Will implementing intervention in the transition year decrease student failure rates? - PowerPoint Presentation

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Will implementing intervention in the transition year decrease student failure rates?

Mindy

Sparby

, Michelle

Cuka

, and Dawn McCabe

Research tells us

More students fail 9

th

grade than any other year.

(Wheelock & Miao, 2005; Kerr, 2002).

More students fail 9

th

grade than any other grade

(Cohen &

Smerdon

, 2009).

Schools that have little emphasis on ways to ease transition tend to have higher failure and dropout rates

. (

Ganeson

&

Ehrich

, 2009).

Research tells us

9

th

grade transition programs’ affect on high school dropout rates

:

with

program 8% dropout rate

without

24

% dropout rate

(

Reents

, 2002

)

9

th

graders have the lowest grade point average, the most missed classes, the majority of failing grades, and more misbehavior referrals than any other grade.

(

McCallumore

&

Sparapani

, 2010).

Grades and attendance

aften

decline in the ninth grade, which leads to increased failure rates.

(Chapman & Sawyer, 2001).

Research tells us

When transitioning, students have reported three areas in which they feel concern

(

Uvaas

&

McKevitt

, 2013).

Academic

Procedural

Social

Difficulty transitioning can result in decreased attendance, and the combination of low attendance and low academic performance is associated with increased dropout rates.

(

Uvaas

&

McKevitt

, 2013).

Schools that provide additional student supports report greater student retention and lower dropout rates compared to schools with minimal or no supports.

(

Uvass

&

McKevitt

, 2013).

Our Research

The Plan:

Examine failure rates for students in the transition year

Owatonna

: 9

th

grade

New Prague: 9

th

grade

Belle

Plaine

: 7

th

grade

Survey Transition-year Staff perceptions

What do you perceive as the biggest obstacle students transition to high school face?

What, if anything, do you do differently in your instruction for students transitioning to high school?

Do you feel as though your school’s transition intervention has been effective?

Data Collected: Owatonna Failure Rates

Percentage of freshman who failed one or more classes

Data compares each year’s

entire

freshmen class.

Data Collected: New Prague Failure Rates

Percentage of freshman who failed one or more classes

Data compares each year’s

entire

freshman class.

Data Collected: Belle

Plaine

Failure

Rates

Percentage of 7

th

graders who failed one or more classes

Data compares each year’s

entire

7

th

grade class.

Our Quantitative Findings

Owatonna:

Each year of implementation led to fewer F’s overall for all freshmen

There are more F’s during second semester after implementation.

New Prague:

After the first year of implementation their was a slight increase in F’s overall

During the second year of implementation the number of overall F’s went down

There are more F’s during third trimester that the first two.

Belle

Plaine

:

The number of students with one or more F’s increased each year with implementation

The first semester of each year saw more F’s than the second

The Qualitative Findings: Key Themes

What do you perceive as the biggest obstacle students transitioning to high school face?

Lack of time management, organization, and study skills

Lack of maturity

Realization of now earning credits

The Qualitative Findings: Key Themes

What, if anything, do you do differently in your instruction for students transitioning to high school?

More individualized instruction and support

Teaching study and organization skills

Gradual increase in rigor

Increased communication and guidance

Teaching accountability and self-advocacy skills

The Qualitative Findings: Key Themes

Do you feel as though your school’s transition intervention has been effective?

RtI

:

Most teachers feel that the structured assistance in the small group setting can be beneficial and can give students skills and confidence. However, teacher effectiveness is crucial component.

Perception of intervention is that of a study hall.

Some teachers are not seeing a positive effect.

9

th

grade academy

:

Increase of reading scores is significant

Kids feel more success and belonging

A proactive approach to finding struggling students early

Connectedness and social growth

Data Collected:

Student Comments

“Teachers don’t give up on you.”

“Family feeling in the Academy”

“Feels safe”

“Teachers don’t seem to be here just for a job.”

“Good to have teachers on you about homework.”

“I feel comfortable asking questions.”

“I use seminar to get homework done.”

“Teachers spoil us.”

Critical Components for a Successful Transition Program

Focus should be on three areas:

Academic:

S

tudy skills and strategies

I

ndividualized attention

Self-awareness

Procedural:

S

chool layout, navigating the building

Number of transitions throughout the day

Being late, lost

Multiple orientations

Social:

B

uilding a sense of community and belonging

Promote school connectedness

Our Recommendations

Any transition program include the focus areas:

Academic

Procedural

Social

Teacher effectiveness and commitment

Buy-in from all staff and administration, parents, students

Global implementation

Additional supports in place for higher risk students

References

Campbell, H. (2001). Easing the transition to high school.

Education Digest

,

67

(1), 12.

Chapman, M. V., & Sawyer, J. S. (2001). Bridging the gap for students at risk of school

failure: A social work-initiated middle to high school transition program.

Children & Schools

,

23

(4), 235.

Chmelynski

, C. (2004). Ninth-grade academies keep kids in school.

Education Digest

,

69

(5), 48-50.

Cohen, J. S., &

Smerdon

, B. A. (2009). Tightening the Dropout Tourniquet: Easing the

Transition From Middle to High School.

Preventing School Failure

,

53

(3), 177-184.

Dorman, B. (2012). The supported teen: transitioning to high school. Leadership, 41(5),

22-25.

Ehren

, B. J., Deshler, D. D., &

Graner

, P. (2010). Using the Content Literacy Continuum

as a Framework for Implementing RTI in Secondary Schools. Theory Into Practice, 49(4), 315-322. doi:10.1080/00405841.2010.510760

Emmett, J., & McGee, D. (2012). A farewell to freshmen.

Clearing House

,

85

(2), 74-79.

doi:10.1080/00098655.2011.619592

References

Jerald, C. D. (2006). Identifying potential dropouts: Key lessons for building an early

warning data system—A dual agenda of high standards and high graduation rates. Washington, DC: Achieve, Inc. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from

http://www.achieve.org/files/Identifying-Potential-Dropouts.pdf

McCallumore

, K., &

Sparapani

, E. F. (2010). The Importance of the Ninth Grade on

High School Graduation Rates and Student Success. Education Digest, 76(2), 60-64.

Montgomery, G. T., &

Hirth

, M. A. (2011). Freshman Transition for At-Risk Students:

Living With HEART. NASSP Bulletin, 95(4), 245-265. doi:10.1177/0192636511426618

Reents

, J. N. (2002). Isolating 9th graders: Separate schools ease the academic and social

transition for high school bound students. The School Administrator. Retrieved July 9, 2013 from h

ttp://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=10402&terms=Isolating+9th+graders

Sanger, D.,

Friedli

, C.,

Brunken

, C., Snow, P., &

Ritzman

, M. (2012). Educators' Year

Long Reactions to the Implementation of a Response to Intervention (

RtI

) Model.

Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research

,

7

(2), 98-107.

Smith, J. S.,

Akos

, P.,

Sungtaek

, L., & Wiley, S. (2008). Student and Stakeholder

Perceptions of the Transition to High School. High School Journal, 91(3), 32-42.

References

Thomas, S. B., & Dykes, F. (2010). Promoting successful transitions: What can we learn

From RTI to enhance outcomes for all students?

Preventing School Failure

,

55

(1), 1-9.

Uvaas

, T., &

McKevitt

, B. C. (2013). Improving Transitions to High School: A Review

of Current Research and Practice. Preventing School Failure, 57(2), 70-76. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2012.664580

Wheelock, A., & Miao, J. (2005). The ninth grade bottleneck.

The School

Administrator

.

Retrieved June 25,

2013

from http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=8728.