The Dropout Dilemma 2011:Solutions

Presenters:Tracy Anderson Assistant Principal Caldwell Middle SchoolDena Frieda PSP-CAM/Educational Consultant

THE DROPOUT DILEMMA

“Edinburg school gives 134 dropouts new ‘vision‘ “

Texas Senate approves drop out recovery billby Erika Flores

Texas High School Dropout Gets Diploma At The Age Of 100A South Texas woman who dropped out of high school will get her diploma on her 100th birthday.

Attitude Adjustment: The Stockton, California district gets serious about lowering—and verifying its dropout rate

Quote from Anthony Amato, Superintendent, Stockton, California in response to public criticism to new dropout program.

“Too quickly? If it’s your kid, are we still going too quickly? Some things you just have to do, and then people say, ‘Oh, I see, ’ and it’s an aha moment.

And if arrogant means I’m trying to do something with a proven track record of success, I’ll take that word any day of the week.”

Words to ponder…headlines

Trends and Variables…

Area of United StatesRural vs. urban

Dropout rate calculationLocal district or stateNCES*

Data collection variablesAge range

Survey vs. actual database* NCLB now requires districts to use NCES definition when calculating dropout rates.

Based on calculations per school day (180 days of school, seven hours each day), one high school student drops out every nine seconds.9

High School Dropout: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet By Maggie Monrad, National High School Center at AIR

Twenty eight years of rates:Ages 16 to 24 years

Taken from Quick Facts about Texas Dropouts refer to bibliography at end of presentation.

Activity: What? At-risk of Dropping out?

According to figures from the

California Dropout

Research Project, dropouts earn

less, pay less in taxes, and are more likely to

turn to welfare. Every dollar invested in

dropout prevention

returns $2 to $4 to the

community.

Portrait of a Potential Dropout

Elementary age•discipline problems•retained or placed at least once

Middle school age•enters MS overage•poor attendance•not involved in extracurricular activities•Discipline problems

• suspension• alternative discipline placements

•poor grades/failed•below grade level in reading and mathematics

High school age•Enters HS overage•Poor attendance; especially first 30 days of ninth grade year•Not involved in extracurricular activities•Discipline problems

• suspension• alternative discipline placements

•poor grades/failed•below grade level in reading and mathematics•works•Teen parent/pregnant/girlfriend pregnant

Other underlying characteristics•parents did not graduate from HS•struggles socially/poor self-esteem/loner•missing “protector” •older sibling (s) dropped out of school•Bored•Learning disabilities

Solutions: A dropout model

According to TEA… A DROPOUT is a student who does not:

Get expelled

Graduate

Continue school outside the public school system

Receive a GED*

Begin college or

Die

Some solutions…Institutionalized prevention, intervention, and recovery model involving all stakeholders of district and community/social services

Regular school programs/teaching strategies to address ongoing needs of students whose characteristics are historically found to dropout

Proven intervention programs early on… i.e. AVID, Gear Up

Graduation coaches or academic coaches/advisories in addition to counselors—monitor attendance and behavior

Alternative Schools or programs ~Traditional alternative schools of choice~Career alternative school or academies~Optional Flexible School Day program-a promising practice

Solutions should be…District wide commitment to a prevention/intervention/recovery program with community support

Systemic approach with buy in of all stake holders involved

Appropriate training for roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders

Utilize best and promising practices that ‘match’ needs of district, students, staff. parents and community

“

“Middle school is the last and best chance to prepare students for a successful high school career. Research shows with systematic, intensive interventions students who started middle school behind can catch up.”

Laura W. Bush

AVID- (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a program designed to help students in the middle prepare for and succeed in colleges and

universities. Students in the program commit themselves to improvement and preparation for college. AVID offers a rigorous program of instruction in academic “survival skills” and college level entry skills. The AVID program teaches the student how to study, read for content, take notes, and manage time. Students participate in collaborative study groups or tutorials led by tutors who use skillful questioning to bring students to a higher level of understanding.

Taken from http://www.pac.dodea.edu/edservices/educationprograms/avid.htm

Gear Up (GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS )

This discretionary grant program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides six-year grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students.

Taken from ed.gov/programs/gear up

Solutions: Intervention programs

Solutions: Regular school programs targeting learner diversity

A few academic strategies that address the ALL learners of the district such as:

Differentiated Learning--TomlinsonSheltered Instruction Plus—Seidlitz Academic language--MarzanoKagan strategiesDiverse Learners Flipbook—Seidlitz & Jones W.H.A.T.—(student and campus goal setting)—Neely &FriedaRead NaturallyEffective teaching

Solutions: Overview of a prevention, intervention, and recovery model

Establishment of committees representing all stakeholders

Campuses should establish their own dropout committee and have representation on district level committee

What is your district’s investment in time, man power, and budget to assure a student does not become a statistic as a dropout?

