A Cluster Randomized Pilot Trial of the Equity-Explicit Establish-Maintain-Restore Program among High School Teachers...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Sociology of Education
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Student-teacher relationships significantly impact academic outcomes, particularly during the critical high school transition.
• Existing interventions have not effectively improved these relationships for high schoolers or reduced racial/ethnic disparities.
• Minoitized racial and ethnic groups may particularly benefit from supportive student-teacher dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an equity-explicit student-teacher relationship intervention (E-EMR) for high school teachers and students.
• To determine if the E-EMR intervention can narrow racial/ethnic disparities in student outcomes.
• To explore the impact of an equity-focused approach on diverse student populations.

Main Methods:

• A cluster-randomized pilot trial involving 94 ninth-grade teachers and 417 students across six high schools.
• Teachers were assigned to either the E-EMR intervention group or a control group (business as usual).
• Student self-reports on relationships, school belonging, motivation, and engagement were collected at two time points.

Main Results:

• The E-EMR intervention did not show significant main effects on overall student outcomes.
• Targeted positive effects were observed for students with low baseline scores and for Asian, Latinx, multicultural, and Black students.
• Unexpectedly, high-performing students in the E-EMR group showed less favorable outcomes compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• The equity-explicit intervention shows promise for specific student subgroups, particularly those facing disadvantages.
• The findings suggest a potential trade-off or differential impact of equity-focused interventions on advantaged groups.
• Further research is needed to refine interventions and understand their complex effects across diverse student populations.