The Impact of Grit and Non-Cognitive Skills on High School Special Education Student Success

This study investigated whether a link may exist between the grit level of students who require special education services and their assignment completion rate and occurrence of in-class behaviors. The study was performed over a ten-week period between October 2017 and December 2017 in a high school in New Hampshire. The study comprised both pre and post-study grit surveys, the delivery in-class grit lessons and assignments specific to the grit lessons. The lessons specifically targeted the development of non-cognitive skills such as perseverance, resilience and motivation. The grit lessons were delivered by the principal investigator to a population of 15 participating students. The results of this quasi experimental study indicate that the grit level of the participating students increased after receiving ten-weeks of grit training. The increases in the grit level of the students did not appear to have an immediate impact on either the assignment completion rate or frequency of in-class behaviors exhibited by the students in the study population. Additional analysis of student grade point averages before and after the study period showed no statistically significant changes as a result of grit training