Early intervention processes

Screener process begins by 6th grade continued through high school careerIndividual Intervention Support Plan (IISP) is developed for targeted students at both levels for potential dropouts.

Transition Programs: 5th to 6th grade8th to 9th grade

PURPOSE OF EARLY DROPOUT TARGETING SYSTEM (EDTS)

Systemic approach to identifying students who exhibit traits of dropping out and actively working with these students, their parents/guardians, teachers, counselors, dropout coordinator, campus administrators, dropout prevention teams and community resources to prevent them from dropping out (or recovering them) and increase their probability of graduating based on research and best practices.

Districts need to identify “true potential drops” Often students are “at-risk” some time during

their school career.

Four main categories of indicators

School commitment indicators

~Attendance~Extracurricular and co-curricular involvement

Academic performance indicators~Number of retentions~Number of placements~Failing grades/subjects~Math and reading levels; special needs(diagnosed and non-diagnosed)

Four main categories of indicators

Behavior profile indicators~Poor conduct grades-elementary/middle school~In school suspensions-middle/high school~Out of school suspensions-middle /high school~DAEP placements-middle /high school~Incarcerated-juvenile justice system

Research has confirmed that the lowest-performing readers are most at risk of dropping out of high school. Those achieving in the lowest quartile are 3.5 times more likely to drop out than students in the next highest quarter of academic achievement, and 20 times more likely to drop out than top-performing students.11 High School Dropout: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet By Maggie Monrad, National High School Center at AIR

Four main categories of indicators

Social characteristics indicators~Peer associations-gangs, loner, poor self- esteem~Adult responsibilities- must work, pregnant or parent, care for siblings~Employed- number of hours per week~Mobility-number of times a student has moved during the school year; school career~Medication-for ADD/ADHD, ODD

At-risk of becoming a “Dropout”: Tracker/Screener

Developed by dfrieda. All rights reserved.

IISP Rater form…who is at-risk?

Developed by dfrieda. All rights reserved.

IISP-Individual Intervention Support Plan

Developed by dfrieda. All rights reserved.

The heart of the process …

Data from Screener/tracker process is utilized here to determine next

steps based on individual needs of the targeted student(s).

Decisions, decisions, decisions…

Research indicates that a great majority of dropouts are between the 8th grade year and at the end of the 9th grade and during their 12th grade year. Decisions concerning what is best for each potential dropout is paramount to whether or not the student will remain in school.

A few responsibilities: work with students who are at risk of dropping out of school by

identifying risk factors. train middle and high school teachers on the components of an

effective “teachers as advisors” program; develop viable lesson plans/strategies

work with concerned parents in identifying issues that may prevent a student from graduating.

engage parents who are not involved to become more active participants in their child's academic success. community connections are created to provide social and financial resources for students and parents. Read more: What Is a Graduation Coach? | eHow.co.uk  http://www.ehow.co.uk/facts_7408345_graduation-coach_.html#ixzz1DESQpwys

Solutions: Graduate Coaches and Structured advisories

Other key components of the prevention and intervention process…

Establishing cohorts for incoming 9th graders in order to track each graduating class’ progression through high schoolUtilizing data (with integrity) to determine prospective dropout rates and continuer rates to measure whether or not process and procedures are workingAssuring data entry and data decisions are correct.

Solutions:Addressing the Behavior Indicators

UTILIZING PEIMS DATA FOR DECISION MAKING FOR AT RISK STUDENTS AND TEACHERSDISCIPLINE RECORD REVIEW**

TRAINERS train principals/assistant principals and other district staff as determined by the district (first year it is “hands on” process)

STUDENT 425 RECORDS/DISCIPLINE ACTION CODES (C165) PEIMS for school year —•Review type of infractions, discipline actions by administrator•What teachers•Time of day, time of yearTake top three to five per cent (depending on numbers) (review attendance of these students once cohort is identified)•Review teacher assignment for new school year--not a good “match” change it!!!!!•Meet with parent/guardian and student with teacher assigned for new school year prior to school startingParents meet with designated staff (assistant principals, behavior modification specialist, counselors—district determines) •Talk about wanting student to have a positive experience this new school year•Have parenting tips-a parenting session, bilingual department staff, special education department staff, etc meet with appropriate parents/guardians•Q and A for parents to ask questions or express concernsStudents meet with designated staff (assistant principals, behavior modification specialist, counselors—district determines) Do interest survey—based on age and grade of students—NOT a blanket survey•Do activities focused on “Choices”, having a good school year, involvement opportunities-- clubs, sports, etc•Take pictures of kids so names can be learned prior to them entering the classroom – utilize in classroom or AP office.Run Student Discipline Records at the end of THREE weeks and SIX weeks throughout the school years for review and analysis addressing those areas of need with the students as identified –ongoing process

