Freshmen Success: Implementation of Comprehensive Universal Supports for School Engagement

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Education Innovation and Research (EIR), Freshmen Success is a research-based preventative, universal program designed to improve 9th grade student engagement and academic and behavior outcomes through the implementation of (a) a 9th grade leadership team trained to conduct data-based decision making and monitor student outcomes, (b) explicit instruction of a prevention-oriented engagement curriculum taught by 9th grade teachers, and (c) peer support from selected and trained upperclassmen. Project activities will include implementing, testing, and further refinement of Freshmen Success within 40 high schools in 10 districts in the state of Florida.  The effects of Freshmen Success on 9th grade student outcomes will be evaluated using a mixed-model Time × Condition (T×C) analysis to test differences by school condition in student gains or growth over time, with student gains nested within schools. Key student outcomes will include course completions [on track], course performance, attendance, office discipline referrals, and school engagement. Moderation analyses will also be conducted to examine differential responses to Freshmen Success based on student characteristics.

Flannery, K. B., Kato, M. M., Kittelman, A., McIntosh, K., & Triplett, D. (2020). A tier 1 intervention to increase 9th grade engagement and success: Results from a randomized controlled trial. School Psychology, 35(1), 88-98.  

McGrath Kato, M, Flannery, B, Triplett, D, & Saeturn, S. (2018). Investing in freshmen: Providing preventative support to 9th graders. In K. B. Flannery, P. Hershfeldt, & J. Freeman (Eds.), Lessons Learned on Implementation of PBIS in High Schools: Current Trends and Future Directions (pp 54-69). Retrieved from  https://www.pbis.org