Introduction
The beginning of high school is a critical time for students. Research shows that making a successful transition to high school can help students form lasting attachments to school and increase students’ likelihood of graduating from high school. The large, bureaucratic nature of most high schools, however, offers little support for incoming ninth graders, especially for those entering high school with weak social and academic preparation. The current high school reform movement has drawn attention to practices that schools might use to ease ninth graders’ transition into high school. Little is known, however, about the character of these reforms, the extent to which they are being used for ninth graders, or their impact on student outcomes. This study begins to address that gap by investigating the types and effects of practices aimed at promoting ninth grade success. Using quantitative data collected from the universe of public high schools in the state of Maryland, we examine specific practices and assess their impact on student attendance, achievement, promotion and dropout rates.
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