A program to improve students’ transition to high school helped improve achievement and close the achievement gap between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, according to results of a new randomized trial.
… In a large suburban high school in California, 555 freshmen were randomly assigned to either take part in the program or not. By the end of the first year, participating students had earned on average 5.6 credits in core courses, compared with 5.2 for students who did not participate. Participants also had significantly higher GPAs and scores on standardized math and reading exams, and lower course-failure rates. In the second and third years of the study, the achievement gap between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants on state tests also closed.