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East Durham Children’s Initiative. Born in Harlem, Made for Durham. North Carolina Education Summit 2012. EDCI Zone. 120 block, 1.2 sq. mile area east of downtown Durham YE Smith school attendance zone 9,614 residents (3.5% population Durham County).
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East Durham Children’s Initiative Born in Harlem, Made for Durham North Carolina Education Summit 2012
EDCI Zone 120 block, 1.2 sq. mile area east of downtown Durham YE Smith school attendance zone 9,614 residents (3.5% population Durham County) 2, 984 children 0-17 and 1,450 young adults 18-31 Source: American Community Survey, 2006-2010
East Durham Children’s Initiative • Target Area: Modeled after HCZ, EDCI targets children & families living in a distressed, 120-block area of East Durham. • Target Schools: EDCI targets three of the historically lowest performing DPS schools: Y.E. Smith, Neal, and Southern. • Continuum of Services: EDCI provides a continuum of services for children extending from cradle to college or career. Services are coordinated, comprehensive, and high quality. • Community Partnerships: EDCI partners with the community members and 20+ local organizations to provide its services. • Evaluation: EDCI is committed to evaluation and results.
Distinctive Features of EDCI • Unlike HCZ, which owns its programs, EDCI partners with local organizations to provide most of its services. This allows for a more feasible and replicable model focused on kids attending public schools. • EDCI creates a system that engages many stakeholders in collective responsibility towards a shared goal college/career ready kids. • EDCI identifies, coordinates, and leverage resources in a way that is strategic, efficient, and demonstrates results over time. If no one facilitated this process, it is unlikely this continuum of resources would come together for some of the most needy kids in Durham. • EDCI provides a system of accountability that ensures quality programming and results.
What are some of the barriers that you experienced in your journey to college or career?
Now meet Cynthia… • Cynthia is a 3rd grader. She is an overweight child, possibly suffering from asthma. She enjoys school and wants to go to college. (Cynthia would be the first person in her family to graduated from HS). • She often comes to school unclean and “out of uniform”. She lives with her mother who is an attentive parent, but has an alcohol problem. The family resides in substandard housing that does not have water and electricity; and have recently been informed that they are being evicted. For various reasons, the mother does not work and the family does NOT receive any government assistance.
Now, meet Juan… • Juan is in 4th grade. Juan experienced a traumatic entry into the United States and is struggling in multiple academic areas. His parents have no legal documentation and speak little English. He has two other siblings. One sibling is in first grade and the other is two years old. His dad works sporadically and his mom stays at home. Their family income is about $14,000 per year. What are some of the barriers that Cynthia and Juan mayexperience in their journeys to college or career?
EDCI Continuum of Services COLLEGE CAREER
EDCI Program Highlights EDCI’s continuum includes 40 services provided by partners & EDCI: • Early Childhood* • Durham Connects • Healthy Families Durham • Stepping Stones • Hill Early Literacy Program • Elementary School* • HillRAP tutoring • EDCI Parent Advocates • EDCI Summer Camp • Back Pack Buddies • Achieving Health for a Lifetime • KidZNotes • Middle/High School • Citizen Schools • Student U • Teach for America • CIS Graduation Coaches • Family, Health & Social Services • Community & School Health Clinics • Benefits Bank • Community • KaBOOM! Playground • Project RED/Habitat for Humanity • Community Advisory Board * EDCI strategically focused on developing its early childhood and elementary school programs in its first year of implementation (2011-2012).
