Effects of Online Credit Recovery on High School Credit Accumulation and On-Time Graduation

• In Event: Multiple Perspectives on the Use and Experience of Credit Recovery for High School Students

Abstract

Objective and perspective
While the use of online credit recovery (OCR) is a growing trend across the country, the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic renewed concerns about these courses’ effectiveness as a tool for equitable learning (Tate & Warschauer, 2022). These concerns are exacerbated by a lack of evidence about the effectiveness of OCR courses on short- and long-term academic outcomes (Heinrich & Darling-Aduana, 2021; Heppen et al., 2017; Rickles et al., 2018; Rickles et al., 2023; Viano, 2018). This presentation adds to a nascent body of evidence on OCR by presenting findings from a multisite randomized trial that examined the impacts of Algebra 1 and English 9 OCR courses on credit accumulation and on-time graduation, relative to business-as-usual (BAU) teacher-directed credit recovery courses.

Methods
We conducted a multisite randomized trial in a large urban school district to test an online curriculum for credit recovery, where an online provider supplied the main course content and curriculum, and the school provide the in-class teacher who could supplement the digital instruction. The study focused on students in 24 schools who entered 9th grade in the 2017-18 school year (Cohort 1) or the 2018-19 school year (Cohort 2), failed their Algebra 1 and/or at least one semester of their English 9 course, and enrolled in a credit recovery course the summer between their 9th and 10th grade year. Students were randomly assigned within schools to take the credit recovery course in an online class (treatment) or a BAU teacher-directed class (control). Descriptive statistics and baseline equivalence for the study samples are presented in Table 1.1. Key characteristics of the treatment condition are presented in Figures 1.1.

Data collection and analysis
This study utilizes extant district student background and course data from a large urban district in the U.S. In our analysis, we focus our attention on on-time graduation and cumulative credits accumulated by the 4th year of high school. Measures are described in Table 1.2.
We estimated average treatment effects on credit accumulation and on-time graduation for the intent-to-treat sample using regression models that control for student characteristics and randomization blocks. We conducted separate analyses for students who failed Algebra 1 and students who failed at least one semester of their English 9 course.

Preliminary findings
In both samples (i.e., of students who failed Algebra 1 and students who failed English 9), we found small and non-significant effects of the online delivery model on credit accumulation and on-time graduation. However, exploratory analyses indicate that students who pass an OCR Algebra 1 course accumulate more credits than students who pass a traditional credit recovery course while students who pass an OCR English 9 course accumulate fewer credits than students who pass a traditional credit recovery course. Results are presented in Figures 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4.

Significance
These findings raise broader questions about the effectiveness of online credit recovery courses and suggest more attention should be paid to understanding how to support students who fall behind early in their high school career.

Authors

• Sarah Peko-Spicer, American Institutes for Research

• Jordan Rickles, University of California - Los Angeles

• Peggy Clements, American Institutes for Research

• Iliana Brodziak de los Reyes, American Institutes for Research