drf

TEACHER DISCIPLINE RECORDS •Review type of behaviors/infractions reported•Which students--patterns--time of day (subject, before or after lunch, recess, etc), same students, etc.•Whether or not parent was contacted by teacher prior to issuing referral, etc.AP reviews findings with principal, instructional staff available in district, Master Teachers, Mentor teachers, etc•Determine which teachers to target for intense support •Also review PDAS and attendance of the teachers in the cohort.Meet with teachers identified as a group and individuallyIndividually: •share data with them to see how “they” perceive their classroom management (have them bring their classroom management plan) and what support they feel they need•develop a teacher support plan together focused on their areas of need based on findings/data and their “perceived” needs

Group:•provide targeted training based on the overall needs of the group prior to school starting and ongoing throughout the school year•Run discipline data again at three weeks and the end each six weeks and review along with teacher support plan or sooner with teachers still struggling with their classroom management•Assure that this is not an “I” gotcha—have walk throughs that are “non” PDAS and those that are PDAS, have teacher reflections, mentor teachers, etc.** This data should be run no later than the end of April of each school year. Initially, end of year data may have to be utilized to implement during summer.

Establishing cohorts…

FRONT

Calculations for cohorts…

Back o

f G

rad

uate

Tra

cker

Tab

le

2011Taken from All You Ever Wanted to Know About Graduation Rates, Leavers and Dropouts PSP Network Webinar

Leaver codes…can make or break a district

Common Mistakes in reporting leaver codes

District does not follow up on a student who intended to enroll elsewhere to see if he or she actually enrolled.

District withdraws a student using a leaver code that is no longer valid.

District does not document why a student left.

District knows why a student left but submits the wrong code on the 203 record.

District knows why a student left but submits the wrong code on the 203 record.

District creates a duplicate PID and the student becomes underreported because records do not match.

District does not use PEIMS Data Standards Appendix D Leaver Reason Codes and Documentation Requirements.  

Data Entry Error – PEIMS Leaver Code 98: Remember to only use this for actual dropout

Making or breaking continued…

Taken from All You Ever Wanted to Know about Graduation Rates, Leavers and Dropouts PSP Network Webinar

Tracking leavers…

Developed fall 2010 drf

Recovery…

Student demographic information is continuously updated-addresses, phone numbers, emails, etc.

District designates a Dropout Recovery Coordinator

Home visits, worksite visits

Phone calls

Letters with pertinent graduation information for individual students:

Is personalized with number of credits acquired, number needed to graduate, alternative options to regular school/schedule, more than one adult that can be contacted—even a teacher of “their” choice

Recovery continued…On-going tracking of students who withdraw or do not return the following school year. Should not be just a one time a year “event”Options other than the regular classroom for dropoutsFlyers/brochures posted in local grocery stores, “hangouts” and malls about those programsNewspaper articles about what the district offers to students wanting to return; success stories of students who had dropped out and returned.Educate the “dropout” about the economic advantages of returning to school ( vs. current employment, if applicable)

Alternative schools of choice

Traditional alternative high school programFour hour blocks; students may attend any two blocks during the dayMost aspects of regular school are presentAdvantages

Smaller enrollments; fewer distractions than home campusRelaxed dress code, somewhatOften self-pacedReduced day for those that must work or has child

Career academies

Can be part of regular high school program or on separate campusInterest specific i.e. mechanic, nursing, photography, technology, health sciences, etc.Curriculum includes goal setting, job securement, finances, etc.Field trips to “businesses” or other post graduate technical schoolsInternshipsCore curriculum is delivered based on student needs—

”blended” learning

Optional Flexible School Day Program:A promising practice in Texas

The OFSDP is a program that districts may offer to provide flexible hours and days of attendance for student who have dropped out of school, are at risk of dropping out, are participating in an approved early college high school plan, or are attending a campus implementing an innovative redesign under a plan approved by the commissioner of education.

OFSDP continued…

The program is also for students who will be denied credit for one or more classes in which they have been enrolled as a result of attendance requirements under the Texas Education Code, §25.092.

The goal of the program is to improve graduation rates for students who are in danger of dropping out of school or have dropped out or who are behind in core subject courses.

