DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 318 833 UD 027 428

TITLE Strategies for Dropout Prevention.INSTITUTION Far West Lab. for Educational Research and

Development, San Francisco, Calif.SPANS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),

Washington, DC.PUB DATE 89CONTRACT 400-86-0009NOTE 41p.PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Community Involvement; *Dropout Prevention; *Dropout

Programs; Economically Disadvantaged; *High RiskStudents; Xinority Group Children; *NontraditionalEducation; Parent Participation; ProgramDescriptions; Secondary Education; *SecondarySchools; *Social Services

ABSTRACTThis report provides descriptions of strategies for

dropout prevention at the secondary level and presents examples ofprograms that successfully utilize these strategies. The informationis based on data from a review of nearly 200 programs at secondaryschools across the four-state Western region that includes Arizona,California, Nevada, and Utah. This report is divided into twosections. Section 1 describes the following strategies for dropoutprevention: (1) involve business, community, and parents; (2) offeralternative schedules and sites; (3) reduce program size; (4) targetspecial populations; and (5) provide appropriate services. Section 2provides brief descriptions of the following promising secondaryschool dropout prevention programs: (1) Comprehensive Training forHigh-Risk Youth; (2) The Health Academy; (3) Washoe High School; (4)Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project; (5) Mountainland Tutorialand Vocational Education Program; (6) CLassroom Intervention Program;(7) Tucson Dropout Prevention Collaborative; (8) Project Success; (9)

Newcomer High School; and (10) ACE. These programs provide regionalrepresentation and include at least one program from each of thestates in which programs were reviewed. They also represent a variftyof approaches, and each successfully utilizes several of thestrategies presented in this report. The name and address of acontact person for each is included. A list of 27 references and onetable are included. (JS)

*********************************************************************AA

* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

* from the original document.***********************************************************************

STRATEGIES

FORDROPOUT

PREVENTIONS DEPARTMENT 011E0MATPON

Otbce at F clucalronal Nearahcrt and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL NFSOURCES INFORMATIONCE NTE R iERics

X INs document hob been reproduced asreceived horn the Person Or otganratronon5matmg itM.nof changes have been made to cmprotiereproduction poahty

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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

(uD FAR WEST LABORATORY

2 BEST COPY WOW

STUDENTS AT RISK PROGRAM

Far West Laboratory forEducational Research and Development

The Students At Risk Program at Far West Laboratoryis one of four field services programs designed to serve theregion comprised of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.The program focuses on improving the educationalopportunities of students who are least likely to attain theirfull educational potential.

School districts, universities, state departments ofeducation, and other agencies use our resources, technicalassistance, and reports to improve and extend existingprograms or to design and initiate new ones. Currentresearch and development activities address issues such as theorganization of schools for students at risk, the setup anddelivery of programs for potential dropouts, involvement ofthe private sector in education and the coordination ofspecial services for low achieving students.

The Students At Risk Program maintains a RegionalResource Center which monitors regional needs and resources,disseminates information and products, makes referrals toother agencies, and provides technical assistance. With acollection of over 600 reports and documents, the Centerprovides summaries of recent reports and research; identifiesand disseminates information on promising approaches andprograms for high-risk students; acts as a broker betweenagencies in the region and nationally; and provides technicalassistance on program development and evaluation.

The Students At Risk Program also coordinates thework of the National Network of Regional EducationalLaboratories on the theme Kids at Risk. As part of thiscollaboration, the laboratories exchange information onproducts and programs and co-sponsor conferences. Thiswork enhances the efforts of all the laboratories tc provideservices for at-risk students in their respective regions.

For more information, call or write:

Dr. Larry F. Guthrie, DirectorStudents At ;tisk ProgramFar West Laboratory for

Eductional Research and Development1855 Folsom Street

San Francisco. CA 94103(415) 365-3010

3

Preface

TABLE OF CONI'ENTS

Page

Section 1: Introduction.. ..... 2Strategies for Dropout Prevention. 3

Strategy 1: Involve Business, Community, andParents. 3

Strategy 2: Offer Alternative Schedules andSites ******** 4

Strategy 3: Reduce Program ..... ...... 4Strategy 4: Target Special 5Strategy 5: Provide Appropriate Services for

Potential Dropouts... ..... 6

Section 11: Promising Dropout Prevention Programs, 8Comprehensive Training for High-Risk Youth. 10The Health 12Washoe High School ... 14Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project....... 16Mountainlanl Tutorial and Vocational

19Classroom Intervention Program. 21Tucson Dropout Prevention Collaborative..._......... 23Project Success 26Newcomer High ........ ..... ................... 29ACE. 32

RecommendationForni0......... ir-,. .......... ..... . ..... 1.efeR.oO 34

References.

Table 1:

35

Strategies and Services in Selected Dropout PreventionPrograms 9

4

PREFACE

Schools are largely ill-equipped to mount acomprehensive approach to dropout prevention.Students seldom drop out On because of poorgrades, but rather for a complex of social andemotional reasons. Their lives extend beyond theschool grounds, where they are exposed topowerful influences outside the school's control.As teenagers begin experimenting with drugs orsex, there is only so much the school can do. Theaccumulated demands placed on the schooleventually stretch its resources to the breakingpoint.

Effective programs for students at risk ofdropping out don't have to be radically differentfrom those already in place we know a lot aboutwhat works but they need to "reach beyond thetraditional boundaries of public education' toinclude schools, business, community agencies, andparents (Committee for Economic DevelopmentICED], 1987).

This report focuses on several strategies fordropout prevention that appear to hold particularpromise. Over the past several months, theStudents At Risk program at Far West Laboratoryhas reviewed nearly 200 programs at secondaryschools across the four-state western region thatincludes Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.We have conducted interviews with scores ofprogram directors and administrators and made sitevisits to a good many schools as well. As part ofthis effort, we have also reviewed hundreds ofpolicy reports, research articles, and otherdocuments.

The report is divided into two sections.First, we describe five strategies for dropoutprevention:

1. Involve business, community,and parents

2. Offer alternative schedules andsites

3. Reduce program size4. Target special populations5. Provide appropriate services

Next, brief descriptions of 10 promisingsecondary school dropout prevention programs arepresented. Selected from among a wide range ofprograms we have identified, these high school

1

programs are intended as examples and arc by nomeans the only effective programs we found. Inchoosing these ten, we sought to provide regionalrepresentatiln and included at least one programfrom each state. We also sought variety inapproacha. Each program successfully utilizesseveral of the strategies we recommend. Amongthe collection of models, for example, are a school-within-a-school, a teenage pregnancy program, adistrict-wide collaborative, a summer vocationalprogram, a computer based instruction program,and a high school for recent immigrants.

The Students At Risk Program at Far WestLaboratory continues to search out and identifysuccessful practices and programs for dissemination.Readers who know of a particularly successful orinnovative program or school are encouraged tocomplete the enclosed recommendation form andsend to the address provided.

5

Ll m-

INTRODUCTION

Growing numbers of America's youth arepart of a crisis that threatens the essential fabric ofour society. Each year, over 700,000 students dropout of school. Thai's the equivalent of shuttingdown three medium-sized high schools every day.Where do these youngsters go? What happens tothem?

Although some dropouts eventually findtheir way back to school and get their high schooldegree or its equivalent, most never acquire thenecessary social, vocational, or academic skills tobecome productive members of society. Instead,they enter the nether world of urban communitieswhere they confront unemployment, welfare,homelessness, or jail (Carnegie Foundation for theAdvancement of Teaching [Carnegie], 1988). Thoselucky enough to find jobs can seldom earn a decentwage. The earning power of dropouts has fallendramatically in the past 15 years. In 1956, forexample, those aged 20-24 earned 42% less thantheir counterparts in the mid-seventies (Youth andAmerica's Future: The William T. GrantFoundation Commission on Work, Family andCitizenship [Grant], 1988). In the next decade,those who fail to complete their schooling face evenmore limited futures, because over half of the newjobs created in the 1990s will require skills beyondthe high school level (American Society for Trainingand Development [ASTI)), 1989).

