Beyond Education Dollars: Does Social Safety Net Spending Affect High School Graduation Rates?

PURPOSE

To examine the relationship between social safety net (SSN) spending and high school graduation rates for all students, as well as students belonging to minoritized groups. Also, to determine whether public SSN investments and PK-12 education are independent.

METHODS

Using Common Core Data and the State-by-State Spending on Kids data, we estimated the effects of per-child SSN spending on graduation rates over time (2010-2016) using two-way fixed effects.

RESULTS

SSN spending positively impacts high school graduation rates, with slightly larger magnitudes for students belonging to minoritized groups. The effects of public investments in SSN health, and PK-12 education on high school graduation rates are independent.

DISCUSSION

Our results indicate that the positive effects of SSN spending on high school graduation rates are independent of any impacts associated with education spending, suggesting that these two types of public investments affect high school graduation through different pathways.

Employing the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model and predicting successful completion in an alternative drug court program: Preliminary findings from the Orleans Parish Drug Court

Drug courts have been in operation for decades to provide treatment alternatives to individuals whose substance use and related behaviors have brought them into contact with the criminal justice system. As research on drug courts have evolved, it has been demonstrated that different types of offenders have different mental health and substance use treatment needs. One way of approaching treatment in court-mandated substance use treatment is by the application of the risk-need-responsivity (RNR) model (Andrews, Zinger et al., 1990). The Orleans Parish Drug Court expanded assessment and treatment services to determine whether the implementation of alternative substance use programming within a traditional drug court model improved outcomes. The goals of the current study were to describe the process of implementing risk and need principles, provide a description of client characteristics, examine the factors related to successful completion of drug court, and investigate completion rates across risk and need groups. Results demonstrated that risk and need groups differed on several demographic variables, levels of substance use, mental health concerns, and legal issues, suggesting assessment and triage procedures were successful. Comparisons between individuals who successfully completed drug court and those who were terminated prematurely also showed significant differences. Specifically, baseline age, education, substance use problems and frequency, and days in jail/prison were unique predictors of successful drug court completion. Finally, as predicted, individuals in the group with the lowest risk and need had the highest graduation rate, despite receiving less intensive services. Overall, creation of specialized treatment tracks within a traditional drug court program appears to be an effective strategy to target the wide range of offenders typical of drug court participants.

Characteristics of Professional Physical Therapist Faculty and Doctor of Physical Therapy Programs, 2008-2017: Influences on Graduation Rates and First-Time National Physical Therapy Examination Pass Rates

OBJECTIVE

Graduation rates and first-time National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) pass rates among Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs have ranged from 30% to 100% and 0% to 100% between 2008 and 2017, respectively. Prior studies on predictors of graduation rates and NPTE pass rates from DPT programs have used cross-sectional data and have not studied faculty data. This study sought to understand how trends in DPT faculty and program characteristics correlated with graduation rates and first-time NPTE pass rates.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective panel analysis of yearly data from 231 programs between 2008 and 2017. Random effects models estimated the correlations between faculty and program characteristics regarding graduation rates and first-time NPTE pass rates.

RESULTS

Graduation rates peaked when programs devoted 25% of faculty time, on average, to scholarship. The number of peer-reviewed publications was positively correlated with graduation rates; however, the trend was logarithmic, indicating a diminishing rise in graduation rates as the number of publications exceeded 1 per faculty full-time equivalent. Tenure-track status, faculty of color, and part-time faculty were all negatively correlated with first-time NPTE pass rates. However, these 3 trends are likely not meaningful, because the predicted rates of decline in pass rates were minimal.

CONCLUSIONS

Faculty engagement in scholarly activities can positively influence graduation rates, but only up to a certain level of faculty time devoted to scholarship.

IMPACT

This is the first study to provide data on the influence of faculty on DPT student outcomes and will help education programs develop strategies to improve those outcomes.

NM GRADS: Lessons Learned from Implementing a School-Based Program for Young Parents Across New Mexico

PURPOSE

The New Mexico Graduation Reality and Dual-role Skills (GRADS) program provides services for expectant and parenting students at high schools. The GRADS program has operated since 1989, serving more than 17,000 youth. This study summarizes the GRADS program model and program administrators' lessons learned from implementing this comprehensive, large-scale program.

DESCRIPTION

The GRADS program is a multicomponent intervention that can include a classroom intervention, case management, linkages to child care and health care, and support for young fathers. The program aims to support expectant and parenting youth in finishing high school, delaying a repeat pregnancy, promoting health outcomes for their children, and preparing for college and career. This study presents program administrators' lessons learned to increase understanding of how to implement a statewide program to support expectant and parenting students.

ASSESSMENT

During the 2010-2017 school years, the GRADS program operated in 26-31 sites each year, serving a total of 2691 parenting youth. Program administrators identified lessons learned from implementing the GRADS program during that period of expansion, including allowing variation across sites based on resources and needs, providing centralized implementation support, fostering buy-in from school and district leaders, and collecting consistent data to better understand participant outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Although not based on a rigorous impact or implementation study, this article provides lessons learned from a statewide, school-based program that may be a promising way to serve a large number of expectant and parenting youth and help them overcome challenges for completing high school.