SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
Predicting School Failure and Assessing Early Intervention with High-Risk Children

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This study focuses on school performance in a sample of 90 children identified at birth as being at high risk for school failure based on social and economic variables. The high-risk children were randomly assigned in infancy to preschool intervention or a control group. At kindergarten, children were again randomly assigned to a school-age intervention or a control group. In addition, a comparison group of average-risk peers was randomly selected from the same schools as the high-risk children. High-risk children experienced 3.8 times the rate of grade failure (50%) of their average-risk peers (13%). Educational intervention reduced the incidence of grade failure most successfully when delivered as both a preschool and a school-age program (16%). Achievement test scores in reading and math show a parallel beneficial effect from intervention. These data support the use of early intervention programs targeted to high-risk children as a means of reducing their rate of school failure.

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    The authors wish to thank Ms. I***on Ann Brower for her editorial assistance.

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