Long-term effects of integrated student support: the relation of an elementary school intervention with postsecondary enrollment and completion

Abstract

This study examines the long-term relation between an Integrated Student Support (ISS) intervention and postsecondary enrollment and completion for predominantly low-income students of color. We use propensity score weighting to estimate the relation between receiving ISS during elementary school and postsecondary outcomes for 2009–2017 high school graduates from an urban district serving a large proportion of students experiencing poverty. We find that students who received ISS in elementary school had a higher probability of enrolling in postsecondary education. For enrolled students, those who received ISS in elementary school had a higher probability of completing postsecondary education than the comparison group. Together, results suggest ISS may be an effective intervention to reduce barriers to postsecondary education and, thereby, to potentially reduce income- and race-based disparities in postsecondary outcomes.