A Systematic Framework for Dropout Prevention and the Tools to Make it Happen
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Transcript of A Systematic Framework for Dropout Prevention and the Tools to Make it Happen
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A Systematic Framework for A Systematic Framework for Dropout Prevention and the Dropout Prevention and the
Tools to Make it HappenTools to Make it HappenBuilding the Future Capacity Building Institute
May 12-14, 2009Tom Barkley, MD Department of Education
Loujeania W. Bost, NDPC-SD
Engaging State Education Agencies –Creating the right conditions
Vested priority to increase graduation
and decrease dropout for ALL
Youth
Increase Capacity to Implement Effective Practices
Facilitate Implementation
of Effective Practices
Data-Based Decision Making
Professional Development and training
AccountabilityPolicy
Analysis and Change
Funding and Interagency
Support
Align State StructuresAlign State Structures• Early exposure to post-secondary
credits• Provide mini grants and support for
model/exemplary programs that can be replicated and sustained
• Enhance collaboration across service agencies
• Improve measurement systems• Ensure federal and state regulations
are met
Engaging Local Agencies• Developing and maintaining an efficient
infrastructure for collecting and utilizing data to identify strengths, needs and priorities;
• Providing a relevant and rigorous curriculum that is aligned with state and national standards that challenges students and actively engages them in learning;
• Maintaining a safe and orderly school climate where students feel welcome and supported;
Engaging Local Agencies• Establishing opportunities for
sustained parental involvement • Establishing mechanisms for
ongoing professional development.• Establishing community
partnerships that support students and schools during non-school hours
Engaging Local Agencies• Establishing routine, year-round
monitoring of attendance (at school and work), suspensions, and academic credits
• Review and alter marginal policies that are counterproductive to school completion
• Promote greater inter/intra agency collaboration
Engaging Local Agencies
• Support and enrichment to Support and enrichment to improve academic performanceimprove academic performance
• Improve students’ classroom Improve students’ classroom behavior and social skills.behavior and social skills.
• Multiple pathway strategies for community and work-based learning
• Provide learning scaffolds that are comparable to expectations
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Adopt and Support the Adopt and Support the Implementation of Evidence-based Implementation of Evidence-based
PracticesPracticesFocus on Interventions That Work!Focus on Interventions That Work! • Interventions that are strength
based and involve a variety of contexts
• Strategies focused on engagement• Interventions that occur over time• Interventions that involves a
family or parent component
ALIGNING STATE STRUCTUREALIGNING STATE STRUCTURE
Provide discretionary grants, technical assistance, and support for model/exemplary programs that can be replicated and sustained.
Enhance collaboration with partner public agencies
Ensure federal and state regulations are met
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM PRACTICESPRACTICES
Maintains an efficient infrastructure for collecting and utilizing data to identify strengths, needs, and priorities.
Maintains mechanisms for ongoing professional development.
Promotes greater interagency collaboration.
Reviews and alters marginal policies that are counterproductive to school completion.
LOCAL SCHOOL LOCAL SCHOOL COMMITMENTCOMMITMENT
1. Establish opportunities for ongoing professional development.
2. Establish opportunities for sustained parental involvement.
3. Establish community partnerships that support students and schools during non school hours.
4. Maintain a safe and orderly school climate where students feel welcome and supported.
5. Establish routine, year-round monitoring and sharing of attendance, suspensions, and academic credit data.
NDPC-SD, Maryland State Department of Education, and Cecil County Public
Schools collaboration results in a significant reduction in the dropout rate
at local high schools
NDPC-SD + SEA + LSS = NDPC-SD + SEA + LSS = ProgressProgress
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Why Data-Based Decision Why Data-Based Decision Making?Making?
• Helps us authenticate and validate our story
• See trends or patterns to identify causes and to focus TA efforts
• Target school and student risk factors• Monitor progress and evaluate efforts• Strengthens accountability
“Without data it’s just another opinion”
NDPC-SD Dropout NDPC-SD Dropout Prevention Intervention Prevention Intervention
Framework (DPIF)Framework (DPIF)Knowledge transfer and utilization of dropout-
prevention research Proven practices that work Policies and procedures that support school
completion Implementation of evidence-based practices
within a contextual fit.
