Policy Research

Impact Evaluation of the 
U.S. Department of Educations Student Mentoring Program


National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

Summary

This report evaluates the effects of the federal Student Mentoring Program. This mentorship program consisted of mentors assisting students successfully and safely transition into adulthood. The evaluation was based on three measures: academic achievement, personal relationships and responsibility, and probability of risky behavior. Overall, the evaluation concluded no statistically significant benefits existed for students that partook in the mentoring program, relative the control group. However, subgroup analysis found positive academic effects existed girls, and a decrease in truancy for young students.

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Policy Implications

These results show that the Student Mentoring Program is not having the desired effects. New mentoring programs attempting to foster cost-effective benefits for students should ensure it is better able to maintain long-term relationships between students and mentors.