Investing in Results - FY Strategy Guidance Letter Education: HS Graduation, College and Career Readiness

Transcription

1 United Way Investing in Results - FY Strategy Guidance Letter Education: HS Graduation, College and Career Readiness Counties Served: Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Focus Area: Education: High School Graduation, College and Career Readiness Context: A high school credential is a minimum requirement for higher education, postsecondary credential programs and most 21 st century career opportunities. Individuals with high school credentials are more likely to participate in the workforce, earn higher wages, access safer housing, healthier food and better medical care than their counterparts who lack high school credentials. Research demonstrates that certain behaviors, manifesting through high school, are accurate predictors of which students will fail to graduate. Research on these indicators also demonstrates that identification of students with these indicators and targeted intervention can help these students get back on track for high school graduation and postsecondary success in education, job training, and the labor market. The indicators are: (1) low attendance; (2) poor behavior indicated by suspension, detentions or poor behavior grades in any subject; (3) a failing or a D grade in any subject; (4) for students in grades 9 through 11, failure to accumulate enough credits to move to the next grade; and (5) for students in grade 12, failure to accumulate enough credits to graduate. Strategy: Identify students with one or more indicators and engage them with strategies to help them improve their attendance, behavior, grades, credit accumulation and likelihood of post-secondary success, with a preference for services for youth who attend one of UWGPSNJ s target schools. Outcomes: To improve the attendance, behavior, grades and credit accumulation of identified high school students, and thereby increase the number of students graduating from high school and to increase the number of young people making successful transitions to post-secondary education and/or career. Target Population: Students in grades nine through twelve who demonstrate one or more of the identified indicators relating to attendance, behavior, grades or credit accumulation.

2 Indicators One or more of the following, as applied to the students in grades nine through twelve with identified indicators: 1. Number of students who increased their school attendance rate from below 80 percent to above 80 percent; 2. Number of students with behavior indicators who improved behavior; 3. Number of students with failing or D grade who improved grade; 4. Number of students in grades 9-11 with credit deficiency who accumulated enough credits to advance to the next grade; 5. Number of students in grade 12 with credit deficiency who accumulated enough credits to graduate; and 6. Number of students in grades nine through 12 who demonstrated one or more college and career readiness indicators as defined in the Glossary i. Required Program Components The following components are required for programs. 1. Organization provides program(s) or service(s) that intend to improve one or more identified indicators of Potential Drop Out ii : a. Attendance below 80 percent; b. Poor school behavior (as evidenced by suspensions, detentions, or poor behavior grades in any subject); c. Failing or D grade in any subject; d. For students in grades nine through 11, failure to accumulate enough credits to move to the next grade; and e. For students in grade 12, failure to accumulate enough credits to graduate. 2. Organization provides program(s) or service(s) that intend to help students improve college and career readiness as evidenced by student completion of one or more of the following: a. Exploration of career goals; b. Completion of employment applications; c. Workplace experience; d. Completion of SAT/ACT; e. Exploration of college/post secondary education options based on career goals; f. Completion of college/post secondary education or training applications; g. Completion of FAFSA; h. Selection of college courses based on career goals; i. Industry credential obtained; j. Gainful employment;

3 k. Other college and career readiness indicators (please specify). Preferred Program Components The following program components are not required but preference will be given to programs that are able to demonstrate the following preferred components in addition to the required components described above: 1. Organization provides program(s) or service(s) to students in grades nine through 12 enrolled in UWGPSNJ s target high schools as identified in the Glossary iii. a. The program will be required to indicate how many UWGPSNJ Target High are attended by students participating in applicable programs and services, and to identify those schools. Alignment 1. Describe the mission and goals of the organization/program, including but not limited to any relevant accreditations, memberships, affiliations, or funding from national, state, or local entities that require quality standards in the field, if applicable; 2. Describe the program or service related to this strategy including identification of each of the required and preferred strategy components (separate text box in application for each strategy component); 3. Describe how the strategy aligns with the Cradle to Career Education Agenda of UWGPSNJ which focuses on bolstering the ability of children to thrive during critical transition points in their educational journey: Entering school ready to learn; Reading at grade level by third grade; Making a successful transition from middle school to high school; and Graduation from high school with college and career readiness skills. Quality 1. What evidence does the organization have that the program(s) or service(s) actually result in the achievement of UWGPSNJ s target outcome(s)? 2. Describe any attained accreditations, memberships, affiliations, or funding from national, state, or local entities that require quality standards in the field, if applicable. 3. Describe the accessibility of the program(s) or service(s). Is the facility ADA accessible? How far is public transportation? 4. Describe how the program(s) or service(s) utilizes community volunteers including their role or skill, if applicable. Describe any pre-service and in-service training that volunteers receive including subject matter and number of hours.

