January 2023
Animation showing a student looking at a larger-than-life Check and Connect manual.

The Institute recently launched a free online module for schools considering starting Check & Connect programs to improve student engagement and reduce dropout rates.

Designed for district and school leaders to learn more about the evidence-based intervention for K-12 students, the module is part of an online series that also includes content for schools already implementing Check & Connect.

“During and after the pandemic, we have seen a wave of schools looking for proven ways to re-engage students,” said Eileem Klemm, program manager. “Launching this module is exciting because it streamlines the information a school in the exploratory phase would want to know and offers concrete steps to make an implementation decision.”

The module helps users understand what Check & Connect is, and also how to assess whether the program may or may not be a good fit for them, she said, including whether a school has the resources to implement it.

The other six modules in the series are The Mentor Practice Profile (MPP) ; "Check" Data ; The weekly "Connect" meeting ; Collaborating with Families ; Planning Mentor Professional Development ; and The Student Engagement Instrument.