Large numbers of dropouts lead to serioussocial costs as well. It's estimated that dropoutscost the country over 75 billion dollars a year in losttax revenues and increased welfare payments.(Catterall, 1987). Another 25 billion is spent bycorporations on remedial and literacy training fortheir employees. In an increasingly competitiveworld economy, these are sacrifices we simply canno longer afford to make. A world-class work forceneeds sktlled and educated workers at all levels, notjust at the top. With the already small number ofqualified entry-level workers getting smaller (Kearns& Doyle, 1988), business can no longer afford to

2

ignore the unmotivated, poorly educated, and thoseunfamiliar with the demanfla of the workplace(Education Commission of the States [ECS], 1985).

For these reasons, the successful educationof all youngsters becomes an important challenge,not just for their families and schools, but foreveryone communities, businesses, churches, andgovernment.

This message has been getting through.Over the last few years, as attention has been drawnto the issue of dropouts, the nation has begun torespond. Much of the effort has gone into raisingawareness. Various policy groups have issuedposition papers and reports that set gut agendas forsolutions and meke a call to action'''. A NationalCenter for Dropout Prevention has beenestablished, and a grass-roots National DropoutPrevention Network has been formed. National andlocal conferences have taken dropout prevention asa theme.

More important, the emphasis on keepingstudents in school has fostered the development ofhundreds of new programs for students at risk ofdropping out. Most are school-based, but theyincreasingly involve partners such as business,community groups and universities, which havestarted to shoulder more of the responsibility,reflecting the persistent theme that we should nolonger rely entirely upon the school system to solvethit problems of education.

Recent policy reports and papers on the pof dropouts include:

blem

Berlin & Sum (1988); Carnegie Foundation for theAdvancement of Teaching (1988); Committee forEconomic Development (1987); U.S. Department ofEducation (1987); Youth and America's Future:The William T. Grant Foundation Commision onWork, Family, and Citizenship (1988).

6

SECTION I

STRATEGIES FOR DROPOUT PREVENTION

Strategy 1: Involve Business, communityand Parents

As discussed in the introduction, schoolscan't solve the dropout problem alone; they lack thepersonnel, facilities, and resource& Only through aconcerted effort that brings all elements of thecommunity -- schools, businesses, churches,community agencies, universities, and parents willtrue progress against the dropout problem be made.

Business

Involving business in education is nothingnew, but to really make a difference, businessinvolvement will have to go beyond fundraising andadopt-a-school program. Businesses have to comeup with approaches that let students know thebusiness community cares about them and wantsthem to succeed. This means discarding large,depersonalized programs and searching for ways toinfluence students' lives directly.

Volunteer tutoring, for example, allowsstudents to build personal relationships with asuccessful adult. Mentoring can have a similarpayoff, as can job shadowing. For many students,the school curriculum seems irrelevant. Careercounseling, employment training, part-time jobs, andscholarships can help link students' experiences tothe world of work. Businesses can also provide stafftraining to teachers and administrators, helpingthem develop and hone new skills. A recent surveyof the California Educational PartnershipsConsortium showed that schools in the state arealready engaging in a great variety of partnershiparrangements (Guthrie, Boothroyd, Baker & vanHeusden, 1989),

Community

Community agencies such as churches,social service clubs, clinics, crisis interventioncenters, and the juvenile justice system can also playan important role in keeping students in school.

Very often, community organizations can have astronger influence on alienated youth than theschool. By offering counseling, tutoring, jobtraining, health education, child care, and otherservices, the community agencies can get teenagers

3

off the street and back into school or in a program.Alternative educational experiences that somestudents may need, such as youth service programs,can also be valuable.

Connections with the community helpensure program stability and coordination ofservices, and in the process, community leadersdevelop a stake in the success of the programbecause it may help improve the standard of livingthroughout the community (Grant, 1988). Just aswith business involvement, however, the design ofcommunity programs is critical. Youth employmentand training programs that fail to adequatelyaddress students' basic skills needs, for example,may successfully return youngsters to school, butwithout the necessary skills to graduate or completetheir GED (Orr, 1987). Part-time jobs may beattractive in the short run, but they seldom lead tolater employment and can actually interfere with thestudents' academic progress (Greenberger &Steinberg, 1986).

Parents

Involving parents can be an effective steptoward keeping students in school. However,bringing parents of disadvantaged students into ameaningful relationship with the school is one of themost difficult practices to implement successfully,especially at the secondary level. These parents areoften reluctant to take an active interest in theschool, whether because of their own lowereducational level, negative experiences in school,limited-English proficiency, or job and childrearingresponsibilities.

Altogether, schools can take three generalapproaches %o parent involvement. First, they caninform parents of school routine standards, andexpectations through messages, meetings, or reportson attendance and performance. A secondapproach is to recruit parents to provide input intoschool program design, as in the case of the parentadvisory council. Finally, schools can engageparents in instructional activities, either at theschool or at home.

Certainly, it is important to keep parentsinformed about the school and students' progress,

and, at a minimum, schools should take care toinclude this function. Parent advisory councils havein some cases played an important role in thedesign and implementation of school programs, butin general, rarely influence school and districtpolicies (McLaughlin & Shields, 1986; Guthrie, G.P.,1985). More direct involvement in learningactivities will be necessary to affect students'performance, however.

Schools can explore ways to engage parentsin activities related to their children's lessons andassignments. For esample, parents and students cancomplete homework assignments together, or theschools can show parents strategies for assisting withschoolwork. It may also be possible to enlist thehelp of parents as volunteers in classrooms or fieldtrip chaperones. Another approach is to provideeducational programs for the parents themselves,e.g. some parents could benefit from training inchildcare and patenting, and ESL or literacytraining might be useful to immigrant parents.

Strategy 2 Offer Alternative Schedulesand Sites

A second important strategy for dropoutprevention is to stretch beyond the traditionalcomprehensive high school with a 50-minute period,7-period day, and 180-day year to offer students amore varied set of options. If traditional schoolprograms don't meet the needs of some students,then more creative -- even radical -- approachesmay be required.

Some students reach the ninth grade threeto four grades behind in basic skills. In response,the school typically offers them a remedial Englishor math class that merely takes the place of theregular course. These classes don't add any timeand usually don't employ a different instructionalapproach. Schools concentrate on remediatingsome deficiencies and are satisfied if students gain agrade level each year. At this rate, the best theycan hope for is 8th or 9th grade work by the timethey graduate if they do. Many students becomediscouraged and drop out. Unwilling to accepteither of these o'stcomes, some schools areexperimenting with other approaches. Berlin andSum (1988) suggest :hat schools be transformed into'community education facilities' open evenings andweekends.

Several alternatives are available. One is to

4

8

reorganize class schedules by varying the length ofclass periods and their frequency. There is, afterall, nothing magical about the 50-minute period, fivedays a week. In fact, some classes, especiallyscience labs or art classes are more effectivelypresented in larger chunks of time. Some classescan meet for two hours two or three times a week,for example. Longer class periods reduce'housekeeping" chores and allow students more timeto interact with the teacher and each other.

Another alternative is to find ways to offerinstruction at other times through Saturdayprograms, summer school, year-round schools, andafter-hours classes. Students who are alienatedfrom the regular school, or who have outside jobs,will often attend more regularly if class times fittheir schedules better.

Classes before and after school or onSaturdays also provide the extra time that studentsmay need in order to catch up. Research shows, forexample, that summer loss is a critical factor in thelongterm performance of disadvantaged students.An estimated 80% of the difference betweenadvantaged and disadvantaged occurs over summer(Berlin & Sum, 1988). The California BusinessRoundtable recommends that year-round schoolsbecome the norm in California (Berman-WeilerAssociates, 1989).