Research has confirmed that the lowest-performing readers are most at risk of dropping out of high school. Those achieving in the lowest quartile are 3.5 times more likely to drop out than students in the next highest quarter of academic achievement, and 20 times more likely to drop out than top-performing students.11 High School Dropout: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet By Maggie Monrad, National High School Center at AIR

How is OFSDP different from the traditional alternative high school?

Extracurricular participation -a student enrolled in an OFSDP may participate in a competition or activity sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) only if the student meets all UIL eligibility criteria.provides flexibility in the number of hours each day a student attends;provide flexibility in the number of days each week a student attends; allows a student to enroll in less than or more than a full course load.Student may attend classes at the OFSDP and the home campus.Attendance is taken in minutes vs. ADA (average daily attendance)

Funding and attendance

Funding under this subsection shall be determined based on the number of instructional days in the school district calendar and a seven-hour school day, but attendance may be cumulated over a school year, including any summer or vacation session.

The attendance of students who accumulate less than the number of attendance hours required under this subsection shall be proportionately reduced for funding purposes.

Comparison of regular ADA vs. OFSDP

The lawA student is eligible to participate in an OFSDP authorized under Texas

Education Code (TEC), §29.0822, if• the student is enrolled in grades 9–12 at the beginning of the

school year or semester; and

the student meets one of the following conditions:• the student is at risk of dropping out of school, as defined by TEC,

§29.081, • the student is attending a school implementing an approved

innovative campus plan, or• the student is attending a school with an approved early college

high school program designation; and

• the student, if less than 18 years of age and not emancipated by marriage or court order, and the student’s parent, or person standing in parental relation to the student, agree in writing to the student’s participation.

Activity: Partner Share

On an index card, write down at least 3 pros and three cons/barriers of an Optional Flexible School Day Program. Turn to your right and share and discuss your “thoughts” with that partner.

THE MED: A PRACTICING OFSDP

POWERPOINT CREATED BY TRACY ANDERSONCaldwell ISD 2011 Assistant Principal – Middle School2010-2011District Dropout Coordinator and MED School Director

Enjoy!!!

“Making Education Diverse”

A look into M.E.D. School

“MakingEducation

Diverse for non-traditional students”

M ED

School

What is MED School?

MED School is a program that came from nearly 8 years of research and requests from educators in Caldwell I.S.D.This team of educators saw a need for an alternative to traditional high school for students to obtain a high school diploma.

C.I.S.D. meets the challenge

Then, in 2010, the CISD school board and lead administration makes the bold move to create an additional opportunity to students who have dropped out of high school or are at risk of dropping out of high school. Approval was made for an academic alternative school.

•A support to the main campusesHigh School = “platinum edition” high school diplomaMED School = another alternative to “flex” educational hours •Opportunities to individualize education for increased probability of success•Based on a medical-model approach

Medical Model Approach

•Identification

•Review History

•Diagnostics•Prescription•Rehabilitati

on•Graduation

•Who is at-risk for dropping out? or has dropped out?•What do the records show? Undiagnosed LD? Attendance? •Did we miss something? Reading & Math levels? Can the student work at an independent level for MED?•Exact explanation of what it takes to graduate•Strengthen weak skills; TAKS

•Graduation

An alternativ

e•Unique needs•Non-traditional students•Individualized education

Advisory: Student notebooks

•Credits•Auditing transcripts•College options•Career goals•Personal goals•Track progress•Discuss concerns•SAT / ACT registration•TAKS review

Intrinsic Motivation•Students learn graduation requirements•Students “map” their progress by filling in semester average AFTER they receive their updated transcript.•Students become the “teacher” to guardians in explaining what classes they have left to complete.•Students feel “in control”•Coordinator kept own copy in front office

What we have learned…..•Daily Minimum: 10 lessons•Weekly Minimum: 40 lessons•FLEX students: Can “earn” Friday off if 40 lessons completed Mon-Thurs

• Attendance on Friday was weak/non existent anyway• Daily calls: we did not call students who “earned” 40+ lessons

Curriculum A+

• Electronic Curriculum• TEA Approved / TEKS based

• (For a semester credit)• Pretest

• Study/take notes• Practice Test

• Mastery Chapter Test• Semester FINALS

Breakfast & Lunches

•Hot meals delivered daily

The best principals are not heroes; they are hero makers'. Roland BarthThe best principals are not heroes; they are hero makers'. Roland BarthThe best principals are not heroes; they are hero makers'. Roland Barth

