School-Based Mentoring Programs: A Review of the Research

School-based mentoring programs that promote academic success and prosocial behaviors among youths are of interest to school social workers. Because these programs are relatively new, little has been reported on the effectiveness of the services or the benefits to participants. The authors examined outcome evaluations of eight school-based mentoring programs to compare the organizing frameworks, evaluate whether and how best practices were integrated into program service structures, determine evaluation methods, and assess participant outcomes. Most of these programs are guided by a prevention-focused, risk and resilience framework, with a configuration of program services that incorporates recommendations from best practices models. However, questions remain about dosage, program outcomes, and other issues unique to school-based programs. These results also suggest that evidence demonstrating the benefits of school-based mentoring programs among youths is beginning to accumulate. Nonetheless, the next generation of evaluations needs to use more rigorous research methods to confirm these findings. Recommendations to school social workers about program design and evaluation are also presented.