Finally, schools can provide services inlocations other than the regular school building.Churches, community centers, health clinics, andlocal businesses all offer possibilities. Relocatingclasses or other services off the school grounds hasseveral advantages. Alienated students may feelmore comfortable in other settings; specialvocational or other services may only be available atthe off -school sites; and community facilities may benearer to students' work or home.

Strategy 3: Reduce Program Size

Most educators agree that smaller classesand a smaller dropout prevention program can havea positive effect on at-risk students. The largeimpersonal high schools in most cities can makestudents feel anonymous and isolated. Teachersmay not know their names and no one has time totake a personal interest in their lives. With caseloads of more than 500 state:Its, school counselorscan only review student schedules and provide crisiscounseling.

One promising approach is to organize thecomprehensive high school into smaller units,schools-within-a-school. Schools-within-a-school areoften organized around themes, although that's nota requirement. Some recommend smaller units of300-400 (IEL, 1986; Good lad, 1983); others haveprograms of fewer than 100 students. The HealthAcademy, for example, enrolls about 50 newstudents per year, so that at any one time there areno more than 150 students in the Academy in aschool of 1800.

In a school-within-a-school, students canreceive more individualized instruction, pitched atthe appropriate level (IEL, 1986). They receivemore personalized attention, too, because teachershave more time to spend with each student. As aresult, students have more "quality contact" (CED,1987) and students and staff develop closerrelationships (Orr, 1987). Students become moremotivated, participate and achieve more -- in aword, they become more engaged (IEL, 1986). Asmaller unit increases the chances that each studentwill be known well by at least one adult. (Centerfor Early Adolescence, 1988)

This approach has advantages for teachers,as well. Teachers have more of an opportunity toget to know students better, and planning andrecord-keeping time is reduced.(Office ofEducational Research and Improvement [OEM),1987) Where students are block-programmed,teachers can jointly plan and coordinate lessonsacross subject matters, and thus contribute to theirown professional development (Guthrie & Guthrie,1989).

Strategy 4: Target Special Populations

Most dropout prevention programs aredesigned to serve students with a range of academic,personal, or behavioral problems. Some students,however, have special needs that may require adifferent approach. Pregnant or parentingteenagers, for example, need counseling andprenatal training; limited-English-proficient studentsneed English as a second language, and out-of-school youth those who have already dropped out

need information on options for getting a highschool degree ar equivalent.

5

9

Pregnant and parenting teenagers

Teenage pregnancy in the United States isreaching crisis proportions. Forty percent of femaledropouts, for example, cite pregnancy or marriageas a reason for leaving school (Ekstrom, Goertz,Pollack, Rock, 1987). Further, we now know thatteenage pregnancy is part of a complex of potertyand poor basic skills that often results in schooldropout and failure. In fact, an estimated 75percent of 14-15 year-ole. mothers have basic skillsdeficiencies that place Pt."' in the bottom fifth ofall girls in their age group.

In the past, teenage pregnancy wasconsidered the responsibility of the home andcommunity, not the school (OERI, 1987). Veryoften, the pregnant or parenting teenager wasforced to leave school and thus denied even a basiceducation. This view is changing, however. Moreand more schools are designing programs that canassist young girls in a time of need and, at the sametime, provide them with an education. Offeringadditional services to pregnant and parentingstudents and their children can significantly reducedropout rates (Edelman, 1988).

Successful programs for pregnant andparenting teens address five areas of need:education, health, work preparation, socialresponsibility, and personal growth. In each,students receive basic information and guidance thatenables them to make adult choices (Edelman,1988). This doesn't mean that schools mustshoulder all these responsibilities, but they shouldensure that such services are available andconvenient.

Most important, according to Edelman, isthat schools concentrate on 'the central mission ofeducating children and giving youths the basicacademic skills necessary for the transition toadulthood" (Edelman, 1988, p. 234). At the sametime, however, they should ensure that youngwomen have available necessary parentingeducation, on-site or coordinated health care, childcare, counseling, family planning information, andincome-support services.

Limited-English-proficient Students

Over the past 10 years, the number ofLimited-English-proficient (LEP) students ir.American schools has seen a dramatic increase.About 13 percent of California's school children(600,000) were limited-English-proficient in 1987,but by the turn of the century, this figure shouldapproach 900,000 (Policy Analysis for CaliforniaEducation, 1989). Further, about 60 percent of the1.5 million LEP students in the United States live inpoverty (U.S. Department of Education, 1987). Inanother 30 years, the Hispanic population of theUnited States will triple (Hodgkinson, 1985).

LEP students are more likely to leaveschool early than arc other students. Dropout ratesfor Hispanics and American Indians are particularlyhigh. For example, 45 percent of Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans drop out of highschool; nearly half of those who leave school do sobefore the tenth grade (Valdivieso, 1986). PoorEnglish skills put immigrant students behind in thecurriculum, and are often interpreted as cognitiverather than linguistic deficiencies. It is notsurprising, therefore, that many LEP students decideto drop out

Bilingual education is often consideredimpractical at the secondary school level. Mostschools with LEP students, therefore, offer Englishas a second language (ESL) or core subjects in"sheltered English,* where vocabulary is controlledand language development is a part of each course.However, the ESL classes are seldom coordinatedwith other courses, and sheltered English classesvery often turn out to be watered-down versions ofthe regular class. As a result, LEP students makeonly slow progress in learning English andeventually drop out.

Whatever approach is used, the primarygoal should be to develop students' proficiency inEnglish so they can perform up to their abilities inthe regular curriculum. Instructors and other adultsin the school need to recognize the nature; talentsimmigrant students bring and be sensitive to thecultural backgrounds of students, helping to buildtheir self-esteem. At Newcomer High School in SanFrancisco, new immigrant students are providedwith intensive ESL classes, sheltered English contentcourses, individual counseiing and other support.Fewer than 2 percent drop out during the one-year

program.

Out-of-school youth

Dropping out of school is costly not only tothe student, but to society. Dropouts from the 1981class will suffer an estimated lifetime earnings lossof 5228 billion, and lost tax revenues will total about568.4 billion (Cauerall. 1987). High school dropoutsrequire more welfare, health care, andunemployment subsidies than high school graduates.They are also more likely to be involved in criminalactivities (Cattemll, 1987).

Not having a diploma closes off options foryoung people, and the situation is worse now thanever. In the last 13 years, the earnings of youngmales with high school diplomas and jobs dropped28 percent in constant dollars. For high schooldropouts, however, the decline in income was 42percent; Black dropouts earned fully 60 percent less(Gram, 1988).

Once students drop out of school. they aresoon confronted with the realities of limitedemployment opportunities and low pay. Once theinitial relief from leaving school wears off, manybegin to took for ways to complete their education.At least half of those who quit school make someeffort to finish (Ko !mad & Owings, 1986).

Perhaps the best known and most successfulprograms for out-of-school youth are theeducational clinics developed and operated inWashington State. Funded by the state departmentof education, the nine clinics recruit dropouts andhelp them complete their GED or return to theregular high school. They were originally conceivedas an alternative to traditional vocational programsthat lack an academic and social skills component;as such, emphasis in the clinics is cm academicpreparation, employment orientation, motivation,and personalized counseling. Students are enrolledfor up to 135 days under the state funding (Orr,1987).