•Morning & Afternoon

Transportation

Chris

SusieJohn

Allen

Dena

Tracy

MED Data Stats

0 10 20 30 40

3615

165

2016

96

2113

1610

3322

3512

4

Student Profile DataAug Grad Expected

Graduated

At-Risk

Independent

Eco Disadvantaged

Special Ed

Employed

Parent

White

Black

Hispanic

Male

Female

Dual

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16 15

11

4 4

2

9

7

10

3

15

12

15

5

Recovered Student Profile

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Prevention

Female

Male

Hispanic

Black

White

Parent

Employed

Special Ed

Eco Disadvantaged

Independent

At-Risk

Graduated

Aug Grad Expected

16

6

10

4

4

8

6

6

5

15

8

16

6

4Prevention Student Profile

15 individuals

16 individuals

5 individuals

Future considerations…

Student Groups Evaluated2011: “All Student” Group Only2012: Every student group, provided that they meet MSR Beginning in 2010, for graduation rate, the LEP student group included current LEP students plus studentsFormerly identified as LEP during any of their high school years in Texas

AYP DOES NOT GO AWAY FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR!!

Don’t be STAAR struck!

STAAR & Graduation Rate With the implementation of STAAR in the 2011–2012 school year, testing requirements for graduation will increase. While TAKS represented four “hurdles” for students (requiring them to pass exit level tests in mathematics, English language arts, science, and social studies), STAAR represents 12 hurdles for studentstaking the recommended high school program. 

Don’t be STAAR struck!

To graduate under STAAR, a student must achieve a cumulative score that is at least equal to the product of thenumber of EOC assessments taken in each foundation content area (English language arts, mathematics,science, and social studies) and a scale score that indicates satisfactory performance.   Performance levels on certain STAAR EOC assessments are now linked to a student’s graduation plan. Differentlevels of performance are required on the EOC assessments in English III and Algebra II for each of the threegraduation plans: minimum, recommended, and distinguished. 

AARON’S STORY…What it is all about!

Permission granted to use picture by Aaron T.

References and resources…

High School Dropout: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet

By Maggie Monrad , National High School Center at AIR September 2007 Dropout Risk Factors and Exemplary Programs; A Technical report

Principal Author Cathy Hammond, Research Associate National Dropout Prevention Center/Network

Contributing Authors Dan Linton, Director of Research and Evaluation Communities In Schools, Inc.Jay Smink, Executive Director National Dropout Prevention Center/Network Sam Drew, Associate Director National Dropout Prevention Center/Network May 2007

IES PRACTICE GUIDE Dropout Prevention September 2008 Panel

Mark Dynarski (Chair)MATHEMATICA POLICY RESEARCH

Linda Clarke CITY OF HOUSTON

Brian Cobb COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Jeremy Finn STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK—BUFFALO

Russell Rumberger UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA—SANTA BARBARA

Jay Smink NATIONAL DROPOUT PREVENTION CENTER/NETWORK

Kristin Hallgren MATHEMATICA POLICY RESEARCH

Brian Gill MATHEMATICA POLICY RESEARCH

NCEE 2008- Dropout Information: How Texas Identifies, Prevents and Recovers Dropouts

http://www.tea.state.tx.usApproaches to Dropout Prevention: Heeding Early Warning Signs With Appropriate Interventions betterhighschools.org RE P O RT AU T H O R SLouise Kennelly Maggie Monrad National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research

Citation: Lehr, C. A., Johnson, D. R., Bremer, C. D., Cosio , A., & Thompson, M. (2004). Essential tools: Increasing rates of school completion: Moving from policy and research to practice. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration, National Center on Secondary Education and Transition .Permission is granted to duplicate this publication in its entirety or portions thereof. Upon request, this publication will be made available in alternative formats. For additional copies of this publication, or to request an alternate format, please contact: Institute on Community Integration Publications Office, 109 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, (612) 624-4512, icipub@umn.edu. This document was published by the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET). NCSET is supported through a cooperative agreement #H326J000005 with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the U.S. Department of Education Programs, and no official endorsement should be inferred. The University of Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition are equal opportunity employers and educators.

What Works Clearinghouse: Dropout Prevention ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/Topic.asp…

http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/ Common Core of Data

Public School Graduates and Dropouts From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2007–08 First Look JUNE 2010 Robert Stillwell National Center for Education Statistics NCES 2010-341 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Kaufman, P., Alt, M., and Chapman, C. (2001). Dropout Rates in the United States: 2000. (NCES 2002-114). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.Young, B. (2002). Public High School Dropouts and Completers From the Common Core of Data: School Years 1998-99 and 1999-2000. (NCES 2002-382). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.Young, B., and Hoffman, L. (2002). Public High School Dropouts and Completers From the Common Core of Data: School Years 1991-92 through 1997-98. (NCES 2002-317). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.