Boston Public Schools Credit Skills Recovery Program (CSRP) Key Research Findings

Transcription

1 Boston Public Schools Credit Skills Recovery Program (CSRP) Key Research Findings January 2012

2 BPS CSRP Program Contents Contents I. Summary of Findings... 2 II. Research Overview... 4 III. Program Overview... 5 CSRP Coordinators, Lab Instructors, and Case Managers... 6 IV. CSRP Program Findings... 8 Apex Learning... 8 CSRP Program Enrollment and Usage... 9 CSRP Course Completers Program Impacts V. Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates VI. Recommendations and Next Steps Appendix A Case Vignette Appendix B Case Vignette Appendix C Case Vignette i

3 BPS CSRP Program Summary of Findings I. Summary of Findings The Boston Public Schools (BPS) Credit Skills Recovery Program (CSRP) is an online course recovery program targeting old and close students, age 18 or older, to support the goal of graduation for all. More specifically, CSRP serves enrolled BPS students in their senior year who are one to four courses short of graduation and are at risk of not returning to finish their high school degrees. This marks the fourth year of implementation of the CSRP program. Given its initial success, the program was expanded to 18 sites with three of those sites also providing services during the summer. As a result, a total of 441 BPS enrolled students completed one or more courses via the online CSRP during the school year and/or the summer of As of August 2011, 350 of these students had earned a diploma and graduated. The successful implementation and expansion has resulted in nearly doubling the number of students completing one or more CSRP courses and earning their high school diploma with assistance from CSRP over just one year. 1 Key findings from the implementation of CSRP include: CSRP Coordinators and Teachers are Effective and Committed to Students Success. While the primary responsibility of CSRP coordinators and teachers is to facilitate and monitor students online course progress, many teachers go beyond their official duties and time commitments. Students stressed the importance of support and encouragement from CSRP teachers to their success. Case Management Services Are Critical to Increasing and Supporting Student Participation. Case managers were in constant communication with student participants over the summer, encouraging them to attend the lab and to continue their progress with coursework. They developed trust and relationships with students, providing insight to CSRP teachers about personal challenges being faced. CSRP Courses Are Viewed as High-Quality and Rigorous. The CSRP instructional learning software, Apex Learning, is universally rated as higher quality and more rigorous than previous online software providers. The majority of both CSRP teachers and participating students rated the overall quality and rigor of CSRP course work as comparable to or better than a typical class in the same subject area. BPS Staff Funded Sites Had Higher Rates of Completion. In BPS provided additional funding to cove r costs of CSRP Coordinators and Teachers at 8 of the 18 sites. These funded staff sites had significantly higher rates of completion with approximately one-half completing at least one of their courses compared with a completion rate of one-third at the 10 sites that did not receive additional BPS staff funding. 1 The number of students completing one or more CSRP courses increased from 225 to 441 between the third year ( ) and fourth ( ) year of implementation. Similarly, the number of students that graduated from high school with CSRP assistance increased from 178 to

4 BPS CSRP Program Summary of Findings Students Enrolled in Fewer CSRP Courses Had Higher Rates of Completion. Of students who had ever been enrolled in a CSRP course, 29% completed all of their courses as compared to 15% enrolled in two or three courses and 6% enrolled in four or more courses. Math and Science Courses are Most Challenging to Complete. Students are significantly less likely to successfully complete math and science CSRP courses compared to history, English, and foreign languages. Algebra II, Chemistry, and Physical Sciences are particularly difficult. Additional supports, such as designated tutoring hours with subject experts, are needed for these courses. CSRP Can Effectively Serve At-Risk High School Students. Nearly 90% of students who completed one or more of their CSRP courses had been flagged as high risk for not graduating high school based on the BPS Risk Rating scale. 2 Moreover, CSRP successfully served students from many subgroups associated with lower high school graduation rates, including males, Hispanic / Latino(a) and African American / Black students, low-income students, LEP students, and students with special education needs. Added Student Impacts. The primary goal of CSRP is to increase the number of students graduating from high school. In , CSRP assisted 350 students in obtaining their high school diplomas and moved another 91 students closer to that goal. Additionally, students reported that CSRP helped them feel more confident about their ability to learn, improved their study skills, and encouraged them to try harder in other classes. Many students now believe that higher education is within their reach. 2 The BPS Risk Rating was created to measure students risk of not graduating on time from high school based on their off-track history since grade six. Risk measure is based on number of years of low attendance, number of cumulative suspensions, number of English and Math course failings, and number of times failing MCAS ELA and Math. 3

