Check & Connect Intervention Development Checklist
The skills and products that are pivotal Check & Connect intervention development are identified
below and organized by components. Use this document as a roadmap of what should be in place for
maximizing effects of the intervention. Mark items in the “Completed” column as final decisions are
made.
DETERMINE INDICATORS OF DISENGAGEMENT
Completed
1. Team discusses and reaches consensus about specific predictors of risk particular
to their setting that may contribute to student disengagement from school and
learning.
Alterable predictors will serve as the basis of the “connect” intervention.
Status Predictors:
• Students with disabilities; particularly E/BD
• African American, Hispanic, American Indian
• Low SES
• Single parent homes
• Attend large urban schools
• Students with family members who did not complete HS
Alterable Predictors:
• Attendance
• Suspension
• Attitude toward school
• Extracurricular participation
• Behavior
• Homework
• Grades
• Credit accrual
• Grade retention
CONSIDER PROTECTIVE & RISK FACTORS
Completed
1. Team discusses and reaches consensus on alterable protective and risk factors
within their school setting.
School Setting Protective Factors:
• Safe & orderly environment
• Committed, caring teachers
• Fair discipline policies
• Opportunities for participation
• Relationship with at least one adult
School Setting Risk Factors:
• Weak adult authority
• High teacher to student ratio
• Large school size (>1,000)
• Poor and/or uninteresting curricula
• Low expectations
• High truancy
• Few relationships between staff & students
• Limited parent outreach
IDENTIFY TARGET POPULATION
Completed
1. Consider which students will be the focus of your Check & Connect program. For
example, some sites opt to work with highest risk students while others choose to
focus efforts on students showing early warning signs.
2. 2. Set specific criteria for identifying the target population. For example, students who
attend less than 80% of the time. Students with a grade D or lower in any course.
Students who are behind in credit accrual.
*Note: One highly accurate predictor of drop-out: Any student with combination of
atten- dance concerns, below average grades, grade retention and low SES.
3. Determine prevalence of the target population (i.e., the number of students who meet
your established criteria).
4. Determine your school’s capacity to serve the identified population.
• Highest risk students requires one hour per student per week.
• Lower risk students requires one hour per 1.25 students per week
• If school personnel serve as mentors, caseloads should be no more than 1-5
students per staff member.
DEVELOP PROGRAM MATERIALS
Completed
1. Develop an intake form that is used to collect information about the student’s family
circumstances, demographic characteristics, and school experiences. (example provided).
2. Develop a monitoring form & system that includes the alterable risk indicators your
mentors will regularly “check” (examples provided on team flash drive and in this
3. chapter).
Define criteria for “high risk” and include this on the monitoring form. Mentors will
use these guidelines to make decisions about delivering basic or intensive
intervention.
*Recommended criteria are provided in Table 9, on page 30 of the Check & Connect
4. intervention
What is your manual.
district policy regarding parental consent? If consent is required how will
this be secured?
5. What will be the process for considering students who transfer into the school?
6. What are the criteria for determining whether some students will begin a school year
by participating in the program?
SELECT MENTORS
Completed
1. Determine who will serve as mentors for your Check & Connect program.
If existing school personnel will serve as mentors consider the following options:
• Redefine a portion of the day for some current staff members (e.g., teachers,
counselors, school psychologist, social worker, secretary, educational assistant)
• Provide a small stipend for staff that takes a larger caseload.
• Relieve school personnel of other duties (e.g., bus, cafeteria, recess) if they choose
to be a mentor.
• Use community volunteers who are supervised by staff members.
ORGANIZE EXISTING RESOURCES
Completed
1. Create a list of school and community resources and programs that are available to
foster student engagement.
• Consider academic supports, mental health supports, and extracurricular
activities.
• Determine and document information mentors will need to know about each
resource available.
2. Set clear boundaries to define what the role of the mentor will and will not include.
Pages 35- 36 of the intervention manual provide guidance and examples
TEACHING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, & CAREGIVERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM
Completed
1. A plan for introducing students to the program is developed. The plan includes an
overview of the program.
2. A plan for introducing caregivers/family members to the program is developed and
includes procedures for providing feedback to the student.
3. A plan for introducing participating classroom teachers to the program is developed and
includes procedures for providing feedback to the student.
EVALUATE PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Completed
1. A plan for monitoring fidelity of intervention implementation is developed that
includes tools to be used and a monitoring schedule.
2. A plan for monitoring social validity of intervention is developed and includes tools to
be used and a monitoring schedule.
3. A plan for monitoring intervention outcomes is developed and includes:
 Number of students who participated
 Number of students that graduated
 Number of students that required more intensive support
4. An Intervention Essential Features document is completed that includes clear
descriptions of intervention components.