Strategy 5: Provide Appropriate Servicesfor Potential Dropouts

Within each of the strategies describedabove, schools and their partners can offer a varietyof services. Among the most important are thefollowing:

o Academic/basic skills instruction. Afocus on improving academic/basic skills should bepart of every dropout prevention program.Research shows skills development is necessary if aprogram is to have a significant effect on dropoutrates, employability, and earning power (Berlin &Sum, 1988).

o Counseling. A school's limited resourcesoften mean counseling services are reduced. Forpotential dropouts, however, personal, peer,vocational, and college counseling can make animportant difference.

o Computer assisted instruction. Computerassisted instruction not only provides individualizedlearning experiences, but can be an effective way tointerest students in school subjects. Computerassisted instruction works best if the curriculum isexplicitly coordinated with regular lessons (Rowan,Guthrie, Lee, & Guthrie, 1986).

o Tutoring. One-on-one tutoring by anadult or peer can be the most effective way toaccelerate students' academic learning. In peertutoring situations, the tutor often gains as much asthe r.udent being tutored.

o Part-time employment. Part-time jobsprovide spending money for students and at thesame time link them with the world of work.Students receive hands -on training and developappropriate work habits. Jobs that are tied to

academic skills development or to the schoolprogram or curriculum can be an important factorin keeping students in school.

o Peer support groups. Peer supportgroups can make a profound impact on students atrisk, providing them a context in which personal andother issues important to them can be openlydiscussed.

o Field trips. Field trips to museums,businesses, and local institutes of higher educationcan widen students' horizons and expose them toexperiences outside their own often limitedenvironment. For many inner-city students, forexample, their only contact with rural communitiesmay be through school trips and activities.

o Cluldare. For parenting teens, childcarefacilities on or nearby the school sites maydetermine whether they remain in school or pot.When young parents are involved in the care oftheir infants, their own parenting skills improvealong with the well-being of their child (Edelman,1988).

o Mentoring Students from disadvantagedbackgrounds seldom have the opportunity todevelop relationships with successful adults.Mentors from local businesses or colleges can serveas role models as well as proving tutoring, guidance,and other services.

SECTION II

PROMISING DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAMS

This section presents profiles of tenespecially promising programs for high-risk studentsthat exemplify the strategies and services describedearlier. Over the past several months, the StudentsAt Risk Program at Far West Laboratory hascontacted over 180 educational leaders and askedthem to help identify successful dropout preventionefforts in the western region (Arizona, California,Nevada, and Utah). More than 200 programs forsecondary school students were recommended.Through follow-up calls and site visits, we wentthrough a narrowing process.

The programs represented here wereselected to show variation in design and locus, andnot on the basis of frequency of nomination. Theyutilize one or more of the five strategies discussed

8

12

in section one. We also wanted to show regionalvariation, so included at least one program fromeach state.

This sample of programs forms the initialset in a growing collection of profiles of promisingprograms in the region and beyond. It provides aprototype for other information that the Students AtRisk Program will be disseminating in coming years.To that end, readers who operate or know aboutsuccessful programs are encouraged to complete theenclosed recommendation form and return it to theaddress provided.

Table 1 shows the strategies and servicesoffered by these programs.

TABLE 1Strategies and Services in Selected Dropout Prevention Programs

Involve Business, Community, & Parents

Offer Alternative Schedules and Sites

Reduce Program Size

Target Special Populations

to Offer Appropriatt Services:

Academic/Basic Skil:s Instruction

Counseling

Computer Assisted Instruction

* Tutoring

* Vocational Training/Part Time Erdployment

Peer Support Groups

* Field Trips/Extracurricular Activities

* Childcare

* Mentoring

13

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14

Comprehensive 'Training For High -Rist Youth #1

Target Pop.:

No. Served:

Strategies:

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COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING FOR HIGH -RISK YOUTH.San Rafael, CA

High-risk youth, ages 16 - 21

Minimum of 16

o Offer alternative schedules and siteso Reduce program sizeo Target special populations

o Basic skills instructiono Vocational counseling and trainingo Childcare

Special Features: o Vocational counseling by job coacheso Individual Transition Planso Stipends of 53.15/houro Indepenlent study program (remedial education)o Strong emphasis on field-site experienceo Community college classeso Transportation

Funding. Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA)

Background. The Comprehensive Training for High-RiskYouth program had a simple beginning. In 1986, staff from theMarin County Regional Occupation Program developed a summerprogram for disadvantaged youth. The" called the programComprehensive Training for High-Risk Youth and secured fundingthrough the Youth Employment and Training Program, a compoaentof the Job Training Partnership Act. Eligible students had to meet atleast two of the following high-risk criteria: insufficient credit forgraduation, truancy, on probation, a school drop-out, attendingalternative school, handicapped, teenage parent, or minority.

Description. Comprehensive Training for High-Risk Youth isa summer program that enables participants, ages 16 to 21, to earncredits for high school graduation, to obtain unsubsidizedemployment, and/or to return to school in the fall. Students attend 8hours a day for a period of seven to eight weeks.

Program participants are recruited from regular orcontinuation high schools, community court schools, alternative daytreatment facilities, learning disabled centers, drug or alcohol abuseprograms, and group homes. Each participant is assigned a job coachwho provides vocational counseling and strong personal support.Using skills assessment and vocational aptitude tests, job coaches helpparticipants select either the GED program at a local community

lo

15

CoraptelteussW Training For ffigh-itts" k Youth #1

college, the Regional Occupational Program (ROP), or anindependent study remcxliation program. Once the youths are placed,the job coach monitors their progress on a daily basis.

For those participants enrolled in ROP, at least 60% of theirtime is spent on a field site directly related to their ROP vocationaltraining course, in atitiiiion, participants working at a ROP field siteare paid a stipend of $3.15 per hour. Hours accrued from the ROPtraining, including field-site work, arc applied toward high schoolgraduation. At the end of the summer, an individual transition planfor continued education or September employment is prepared foreach participant.

Of the 16 participants in 1988, five were teenage mothers, fivewere high school dropouts, glad eight were on probation for a varietyof offenses. At the end of the summer program. 14 had earnedschool credit for work experience and 10 had received high schoolcredit through the Independent Study program. Eleven of thestudents from the Community Court School were able to return totheir regular high school.

For more information, contact:

Dedo Priest, Program ManagerComprehensive Training for High-Risk Youth

Marin County Office of EducationRegional Occupation Program

P.O. Box 4925San Rafael, CA 94901

(415) 499-5811

The Health Academy

Program: THE HEALTH ACADEMY,Oakland, CA

Target Pop.: At-risk high school students with an interest in health, medicine,or biological sciences

No. Served: 120

Strategies o Involve business and communityo Offer alternative scheduleso Reduce program sizeo Target special populations

Services:

Special Features:

Funding:

o Academic instructiono Computer instructiono Tutoringo College and career counselingo Vocational training and part-time jobso Frequent science/health field trips

Mentoring

o Schoolivithin-a-schoolo Small class sizeo Emphasis on science and health instructiono Presentations by college faculty and community expertso Strong sense of family

State, DistrictCalifornia Academic Partnership GrantPrivate sector

Background. The Health Academy is a school-within4-schoollocated at Oakland Technical High School, a large comprehensiveinner-city school with a predominantly Black student population. It ismodeled after the successful Philadelphia Academy Program and thePeninsula Academies in Redwood City, CA. A health theme waschosen because the health industry is the largest employer in Oaklandand because of the close proximity of several hospitals and healthservice agencies. Moreover, a program which prepared students forjobs and careers in the health/science field is important because, as arule, few students in Oakland qualify for some of the best local jobs.

Utilizing a six-month planning period, the Health Academywas designed with the aid of a Health Academy steering committeecomprised of between 15 and 30 hospital CEO's and directors ofpersonnel. Although originally conceived as a vocational educationprogram, the Health Academy emphasizes preparation forpostsecondary education.

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The Health Academy *2

Description. The Health Academy's goat is to exposestudents to the diverse career opportunities in the health field, tonurture their interests in those areas, and to prepare themacademically for postsecondary education and/or skilled entry-leveljobs-

Now in its third year of operation, the Health Academyenrolls 40-50 each year for each sophomore class. They then receivean intensive program of three to four core academic classes each dayin their sophomore, junior, and senior years. Besides the heavy doseof science and laboratory experiences students receive, the theme ofhealth and medicine is woven through all subjects.

