It's Simple as ABC: Keeping Students on Track for Success

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Clarence Hensley
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1 It's Simple as ABC: Keeping Students on Track for Success

2 Our agenda Panel discussion (10:15 11:00) Audience Q&A (11:00 11:20) Table exercise Actions to Move the Field Forward (11:20 11:45)

3 Our panelists Moderator: Lyndsay Pinkus, Director, National and Federal Policy Initiatives, Data Quality Campaign (moderator) Panelists Hedy Chang, Director, Attendance Works Doug Elmer, Director, Diplomas Now Joanna H. Fox, Deputy Director, Capacity Building, Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University Dr. Martha Abele Mac Iver, Research Scientist, Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University Maria Santos, Deputy Superintendent for Instruction, Leadership and Equity in Action, Oakland Unified School District Julie Turner, Dothan City Schools, Al

4 Julie Turner Dothan City Schools

5 Putting the Pieces Together Building a Realistic Dropout Prevention Program Based on Community and School Partnerships

6 Dothan City Schools 2009 Dothan City Schools has two high schools. Dothan High School and Northview High School had a combined enrollment of 2,636 students Dothan City Schools had 115 dropouts and a dropout rate of 16.79%.

7 Community Support Billboards, Public Service Announcements, Mentoring programs for students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other community organizations, organizes community and faith-based groups to help schools, donations to help Dothan City Schools fund school improvement efforts, donations for all DCS teachers when classroom funding for supplies was cut

8 Alabama Graduate Tracking System Report that pulls from the student data base pulls based on three indicators of failure (attendance, discipline infractions, and a grade below seventy) AGTS is printed out the last working day of the month each month Guidance Counselors meet with students during protected time once per week until student shows improvement in all areas Graduation Coaches begin meeting with a student if he/she does not show improvement after two weeks of meeting with the counselor Parental Involvement Specialists team with the graduation coaches to re-engage parents in their student s education

9 Dothan City Schools Drop Out Prevention Summary Made changes in instructional methods to better engage students and provide a relevant curriculum SLOWLY changing the culture of Dothan, AL that makes dropping out NOT okay Change in the culture of schools to accept help from the community (REALIZING WE ALL HAVE OUR CHILDREN IN COMMON)

10 Dothan City Schools Drop Out Prevention Summary Early intervention through AGTS report (Pre-K through 12 th grade) Student must complete three essays before he/she is granted potential drop out meeting with counselor Counselor schedules practice GED exam for student and tries to solve any issue student has to cause him/her to drop out Student takes practice GED Student has second meeting with counselor to discuss results of GED and schedule a meeting with a school administrator Administrator meets with student to discuss alternatives to dropping out (Example Accelerated Recovery Center) Student schedules time to meet with graduation team

11 Dothan City Schools 2011 Dothan City Schools has two high schools. Dothan High School and Northview High School had a combined enrollment of 2,492 students Dothan City Schools had 3 dropouts and a dropout rate was.49%.

12 Doug Elmer Director, Diplomas Now

EARLY WARNING INDICATOR (EWI) SYSTEM AND TIERED INTERVENTIONS A team of adults tightly integrated into the design of the school and working closely with teachers and administrators to provide whole

13 EARLY WARNING INDICATOR (EWI) SYSTEM AND TIERED INTERVENTIONS A team of adults tightly integrated into the design of the school and working closely with teachers and administrators to provide whole school, targeted, and intensive supports at the appropriate intensity and scale An accessible, user-friendly data system that supplies timely, relevant student data and can track interventions and their outcomes

14 Mission, Vision, and Goals Trend Analysis Core Education Plan (Tier I) Design and Implement Tier II /III Supports EWI Data Coordinating EWI and School Level Data and Action Cycles

15 Key Takeaways from Diplomas Now s work with the ABCs Two key polarities to manage--trend analysis is the key to managing these polarities Asset based mission building (Tier I) vs. providing extra supports/interventions (Tier II and III) Whole School Reform v. Individual Intervention Integration of teams is critical (teachers, admin, student support staff, external partners) Providing context to data Leveraging all resources Integrating approaches

16 Key Takeaways from Diplomas Now s work with the ABC s Life is not sequential--interventions work in parallel and need to be coordinated Sometimes an F is just an F

