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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative Evaluation

This evaluation examines the Ontario Ministry of Education's Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and Implementation Initiative, focusing on training, components, methodology, results, and recommendations for improving the transition process.

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative Evaluation

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  1. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative Evaluation MainContactsDr. Kate Tilleczek, Laurentian University & The Hospital for Sick Children Dr. Bruce Ferguson, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenDr. Michael Mueller, The Hospital for Sick Children Ms. Dara Roth Edney, The Hospital for Sick Children Ms. Sarah Bovaird, The Hospital for Sick Children Dr. Simon Laflamme, Laurentian University

  2. When and where? “The tragedy of the transition years is not that students experience anxiety on transfer to secondary school. The tragedy is that this anxiety passes so quickly, and that the students adjust so smoothly to the many uncomfortable realities of secondary school life. These realties…can restrict achievement, and depress motivation (especially among the less academic) sowing the seeds for dropout in later years.” (Hargreaves & Earl, 1990)

  3. “Being” and “Becoming” “Belonging”

  4. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and Implementation InitiativeINTRODUCTION • As part of Phase Three of the Student Success strategy, the Ontario Ministry of Education developed and introduced the Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and Implementation Initiative to improve the success of students as they make the transition from grade eight to grade nine. • Training for this initiative was conducted by ministry staff for Student Success Leaders (SSLs) and supervisory officers of school boards in the spring of 2006. • These board leaders in turn conducted the same training for the Student Success Teachers (SSTs) and transition team members in their respective boards.

  5. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and Implementation InitiativeINTRODUCTION • The transition planning and implementation components included: • designation of caring adults; • strength-based timetabling; • strategies and interventions for grade 8 students who may be at risk; • grade 8 student profiles; • Board training and plan for local implementation

  6. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and Implementation InitiativeMETHODOLOGY • During the Fall of 2006, questionnaires were circulated to all SSLs and SSTs via emails. • SSL Response: A total of 59 SSLs from 59 school boards across Ontario completed and returned the questionnaire. The distribution of SSLs comprised of 50 from English-language and 9 from French-language school boards, as well as 28 from Catholic and 31 from Public school boards.

  7. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and Implementation InitiativeMETHODOLOGY SST Response: • 358 student success teachers (311 English-language and 47 French-language) from 342 schools within 56 district school boards • 297 from urban schools and 52 from rural schools • 230 from Public schools and 127 from Catholic schools • Vast majority were secondary schools composed of grades 9 through 12 (88 %) Based on the total number of secondary schools in Ontario (n=869), the overall response rate was almost 40 %.

  8. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and ImplementationInitiative EvaluationRESULTS

  9. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning InitiativeRESULTS: THE IMPLEMENTATION Overall implementation: • Both SSLs and SSTs reported high levels of diffusion and implementation of the components of the program.

  10. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning InitiativeRESULTS: THE IMPLEMENTATION (SST) • Almost two-thirds of the SSTs (59 %) reported that their schools have most components implemented. • Less than 1 % of SSTs reported their schools had only a few components implemented.

  11. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning InitiativeRESULTS: THE IMPLEMENTATION (SST) • There is variability across the Boards in defining ‘families of schools’. • There was variability across Boards in defining ‘at-risk’.

  12. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning InitiativeRESULTS: THE PERCEPTION OF THE INNOVATION (SSL) • Over two-thirds of the SSLs rated the Ministry’s Transition Planning Training Sessions positively (28 % “somewhat useful”, 45 % “quite useful”, and 28 % “very useful”).

  13. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning InitiativeRESULTS: THE PERCEPTION (SSL) CONCLUSIONS (SSL): • Training sessions provided details of expectations, and resources/support for board wide sessions • Training sessions clearly addressed the need for the different components

  14. Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative RESULTS: OTHER FACTORS (SSL) • Participation of SSLs and Supervisory Officers in Board training has important positive impact on levels of implementation.

  15. Discussion and Recommendations • There is variability in how ‘at risk’ was defined and this definition had an impact on the implementation of components. • Participation of senior board officers in board training sessions had an important positive impact on implementation.

  16. Discussion and Recommendations • The results suggest the need for more resources for staff training and an examination of the roles and resourcing of SSTs. • The importance of elementary and secondary schools shared planning and implementation was highlighted.

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