As a complement to the strong academic program, the HealthAcademy provides students with career and job information throughfield trips, guest speakers, and field experiences in hospitals, clinics,and other health-related industries. The field experiences includevisits to college biology, physiology, and chemistry classes, andattendance at selected classes and clinical labs at a nearby nursingcollege. Other services provided by the Health Academy includemath tutoring by volunteer university students, shadowing experiencesat the nursing college, and part-time jobs at a local healthmaintenance organization.

Students are block-programmed through their academicclasses, which are kept small. Because they attend all their classestogether, students come to know their instructors and classmates well,and the everyday togetherness fostas a strong feeling of family.

Evidence of the Health Academy's success lies in collegeacceptance rates. In a district where very few students pursue highereducation, 75% of the graduating Health Academy seniors in 1987-88were accepted at four-year colleges.

For more information, contact;

Patricia Clark, DirectorThe Health Academy

Oakland Technical High School4351 Broadway

Oakland, CA 94611(415) 658-5300

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Washoe If* School #3

Program; WASHOE HIGH SCHOOL,Reno, NV

Target Pop.: At-risk high school students

No. Served: 700

Strategies: o Involve business and communityo Offer alternative schedules and siteso Reduce program sizeo Target special populations

Services:

Special Features:

o Individualized academic instructiono Individual and group counselingo Friday sports program

o Located at 18 siteso Three-hour class periods in morning, afternoon, or eveningo Teachers who are 'roving experts'o Friday staff development/prep time

Funding Job Opportunities in Nevada ActDistrict

Background. Washoe High School was established in 1974when the Western Nevada Community College (WNCC) system wasreorganized. Postsecondary and high school functions were separatedand the GED program became part of a new program called WashoeHigh School.

Operating as a traditional adult night school, Washoe Highbegan by serving approximately 400 adults and 100 high schoolstudents who, because of behavior problems, jobs, or other specialcircumstances, were unable to attend regular high school. In 1975.the principal decided to expand services for out-of-school youth byopening an innovative alternative learning center at the local YWCA.This center operated during the day as an alternative school for highschool students not succeeding in the regular high school system. Sosuccessful was the center, that similar centers were soon opened atother off-campus locations.

Between the years of 1976 to 1985, Washoe High added manymore centers; by 1985, the school was able to serve a population of400 high school-aged students. In the last four years, enrollment hasalmost doubled; the school row has a population of 700 high schoolstudents, and it is still growinl

Description. Washoe High School is a district alternative highschool which operates at 18 satellite locations, all of them off-campus.

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Washoe High School #3

Designed to meet the special needs of high risk youth, the schooloffers individualized academic instruction, as well as individual andsmall-group counseling.

Enrollment at Washoe High is voluntary, although attendance byparticular students may be required by the Probation Office. Studentsin the program attend classes on a regular basis three hours a day,Monday through Thursday. Classes are scheduled in three timeblocks: 9-12 in the mor:ling, 12-3 in the afternoon, and 6-9 in theevening. Students stay with one teacher during the entire three-hourperiod.

All instruction at Washoe High is individualized, self-paced, andcompetency-based. Maximum class size is 20; however, some classeshave enrolled up to 28. Because the students in any one class may bestudying a variety of subjects, the teacher is assisted with instructiononce a week by `roving experts.' The roving experts are subject areaspecialists, in math and science for example, who visit each site once aweek to share their expertise with the teacher and the students.

In addition to academic instruction, Washoe High offers a strongcounseling program. Utilizing the services of Alt counselors, WashoeHigh provides weekly one-hour group counseling sessions, along withindividual counseling, at each school site. The six counselors meetweekly as a group.

All Washoe High School sites are leased from the city,county, churches, or businesses. Site locations vary greatly in order tomeet the needs of a diverse population of students. For example,sites are located at the local Indian reservation, at the State MentalHospital, the Juvenile Detention Center, the YWCA (for pregnantteens only), at a drug rehabilitation center, and at the local Boys'Club. In all, the 18 Washoe High School sites offer a total of 33three-hour classes.

One unique feature of Washoe High School is the sports programoffered to all students on Fridays. While teachers use the Fridays forstaff development and preparation time, students are given theopportunity to participate in such sports as racquetball, horsebackriding, and downhill and cross-country skiing. Although some of theports require a fee, all Washoe High students are offered reduced'tes to participate.

For more information, contact:

Jan Shoemaker, PrincipalWashoe High School

2880 Sutro St., Bldg. 6Reno, NV 89512

(702) 786-7797

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Teenage Pregnancy and Parentkag Project #4

Program: TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND PARENTING PROJECT (TAPP),San Francisco, CA

Target Pop.: Pregnant and parenting teenagers, ages 13-20

No. Served: 415

Strategies: o Involve business and the communityo Offer alternative schedules and siteso Reduce program sizeo Target special population

Sc o Academic skills instructiono Continuous counseling (individual, partner, group, vocational)o Childcareo Peer support groups

Special Features: o Case management/client advocacy approacho Health, education, and career assessmento Multi-agency services networko Co-location of serviceso Parenting/child development classeso Fatherhood componento School-based health clinico Transportation

Funding: Federal, State, DistrictPrivate Grants (Ford, San Francisco, and Koret Foundations)

Background. Prior to 1967, pregnant students in SanFrancisco could either drop out of school or apply for home teachingservices. In that year, Special Service Centers at several hospitals andcommunity centers were set up to provide pregnant teenagers with achance to receive medical care and other services while theycontinued their schooling.

Through the 1970s, the Centers expanded their services, andseveral school site support programs were begun. In 1979, however,the Centers and site support programs suffered severe cuts in federaland dbtrict funding. In response, over 30 public and private agenciesjoined to form a public/private partnership which would utilize alreadyavailable community resources to maximum efficiency. In 1981, theyset up the Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project (TAPP), whichwas to be coordinated by the San Francisco Unified School District(SFUSD) and three other agencies.

Description. TAPP is a nationally recognized program forpregnant and parenting teens. Whereas most programs tend to servea small population at one site, TAPP ties into a network of

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Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project #4

community agencies and, using a case management approadi, is ableto provide comprehensive services to a greater number of pregnantand parenting teens for a longer period of time. Coordinated by theSFUSD, the Family Service Agency, the Department of SocialServices, and the Department of Public Health, TAPP utilizes anetwork of over 30 agencies, all working to achieve three majorprogram goals: 1) to improve the health of infants, 2) to increaseschool continuation among expectant and parenting teens, and 3) toreduce the number of second pregnancies among parenting teens. Tothis end, young women are provided with a range of health,education, career, and social services.

TAPP provides continuous counseling in a case managementapproach. Each teenager is considered a 'case', or client. for whomhealth, education, and other social services are secured according toher individual needs. A 'continuous counselor' maintains an ongoingrelationship with the teenager, family, and partner through home andoffice visits. The counselor helps students identify the services theyneed and acts as a liaison with the public health system, hospital,school, or maternity come. Counseling continues past delivery untilthe client is considered self-sufficient or becomes an adult.

TAPP counselors work individually both as acounselor/therapist and a 'service broker' with the pregnant/parentinggirls, their families, and, when possible, the fathers of the babies, Ascounselor/therapists, they provtde short-term therapy or short-termtherapeutic interventions; when long-term therapy is required, the girland/or her family are referred for mental health services. As servicebrokers, they assess the student's health, education, career, and socialservice needs; help the student secure required services; monitorservice delivery; and evaluate the outcome of each case.

Another important feature of TAPP is the co-location ofservices. At the primary TAPP site, for example, are a school forpregnant teens, a Special Service Center (which provides academicinstruction to pregnant minors), a district alternative high school, theFamily Developmental Center (which provides child care to infants), anutritionist provided by San Francisco General Hospital, as well asDepartment of Public Health, Department of Social Services andschool district staff.