17 Hedy Chang Attendance Works

18 Addressing Chronic Absence: Why It Matters, What Can You Do

19 Defining Key Terms Average Daily Attendance: The percentage of enrolled students who attend school each day. Satisfactory Attendance: Missing 5% or less in an academic year. Chronic Absence: Missing 10% or more of school in an academic year for any reason excused or unexcused. Severe Chronic Absence: Missing 20% or more days of school per year approximately two months of school. Truancy: Typically refers only to unexcused absences and is defined by each state. 19

20 Moving into Action Requires Knowing If Chronic Absence is a Problem Most Schools Only Track Average Daily Attendance and Truancy. Both Can Mask Chronic Absence. Variation in Chronic Absence for Schools with 95% ADA in Oakland, CA 20.0% 18.0% 17.3% 16.0% 14.0% 12.0% 10.0% 9.3% 12.4% 12.5% 14.2% 8.0% 6.0% 5.8% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% 98% ADA = little chronic absence, 95%ADA = don t know; 93% ADA = significant chronic absence 20

23% of K-12 students in Oregon were chronically absent in 2009-10 Percentage of Oregon

21 23% of K-12 students in Oregon were chronically absent in Percentage of Oregon students who are chronically absent, by grade Source: ECONorthwest analysis of ODE data,

22 There is a clear and consistent relationship between early attendance and later achievement % days missed in K 5-10% days missed in K 10-20% days missed in K > 20% days missed in K % days missed in 5th 5-10% days missed in 5th 10-20% days missed in 5th > 20% days missed in 5th Grade Average reading RIT scores for two cohorts of Oregon students, by absence rates in kindergarten and 5 th grade Source: ECONorthwest analysis of ODE data,

23 % Of Active Students Chronic Absence Affects 1 of 9 OUSD Students % Chronically Absent Students School Year 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% K Grade Level Note: Since state funding is based upon attendance, this is not just a matter of achievement but of resources. 23

24 % Of Active Students African American and Latino Students Most Affected 30% 25% % Chronically Absent Students By Ethnicity School Year African American 20% Asian 15% 10% Latino 5% 0% K Grade Level White 24

25 Half of Oakland s Chronically Absent Students Are in Elementary School Chronic Absence By Level (Total # Chronic Absence in 2011: 4,639 Students) Elementary Middle School High School 31% 50% 19% 25

26 Elementary Absenteeism Concentrated in West Oakland 26

27 Patterns Change Substantially By High School 27

28 Schools + Communities CAN Make a Difference Characteristics of Successful Attendance Initiatives Partner with community agencies to help parents carry out their responsibility to get children to school. Make attendance a priority, set targets and monitor progress over time. Examine factors contributing to chronic absence, especially from parent and student perspectives. Clearly communicate expectations to parents. Begin early, ideally in Pre-K. Combine universal strategies that create an engaged learning environment & build a culture of attendance with targeted interventions. Offer positive supports before punitive action. 28

29 Strategies for 3 Tiered Approach Recovery Programs Intervention Programs Universal/Preventive Programs Case management and wrap-around services Referral as last resort for court -based intervention Recovery Programs Early outreach, support, mentoring for student with poor attendance. Identify and remove barriers Attendance contracts Safe & supportive school environment Engaging classroom environments Parent education about why attendance matters and how to help each other get students to school. On-going attention to attendance data Recognition for good and improved attendance Collaboration with afterschool & early childhood School-based health supports 29

30 Variation Helps Identify Good Practice and Need for Intervention Chronic Absence Levels Among Oakland Public Schools in

31 Audience Q&A

32 Table discussion What actions can be taken by local practitioners, by local, state, or federal policymakers, by research, technical assistance providers, or by the public and the advocacy community? Nominate a spokesperson 10 minutes to discuss Each table: 1 minute to report out to group

33 It's Simple as ABC: Keeping Students on Track for Success

Early Warning Systems Foundational Research and Lessons from the Field

Early Warning Systems Foundational Research and Lessons from the Field Robert Balfanz and Joanna Fox Everyone Graduates Center, Johns Hopkins Univ. National Governors Association Philadelphia October 2011