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U.S. Department of Education Validates Connect with Kids for What Works Clearinghouse
What Works Clearinghouse announced its review of the latest research and selected Connect with Kids as an effective results-oriented curriculum.
The 2004-2005 research study included more than 800 students across five diverse school districts at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The results reported by independent research firm, Compass Consulting, show that the Connect with Kids program improves student behavior in significant and important ways across multiple character skills, including teasing and bullying behaviors, cheating and lying, respect for classmates and teachers, violence prevention, and academic perseverance. The What Works Clearinghouse inclusion further validates these results and the program’s success.
The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) was established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, researchers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. What Works Clearinghouse collects, screens, and identifies studies of the effectiveness of educational interventions. Source: whatworks.ed.gov.
New Research Shows Connect with Kids Programs Improve Student Behavior
Latest Findings:
Results from the 2004-2005 study in the Kansas City Schools
- Measured the Connect with Kids Character Education Collection
- 48 classes
- 12 schools
- 5 school systems
- 800 students
- 60 Teachers
In September 2004, independent research firm, Compass Consulting, and five school systems in the Kansas City area undertook a large-scale study to measure the impact of the Connect with Kids program. The results reported by Compass Consulting show that the Connect with Kids program improves school behavior in significant and important ways.
Study Characteristics:
The study included 48 classes in grades 3 through 12, in 12 schools across five school systems. The 800 participating students represented urban, rural and suburban settings. The study, which included a control group, ran for a full school year. The pre- and post-measures were administered to students and teachers to determine the extent to which students improved in their classroom behavior from the beginning of the school year to the end. Students were asked to evaluate their own behavior as well as provide an assessment of their classmates. Teachers and students noted the effects across grade levels and across schools. In many cases, the students participating in the Connect with Kids program improved over the course of the year while students in comparison classes without the program actually declined in their behavior.
The study confirms that through the proper implementation of the Connect with Kids program, student classroom behavior improves significantly in each of the following important youth areas:
Teasing and Bullying Behavior:
- Pick on or bully other students
- Make fun of others
- Tolerate bullying in others
Cheating and Lying:
- Cheating on tests or schoolwork
- Telling the truth even when it might get them in trouble
- Telling lies to teachers or other students in class
Violence Prevention:
- Solve problems by fighting
- Take things from others without asking
- Hit classmates when they get mad
- Get back at others who make them angry
Academics:
- Do their best even when schoolwork is hard
- Continue to pursue goals despite setbacks or failures
- Give up when faced with problems
Respect for Teachers
- Report violations of school rules to teachers
- Obey the teacher
- Follow class rules
- Help others even if they are not friends
- Be nice and patient with each other
- Share things with fellow students
Respect for Classmates:
- Blame others when they get in trouble
- Be nice to others you don’t know very well
- Comfort others when they are upset
For a complete copy of this study, contact CWK Network’s Technical Assistance and Research Division at 1(888)598-KIDS (5437), Ext.1466 or .
Additional Research Findings:
Connect with Kids Improves Character Skills
Connect with Kids programs and materials have been thoroughly tested with teachers and students in elementary, middle and high schools. One of CWK Network’s largest studies reports that students participating in the program show improved behavior in the areas of being kind to others, following rules, telling the truth, demonstrating self-control and working hard.
Additional Long-term Research Results
Research conducted over the past three years shows that Connect with Kids programs significantly improve classroom behavior, peer relationships and communication with parents. Through a number of studies conducted in school districts across the country, key findings include:
- Improved student ability to listen to each other and solve disagreements peacefully.
- Teachers reported a reduction in the areas of bullying and threats of violence among students.
- Students reported a higher level of student support services at school, such as greater availability of counselors.
- Secondary students reported that their friends respected them more, they felt less excluded at school and they were happier with who they are.
- Secondary students showed significantly improved interpersonal relations.
- Teachers reported improvement in students’ ability to control their tempers, greater ability to follow rules and reduced “back talk” from students to teachers.