TAPP services are also co-located at six liaison sites wherethere are large numbers of pregnant and parenting teens. These sitesinclude a large comprehensive high school, an alternative high school,a correctional facility school, a hospital, and two teen obstetric clinics.A TAPP counselor participates in the site program, working at eachsite for a specific number of hours per week. Each site offersdifferent services. The regular high school provides the mostcomprehensive program: childcare, parenting/child developmentclasses, a teen parent support group, a school counselor for teenparents. a TAPP counselor, and a school-based health clinic.

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Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting ?nal(xt #4

TAPP also has a strong fatherhood component and attemptsto establish paternity for the child, renardless of the parents'relationship. A community worker provides continuous counselingand links young fathers with support group/parenting classes,employability services, and recreational activities for father* andbabies.

TAPP has greatly reduced the dropout and repeat birth ratesfor teen mothers in the school district. Prior to TAPP, 90% ofpregnant and parenting teens in San Francisco left school (thenational dropout rate for teen mothers is 70%). Now, the overallschool dropout rate for teen mothers enrolled in TAPP is 35%.TAPP also has one of the most impressive low repeat birth rates inthe country: 2% one ye3r after the birth, and 10% two years afterbirth. The repeat birth rates for other national programs range from20% the first year to 47% the second year.

For mcne information, contact

Amy Loomis, Project DirectorTeenage Pregnancy and Parenting Project

San Francisco Unified School District1325 Florida St.

San Francisco, CA 94110(415) 648-8810

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lifoaniaialland 'Haiti and Vocational Education Prop=

Program: MOUNTAINLAND TUTORIAL AND VOCATIONALEDUCATION PROGRAM, Orem, UT

'Target Pop.: At-risk vocational students

No. Served: 685

Strategies: o Involve business, community, and parentso Offer alternative schedules and siteso Reduce program size

Serves o Basic skills trainingo Vocational training and pre-employment helpo Counselingo Tutoring

Special Features: o Offered at 14 high school sites during regular school hourso Individualized instructiono Small class sizeo Focus on basic skills necessary for employment

FundinF Carl Perkins Vocational Education ActJob Training Partnership Act (JTPA)

Background. The Mountain land Tutorial Program grew outof a joint proposal developed by the Utah Valley Community Collegeand the Utah State Office of Education. First set up in 1974, theprogram was designed to provide extra tutorial help for high schoolstudents to prepare them for vocational classes and/or jobs.

Description. Coordinated by the Utah Valley CommunityCollege. the Mountain land Tutorial Program offers basic skillsinstruction and pre-employment help at 14 high school sites in sevenschool districts. Students are referred to the program by teachers orparents, or they voluntarily request enrollment. Before entering theprogram, all students are screened by a high school counselor todetermine whether students are economically or educationallydisadvantaged. Upon enrollment, student? academic skill levels aremussed by the school tutor.

While continuing to attend regular nigh school classes, thestudents in the program work with the tutor one to two periods a dayon an individual basis. Tutoring focuses on the basic skills In math,reading, and English required for entry-level jobs or vocationalclasses. The tutor works with a maximum of eight students perperiod, providing instruction in whatever subject is needed. Inaddition, the tutor frequently teaches vocational lessons, stressingvocational application of basic skills and helping students clarifyvocational goals. One tutor, usually a certified teacher, serves each

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Mountainiand Tutorial and Voaitio=a1 Education Program #5

high school site. In the majority of speriods a day.

chools, ;mom are available six

The Mountain land Tutorial Program director and assistantdirector give workshops for students on such topics as improvingcommunication skills, developing self-esteem, completing employmentforms, and interviewing more effectively.

An additional component of the Tutorial Program allowsstudents to receive short-term tutoring help without actually enrollingin the program. For example, a student may attend a tutoring classfor a few days to receive help in passing the shop safety exam.

For more information, contact

Judy Conder, DirectorMountain land Tutorial and

Vocational Education ProgramUtah Valley Community College

1200 South 800 WestOrem, UT 84058

(801) 226-5000

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Classroom Interreation Program "

Program:

Target Pop.:

No. Served:

CLASSROOM INTERVENTION PROGRAM.Ogden, UT

At-risk high school students (mild to moderately disturbed;students returning to school from various treatment centers)

IP3-100

Strategies: o Involve business, community, and parentso Target special population

Services: a Basic/academic skills instructiono Peer support groupso Peer tutoring

Counseling

Unique features: o Emphasis on positive peer pressureo Support group grade based on behavior in all classeso Lunchtime support groupo Community volunteer work group

Funding Federal (Spat Education)

Background. The Classroom Intervention Program is locatedat Ben Lomond High School Lt Ogden, UT. Although OVen has apopulation of less than 70,000, the enrollment of Ben Lomond Highin many ways resembles that of an inner-city school: A variety ofethnic groups are represented, and students have a wide range ofacademic and emotional problems.

In 1980, two resource teachers hypothesized that many of theacademic problems students experienced had an emotional origin.The teachers and students began discussing these problems within theresource class on a regular, albeit "behind the scenes,' basis. Finally,after three years, the teachers formally inaugurated a classroomsupport group program which they called the Classroom InterventionProgram.

Description. The Classroom Intervention Program servesstudents who have learning disabilities. are behaviorally handicapped,victims cf various abuses, and/or substance abusers. The programconsists of eight behavioral support groups among peers which meetdaily for one class period each.

The purpose of each support group is to establish an arena inwhich positive peer pressure can be used to evaluate and affectpositive behavioral change. The goal is for the students to besuccessful not only in the group but in all their mainstream classes.

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Citssroon: Intervention Program *6

Group discussions start out being general, focusing on suchtopics as school rules and class schedules. This allows all students tocontribute something to the conversation and to get to know theother members of the group. As cohesion within the group becomesstronger, students talk about issues like confidentiality, confrontation,and trust. Finally, students begin to share their personal problems.Although a function of the group is to be a source of support, at notime does the group prescabe treatment serious problems are alwaysreferred for professional help. Students do learn, however, throughthe group leader's guidance, how to listen to each other's problemsand to help each other without escalating a problem, 'buying into' theproblem, or accepting `copping out' behavior or stonewalling tactics.Moss importantly, students also learn to give each other the feelingthat someone cares and is willing to listen.

Students receive social studies credit for each quarter ofsupport group membership. Students also receive a grade for thesupport group that is a composite of attendance, participation, andappropriate behavior in the group and in all their other classes. Thegrade is based upon input from classroom teachers using a speciallydesigned progress report. This input is then evaluated by the student,his own support group, and the resource teacher.

The support groups have been *co popular that they havebeen unable to accommodate all the students who want to participate.As a consequence, two other similar programs have been started toserve those students who don't qualify for the classroom program.The Lunch Bunch is a support group which meets at lunchtime. TheConstruction Crew is a school group which involves itself in variousschool and community volunteer projects, such as makingpresentations on drug abuse, raising funds for the handicapped. andcollecting toys for Head Start's Christmas drive. The ConstructionCrew also meets weekly during the summer and includes studentsfrom other schools.

Connected with the support groups is a well-developed peertutoring program. The tutors, some of whom are support groupmembers themselves, help the support group members with their classassignments.

For more information, contact

Sherry Schneider, DirectorSupport Group Program

Ben Lomond High School800 Scots Lane

Ogden, UT 84401(801) 625-8885

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Tucson Dropout Prevention Coliabotadve #7

Program: TUCSON DROPOUT PREVENTION COLLABORATIVETucson, AZ

Target Pop.: At-risk students, elementary through high school

No. Served 42 schools

Strategies: o Involve business, community, and parentso Target special populations

Services: o Basiciacademic skills instructiono Counselingo Tutoringo Vocational trainingo Peer support groups

Special Features: o Collaborative of 50 volunteer community memberso Provide funding for pilot dropout prevention programs at 42

district schoolso Community members develop incentive programso Parent Leadership Progam: "Commadre Network"o Focus on Native American studentso Staff development training

Funding: State, DistrictFord Foundation Grant

Background. In the Tucson Unified School District, 2,000students per year drop out of school, which represents an overallannual dropout rate of 8.8%. Over a 4-year high school period, thatrate compounds to 25-30%. In 1985, the district established theposition of Dropout Prevention Coordinator to initiate a district-widedropout prevention program. With a planning grant from the district,the coordinator invited interested community members to acommunity conference on dropout prevention. From this meeting,approximately 35 concerned citizens joined to form the TucsonDropout Prevention Collaborative.

