This study examined the effect of a staff-mentoring program with students identified as at-risk of becoming early leavers. This mentoring program, Caring About Kids Effectively (CAKE), was implemented at a suburban secondary school in Oregon serving grades 9 through 12.
The study of the CAKE program had four research components: (a) indicators of school success (GPA, attendance, and attitudes toward school) were compared between at-risk students and those not at-risk; (b) indicators of school success were analyzed over the time at-risk students were mentored to find any significant change; (c) indicators of school success and enrollment status at graduation was compared between students at-risk, with and without mentors; and (d) participants' perceptions of the mentoring program, using a researcher-constructed questionnaire given to mentees and mentors to determine activities that were successful and those which needed reevaluation.
Using analysis of covariance, the findings showed: (a) a significant difference (p < .05) in attitudes, GPA, and attendance at the beginning of the study between two groups of students identified as at-risk and not at-risk; (b) a significant difference (p< .05) in attitude toward school at the end of Year 1 between those students at-risk with mentors scoring higher than at-risk without mentors and not at-risk students; (c) GPA and attendance declined for at-risk students, with or without mentors, although at-risk students with a mentor seemed to lessen the decline; and (d) no significant differences (E< .05) in GPA and attendance between at-risk with or without mentors, although more at-risk students with mentors continued in school or received GEDs after four years. Finally, students and staff agreed (75%) that they were “satisfied” that the mentor program helped at-risk students develop positive attitudes toward school; however, only half were satisfied concerning their participation, and felt that administrative support and time available to meet with students were crucial to the success of a mentor program.
Based upon these findings, it was concluded that the CAKE staff-mentoring program had a positive influence on attitude toward school and retention of at-risk students.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pdx.edu/oai:pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu:open_access_etds-5301 |
| Date | 01 January 1998 |
| Creators | Hayes, Gail Lenore |
| Publisher | PDXScholar |
| Source Sets | Portland State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Dissertations and Theses |
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