The influence of meeting time on academic outcomes in school-based mentoring

This study explores the role of mentor-youth meeting time on academic performance within school-based mentoring. Participants in the study (N=1139) were part of a national evaluation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based mentoring programs, approximately half of whom had been randomly assigned to receive mentoring at their schools. Within the treatment group, 44% were in programs in which matches met after school, 25% were in programs in which matches met during the school day excluding lunch, 6% were in programs in which matches met during lunch, and 26% were in programs in which matches met at various times during and after school. Among academically at-risk youth, the impact of school-based mentoring on academic outcomes was moderated by the time during which matches met. Specifically, academically vulnerable youth derived significant academic benefits from mentoring in programs that met after school or during lunch. In programs that met during school as a pullout program, there was no evidence of benefits and some evidence of negative effects on academic outcomes. Implications of the findings for research and intervention are discussed.