BREAKING BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ADOLESCENT INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
Open Access
Author:
Walsh, Rachael M.
Graduate Program:
Educational Theory and Policy
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
February 25, 2010
Committee Members:
Katerina Bodovski, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor Katerina Bodovski, Committee Chair/Co-Chair Suet Ling Pong, Committee Member Mindy L Kornhaber, Committee Member Jeremy Staff, Committee Member
While access to education may be increasing, equity still eludes the U.S. education system, specifically for low socioeconomic status students. Using both educational and deviance theoretical frames, this study examines the effectiveness of adolescent intervention programs with respect to educational attainment and deviant behaviors. The Education Longitudinal Study 2002-2006 provides a nationally representative, longitudinal sample from which causal inferences can be drawn using propensity score matching. The three types of programs—individually targeted, spillover, and school-wide—all enhance educational outcomes while decreasing educational deviance. The variance in program effectiveness is discussed, as are implications and policy recommendations based on these findings.
