Citation

LaVenia KN, Burgoon J. Eval. Program Plann. 2019; 72: 118-124.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.10.011

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We report findings from an evaluation of the Mentors in Toledo Schools program (MITS), which pairs adult community volunteers with elementary school students in need of reading support. Begun in 2012, MITS now operates in five elementary schools in Toledo Public Schools. A quasi-experimental study of 379 students (n = 128 mentored, n = 251 comparison) tested the effectiveness of MITS, using changes (fall to spring) in students' scores on STAR Reading. Multilevel models demonstrate students who participated in MITS made statistically significant, and educationally meaningful, reading gains compared to students who did not participate. Further, an investigation of the importance of dosage revealed that number of mentoring sessions is related to students' outcomes; students who participated in reading mentoring at least once per week showed the most educationally meaningful improvements. We also report qualitative feedback from adult program participants, including teachers, mentors, and site coordinators, to help contextualize the STAR Reading results. These findings speak to the opportunity for community volunteers to act as low-cost and effective supports for urban elementary school students who are at-risk for reading failure.

Language: en

Keywords

At-risk students; Elementary; Mentoring; Program evaluation; Quasi-experiment; Reading; Urban; Volunteer