Check & Connect
Program overview
Reducing student absenteeism: Check & Connect (C&C) is a school-based, student engagement and mentoring program that aims to increase attendance and reduce dropout for K-12 students. Students who participate in Check & Connect show improved attendance and academic performance.
Pairing mentors with at-risk students: C&C programs pair students at risk of disengagement from school with a mentor, who aims to build a strong relationship with the student. Mentors make a two-year commitment to their mentees, and typically continue working with their student, even if they switch schools within a school district (e.g., due to residential mobility).
Checking in on mentees: As part of the C&C model, mentors regularly monitor indicators of disengagement (e.g., attendance, grades, behavior) for their mentees. Mentors and mentees meet an average of five times a month at school, either one-on-one or in small groups.
Connecting students to support services: Mentors connect students with school- or community-based support services to address their needs. The services mentors connect students to are individualized, based on data about students’ engagement with school, relevant factors from their home environment, and the types of services available locally.
Engaging parents and families: Mentors also maintain relationships with students’ parents and families through regular communication. The mentors serve as liaisons between home and school, helping to strengthen the relationship between the student and their family and the school.
A single study with a rigorous design provides some evidence for Check & Connect as a strategy for reducing student absenteeism and improving academic outcomes.
- A 2016 randomized controlled trial found that 5th-7th grade participants in Check & Connect missed 20.2 percent fewer days of school and failed 20 percent fewer courses than members of the control group. No statistically significant effect was found for students in grades 1-4.
Focus on chronic absenteeism: C&C is an intensive intervention that requires significant resources. As such, school districts should prioritize selecting students for the program who have passed or are at risk of passing the threshold for chronic absenteeism–missing 10 percent or more of school days per year.
Ensure mentors can connect students to holistic supports: Student attendance can be affected by a range of individual, family, and community factors. As such, C&C mentors will be most effective when they are able to refer students to a variety of services. When these services are not available in-house, school districts should develop partnerships with other community-based organizations, including but not limited to health clinics or social service agencies.
Prioritize mentor-student relationship: Previous research demonstrates that mentorship is most effective when it establishes a long-term mentorship between a mentor and a mentee. As such, schools should hire mentors who can make at least a two-year commitment.
Encourage a collaborative approach: The most effective mentors connect students to social services and school based resources that meet their needs. Mentors who regularly collaborate with other mentors or school staff (e.g., school social workers) may be better positioned to identify the most effective supports for each student. Scheduling regular case conferencing sessions is one method to encourage collaboration.