Measuring the impact of substance abuse on student academic achievement and academic growth

Abstract

This research presents data linking the impact of substance disorder to academic achievement, using data gathered at a recovery high school. Recovery schools provide recovery supports and a high-quality education to students with substance use disorders. The Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screener and the Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress were administered, and paired observations (Testing 1 (T1) vs. Testing 2 (T2)) were categorized based on information from the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs – Short Screen, as increased, decreased, or no change in substance disorder. Results confirm the impact of substance disorder on academic growth, with T1–T2 pairings in which substance disorder increased resulting in a decrease in academic growth, and T1–T2 pairings in which substance disorder decreased resulting in an increase in academic growth. The impact of no change in substance disorder from T1 to T2 varied by the time frame of the substance use, either in the pa...