Description. The Tucson Dropout Prevention Collaborativefunctions as an advisory board to the district's dropout preventioncoordinator. Currently, the approximately 50 volunteer members onthe collaborative are divided into 9 sub-committees, each of which ischarged with a particular task ... .esponsibility. Three subcommitteesreview proposals and monitor activities of elementary, middle, andhigh school pilot dropout prevention programs; another works withbusinesses and the community to promote public awareness anddevelop incentive programs at schools; another subcommitteeaddresses the problem of the high dropout rate among NativeAmerican students.

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'noon Dropout don

The Collaborative meets once a month for approximately twohours, during which one of the nine subcommittee tasks iS addressed.A major function of the Collaborative is to fund pilot dropoutprevention programs in the dist,,.:ct. Following Collaborativeguidelines, schools submit proposals for funding on a yearly basis.The awards, which range from 52,000 to $40,000, are used for avariety of activities. From an initial 4 pilots in 1986-87, schoolsreceiving funds have grown to 42 in 1989-90. During the school year,the Collaborative coordinates more than 100 volunteers who monitorthe dropout prevention pilot programs. With a data gatheringinstrument developed by the Collaborative, community, business anddistrict staff volunteers Unite at least two site visits to each school site.

Each Collaborative member also devotes a minimum of threehours during the year to speaking to their favorite community groups(e.g., Kiwanis, Optimists) about the district dropout preventionprogram In addition, they make presentations at schools on varioustopics (e.g., career alternatives, drug abuse prevention), and sometake on mentoring roles with students. Through the initiative of thebusiness/community subcommittee, a local television station ran aweek-long series on dropouts in Tucson as part of the evening newsProgram-

Business and community involvement in the Collaborative hasincreased dramatically in the past two years, so that they make upabout half the present membership. Most active are Pepsi Cola, USWest, and IBM. Matrix, a local substance abuse prevention program,Final Community College, and the City of Tucson also participate.

The Native American Campaign subcommittee providestraining, support groups and community links at the two localreservations. District staff and volunteers provide Native Americanparents information and/or training on substance abuse, theimportance of schooling and regular attendance, home tutoring, andcareer preparation. This effort accounts, in part, for the fact that thenumber of Native American high school graduates in the district morethan doubled in the last two years.

Also pan of the Collaborative is an innovative parent leadershipprogram called the Commadre Network. Developed with the FordFoundation grant, this group of more than 50 parents work toconvince other parents of the importance of school. They makepresentations to other parents, help retrieve dropout students (in1987, 250 dropouts were retrieved), and act as mediators betweenstudents with problems and their families. Each parent leaderreceives a stipend of $100. For the 1989-90 school year, theCommadre Network is expected to grow to over 100 parents.

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Moon Dropout Prevention Cbilaboratite

For more information, contact

Ralph Chavez CoordinatorTucson Dropout Prevention Collaborative

TUSD Starr Center102 N. Plumer

Tucson, AZ 85719(602) 798-2047

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Project S AF8

PROJECT SUL.CESS.Pueblo High School, Tucson, AZ

Target Pop.: Students at risk of not successfully completing their high schooleducation

No. Served: 200+

Strategies: o Offer alternative schedules and siteso Reduce program sizeo Target special populations

Services

Unique Features:

o Individualized academic instructiono Individual and group counselingo Tutoringo Computer - assisted instructiono Mentoringo Peer support groups

o Multi-dimensional approach in addressing needs of at-risk studentso In-school suspension programo WICAT computer labo Peer mediationo Peer mediation program

Funding District

Background. Pueblo High School is one of nine high schoolsin Tucson Unified School District. It has a student enrollment of1,894 students, of which approximately 80% are Hispanic. Of thetotal enrollment, an estimated 25% of the students are at risk.

In 1985, T.U.S.D. Initiated a district-wide dropout preventionprogram. As part of this initiative, the district identified four highschools with the highest dropout rates and awarded each 535,000 todevelop their own school-based pilot dropout prevention program.Pueblo was one of these schools.

During the summer of that year, Pueblo's principal conveneda dropout prevention committee composed of teachers, counselors,and other staff whom he selected. This committee took amultidimensional approach to meeting the needs of Pueblo's at-riskstudents. They developed a program, Project Success, which consistsof a Mentor Program, an Alternative Instruction Program, and aTransition Program. While each was designed separately, they allshare the common goal of helping at-risk students experience successand feel a part of the learning process.

Description. The three main components of Project Success

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Project SUCCeSS #8

are the Mentor Program, the Alternative Instruction Program (in-house suspension), and the Transition Program.

The Mentor Program takes a preventive approach. Itcurrently serves 150 at-risk students, approximately 75 of whom arefreshmen. Each student is paired with a volunteer mentor -,a teacher.school staff member, or a community memberwho meets with thestudent once a week. The mentor acts as a role model, a concernedfriend, an information resourcewhatever role might help prevent thestudent from failing or dropping out of schooL In addition to theweekly meetings, the mentors have an open door policy so thatstudents are able to approach their mentor about anything at anytime.

The Alternative Instruction Program (AIP) uses anintervention process. Students who are eligible for suspension aregiven a one-time option of participation. All AIP placements are for5 or 10 days, hours from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The students(maximum number 15) stay in one room and work with the Al?coordinator who provides individual counseling in decision making.self-assessment, goal setting, study skills, and career interests. Thestudents also work on their classroom assignments and areresponsible for deciding which assignments to work on and when. Atthe end of the student's AI? assignment, the Al? coordinatorevaluates the student's work and, with the student, formulates afollow-up plan, which includes weekly progress reports from thestudent's teachers.

The one-semester Transition Program is a retrieval program.It serves a maximum of 21 students all of whom have dropped out ofschool or been on long-term suspension. The students stay in oneclassroom from 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.; their schedule is deliberatelydifferent from the regular schedule so as to eliminate or minimizecontacts with other students which might lead to trouble. Studentsreceive instruction in English, math, social studies and Life Skills.Except for Life Skills, the work in all the subjects is highlyindividualized. Students also receive counseling, some from outsideagencies.

Project Success is now in its fourth year of operation. Since1985, Project Success has expanded to include several new programs,including a new W.I.CAT. computer lab for at-risk students with lowscores in math or English; a peer mediation program in which at-riskstudents nominate other at-risk students to act as peer mediators; andan Affective Skills class for at-risk freshmen students. In the fouryears since Project Success was implemented, the school's dropoutrate has fallen from 14.5% before Project Success to 8.5%.

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For more information, comact

Jeanne Miller, Attendance OfficerPueblo High School3500 S. I2th AvenueTucson, AZ 85713

(602) 628-2300, ext. 3549

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Newcomer High School #9

NEWCOMER HIGH SCHOOL,San Francisco, CA

Target Pop.: Immigrant students, ages 14-17, with limited English proficiencyand less than 8 years of schooling

No. Served: 550

Strategkac o Reduce program sizeo Target special populations

Services: o Academic 'basic Mulls (ESL) instructiono Individual counselingo Tutoring

Unique Features:

Funding:

o Bilingual instructiono Orientation to American cultureo Physical health assessmento One-year transitional programo Multicultural, multilingual faculty

Federal, State, DistrictSan Francisco Education Fund

Background. Newcomer High School was created in 1979 bythe San Francisco Unified School District. It was established inresponse to increased influx of immigrants and refugees fromSoutheast Asia and Latin America into the school system. In th,same year, the district consolidated ninth grade into the high schools,resulting in extreme overcrowding at some sites. Although everymajor high school in San Francisco offers bilingual and ESLinstruction, it quickly became apparent that the needs of theincreasing numbers of immigrant students were not being met. Thus,Newcomer High School was established to serve the target populationof immigrant students, ages 14-17, who did not have adequate fluencyin English.