5 BPS CSRP Program Research Overview II. Research Overview The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute (UMDI), in partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council (BPIC) and the BPS Office of High School Support, conducted formative and summative research on the CSRP program in order to establish a greater understanding of its current implementation and impacts. The study was designed to document both program successes and challenges in order to inform ongoing strategic planning and program management decisions. As such, the UMDI research team visited five CSRP sites during the school year and three sites during the summer of 2011 in order to conduct site observations and structured interviews and/or focus groups with CSRP lab site teachers, summer case managers, and participating students. In addition, program and participant data were collected and analyzed from the following sources: CSRP Student Surveys. Participating students were asked to complete a brief survey (available in hard copy or online) about demographics, CSRP courses and teachers/case managers, program impacts, and suggestions for improvement. In spring 2011, 121 students completed the survey and in summer 2011 another 78 students completed it, representing a 20% response rate. CSRP Lab Teacher Surveys. Lab teachers at the 18 participating CSRP sites were asked to complete a brief online survey describing their roles, program implementation at their sites, feedback on CSRP software and course work, program impacts, and suggestions for improvement. Fifteen teachers responded representing 12 of the 18 CSRP sites. CSRP Program Data from Apex Learning. In , Apex Learning was the sole software vendor contracted to provide online CSRP courses for BPS. Apex Learning provided UMDI with CSRP program data on all students enrolled in CSRP between September 2010 and August Data included, but was not limited to, CSRP subject and course name, date first and last accessed course, total amount of time accessing course, course completion status, and grade. BPS Data on CSRP Course Completers. The BPS Office of Research, Assessment and Evaluation provided UMDI with information on all students who completed one or more CSRP courses between October 2010 and August Student data included, but was not limited to, last school attended, sex, race, age, special needs status, LEP status, high risk status, participation in Twilight course recovery, and diploma grant date. 4

6 Program Overview III. Program Overview The Boston Public Schools (BPS) Credit Skills Recovery Program (CSRP) is an online course recovery program targeting old and close students to support the goal of graduation for all. More specifically, CSRP serves enrolled BPS students in their senior year who are one to four courses short of graduation and are at risk of not returning to finish their high school degrees. Given the relative success of its first three years, BPS expanded the online CSRP program to 18 computer lab sites located at Boston s public high schools and alternative sites during the academic year with 3 of those sites also offering CSRP courses during summer Students referred to the program must meet the following criteria: 18 years or older by graduation date Have passed both the ELA and Math MCAS 3 Have taken or are scheduled to take MCAS Science Need to complete one to four courses to meet graduation requirements At risk of not returning to finish their high school education Students move through the course content at their own pace, completing course lessons and activities either at their CSRP lab or at a computer offsite. Students referred to the CSRP program must comply with the following program requirements: Attendance is mandatory at the assigned CSRP lab site to take quizzes and final exams in the presence of CSRP lab instructors. Individual sites may have additional attendance requirements (e.g., weekly, biweekly) for successful completion of the program. Unit quizzes may be taken three times to achieve a passing score. The CSRP teacher may reset tests after the third attempt if needed. The minimum proficiency for CSRP is 70% on each learning objective unless the student has an IEP stating otherwise. Credit cannot be awarded until this level of proficiency is achieved. There are many factors usually multifaceted that may have contributed to CSRP students failure in the traditional classroom. Commonly cited issues include: lack of school engagement, financial concerns, work, high mobility, immaturity, frequent tardiness or school absence, issues with teachers and/or classmates, parental/home support, language barriers, personal issues, violence or gang-related issues, and pregnancy/parenthood. CSRP s online instruction seeks to provide students with a self-directed, flexible format requiring students to determine how they will effectively structure their time to successfully complete the course. This flexibility enables students to learn at their own pace, ensuring that they have mastered essential concepts before moving on to the next lesson. As described by one CSRP teacher: 3 If either the ELA or Math MCAS scores are lower than 240, an EPP must be filed. 5

7 Program Overview The CSRP program is all student-driven. That s what is so great about the program. It s so personalized and individualized that the students choose the structure that works best for them. To be successful, students must be self-motivated, take responsibility for their work, and stick with it. CSRP Coordinators, Lab Instructors, and Case Managers While online credit recovery is student-driven learning, many students cited the importance of their relationship with and support provided by their CSRP lab instructor and case manager. CSRP coordinators and lab teachers (often the same person at smaller sites) are responsible for assigning student courses, maintaining accurate records, monitoring student progress, conducting student outreach, assisting with computer-related questions or coursework as available, offering support and encouragement, and compiling final course grades. The vast majority of CSRP students surveyed provided positive feedback on the role of CSRP teachers: 95% agreed that CSRP Teachers care about their success in courses 93% agreed that CSRP Teachers encourage them to attend lab 91% agreed that CSRP Teachers encourage them to go to college 95% agreed that CSRP Teachers relate well to students 89% agreed that CSRP Teachers help with online program and course work as needed These findings were reiterated by students: They give us a lot of support. When we finish a lesson they all cheer us on and say keep moving forward. That s really motivating! At home, I don t have that support. Nobody at home feels like I m making any progress. But I feel so proud of myself with this program. Because if this program had not existed, we would all be here next year. It s a great opportunity. We might be behind right now but given this opportunity, we re going to make it happen. In addition to academic year programming, an eight-week summer program was offered at three of the CSRP sites: East Boston, Madison Park Vocational and Technical High School, and South Boston. The course requirements and programming were identical to the academic year with the addition of case management services. BPS contracted with the following community-based agencies to provide on-site case managers: College Bound Dorchester, Diamond Educators, and Maverick Landing. The primary role of case managers is to provide outreach in person, on the phone, by , and/or texting to keep students on track and motivated to attend the CSRP lab, complete their courses, and graduate high school by the end of the summer. They provide a source of support and encouragement, form bonds with students in order to communicate well, and work with students to promote much needed time management skills. The following quote further illustrates the role of the case manager: One of my students is pregnant and she is about to age out of high school. And she gets very discouraged very quickly. I am constantly calling her and making sure she s staying on track. She can get very highly emotional but I would say, All of this isn t going to get you to the end. You need to get to the end. I told her this is not just for you but for your son. You need to have your high school diploma. And she would always try to fight what I said but I knew that I had a good relationship with her. After a few weeks, she called me and told me that she really appreciated me sticking with her through all of her 6

