Results of the ALAS Study. One cohort of students, in a persistently low performing junior high school, were identified as "comprehensively at risk," based on very poor academic performance and behavioral problems. Identified students were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups.

A rigorous evaluation of ALAS showed dramatic, positive results for enhancing educational achievement during the intervention and two years after the intervention.

Beyond merely keeping students in school, ALAS had a statistically significant impact on keeping students on track, improving their academic success and progress toward graduation.

In fact, in the What Works Clearinghouse analysis, ALAS had the largest effect size on participants' "staying in school" than any other program evaluated.

Findings also suggest that ALAS students benefited psychologically, socially and attitudinally from the interventions, "increasing persistence and commitment to educational attainment."

ALAS is only one of four dropout programs meeting evidence standards for both reducing student dropout and for progressing in school according to the What Works Clearinghouse.

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Study. To ascertain the efficacy of the ALAS program, 36 ALAS 9th grade students who had received the full ALAS program for three years were contrasted with 45 comparison students who had received traditional school programs. The results reported in this analysis were focused on Latino high risk students.

Results. Taken together, data on mobility, attendance, failed classes, and graduation credits indicate that the ALAS program had a substantial and practical impact on students who received the intervention.

By the end of 9th grade, students in the COMPARISON group had twice the number of failed classes, were four times more likely to have excessive absences, and were twice as likely to be seriously behind in high school graduation credits.