NPCD-SD’s framework provides a structured process by which SEA or LEA teams can gain sufficient knowledge to develop, sustain and expand efforts in data analysis to:
(1) Identify risk and protective factors(2) Identify priority areas for intervention(3) Identify and select evidence-based
practices to address needs(4) Develop and implement effective
programs in dropout prevention
Dropout Prevention/ Dropout Prevention/ Intervention Framework Intervention Framework
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Dropout Prevention Dropout Prevention FrameworkFramework
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Assessing the Root CauseAssessing the Root Cause
Making Data Driven DecisionsMaking Data Driven Decisions18
Phase 1: Analyze DataPhase 1: Analyze Data District and school demographics Student performance (graduation,
dropout, course completion, AYP) District/school infrastructure Assessment, curriculum, and instructional systems Current initiatives and partnerships Professional development Parent/family engagement
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Look for signs in Look for signs in the data the data
available to you!available to you!
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Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Regular School Attendance Regular School Attendance
• How much do we know about the whole picture of attendance in our school?– What data do we have and use?– What data do we need?– What electronic reports do we have/use?– How do students contribute to our knowledge about attendance?
• How regularly is whole school data analyzed?– Once a year– Each semester– Each marking period– Monthly– Weekly– Daily
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Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Regular School Attendance Regular School Attendance
• What are the attendance trends and specific attendance issues for our school?– What is the attendance rate for each grade? (absence
of >10 to 18% of the instructional time indicates a serious risk of dropping out)
– Has the rate changed over time?– How are individual students identified? How many are
of concern?– At what stage is a students absence considered a
concern (set # of days, unexcused days, skipping, tardiness)?
– What protective factors can we consider for these students?
– Does the district or school have targets for attendance rates?
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Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Regular School Attendance Regular School Attendance
• Is there a consistent understanding and use of absence codes in our school?
• How well do existing procedures work? Consider the following:– How are absences followed up?– What is currently done about late comers?– How is per period attendance recorded/
reported?– Is there consistent follow up by teachers?– How are parents communicated with about
attendance
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Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Regular School Attendance Regular School Attendance
• How do we follow up on poor attendance with students/, their parents?– Discuss reasons, contact families, make
agency referrals, interagency involvement (e.g., wraparound, RSA)
– Use case management, monitors, adult mentors,
– Establish contracts• How do we document interventions for
individuals, schools, groups of students? – Pen and paper, electronically, checklists,
external monitors
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Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Academic AchievementAcademic Achievement
• What are the course-completion rates for core classes?
• Do there appear to be “problem” classes?• Are Sp Ed students completing academic
courses at comparable rates to their non-disabled peers?
• What % of seniors didn’t earn enough credits to graduate last year?
• Are students able to take courses when they need them?
• Are credit requirements preventing many students from graduating in 4 years?
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Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Prosocial BehaviorProsocial Behavior
• Does your school have behavior supports in place?
• Does every E/BD student in your school have a behavior support plan?
• Are behavior support plans based on a functional behavior assessment (FBA)?
• Who conducts the FBAs?26
Guiding Questions to Promote Guiding Questions to Promote Prosocial BehaviorProsocial Behavior
• What percentage of students received in-school suspensions?
• What percentage of students received out-of-school suspensions?
• What percentage of students were expelled?
• How many office referrals were there?• Are the data consistent between all
students and students with disabilities? 27
Phase 2: Identify TargetPhase 2: Identify TargetAreas for InterventionAreas for Intervention
Academic content and instruction (reading, math, science, writing)
Behavior (classroom management, behavior support)
Attendance and truancy preventionSchool climateSelf management (self determination,
problem solving)Mentoring (employment, service
learning)Family engagement 28
Phase 3: Phase 3: Develop Improvement PlanDevelop Improvement Plan
Select evidence-based practices (e.g., Check & Connect, Positive Behavior Support, Cognitive Behavior Interventions, Content Enhancements) Determine level of intensity (Universal, Selected, Targeted) Contextualize to setting Establish timelines Train relevant staff members
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InterventionsInterventionsFocus on factors linked to dropout
Influenced by educatorsAttendanceBehavior Academic performanceStudent engagementAdult/peer interactionsSafe school environmentEvaluate policies and procedures regarding dropouts
Implementation of evidence-based strategies/interventions
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Phase 4: Implement, Monitor, Phase 4: Implement, Monitor, and Evaluateand Evaluate
Conduct baseline measures Implement strategies: on-site coaching, consultation & feedback, progress
monitoring, fidelity checks Measure results Evaluate outcomes Celebrate success! Disseminate
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Dropout Prevention/ Dropout Prevention/ Intervention Framework Intervention Framework
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Dropout PreventionDropout PreventionAt North East High SchoolAt North East High School
Action Plan
PUSH PULL
Retention ( High School and Lower Grades)
Inclusion Practices
Low Reading/Math skills in 9th grade
Lack of student attachment/lack of buy-in to school, Alienation
Poor transition practices
Disengagement (Suspensions, Absences)Failing Grades
Standard of 26 credits for graduation
Completion from GED programs
Friends and family dropping outPregnancy
Poor family support
Incarceration
Poor attendance
Family Illness (marriage, employment, child care)
Drug/Alcohol problem
Alterable variables can be transformed in to targeted goals that will inform selected strategies or interventions that affect student outcomes (Covington – Smith, 2007)
Variable
Goal
Strategy
Desired outcome
Inclusion teacher pulled from class too often
Increase time spent with standards by inclusion teacher
Schedule more carefully around teacher’s planning
Decrease loss of special education teacher in the classroom
Too many inclusion students outside of co-lab classes
Meeting accommodations of students
Schedule students into co-lab classes
Higher success for students
Regular and Special Education teachers should have common planning periods.