8 Program Overview drama. And because of that, she is now coming to lab and doing work at home.... And now she is getting closer and closer to completing her courses and graduating high school. The vast majority of CSRP students surveyed provided positive feedback on the role of CSRP case managers: 97% agree that CSRP Case Managers encourage them to attend lab 95% agree that CSRP Case Managers care about their success in courses 92% agree that CSRP Case Managers encourage them to go to college 91% agree that CSRP Case Managers help with online program and coursework 90% agree that CSRP Case Managers relate well to students Case managers often went beyond their primary task of case management and outreach, encouraging success beyond CSRP and graduation. For example, case managers at Madison Park developed a two-hour College Survival Workshop to provide students with a better foundation for success after leaving high school and transitioning to college. The case managers felt it was important to provide this information because many people do not have access to this information or support from home. They helped many students apply to college and find financial aid and scholarships, as well as discussed college life, majors, career options, effective communication with professors and educators, and purposeful education more generally: The case manager is like a teacher and a friend who pushes you to do well. They help me to believe that I can do whatever I want to do. And past credit recovery, they are helping me look into colleges and helping me fill out scholarship information. 7

9 CSRP Program Data Findings IV. CSRP Program Findings This section provides information on the CSRP software provider Apex Learning, program enrollment and usage, course completions, and program impacts. Apex Learning There is critical concern among teachers and administrators that online Credit Recovery not be viewed by students as an easy way to recover lost credit. As such, BPS has tested five different computer-based instructional systems (Apex Learning, EPIC, My Skills Tutor, Novanet, and Plato) since the program s inception to determine the most effective software for their programming marked the second year that CSRP sites exclusively used Apex Learning as their software vendor. Feedback on the quality and rigor of Apex Learning programming was strong across CSRP teacher and student populations. CSRP lab teachers universally rated the courses offered by Apex Learning more favorably in terms of both overall quality and rigor compared to their former online CSRP software providers. The majority of CSRP teachers and students believe that both the rigor and quality of course work from APEX is comparable to or greater than that of a typical class in the same subject. Figure 1: Quality and Rigor of Apex Learning CSRP Courses Source: CSRP Student Survey and CSRP Teacher Survey 8

10 CSRP Program Data Findings These findings were reiterated during interviews and focus groups with participating CSRP teachers and students: Apex Learning is much more rigorous than the former credit recovery program we used. It was too easy in the past. In fact, I actually worried that Apex would be too rigorous and difficult for my students at first. Apex courses are much longer, with every section built off the last. There is a lot more reading and writing than in the past. Students really need to analyze what they have read to succeed. Credit Recovery courses are much more rigorous than in the past. I think Credit Recovery used to be viewed as a fall back in the past. But word has gotten around now that Credit Recovery is difficult but it can be done. It s not easy at all. Students tell us they re often learning more through programs than in a typical classroom. It s just the students and the computer, so there are no distractions. The students have to do the work themselves and they achieve a feeling of success. And there s no just passing by with a D. They have to do the work to continue and will be learning the subject. I feel like my online credit recovery course is more difficult than a traditional class because there are so many parts you need to complete and learn before moving forward. It also teaches you to write in a step-by-step manner that I didn t learn as well in class. Credit Recovery is not easy. It s the same amount of difficulty as in the classroom, but it s just a lot more time-intensive with more material, quizzes, and units. And about learning, it depends on the student. But as far as me, I learn more in Credit Recovery For example, when they ask you a question in school and you answer wrong they say no, but that s a good guess but won t tell you what the correct answer is. But in Credit Recovery, they tell you no that is a wrong answer but here is the correct answer and why so now try it again which is really good and helps you learn. CSRP Program Enrollment and Usage A Credit Recovery referral team consisting of the Headmaster, Guidance Director, and/or guidance staff works together at each high school to enroll eligible seniors in the CSRP program. During the fall semester, guidance counselors carefully review student transcripts and verify MCAS scores, Educational Proficiency Plan (EPP), and courses needed to graduate in order to create an Action Plan for each student to be enrolled in CSRP. The Credit Recovery referral team then completes the necessary Credit Recovery Approval Form which must be signed by the headmaster. Finally, students are required to register in person at the Credit Recovery lab site before they are officially enrolled in CSRP and issued a user identification (ID) and PIN number enabling them to access their courses online. 4 As highlighted in the table below, 1,274 students were enrolled in 2,618 online CSRP courses between September 2010 and August Information on the number of students referred to CSRP who do not register in person at the CSRP site is unavailable. 9

