View in EDS

Alongside ESSA Level II Study (2024-25)

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Alongside ESSA Level II Study (2024-25)
Language: English
Authors: Molly Henschel, Justine Bautista, Alex Alberti, Instructure
Source: Online Submission. 2025.
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 5
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Grade 6
Grade 7
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Grade 8
Grade 9
High Schools
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Mental Health, Attendance, Discipline, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12, Individualized Programs, Coaching (Performance), Well Being, Computer Uses in Education, Daily Living Skills, Program Effectiveness, Elementary School Students, Middle School Students, High School Students
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Abstract: Purpose: Alongside is a comprehensive online well-being platform that helps students build life skills and access personalized support through clinician-created, AI-powered chat conversations and interactive features. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Alongside on students' mental health, attendance, and disciplinary outcomes using a quasi-experimental design aligned with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Level II (Moderate Evidence) standards. Methods: This ESSA Level II quasi-experimental study took place in Texas across three schools and examined implementation from November 2024 to May 2025. The sample included 474 students in grades 5-12: 416 students who used Alongside (treatment) and 59 students who did not (comparison). Implementation was measured using platform usage data, with primary emphasis on chat sessions created and descriptive metrics for feature engagement (e.g., goal setting/completion, journaling, video watching, mood tracking, and related activities). Student outcomes included validated mental health screeners (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] subscales: emotional problems, conduct problems, peer problems, prosocial behavior; and Panorama SEL composites: self-efficacy, emotion regulation/self-management, and sense of belonging), district attendance rates, and disciplinary referral data. Impacts were estimated using linear regression models with student-level covariates (gender, baseline outcome measures) and propensity score weighting to account for potential pre-existing differences. Baseline equivalence testing indicated no statistically significant pre-intervention differences across outcomes (Hedges' g range: -0.21 to 0.14). Results: Implementation data showed that students used the platform primarily through chats, creating an average of 5.0 chat sessions (SD = 7.10; range 0-58) and sending an average of 47.37 messages (SD = 91.60; range 0-812). Students also engaged with other features, including mood tracking, journaling, goal setting, and video watching. In outcome analyses, Alongside users had significantly higher adjusted attendance compared to non-users (94% vs. 92%; p = 0.03; Hedges' g = 0.22). Over the 86 expected school days in the study period, this corresponded to fewer average absent days for Alongside users (5.2) than non-users (6.5). No statistically significant differences were found between users and non-users on mental health measures (SDQ and Panorama subscales/composites) or disciplinary referrals (all p > 0.05). Implications: Under an ESSA-aligned Level II quasi-experimental design meeting WWC baseline equivalence standards, Alongside use was associated with a statistically significant improvement in student attendance, supporting ESSA Level II (Moderate Evidence) for attendance outcomes. Findings suggest Alongside may help promote school engagement even when measurable differences in mental health screeners and discipline were not detected during the study window. Future research can strengthen the evidence base by examining dosage-response relationships (e.g., chats/messages and outcomes), extending follow-up periods, and testing effects in additional contexts and sites. [This report was prepared for Alongside by the Edtech Collective, Instructures Partner Ecosystem.]
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678149
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678149
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED678149
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Alongside ESSA Level II Study (2024-25)
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Molly+Henschel%22">Molly Henschel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Justine+Bautista%22">Justine Bautista</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alex+Alberti%22">Alex Alberti</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Instructure%22">Instructure</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Online+Submission%22"><i>Online Submission</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+11%22">Grade 11</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+12%22">Grade 12</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attendance%22">Attendance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Discipline%22">Discipline</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+11%22">Grade 11</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+12%22">Grade 12</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individualized+Programs%22">Individualized Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coaching+%28Performance%29%22">Coaching (Performance)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Uses+in+Education%22">Computer Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Daily+Living+Skills%22">Daily Living Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Strengths+and+Difficulties+Questionnaire%22">Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Alongside is a comprehensive online well-being platform that helps students build life skills and access personalized support through clinician-created, AI-powered chat conversations and interactive features. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Alongside on students' mental health, attendance, and disciplinary outcomes using a quasi-experimental design aligned with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Level II (Moderate Evidence) standards. Methods: This ESSA Level II quasi-experimental study took place in Texas across three schools and examined implementation from November 2024 to May 2025. The sample included 474 students in grades 5-12: 416 students who used Alongside (treatment) and 59 students who did not (comparison). Implementation was measured using platform usage data, with primary emphasis on chat sessions created and descriptive metrics for feature engagement (e.g., goal setting/completion, journaling, video watching, mood tracking, and related activities). Student outcomes included validated mental health screeners (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] subscales: emotional problems, conduct problems, peer problems, prosocial behavior; and Panorama SEL composites: self-efficacy, emotion regulation/self-management, and sense of belonging), district attendance rates, and disciplinary referral data. Impacts were estimated using linear regression models with student-level covariates (gender, baseline outcome measures) and propensity score weighting to account for potential pre-existing differences. Baseline equivalence testing indicated no statistically significant pre-intervention differences across outcomes (Hedges' g range: -0.21 to 0.14). Results: Implementation data showed that students used the platform primarily through chats, creating an average of 5.0 chat sessions (SD = 7.10; range 0-58) and sending an average of 47.37 messages (SD = 91.60; range 0-812). Students also engaged with other features, including mood tracking, journaling, goal setting, and video watching. In outcome analyses, Alongside users had significantly higher adjusted attendance compared to non-users (94% vs. 92%; p = 0.03; Hedges' g = 0.22). Over the 86 expected school days in the study period, this corresponded to fewer average absent days for Alongside users (5.2) than non-users (6.5). No statistically significant differences were found between users and non-users on mental health measures (SDQ and Panorama subscales/composites) or disciplinary referrals (all p > 0.05). Implications: Under an ESSA-aligned Level II quasi-experimental design meeting WWC baseline equivalence standards, Alongside use was associated with a statistically significant improvement in student attendance, supporting ESSA Level II (Moderate Evidence) for attendance outcomes. Findings suggest Alongside may help promote school engagement even when measurable differences in mental health screeners and discipline were not detected during the study window. Future research can strengthen the evidence base by examining dosage-response relationships (e.g., chats/messages and outcomes), extending follow-up periods, and testing effects in additional contexts and sites. [This report was prepared for Alongside by the Edtech Collective, Instructures Partner Ecosystem.]
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED678149
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678149
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mental Health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attendance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Discipline
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 5
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 6
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 9
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 10
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 11
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 12
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Individualized Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Coaching (Performance)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Daily Living Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Alongside ESSA Level II Study (2024-25)
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Instructure
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Molly Henschel
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Justine Bautista
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alex Alberti
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Online Submission
              Type: main
ResultId 1