Project Summary
The Colorado School Counselor Corps Grant Program (SCCGP) is a four-year initiative designed to help local education providers offer effective school counseling. This program aims to boost high school graduation rates, increase enrollment in higher education institutions, and enhance postsecondary and workforce readiness.
The last formal assessment of its effectiveness was conducted in 2016, revealing positive impacts for participating schools compared to their counterparts that did not receive the grant. As the program expanded in geographic reach and to include elementary school grantees, the renewed need for a follow-up evaluation of its effectiveness became apparent.
The Colorado Lab monitored the fidelity of the program’s implementation and tracking improvements in key outcomes related to postsecondary and workforce readiness. Annually, the Colorado Lab issued a Learning and Action Brief and a Legislative Report that analyzed data from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Department of Higher Education, in compliance with legal requirements. The SCCGP’s evaluation process concluded with a detailed analysis of its effectiveness, employing a Quasi-Experimental Design (QED) with a matching methodology.
Steps to Building Evidence
A past evaluation indicated that the Colorado School Counselor Corps Grant Program (SCCGP) effectively enhances metrics related to postsecondary education and workforce readiness. The evaluation of the SCCGP encompassed several critical stages of evidence building: Step 2 on the Steps to Building Evidence (monitoring fidelity and implementation), Step 3 (pre-post outcomes analysis), and Step 4 (QED).
The Colorado Lab was tasked with summarizing and analyzing key metrics to aid CDE in refining the program’s implementation. Additionally, it carried out a thorough QED analysis to account for the program’s expansion to include elementary schools, in addition to middle and high schools that were previously part of the grant program.
Steps to Building Evidence
A past evaluation indicated that the Colorado School Counselor Corps Grant Program (SCCGP) effectively enhances metrics related to postsecondary education and workforce readiness. The evaluation of the SCCGP encompassed several critical stages of evidence building: Step 2 on the Steps to Building Evidence (monitoring fidelity and implementation), Step 3 (pre-post outcomes analysis), and Step 4 (QED).
The Colorado Lab was tasked with summarizing and analyzing key metrics to aid CDE in refining the program’s implementation. Additionally, it carried out a thorough QED analysis to account for the program’s expansion to include elementary schools, in addition to middle and high schools that were previously part of the grant program.
Summary of Findings
On average, SCCGP funding had statistically significant, positive impacts on 6-year graduation and completion for students with a disability and English language learners.
SCCGP funding had a weakly statistically significant impact on 6-year completion and matriculation, though effect sizes are small. However, across the full group of students, on average, SCCGP funding had no statistically significant impacts on 4- and 6-year graduation or 4-year completion.
Across all students, SCCGP funding had no statistically significant impacts on school dropout, dual enrollment, FAFSA completion, or Reading to Ensure Academic Development plan/Significant Reading Deficiency rates. Effects were seen for attendance, although these results should be interpreted with caution. N/A
Get Involved
For more information about working with the Colorado Lab, see Government and Community Partnerships or Research Partnerships.