11 CSRP Program Data Findings The vast majority (93%) of enrolled students accessed at least one CSRP course in This means that students enrolled in CSRP courses attended the CSRP lab at least once and logged into an online course. Therefore seven percent of students dropped out of CSRP before ever accessing the course online. Next we examine whether students progressed forward in at least one of their CSRP courses. Progressing forward means that students successfully completed one or more of their course activities. We find that 80% of students enrolled in CSRP progressed forward in their course work. Conversely, this means that 20% of enrolled students never progressed forward in any of their CSRP courses. Additional research is needed to learn more about this sub-population, factors explaining non-completion of the first course lesson, and additional supports needed. BPS Credit Recovery Centers # of Students Enrolled in CSRP September 2010 August 2011 # and % of Enrolled Students Ever Accessing Any CSRP Courses # and % of Enrolled Students Progressing Forward in Any CSRP Courses BPS Staff Funded Sites (95.3%) BPS Staff Non-Funded Sites (87.4%) BPS Alternative Sites (93.3%) TOTAL 1,274 1,183 (92.9%) Source: CSRP Data from Apex Learning, September 2010 August (83.5%) 253 (74.4%) 149 (76.8%) 1,020 (80.1%) In , BPS was able to fund CSRP staff positions at eight sites. It is important to note that students enrolled in the CSRP staff funded sites were significantly more likely to progress forward in their CSRP course work than students enrolled in the non-funded sites. Eighty-four percent of enrolled students at CSRP sites with funded staff positions progressed forward in their course work compared with seventy-four percent of students at CSRP sites with non-funded staff positions. Additional research is needed to determine related factors. However, one potential reason for these higher participation rates may be that funding CSRP staff positions provides additional avenues for communication with and oversight of these sites. 5 BPS provides funding for CSRP staff at the following sites: Boston Intl, Brighton, Charlestown, East Boston, Hyde Park, Madison Park, South Boston, and West Roxbury 6 BPS did not provide additional funding for CSRP staff at the following sites in : BCLA, Burke, Greater Egleston, and Tech Boston 7 BPS did not provide additional funding for CSRP staff at the following alternative sites in : ABCD Ostiguy, ABCD University, ALA, BATA, Community Academy, and EDCO 10

12 CSRP Program Data Findings Approximately three-fifths of students who progressed forward in any of their CSRP courses accessed their coursework solely during the academic school year. One-fourth of students accessed their CSRP courses during both the academic school year and the following summer. The remaining 14% accessed their courses during the summer exclusively. Time Period Accessing CSRP Course 8 School Year Only (Sept 2010 June 10, 2011) Both School Year and Summer (Sept 2010 Aug 2011) Summer Only (June 11 th Aug 2011) # of CSRP Students with Progress Forward TOTAL 1020 % of CSRP Students with Progress Forward % % % CSRP Course Completers A total of 441 BPS enrolled students completed one or more courses via the online CSRP during the school year and/or the summer of More than two-fifths (43%) of all students who progressed forward in their CSRP courses completed at least one of their CSRP courses. BPS Credit Recovery Centers # of Students Progressing Forward in Any CSRP Courses # of Students Completing One or More of their CSRP Courses % of Students Completing One or More of their CSRP Courses BPS Staff Funded Sites % BPS Staff Non-Funded Sites % BPS Alternative Sites % TOTAL 1, % Source: CSRP Data from Apex Learning, September 2010 August 2011 Students attending BPS staff funded CSRP sites were significantly more likely to complete one or more of their CSRP courses than students enrolled in the non-funded staff sites. Further research is needed to explore this difference. Further examination by time period reveals that students who access the CSRP program during the school year exclusively and/or by a combination of school year and summer programming were significantly more likely to complete one or more of their CSRP courses than those solely using summer programming. There are a few potential explanations for this difference. First, it could be argued that students who choose to access their courses 8 This measurement is determined by the Apex Learning database variables on students time of first and last program access. 9 Boston Intl, Brighton, Charlestown, East Boston, Hyde Park, Madison Park, South Boston, and West Roxbury 10 BCLA, Burke, Greater Egleston, and Tech Boston 11 ABCD Ostiguy, ABCD University, ALA, BATA, Community Academy, and EDCO 11

