Unpacking Treatment Effect Heterogeneity in a Large-Scale Dropout-Prevention Experiment

Thomas Dee (), Chloe Gibbs (), Rebecca Margolit-Chan (), Lillian Morrell () and James Sullivan ()
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Thomas Dee: Stanford University
Chloe Gibbs: University of Notre Dame
Rebecca Margolit-Chan: Cornell University
Lillian Morrell: University of Notre Dame
James Sullivan: University of Notre Dame

No 18840, IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER

Abstract: Timely high school completion is a critical step in successful transitions to post-secondary schooling and the labor market. This randomized controlled trial, deployed in two urban, disadvantaged school districts, tests the effectiveness of a mature and comprehensive student-support program on an unusually large scale (n=2,528). While overall effects on graduation rates are small and statistically insignificant, exploratory analyses reveal notable variation by site and over time, mirroring heterogeneity in treatment timing and program implementation. These findings highlight the challenges of scaling interventions and raise concerns about generalizing results from small-scale, single-site evaluations.

Keywords: graduation; dropout (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I24 I26 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-08
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