Outcomes for Peer LINKS: Part II

Data for 80 LINK Students in a High-Risk School District

School Staff Gathered Data

• School absences• Semester GPA• Behavior referrals

• Provided this data for 2 semesters following implementation of the LINK program

Data for ALL Link Students

80 Students who Participated as Peer LINKS

All LINK Students: Absences

Befor

e be

com

ing

a LI

NK

1st s

emes

ter a

s a

LINK

2nd

sem

este

r as

a LI

NK0

5

10 9.56

5.47

7.37

Average # of Absences for all LINK Students

(80 Students)

All LINK Students: GPA

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd semester as a LINK

0

1

2

3

4

2.52 2.575 2.68

Average GPA for all LINK Students(80 Students)

• Small increase in GPA over time–Multiple semesters to see the effect

• Greater effect on absences in the first semester

Summary for all LINK Students

34 LINK Students with Low GPAs

GPA less than 2.5 before participating as a LINK

Low GPA Students: Absences

Average # of School Absences forLINK Students with an Initial GPA of 2.5

or Below(34 Students)

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd Semester as a LINK

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1412.2

7.38.2

Average # of School Absences forLINK Students with an Initial GPA of 2.5 or

Below(34 Students)

Low GPA Students: GPA Changes

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd Semester as a LINK

0

1

2

3

4

1.631 1.7261.945

Average GPA forLINK Students with an Initial GPA of 2.5 or

Below(34 Students)

Low GPA Students: Behavior Referrals

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd Semester as a LINK

0

1

2

3

1.0 0.9

Average # of Behavioral Referrals forLINK Students with an Initial GPA of 2.5

or Below(34 Students)

0

• Absences dropped from 12 to 8

• GPA increase from 1.6 to 1.9

Summary for Low GPA Students

Data for 18 LINK Students with Disabilities

Learning Disabilities

AD/HD

Section 504 Plans

Students with Disabilities: Absences

Befor

e be

com

ing

a LI

NK

1st

sem

este

r as

a LI

NK

2nd

Semes

ter a

s a

LINK

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14 12.74

5.397.5

Average # of Absences for Students with Disabilities Participating as

LINKS (18 Students)

Students with Disabilities: GPA

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd Semester as a LINK

0

1

2

3

4

2.12 2.08 2.15

Average GPA for Students with Disabilities Partic-ipating as LINKS

(18 Students)

Students with Disabilities: Behavior Referrals

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd Semester as a LINK

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

1.22 1.17

0

Average # of Behavioral Referrals for Students with Disabilities Participating as LINKS

(18 Students)

• Similar decrease in absences (from 12 to 7)• No changes in GPA

Summary for LINKS with Disabilities

Data for 11 LINK students with Behavior Challenges

Each of these LINK students had 2 or more behavioral referrals in the semester prior to becoming a LINK

Students with Behavior Challenges:# of Behavioral Referrals

Before becoming a LINK

1st semester as a LINK

2nd semester as a LINK

0

1

2

3

4

3

2

0

Average # of Behavioral Referrals for LINK Students with 2 or more Initial Behavior Re-

ferrals (11 LINK students)

• All 11 students had 0 behavior referrals in their 2nd semester as a LINK

• 9 of 11 students showed a reduction in behavior referrals in their first semester as a LINK

Summary for Students with Behavior Challenges

Conclusions• This morning, the Peer Support students

described their participation as LINKS and the many incredible ways they have matured and grown while supporting students with ASD

• We now also have data that demonstrates how these outcomes translate into improvements for these peer supports in terms of grades, behavior problems, and school absences

• How might these experiences translate into lifelong outcomes?