13 CSRP Program Data Findings during the school year rather than wait until the summer may have a higher level of motivation and determination to complete their courses and, ultimately, to graduate. Second, students who have started their coursework in the school year and continue on in the summer already have a better understanding of how the online course work is organized and the time management needed to accomplish it. Finally, the formal CSRP summer program runs for a condensed time period lasting only eight week in length compared to weeks (or longer) during the school year. As such, students accessing the program for the first time during the summer program must be highly motivated with strong time management skills in order to be successful. Time Period Accessing CSRP Course 12 School Year Only (Sept 2010 June 10, 2011) Both School Year and Summer (Sept 2010 Aug 2011) Summer Only (June 11 th Aug 2011) # of CSRP Students with Progress Forward # and % of CSRP Students Completing One or More CSRP Courses (44.9%) (49.4%) (25.5%) TOTAL (43.2%) Further examination of CSRP completion data reveals the following key findings: Students enrolled in fewer CSRP courses are significantly more likely to complete all needed courses. For those students who progressed forward in their coursework, approximately 40% of students enrolled in a single CSRP course completed the course compared with approximately 17% of students enrolled in two or three courses and 6% enrolled in four or more courses. Number of CSRP Courses Enrolled In % of Enrolled Students Completing ALL CSRP Courses % of Students with Progress Forward Completing ALL CSRP Courses 1 course 28.7% 40.8% 2 courses 15.1% 18.3% 3 courses 14.2% 15.1% 4 + courses 5.6% 5.8% Total 19.6% 24.3% Source: CSRP Data from Apex Learning, September 2010 August 2011 CSRP Courses in Math (particularly Algebra II) and Science (particularly Chemistry and Physics) are significantly more challenging for students to complete successfully in an online setting. Examining only those courses with progress forward made, we find that only 22% of math courses and 40% of science course are successfully completed in CSRP compared to more than 50% of Social Studies and World Languages courses and 44% of ELA courses. One reason may be the sequential learning required by math and science. Additionally, math courses (particularly Algebra II) take significantly more time to complete than other CSRP courses. 12 This measurement is determined by the Apex Learning database variables on students time of first and last program access. 12

14 CSRP Program Data Findings CSRP Course Subject Type Number of Courses Enrolled in Number of Courses with Progress Forward Number of Completed Courses % Completed of Enrolled Courses % Completed of Courses with Progress Forward Social Studies % 56.0% World Languages % 51.7% English % 44.3% Science % 39.5% Math % 21.9% Electives % 8.3% Total % 40.0% Source: CSRP Data from Apex Learning, September 2010 August 2011 Program Impacts As of August 2011, 350 of the 441 students completing one or more of their CSRP courses had earned a diploma and graduated. As highlighted below, nearly two-thirds of graduates with CSRP assistance received their diploma in spring 2011 and slightly more than one-third were granted degrees the following summer. The following chapter provides a snapshot of CSRP course completers and graduates. High School Diploma Grant Date # % Spring % Summer % Total 350 Source: BPS Research, Assessment, and Evaluation Data on CSRP completers between Oct 2010 and Aug For the majority of students, CSRP was viewed as a much needed second chance. For some, CSRP offered an opportunity to graduate on time and walk with their class. For others, it provided an opportunity to graduate on a more flexible schedule without needing to attend high school for a fifth, sixth, or seventh year, thus encouraging students to stick with it and not to drop out. In addition, CSRP had added impacts on some students 13, including: Improved study skills Increased self-confidence about ability to learn Increased effort and improved grades in other classes Increased guidance and motivation to attend higher education 13 Added impacts listed are based on CSRP student survey findings as well as student interviews and focus groups. 13

15 CSRP Program Data Findings The following quotes further illustrate the potential impacts of CSRP on its participants. It just gave me another chance to work hard and to graduate. It gives me the opportunity to make up the classes that I failed, and still be able to do what I have to do after school. It gave me the option no one else was willing to offer me. It motivated me to work harder and made me realize not to give up in school. Makes me believe I want to try. It impacted me into coming to the program and to school more. Doing my work and staying focused. The online credit recovery program impacted me because it teaches me to study harder. It also taught me to read over my work more and to have a clear understanding of it. It impacted me by wanting to do better in my other classes because I can do well online. It helped me clear out the classes I had to do in order to graduate. I study harder now and stay focused on my work. It made me more aware and responsible. It just shows I can push myself and work on my own. I am more confident about my learning. I learn a lot better now. I have learned how to manage my time with school work. It helped me become a better student and made me work harder for what I wanted. It shows me a kind of motivation that I've been looking for. Honestly it creates a good work ethic. It has made me more independent knowing that my graduation depends on me. This program has impacted me, in so many ways, which has realizing who I am, and what is ahead of me in life. Online credit recovery program has impacted me in a positive way become more organized and helped me manage my work more, even though it s challenging, I learned a lot even if most of the work was done on my own. It requires hard core studying which can be inconvenient at times but has proved that study actually prevails. 14

