Southwestern Region Administrators October 19, 2007

1. Southwestern RegionAdministrators October 19, 2007

2. Alternative Education Opportunities Presented by Paul K. Leather, Division Director Career Technology and Adult Learning Division New Hampshire Department of Education Fall 2007

3. First Off, Resource Materials! • New Hampshire’s Vision for Redesign: Moving From High Schools to Learning Communities • Senate Bill 18 ~ Raising the Compulsory Age of Public Education in NH from 16 to 18 • 3 TA Advisories • Individual High School information on dropouts

4. Follow The Child ~ Commissioner Tracy Follow needs of each NH student, pre-K through high school graduation: • personal, • social, • physical and • academic The Commissioner is seeking ~ • DISTRICTS • SCHOOLS • TEACHERS To be Follow The Child Leaders…

5. Three Underlying Principles of New Hampshire’s Vision of HS Redesign • Follow The Child, which is really about the moral imperative to address each child’s needs in a personalized way, keeping good and accurate data regarding their progress • Students as Active Learners • Choices and Flexibility for Where and When Learning occurs

6. Underlying Principles of New Hampshire’s Vision of HS Redesign • Personalization • High Standards • Engagement & Active Learning • Outcomes ~ Follow The Child • Empowered Educators • Choices and Flexibility for Where and When Learning occurs

7. High School Redesign (with respect to Dropout Prevention!) The following broad frameworks and initiatives are on-going to address students at risk of dropping out as a larger strategy to make NH High Schools more effective in addressing 21st Century learning needs: • Follow The Child • New Hampshire’s Vision for Redesign: Moving from High Schools to Learning Communities • Apex II • Statewide Literacy Plan • Statewide Numeracy Plan • Extended Learning Opportunities • Time flexibility • School Improvement Efforts

8. Pyramid of Service Based on Need, (DuFour & DuFour) Out of District Placement Out-of-School Programs: Adult High School, GED Prep., Off site Programs, etc. In-School Programs for kids at risk: Literacy Programs, dropout prevention, Special Education, etc. Improving education for all kids: HS Redesign, APEX II, Raising the compulsory age of education, etc.

9. Reading, ‘Riting, & ‘Rithmatic! • Statewide Literacy Plan ~ • toolkit on adolescent literacy strategies to support school districts to focus on literacy across the academic disciplines. • Rolled out at the Follow The Child State-wide Forum in Nashua. • Over 300 school district personnel in attendance. • Statewide Numeracy Plan ~ to be developed this year in a process parallel to the Literacy Plan completed last year.

10. Extended Learning Opportunities • A voluntary section of the State School Approval Rules • Allows students to earn credit towards graduation outside of traditional classrooms • Requires Qualified Educator Oversight • Underpins the language of SB 18

11. Time Flexibility The school approval rules also contain a requirement that all high school courses be measured by the mastery of course level competencies as a means to earn credit towards graduation. This rule will allow schools and students to be more flexible with time regarding the completion of these courses. This, in turn, will allow for the use of after school, out of school, and summer school programs and credit recovery efforts to support credit attainment for struggling students.

12. School Improvement Efforts The DOE is providing a variety of supports to schools in need of improvement, using both federal, state, and private resources, that will assist schools to implement ideas and strategies discussed in the High School Vision document. For example: • Supports designed for schools and districts in corrective action • Response to Intervention (RTI) efforts and resources • Transition Community of Practice (Special Ed and VR)

13. School Improvement Efforts (cont.) • A cadre of school improvement coaches in English Language Arts and Mathematics have been contracted to provide direct, on-site assistance. • CACES Competency Assessment Model - piloted with HSs across the state. • Grant Application for pilot to support school districts in the use of Follow The Child Principles, ELOs, & Competency Assessment in alternative settings.

14. Senate Bill 18 • Compulsory Attendance raised from 16 to 18 • Exemptions: • Home Education • GED Certificate • Graduate • Private School • Waiver from Superintendent: • Alternative Learning Plan in place or • Excused from school due to physical or mental challenge, or • due to mutual agreement between parent and school authorities

15. Alternative Learning Plans • Age appropriate academic rigor • May be made up of Extended Learning Opportunities • Developed by pupil, guidance counselor, principal, and parent • Approved by Superintendent • May be appealed to the Local and State Board of Education

16. GED Completers • The department is applying for the option of designating GED completers as “high school completers” rather than drop outs, in order to have a more specific state record of student success. This is a national program called “GED Options,” where schools are allowed to keep GED preparers and test takers enrolled in day high school and therefore schools will not be required to count these students as dropouts.

17. $2.1 Million for Dropout Prevention • Six Person State Dropout Prevention and Recovery Council oversees these monies • RFP for new programs was released July 1, 2007 to address alternative programming needs and interventions in high schools. • Districts were found to have a wide range of needs for at risk students. • Planning to Create A REGIONAL, STATE-WIDE System of Dropout Prevention!!!

18. Additional Funding • Adult Ed RFP ~ Twenty-three Adult High School Grants have been approved. This includes three new sites that will be in Sanborn Regional, Kennett, and Lisbon High Schools. ($500,000) • Special Education Adult HS funding ~ Monies will be released based on numbers of students in Adult High Schools needing special services, based on dropouts who are/were coded Special Education. ($1.5 million)

19. Additional Funding (cont.) • Expanded Tuition & Transportation funding ~ Amendments were made to Tuition and Transportation monies to include not only Career & Technical Education programming, but also Adult High School and Alternative programs. Programs that would not be eligible for this funding are private and parochial schools.

20. Additional Funding (cont.) • Students identified as at risk will now be able to attend Alternative Programs that allow for a variety of educational options that lead to graduation at regional centers, or at locations determined by the district. ($900,000)

21. Follow The Child for the NHDOE! • Looking at all kids at risk of dropping out… • Last year (2006-2007) Final counts are NOT in (likely to be > 2,129) • 16-17 year olds (effected by SB 18) = 816 • These are the kids targeted by SB 18… • Need to Report data on these children!!!

22. Longer Term Initiatives • Follow The Child Coordinator in every district • Amend Truancy Laws • State Diploma System • Address HHS and Corrections services to better support students at risk: • Drug/Alcohol Abuse, • Community Mental Health Services, • DCYS, • YDC, • Juvenile Justice