4 Results Enter the information below regarding students served in grades UWGPSNJ Indicators A. The number of unduplicated students served in grades 9-12 in the most recent program year B. Of the number of unduplicated students served, the number with one or more IPDOs C. Of the number of unduplicated students served with an IPDO, the number that improved one or more IPDOs D. The number of unduplicated students served in grades 9-11 who accumulated enough credits to advance to the next grade E. The number of unduplicated students served in grade 12 who accumulated enough credits to graduate from high school Target 7/1/12-6/30/13 Actual 7/1/2013-6/30/2014 Projected In School Youth In School Youth Non-Target Total (Auto Calc) Target Non-Target Total (Auto Calc) 7/1/2014-6/30/2015 Projected Target In School Youth Non- Target Total (Auto Calc) Costs 1. How are individuals from the target population identified and recruited? 2. How will the strategy help participants achieve the identified outcome? 3. How will achievement of the outcome be measured? 4. What evidence will the program rely on to demonstrate outcomes? 5. How does the program define the strategy indicators? 6. Are their specific milestones that signify achievement? 7. What tools are used to gather data and measure indicators? a. Are tools developed by the program, accepted by other practitioners or recognized by accrediting bodies or national, state or local organizations? 8. How were the indicator projections developed and why are they realistic? a. If projections are different from the actual data for 7/1/12 to 6/30/13, please explain. 9. What are two examples of how the program has used performance data to improve or change the program? 10. Was the young person enrolled in post-secondary education and/or did they obtain career-track job within 24 months of the program s conclusion? Enter the expenses for the program(s) or service(s) within this strategy. Strategy/Project Budget Personnel (salaries, taxes, benefits) 7/1/2014-6/30/2015 Projection Expenses 7/1/2013-6/30/2014 Projection 7/1/2012-6/30/2013 Actual

5 Professional Services (legal, accounting, etc.) Rent/Lease/Mortgage Utilities/Telephone Repair & Maintenance Office Supplies Communications Technology/Equipment Printing Employee Transportation Client Transportation Conference/Meetings Insurance Depreciation Training and Staff Development Other (Specify) TOTAL EXPENSES $ - $ - $ - The program/organization should be prepared to describe revenue and expenses for the strategy for three years: 1. Actual for 7/1/12 to 6/30/13 2. Projected for a. 7/1/13 to 6/30/14 and b. 7/1/14 to 6/30/15. The program should also be prepared to describe or explain the following: 1. Significant differences in revenue or expenses across fiscal years, if any. 2. The percentage of the organization s overall expenses which pertain to this strategy. 3. The organization s top five funders and funding amounts. 4. Whether the organization received a grant from any United Way in FY 2014 (7/1/2013 to 6/30/2014) and the name of the granting United Way, the amount and purpose of the grant.

6 Glossary of terms: i College and career readiness indicators: a. Exploration of career goals; b. Completion of employment applications; c. Workplace experience; d. Completion of SAT/ACT; e. Exploration of college/post secondary education options based on career goals; f. Completion of college/post secondary education or training applications; g. Completion of FAFSA; h. Selection of college courses based on career goals; i. Industry credential earned; j. Gainful employment attained. ii Indicators of Potential Drop Out: a. Attendance below 80 percent; b. Poor school behavior (as evidenced by suspensions, detentions, or poor behavior grades in any subject); c. Failing or D grade in any subject; d. For students in grades nine through 11, failure to accumulate enough credits to move to the next grade; and e. For students in grade 12, failure to accumulate enough credits to graduate. iii UWGPSNJ s target high schools: Academy Park HS ARISE Academy Charter High School Bartram John - Main Chester HS Chichester SHS Edison HS/Fareira Skills Fels Samuel HS Frankford HS Franklin Benjamin HS Furness Horace HS Imhotep Institute CHS Kensington Creative & Performing Arts HS Kensington Culinary Arts

7 Kensington Intern Business Finance & Entrep King Martin Luther HS Lincoln HS Mastbaum Jules E AVTS Northeast HS Overbrook HS Penn Wood MS Philadelphia Military Acad at Elverson Pottstown SHS Randolph A. Philip AVT HS Ridley HS Roxborough HS School of the Future South Philadelphia HS Strawberry Mansion HS Upper Darby SHS Washington George HS West Philadelphia HS Widener Memorial Sch