16 CSRP Program Data Findings Well, it's definitely made me more attentive in my other classes. I take better notes, I work more quickly, and I've noticed my grades have improved slightly. It gives me confidence every time I get a correct answer also motivates me when I look at my student progress. In a way it helped me mature more because I have to eat, sleep, and breathe school. I've learned to push myself. It has impacted my career and the goals I want to complete. It has opened my eyes that if I want to move forward with my education I have to work very hard! I've learned more on the computer. A lot of things weren't ever mentioned in the classroom. It's helped me realize life speeds up and I have to take charge of my life and work hard to make my goals happen. I've learned to put the more important things first. It encouraged me to try harder in my other classes. Made me more motivated about graduating and going to college. Changed my view of my future. This showed me that anything is possible if I set my mind to it. See Appendices A, B, and C for three case vignettes further illustrating the impact of CSRP on its students. 15

17 Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates V. Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates A total of 441 BPS enrolled students completed one or more CSRP courses during the school year and/or the summer of As of August 2011, 350 of these students had earned a diploma and graduated. This section provides key demographics on both CSRP course completers and graduates. Graphics highlight CSRP course completers. There are no significant differences in demographics between CSRP course completers and graduates with CSRP assistance. The tables also include a comparison point of all BPS high school four year graduates from cohort It is important to note that this a different group of students, graduating in June 2010 (rather than 2011) and reflects only the four year graduation rate rather than including older students also served by the CSRP program. Unfortunately, demographic data on all CSRP enrollees were not available for comparative analysis. As such, demographic differences in completion rates were not explored. Sex CSRP course completers and graduates are well distributed between sexes, comprised of 56% males and 44% females. It is important to note the relatively high proportion of males completing CSRP courses and going on to graduate with CSRP assistance given males lower overall graduation rates. 14 Age More than half of CSRP course completers and graduates were 17 or 18 years of age at the time of their diploma grant date, representing true seniors who took four years to graduate. Approximately 30% were age 19 at the time of diploma grant date. These students are more difficult to classify and are likely either fourth or fifth year seniors depending on their age at high school enrollment. At least 15% were older students, aged years, representing students taking five or more years to graduate. 14 Examining districtwide 4-year graduation rates for the 2010 cohort reveals that while the class was divided evenly by sex, males were significantly less likely to graduate. Fifty-eight percent of males graduated with their 2010 cohort compared with 69% of females. 16

18 Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates Race/Ethnicity Nearly 90% of CSRP course completers and graduates were Hispanic/Latino(a) or African American/Black. It is important to see that CSRP is working with this sub-population given that these two sub-populations have the lowest BPS graduation rates. While three-quarters of all BPS students are Hispanic/Latino or African American, only approximately three-fifths of these students graduate in four years. CSRP Student Demographics Sex of Student Students Completing 1+ CSRP Courses Female 192 (43.5%) Male 249 (56.5%) BPS High School Graduates with CSRP Assistance 156 (44.6%) 194 (55.4%) All BPS High School Graduates 2010 Cohort 1650 (53.4%) 1437 (46.5%) 17

19 Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates CSRP Student Demographics Age of Student Students Completing 1+ CSRP Courses 17 years old 37 (8.4%) 18 years old 205 (46.5%) 19 years old 133 (30.2%) 20 years old 47 (10.7%) 21 years old 15 (3.4%) 22 years old 4 Race / Ethnicity of Student (0.9%) Hispanic / Latino(a) 203 (46.0%) African American / Black 185 (42.0%) Caucasian / White 32 (7.3%) Asian 18 (4.1%) Multi-Racial or Other 3 (0.7%) BPS High School Graduates with CSRP Assistance 35 (10.0%) 167 (47.7%) 95 (27.1%) 37 (10.6%) 12 (3.4%) 4 (1.1%) 157 (44.9%) 150 (42.9%) 27 (7.7%) 14 (4.0%) 2 (0.6%) All BPS High School Graduates 2010 Cohort not available 987 (32.1%) 1179 (38.4%) 479 (15.6%) 378 (12.3%) Source: BPS Research, Assessment, and Evaluation Data on CSRP completers between Oct 2010 and Aug (1.6%) Low-Income Status Approximately two-thirds of CSRP course completers and graduates were eligible for free or reduced lunch during The rate for all BPS high school 4-year graduates was higher (83%), but it is important to note that this rate includes all students who ever received free or reduced lunch over their four years rather than just during the year. 15 Student age is listed at time of diploma grant date. If student did not receive diploma, the age of student is calculated as of August

20 Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Status Approximately 20% of CSRP course completers and graduates were either current or former LEP students. Special Needs Status More than 10% of CSRP course completers and graduates had special educational needs. 19

