The Impact of Basic Academic Guarantee Programs within the Multi-Learning Safety Net on Students’ Cognitive Competence

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the impact of Academic Guarantee Programs, established within the Multi-Learning Safety Net, on students’ cognitive competence. Methods: This study used data from the 2023 Gyeonggi School Education Survey, which included data from elementary school students, parents, and schools. A multilevel model was employed for the analysis, incorporating level 1 (student-level) and level 2 (school-level) variables. Results: First, schools implementing the Student-customized Leading School program in the first tier of the Multi-Learning Safety Net showed higher levels of overall student cognitive competence compared to non-implementing schools. However, this statistical significance disappeared when focusing on the group of students at substantial risk of basic academic underachievement, suggesting that the program may have been insufficient to adequately support all students with academic difficulties. Schools participating in the Co-teaching Support Instructor program showed lower level of students’ cognitive competence than those in non-participating schools. Second, students in schools operating the Do-Dream program, which is part of the second tier of the Multi-Learning Safety Net, showed lower cognitive competence compared to those in non-participating schools. This result suggests that the program may have encountered challenges or difficulties during its implementation. Conclusion: It is necessary to move beyond the mere establishment of the Multi-Learning Safety Net for basic academic skills, and instead build a more tightly knit system by deploying professional personnel into tiered programs. To provide effective support for students with a high likelihood of learning difficulties, it is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of basic academic skills programs.