Striving for Graduation for All: High School Administrator Decision Making on Credit Recovery

• In Event: Exceptional Leadership: Administrative Considerations for Special Education and Student Sucess

Abstract

Course failure remains a persistent barrier to high school graduation, especially for minoritized students, with students retaking course online through online credit recovery (OCR) a common solution. This mixed-methods study examines how high school administrators structure OCR programs and how these decisions could affect student outcomes. Data include interviews and observations from nine high schools, OCR platform data, and administrative records. The study identifies typologies of OCR leadership and their associations with credit accrual, attendance, and graduation. Preliminary findings reveal wide variation in OCR leadership. Results will inform best practices for administering credit recovery, helping school leaders design programs that better serve students at risk of not graduating.

Authors

• Samantha L. Viano, George Mason University

• Hector Moya, George Mason University

• Vivian Conner, George Mason University

• Elissa Robinson, George Mason University