21 Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates Low Income CSRP Student Demographics Students Completing 1+ CSRP Courses Yes 299 (67.8%) No 142 Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Status (32.2%) LEP 59 (13.4%) Former LEP 28 (6.3%) Never LEP 354 Special Needs Status (80.3%) Special Needs 54 (12.2%) BPS High School Graduates with CSRP Assistance 241 (68.9%) 109 (31.1%) 40 (11.4%) 26 (7.4%) 284 (81.1%) 41 (11.7%) All BPS High School Graduates 2010 Cohort (82.8%) 486 (15.7%) 396 (12.8%) BPS has developed the BPS Risk Rating to measure students risk of not graduating on time based on their offtrack history since grade six. The risk measure is based on the number of years of low attendance, number of cumulative suspensions, number of English and Math course failings, and number of times failing MCAS ELA and Math. BPS Risk Rating Nearly 90% of students completing at least one CSRP course as well as students earning their high school diplomas with CSRP assistance were flagged as high risk for not graduating. This finding points to the success of CSRP among the most difficult population to serve. 16 It is important to note that the 2010 cohort includes cumulative data across all years in high school. If the student was flagged at any point as receiving the free or reduced lunch program or categorized as LEP or special needs, they are included in these counts. The CSRP counts, on the other hand, are a snapshot of the year. 20

22 Snapshot of CSRP Course Completers and Graduates BPS Risk Rating CSRP Student Demographics Students Completing 1+ CSRP Courses BPS High School Graduates with CSRP Assistance On Track - Zero risk points 12 Low Risk - Students in this risk category are typically flagged once in a single off-track indicator, and may also be flagged for suspension Medium Risk - Students in this risk category are typically flagged for two to four off-track indicators. They may have risks spread across different off-track indicators, or have repeated risks concentrated in fewer indicators High Risk - Students in this risk category are flagged for repeated risks in multiple off-track indicators (2.9%) 16 (3.8%) 22 (5.3%) 367 (88.0%) 12 (3.6%) 14 (4.2%) 18 (5.5%) 286 (86.7%) Total Source: BPS Research, Assessment, and Evaluation Data on CSRP completers between Oct 2010 and Aug

23 Recommendations and Next Steps VI. Recommendations and Next Steps The findings of this study support the notion that BPS online Credit and Skills Recovery Program is a highquality, rigorous strategy for recovering courses needed to graduate. To be successful, students must be selfreliant and motivated to consistently put in the necessary time at their CSRP lab as well as at home. Encouragement from CSRP teachers and case managers was viewed by many students as a critical support, reinforcing their confidence and ability to continue forward. Key recommendations for improving upon the current success of CSRP include: Additional training and funding for CSRP teachers at all lab sites As highlighted in the report, BPS staff funded sites performed consistently better than non-funded sites. One potential reason may be that staff at funded sites received more oversight and consistent guidance on implementation of CSRP. Additional staff funding may also impact the availability of lab time, a critical point of contact for students and CSRP teachers. Strengthen CSRP coordination with guidance counselors Guidance counselors are responsible for identifying eligible students for CSRP. Guidance counselors should ensure that students are wellinformed early in their senior year about the number of courses that must be recovered in order to graduate. They must also educate students about their options for credit recovery including online CSRP, twilight, and summer school and match the student to the most appropriate means of credit recovery based on the course(s) in question, the student s learning style, and course availability. Additional communication between guidance counselors and CSRP staff is desirable as guidance counselors are also responsible for checking in with and encouraging students to continue forward with their CSRP courses during the school year. Provide additional case management and outreach Case management services were critical to the success of student attendance at the CSRP lab in the summer. Many teachers also noted the desire to bring additional case management and outreach services during the school year. Offer additional lab time Consistency of lab time is crucial to students success in credit recovery. Additional lab time offerings whether incorporated into the school day (e.g., scheduled into open block) or before or after school hours may enable more students to attend consistently. Additional academic support in math and science Math and science were particularly difficult for students to complete successfully in an online environment. Students need more content-specific expertise than the majority of CSRP teachers possess. Hiring math/science teachers and/or identifying volunteers with content expertise should be a priority. Ensure CSRP courses are aligned with other credit recovery courses While the CSRP summer program lasts only eight weeks, the same course curriculum is used during both the school year and the summer. Conversely, summer school programming is shortened in order to account for this time reduction. CSRP and summer school programming length and content should be aligned. Determine Future Focus on Skill Building and Transition Planning During , the program design of CSRP was solely focused on course recovery and graduation. Skill building and transition planning were not formally addressed but did sometimes occur on an individual level. BPS must 22

