Evaluation of Harris County Systems of Hope: Climate and/or Environmental Influences on Youth-

1. Evaluation of Harris County Systems of Hope: Climate and/or Environmental Influences on Youth- Baseline Educational Characteristics of Participants Systems of Hope Harris County, Texas Prepared by the Evaluation Team DePelchin Children’s Center October 2008

2. Presentation Outline • Focus on educational characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of participants at baseline • Implications for Systems of Hope

3. Surveys related to Educational Involvement • Education Questionnaire-Revised (EQ-R). Completed by caregiver. 15-item and multiple sub-parts survey. National Evaluation instrument. • Child Behavior Checklist 6-18 years (CBCL 6-18). Completed by caregiver. 113 item checklist. National Evaluation instrument. • School Climate Questionnaire (SCQ). Completed by youth 11 years or older. 11 item survey. Local Evaluation instrument

4. School Attendance • 57 adults and 44 youth completed baseline surveys between Nov. 2006- Aug. 2008 • Youth were ages 6-16 at baseline. • All participants had been in school in the previous 6 months and were currently in school. * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

5. School Absences * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

6. Relationship between attendance & behavioral/ emotional problems • 44% of children were absent from school 2 or more days per month for any reason in the past 6 months • Of those, 84% said that their child’s school attendance was affected by behavioral/ emotional problems • For children whose attendance was affected by behavioral/ emotional problems, 35% of their schools provided support to improve attendance * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

7. Schools attended 56% attended only 1 school in the previous 6 months Of those attending >1 school in past 6 months, 79% were due to behavioral/ emotional problems Types of schools attended in past 6 months (sums to more than 100%) • Public day school 81% • Alternate/ special education day school 28% • School in 24-hour psychiatric/ medical setting 16% • School in juvenile justice/ detention facility 12% • Schooled at home 5% • School in residential treatment center/ group home 4% * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

8. Educational performance • 19% were failing half or more of their subjects/ classes at baseline • 39% had repeated a grade • 70% had academic or other problems at school * Baseline Child Behavior Checklist, completed by caregiver

9. Educational support • 63% of children had special education plan, including an IEP • Reasons for having an IEP: • Behavioral/ emotional problems 44% • Behavioral/ emotional problems and learning disabilities 33% • Learning disabilities 17% • Other 6% * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

10. Type of special education services • 60% received special education services • Self-contained class 56% • Resource services-pulled out of class 16% • Inclusion within class 19% • Unknown 6% * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

11. Youth Behavior and School • 39% were disobedient at school very often • 30% had poor school work very often • 26% sometimes or often feared going to school • 33% sometimes or often skipped school * Baseline Child Behavior Checklist, completed by caregiver

12. School disciplinary actions • 56% were suspended, expelled or both in the past 6 months • Suspended (in-school or out of school): 42% • Expelled 5% • Suspended and expelled 9% • 59% of those suspended/ expelled had a plan developed to improve their behavior. * Baseline EQ-R, completed by caregiver

13. School Climate Questionnaire • 11 item questionnaire completed by youth 11 years or older • Based on questions from the National Longitudinal Survey on Adolescent Health

14. “I feel close to people at my school”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

15. “I feel like I belong at my school”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

16. “The students at my school are prejudiced”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

17. “I’m happy to be at my school”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

18. “Teachers at my school are understanding when students have personal problems”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

19. “The teachers at my school treat students fairly”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

20. “I feel socially accepted at my school”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

21. “My teachers give me individual attention if I need it”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

22. “I do not feel safe in school”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

23. “The office staff at my school treat students fairly”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

24. “The administrators at my school treat students fairly”* n= 44 *Baseline SCQ, completed by youth 11 years and older

25. Summary • Almost half of students missed 2 or more days of school per month. • While most of these students’ school attendance was affected by behavioral/ emotional problems, only one third of the schools provided support for attendance issues. • Although over half of SOH youth attended only one school in the past six months, other students attended multiple schools, most of which was due to behavioral/ emotional problems. • A majority of the students have IEPs or are receiving special education services due to behavioral/emotional problems and/or learning disabilities. • While over half of SOH youth were suspended, expelled or both in the past 6 months, only half of them had plans to improve their behavior. • One fifth were failing classes; two-fifths had repeated a grade. • Even though most students felt happy at school, socially accepted, and supported by teachers and school staff, others did not. And, one fourth of parents and/or caregivers said their child feared going to school and one fifth of students said they did not feel safe in their school.

26. Questions?