experiences. Among students at
highest risk of school failure, academy students attended school more regularly,
earned more course credits, were more likely to participate in extracurricular
activities and volunteer projects, and were less likely to be arrested. As of spring,
of the senior year, the dropout rate for the high-risk subgroup was reduced from
32 percent in the control group to 21 percent among the career academy
students. However, one year after scheduled graduation, there were no
significant differences in high school graduation rates.
District records show academy students received higher grades. A follow-up
survey found higher grades increased the likelihood of graduation; result was
92% graduation rate for academy students, 82% for non-academy.
Students in JROTC career academies, and in other career academies or magnets,
generally received higher grades, had better attendance, completed more
credits, and were less likely to drop out, compared to statistically similar
students not in academies.
134
McPartland, J.M., Legters, N., Jordan, W., and McDill, E.L., 1996. “The Talent Development High School: Early Evidence of
Impact on School Climate, Attendance, and Student Promotion.” Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed
at Risk, Johns Hopkins University and Howard University. http://www.csos.jhu.edu/crespar/techReports/Report2.pdf
135
McPartland, J., Balfanz, R., Jordan, W., and Legters, N., 1998. “Improving Climate and Achievement in a Troubled Urban High
School through the Talent Development Model.” Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk 3(4): 337-361. Available at
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15327671espr0304_4?journalCode=hjsp20#.UwTHwPldVu
136
Kemple, J.J. and Snipes, J.C. (2000), Op. cit.
137
Kemple, J.J. “Career Academies: Impacts on Students’ Initial Transitions to Post-Secondary Education and Employment.”
MDRC, 2001. http://www.mdrc.org/publication/career-academies-impacts-transitions-postsecondary-education-andemployment
138
Maxwell, N.L. and Rubin, V. (1997). The Relative Impact of a Career Academy on Post-Secondary Work and Education Skills in
Urban, Public High Schools. The Human Investment Research and Education Center (HIRE), School of Business and
Economics, California State University, Hayward; Maxwell, N.L. and Rubin, V. 2000. High School Career Academies: A
Pathway to Educational Reform in Urban Schools? Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
139
Elliott, M.N., Hanser, L.M., and Gilroy, C.L. 2002. “Career Academies: Additional Evidence of Positive Student Outcomes.”
Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk 7(1):71-90. Available at
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15327671ESPR0701_5#.UwTKBvldVu0.
140
Figure reproduced from: “Career Academies: A Proven Strategy …,” Op. cit., pp. 8-9. Note that CASN also summarizes
evidence related to post-graduate employment outcomes and postsecondary enrollment. However, given the focus of this
study, we include only those sources relevant to high school achievement and persistence.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
27
SECTION IV: CONCLUSIONS
Research suggests that there is a wide range of ninth grade intervention strategies currently
utilized by U.S. school districts to promote higher levels of achievement and decrease rates of
retention and dropout. In general, strategies fall into four broad categories, with some overlap:
at-risk student identification, summer support or remediation, academic/emotional support
programs, and school restructuring. A notable theme in the literature concerns the positive
impact of using multiple interventions that complement one another and the need for a
comprehensive support structure to ensure the success of intervention efforts.
PGCPS currently employs a range of interventions that accord, in general, with recognized best
practices. These include the district’s Early Warning System, the Jumpstart to Graduation
summer bridge program, and the Ninth Grade Academy and Career Academy models. However,
despite employing these interventions, statistics still reflect persistently low levels of
achievement and high rates of retention among the district’s ninth graders.
These findings suggest a need to re-orient – or in some cases, expand – PGCPS’s existing
intervention programming. Although there are alternate intervention models available, the most
effective use of resources in the near term would likely be to revisit current programming to
maximize its impact:

Early Warning System – Research suggests that a main differentiating factor between
PGCPS and districts that have experienced substantial increases in promotion and
achievement as a result of EWS implementation is the level of support provided for
system functioning. Highly effective districts have typically developed comprehensive
support structures (e.g., through additional staff) and made significant investments in
resource development to guide effective use of EWS data.

Jumpstart to Graduation – The district’s summer bridge program has already been
identified as a highly effective intervention by the Great Schools Partnership; further,
the existing program embodies many of the attributes highlighted in the literature on
effective summer bridge programs. Expanding this program to enable larger numbers of
students to participate – or mandating the program for students who fail to meet predetermined benchmarks at the end of eighth grade – may help to maximize the
program’s impact.

Ninth Grade Restructuring – Existent research suggests that ninth grade academies
and career academies offer a promising means of promoting positive student outcomes,
but the base of rigorous research on NGAs is relatively small. PGCPS should evaluate its
existent ninth grade academies against the characteristics identified in efforts that have
been successful and continue to monitor engagement and achievement to determine
whether the current model is producing effective results.
Effective Interventions for Ninth Grade Students
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