Study reveals similar outcomes between online, face-to-face credit recovery programs

Students in Chicago Public Schools who took an online credit recovery program over the summer to pass 9th-grade algebra 1 were no less likely to earn the same number of credits by the end of high school than those who took a face-to-face credit recovery course, according to a new study appearing in Educational Researcher.Both groups, however, were still far less likely to graduate in four years than those who passed algebra in 9th grade, but were slightly more likely to graduate than those who failed to make up the credit over the summer.Led by Jordan Rickles, an education professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, the study expands on an earlier randomized controlled trial showing better outcomes for students in the face-to-face course. The researchers conclude that the “rush” to use online credit recovery programs might not be warranted without carefully considering the particular features of the online course, as well as the students’ overall academic and social-emotional needs.