For the first two years, the school served any limited-English-proficient (LEP) students, regardless of their educational background,which ranged from a few years of elementary school to 12th grade

sliding in equivalency credits. Because of limited resources andfacilities, however, the school's purpose had to be redefined and itscurriculum focus narrowed. Newcomer High is now a one-yeartransitional program principally serving foreign-born students who arelimited Englith proficient and who have had 8 years or less of formaleducation. There are no graduating seniors enrolled, and themajority of students are 9th and 10th g..iders.

Description. The singular objective of Newcomer High is to

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Newompar High School #9

help foreign-born students, mostly refugees, attain English languageproficiency and learn about American culture. To meet this objective,the students are provided a full day's academic program (7 periodsincluding lunch) which includes three ESL classes, two bilingualsupport courses, and one ' sheltered' English class. All classes meetthe district's graduation requirements.

The ESL program provides daily instruction in three differenttypes of ESL classes: ESL language development, emphasizing suchlanguage skills as aural comprehension, pronunciation, vocabulary,and grammar; ESL language lab, which expands upon and reinforcesthe skills taught in the development classes; and ESL reading whichemphasizes skills in reading readiness, oral reading, andcomprehension.

The bilingual support classes arc in mathematics and socialstudies (e.g., World Civilizations). Where feasible, bilingual support isprovided in the following languages: Chinese (Cantonese andMandarin), Spanish, Vietnamese, Filipino, Cambodian, and Tlia Man.The "sheltered" English classes are P.E., art, biology, life science,physical science, and typing. The bilingual and sheltered Englishclasses help students maintain continued acquisition of basic academicskills and concepts in required subject areas. All students also have adaily 11-minute homeroom conducted in their native language.

In addition to providing academic instruction, classesintroduce students to American culture. In advanced ESL readingclasses, for example, students read abridged versions of Americanliterature classics to learn more about American culture. In otherclasses as well, teachers take every opportunity they can to exposestudents to aspects of American life.

Complementing the instructional program is the school'scounseling program. Newcomer's counseling staff (one full-time andtwo part-time counselors) addresses the students' medical andpsychological problems, as well as their general health educationneeds. Many Newcomer students require medical treatment for avariety of ailments brought with them from their native country.Compounding these basic problems are students' psycho-socialproblems that accompany their resettlement in the United States.Most cases are resolved on site by the counselors working closely withthe student and family members, but sometimes the expertise ofoutside agencies and individuals is utilized.

Despite the psychological and educational obstacles thatNewcomer students face, about 98% of them complete the 1 -yearprogram. Newcomer's principal, Paul Cheng, attributes this success inlarge part to the °very sensitive and caring and competent" staff Theschool currently has 27 FrE teachers, and 4 pan -time teachers. (2 ofwhom are part-time counselors). Approximately 75% of the teachershave been at Newcomer for 5 years or more. The majority are

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Newcomer HO School 49

bilingual and very knowledgeable about the students' culturalbackgrounds, A popular ESL teacher, for example, worked in thePeace Corps in Thailand and later in Vial refugee camps. He hasbeen at Newcomer for 6 years and regularly worts with Thai studentswho have graduated from Newcomer and are enrolled in a regularhigh school.

Although the majority of Newcomer students are Chinese(55.9%) and Hispanic (27.5%), the student population as a wholeresembles a mini-United Nide= Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian,Thai, Pakistani, Burmese, Arabic, Hindu, Filipino, Korean, Afghan.Polish, and Egyptian are just some of the other different ethnicgroups represented.

The maximum number of students allowed in the school is550. The staff of the school believe it is very important thatNewcomer be kept small In size. Although individual classes may bequite large, the size of the program allows the teachers andcouturiers to interact with each other and the students in a collegialmanner usually impossible in a large comprehensive high school.Problems can be identified more easily and can be addressed in atimely way.

For more information, contact:

Paul Cheng, PrincipalNewcomer High School3630 Divisadero Street

San Francisco, CA 94123(415) 922-1190

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ACE #10

ACE,Tucson Manpower, Inc., Tucson, AZ

Target Pop.: High school students who have already dropped out of school

No. Served: 40

Strategic= o Involve business and communityo Offer alternative schedules and siteso Reduce program sizea Target special populations

Services: a Academic/Basic skills instructiono Computer-assisted instructiono Personal and vocational counselingo Vocational training and part-time jobs

Special Features: o Alternative school site (business office)o Computer -based instructional programo Four-hour class periodso Daily counselor contacto Part-time employment in local businesses

Funding Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA)Federal (Vocational Education), District

Background. Established in 1968, Tucson ManpowerDevelopment, Inc. is a community-based organization which provideswork experience, training, and educational opportunities toeconomically disadvantaged youth ages 14 through 21.

In 1987, Tucson Manpower, together with Marana andFlowing Wells School Districts and Compu-Sat of Arizona, a privatecompany, developed a pilot computer-based instructional program forhigh school dropouts. The pilot program, called the YoungProfessionals' Program, operated at the Compu-Sat offices and served20 students. So successful was the pilot, that in order to serve morestudents, a new program called ACE (Alternative ComputerEducation) was started at the Tucson Manpower offices and anotherprogram was started at a high school in the Marana School District.

Description. ACE is an intensive computer-basedinstructional program ilesiyied to help out-of-school youth get a highschool diploma or OED. Students receive training in English, mathand other subjects necessary for high school graduation. In addition,all students are offered an optional paid work experience. Thoseplaced in part-time jobs attend school in the morning and report totheir worksite in the afternoon.

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ACE #10

Students in the ACE program receive instruction at the'Ion Manpower Offices which are located near a freeway for easyaccess. Because they arc in a business park, the ACE directorstresses to students that their behavior must accord with such anenvironment (i.e., punctuality and regular attendance areemphasized).

Approximately 20 students attend the 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.session, and another 20 students attend the 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. afternoonsession. Each student is assigned a computer terminal, and allstudent work is self-paced and self-directed. Although most work isdone on -line, students are also given assignments that do no require acomputer.

The computer instructional materials are available throughthe NovaNet computer system, which broadcasts learning coursewarefrom the University of Illinois nationwide via satellite. AlthoughNovaNet has lessons in over 150 subjects, ACE focuses its instructionin English, math, science, and social studies (e.g., American History,American Government, Economics). All lessons are individuallytailored to meet the students needs and high school requirements.

In addition to the academic instruction, each student isassigned a paraprofessional counselor who maintains contact with thestudent every day. The counseling offices are adjacent to thestudents' work area and students are free to visit their counselor atany time.

Of the 42 students who participated in ACE In 1987, all but 4 hadpositive termination: 25 received their high school diploma, 10returned to school, and 3 earned their GED.

For more information, contact

Mary Melton, DirectorTucson Manpower, Inc.

55 W. Adams St., Suite 204Tucson, AZ 85705

(602) 623-5843

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STUDENTS AT RISK PROGRAM

FAR WEST LABORATORY FOREDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

EFFECTIVE DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION FORM

Name of ProgrmeSchad:

Address:

Contact Person;

Phone:

br-

1=1....

Number of Students Served:

Student Selection Criteria: all that apply)

__Truancy Low Achievement

-PegaiwcY _Discipline Problem

Why did you recommend this pepsin

__Substance AbuseOther (specify)

Return to: Dr. Larry F. GuthrieSnarleats At Risk ProgramFar West Laboratory far Educational Research and Development105 Folsom StreetStu Francisco, CA 94103

3439

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A t* *

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