Support freshman success for students with disabilities through attendance-boosting measures and study-habit support tailored to learning and mild cognitive disabilities¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report recommends that educators focus on freshman-year course performance for students receiving special education services and students two or more years below grade level, since helping them "pass more courses and get higher grades during their first year in high school" may reduce dropout likelihood. It proposes attendance supports as one route, and calls on school personnel to help students with learning disabilities and mild cognitive disabilities benefit more from studying. It also recommends research on school environments that promote attendance for these groups.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Support measures must address attendance, since reducing absences precedes limiting course failures and improving GPAs

Constraints¶

• Study-habit supports alone may not benefit students with mild cognitive disabilities, for whom no study-habit–course-failure relationship was found

Target Learners¶

• High school freshmen receiving special education services
• Students entering high school two or more years below grade level

Target Learning Goals¶

• Passing freshman courses
• Improving freshman GPA and attendance
• Graduating from high school

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Julia Gwynne, Joy Lesnick, Holly M. Hart, Elaine M. Allensworth. (2009). What Matters for Staying On-Track and Graduating in Chicago Public Schools: A Focus on Students with Disabilities. Consortium on Chicago School Research, University of Chicago Urban Education Institute. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/what-matters-staying-track-and-graduating-chicago-public-schools-focus-students