24 Recommendations and Next Steps determine, given their limited resources, whether they plan to expand CSRP programming to include additional supports for skill building and transition planning in order to prepare students for college. Future research should consider exploring the following: Early Program Drop Outs This study reveals that 20% of enrolled students drop out of CSRP without ever actually trying (i.e., never access the online program). Future research should strive to learn more about who these students are, why they are dropping out of the program so early, and what, if any, supports can be provided to encourage their continued engagement and participation. Factors for Success This study reveals that the course subject and number of courses needed to recover are both key determinants of success. Additional research exploring data on all CSRP enrollees not just CSRP course completers is needed to further explore key factors for success. The Potential Role and Impact of Lab-based Tutors Although the current CSRP model does not include subject area tutors, evidence suggests the need for such assistance for core subjects, including math and science. A pilot study of the impact of teacher or student tutors could reveal important opportunities for increasing student success in these critical subject areas. Suitability of CSRP for Other Student Populations A key area of interest lies in determining whether CSRP can be used successfully with other student sub-groups. Additional research exploring data on all CSRP enrollees is needed to clearly answer this question. Conversations with CSRP teachers and students did, however, point to the importance of a significant deadline graduation as an important motivator. Many teachers felt that younger students would not have the maturity or motivation to be successful and should only be enrolled on a case-by-case basis. That said, CSRP teachers were extremely interested in the potential for online learning to be used as a complement to in-class learning. 23

25 Appendices Appendix A Case Vignette 1 In 2006, Emmanuel emigrated from Haiti to Boston to live with their uncle. Emmanuel arrived in Boston speaking only Haitian Creole and began studying English in the remaining months of his eighth grade school year. Later that year he enrolled in Madison Park Technical Vocational High School with the goal of becoming a mechanic like his uncle. In high school he failed two classes: Biology 10 and English 12: I failed these classes because I needed to work and that affected my homework and time for school. I was in my home thinking every day about what a terrible mistake I made failing these classes and that I should have stopped working and gone to school and then I would be graduating. In April 2010 the school contacted Emmanuel with information about the online credit recovery program. Emmanuel realized there was not enough time to make up two courses before his scheduled graduation but was determined to finish them. Consequently, Emmanuel began the Credit Recovery program in earnest in fall 2010, working online to complete his coursework. He did most of his studying at home but also attended the Credit Recovery school lab two to three days per week after school to meet with his lab teacher and take exams. Emmanuel found the online Credit Recovery program more rigorous than his traditional classes. He was required to manage his time efficiently to complete one to two chapters each week, asking teachers for help with course content when needed. The Credit Recovery teachers encouraged Emmanuel and helped keep him focused on his goal of graduating. But, in Emmanuel s words, to be successful with the Credit Recovery program: You have to be responsible for yourself to do the work and finish on time It s all your own work on the computer. No one else is responsible and telling you what you need to do You have to get yourself to it and keep thinking about getting your diploma. Emmanuel s self-confidence improved as he moved successfully through the program: Credit recovery teaches [students] how to be responsible for themselves. If you can be responsible for yourself to get all this work done it s a way to learn to be responsible in your life. Emmanuel completed his both of his credit recovery classes by February 2011 and received his high school diploma in June

26 Appendices Appendix B Case Vignette 2 Derek is a nineteen year old African-American student from the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston where he currently lives with his mother and two siblings. During his four years of high school Derek transferred four times, splitting his time between two states. He returned to Charlestown High School for his senior year where he found himself short four classes due to his mobility and lack of engagement in school. As Derek described: I was very rebellious in the past, had family issues, and hung with the wrong crowd. In the past, I always felt it was me against the teacher. Last year, no one could say anything to me. But now I realize I need to do it to be successful. On the first day of senior year, I decided to start off the right way and to stay on top of everything because I wanted to graduate. Fortunately for Derek, Charlestown s Credit Recovery teacher, who also serves as one of the school s guidance counselors, decided that Derek could be classified as a twelfth grader. She enrolled him Credit Recovery in the fall of 2010 to offer him the chance to graduate with his class. When students are missing a slew of classes, guidance counselors are very honest and tell students the grade they need to be in. But because of my experience in Credit Recovery, I saw how distraught Derek was because he had been moving school to school. I said there s a problem with this picture and we re going to fix it. I sat down with Derek and told him not to be discouraged and not to drop out of school. I will make sure he is coded as a twelfth grader. But you have to promise me that you will really turn things around. Go to all your classes, do well and get A s and B s because you re smart. I will sign you up for two Credit Recovery classes in the fall and two in the spring. And Derek did not hesitate at all. He grabbed the opportunity. There is a great deal of time management necessary to finish not only the intensive Credit Recovery courses but also to complete traditional high school courses and maintain a part-time job. In order to achieve this end, Derek attended two days at the Credit Recovery lab after school and devised a strict schedule for himself highlighting afterschool and weekend hours needed to complete his Credit Recovery courses. As Derek described: When I took the first Credit Recovery course, it dragged since you re by yourself. At first I thought I would never get through all of it. But by the second course, I realized I could do it and it was up to me. I thought about it as if I was taking an online course at a college Need to have time and perseverance to succeed. I realized I needed to set a strict schedule and get things done by a due date. So, for example, each chapter has seven sections with two quizzes and one paper. So I set my days up and worked as many hours as needed to complete that section by its due date. I thought of it in time blocks. I was motivated and knew what I needed to do to complete. In addition to the amount of work in the online Credit Recovery courses, Derek discussed the rigor of the course work and its impact on his learning: 25