Effectively implementing accommodations
Scheduling Higher success rate and consistency
Attendance – excessive absences and truancy
Increase student attendance
Attendance on line like GO per period Rewards Local businesses not support kids during school hours
Students get to school on time Students stay in school all day Higher passing rate Higher student success
Influencing Alterable Variables
Strategic Planning (Goals & Measures)
Bring dropout rate to within state limits by 2010Establish standardsImplement school-wide intervention programsImplement after-school programsImplement transition programsConnect-ed communicationReduce tardiness to school/classImplement case manager programImprove aesthetics/climate Implement mentorship program
LeadershipAdministrative Team, Instructional Cabinet,
Guidance, PPW, Special Education BC, Behavioral Specialist, Teachers, and School
Improvement Team
Student, Stakeholder & Market Focus
At risk studentsParents ,TeachersCommunity membersBusinesses (BPAC), AdministratorsGuidance CounselorsSpecial Education StudentsCase managers
Performance ResultsStrategic Results
Short term effectiveness measuresDropout RatesGraduation RatesIncreased 9th grade passing rate, Reduction in tardiness to school/class
Operational/Process ResultsStill to be determined after implementation of our Action Plan
Teen Talk has been successful with 35 students this year.Teen pregnancy after-school has 7 students.
Human Resource – Faculty & Staff Focus
Dropout Prevention TeamAdministratorsCounselorsBehavioral SpecialistsSpecial Education Building CoordinatorPPWTeachersCase Managers
Process ManagementProfessional DevelopmentData CollectionInvestigate funding sourcesDevelop strategies for implementationUtilize staff members expertise Monitor Academic progress
Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management
Dropout Rate, Graduation Rate, AttendanceDiscipline referrals and suspension dataSet up intervention tools
NEHSDropout Prevention Action Plan
Action Plan North East High School
2008-2009
GOAL:To improve our graduation rates, lower our dropout rates and prepare our graduates for successful entry into higher education and/or the workforce.
Performance Indicator: We will increase our graduation rate by 3% in each of the next three years to meet the graduation standard. Improvement Strategy: We will reduce our dropout rate in North East High School, thereby increasing our graduation rate.
Action Plan Action Plan North East High School 2008-2009 North East High School 2008-2009
• To provide additional support for special education students participating in inclusive classes
• To have better communication with parents concerning students
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Action Plan Action Plan North East High School 2008- North East High School 2008-
20092009
• Implement evidence based strategies to increase student attendance rates
• Create a positive school atmosphere
•Decrease out of school suspensions
•Survey dropouts to inform improvement strategies
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NEHS Dropout Prevention NEHS Dropout Prevention InterventionsInterventions
1. Intervention Room2. After-School Planning3. Positive Referrals/Incentives4. Teen Talk (HMI grant)5. Attendance Breakfast6. Unit Organizer (grant)7. L to J (Lee Jenkins training)8. Peer Tutor (HSA grant)
NEHS Dropout Prevention NEHS Dropout Prevention InterventionsInterventions
9. Displaying of Student work/ Show cases
10.Student of the Month11.Staff Breakfast12.Building Aesthetics13.Data14.Communication15.Exit Conferences
Northeast High School Northeast High School Outcome DataOutcome Data
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Northeast High School Northeast High School Outcome DataOutcome Data
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Contact Information:Contact Information:Sandra Covington Smith, PhD
Project Coordinator, Technical Assistance and Training
Clemson UniversityClemson UniversityNDPC-SDNDPC-SD
209 Martin Street209 Martin StreetClemson, SC 29640Clemson, SC 29640
864-656-1817 864-656-1817 www.ndpc-sd.org