Y.E. Smith School Profile • Population (49% Black; 46% Hispanic; 5% Other) • Free & Reduced Lunch (Approx 90%) • Uniform Policy • Museum Theme School (Collaborative Partnerships) • Extended Day (One-Hour Daily) • Friday Clubs • Race to the Top School • Three-Year School Improvement Grant (SIG) • Six-Year Singapore Math Grant (Burroughs Wellcome & SAS Institute)
Focus on Improvement • Culture of High Expectations (Practices, Policies, Procedures) • PLC Framework Implementation • Instructional Planning • Instructional Presentation • Common Assessments • Data Analysis • Intervention** • Staffing • Professional Development
EDCI Partnership with DPS • DPS’ Board Vice-Chair is one of EDCI’s founding members. Since then, DPS is EDCI’s largest partner, sharing a strong commitment to closing the achievement gap. • EDCI supplements DPS efforts by providing wrap around support (e.g., early childhood services, summer programs, Parent Advocates) to students attending EDCI target schools. • EDCI seeks to works collaboratively with DPS staff including regular mtgs. with the Superintendent, principals, & teachers. • DPS contracts with EDCI to allow Parent Advocates to work as DPS employees withaccess to student data. EDCI’s evaluators are also able to assess EDCI programs and access data.
EDCI Value Add to DPS • EDCI highlights DPS partnership with a community-based initiative modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone. • EDCI enhances DPS relationship with East Durham community residents and leaders. • EDCI increases Durham community’s participation at EDCI target schools (e.g., Durham Rotary & Police Reads volunteers) • EDCI garners support from more than 35 for-profit and non-profit organizations contributing in-kind and financial resources to support programs at EDCI target schools. • EDCI efforts align with DPS Strategic Plan
EDCI and DPS Strategic Plan Academic Acceleration • Goal I.2 Achievement Gap: EDCI works with and/or funds key partners to provide high-quality extended day & summer programs at YE Smith & Neal. • Goal I.4 Literacy: EDCI supplements literacy instruction by providing and evaluating HillRAP tutoring to lowest performing students at Y.E. Smith. EDCI also brings in resources to expand school and home libraries with new books. • Goal I.5 Kindergarten Readiness: EDCI partners with DPfCand providers to offer Stepping Stones, IY, and other programs that promote K readiness. • Goal I.7 STEAM: EDCI targets STEAM schools and partners with programs that enhance STEAM curriculum (e.g., Shodor, Citizen Schools, KidZNotes).
EDCI and DPS Strategic Plan Communications & Partnerships • Goal II.1 Communication: EDCI regularly communicates strong partnership with DPS in the community and has appeared on Channel 4. • Goal II.3 Partnerships: EDCI supports and facilitates DPS relationship with several strategic community partners including local businesses, volunteers, Duke’s Center for Child and Family Policy, CIS of Durham, Chamber of Commerce, and faith-based organizations. • Goal II.4 Family & Community Connections: EDCI engaged over 120 families at Y.E. Smith in the new Parent Advocate Program including home visits, parent workshops, and help accessing community resources. EDCI also reaches families via early childhood programs and other community outreach efforts. Special effort is made to reach Spanish-Speaking families.
EDCI and DPS Strategic Plan Effective Operations • Goal IV.4 Nutrition Programs: EDCI fund Back Packs for food insecure students and set-up a Cooking Matters class at an afterschool program. Wellness & Safety • Goal V1.3 & V1.4 Supportive Environments & Access to Services: EDCI Parent Advocates work with school staff to develop positive home-school connections and a parent-friendly environment. Advocates also actively refer K-2 families at Y.E. Smith to various community resources. • Goal V1.4 Student Attendance and Graduation Rates: EDCI Parent Advocates support families at Truancy Court and educate parents about the importance of attendance and school attendance policies.
EDCI Impact 2011-2012 • Established 40+ program and community partnerships with various stakeholders committed to kids in East Durham. • Worked with partners to offer 40 programs as a part of EDCI’s continuum of services. EDCI focused on early childhood and elementary school programs this year. • Developed national partnership with America’s Promise Alliance as GradNation community. • Moved office to East Durham. Picture: Durham’s Partnership for Children, Durham Public Library, Healthy Families Durham and EDCI partnered to provide two Story Time Events for Spanish-Speaking families in the EDCI Zone.
EDCI Impact 2011-2012 Early Childhood: • 44 EDCI families with kids ages 0-3 engaged in home-based parent support programs using Parents as Teachers curriculum. • Provided literacy training for 1 childcare center in EDCI Zone. • Held Transition to K event with DPfC at Y.E. Smith (26 attending). • 62 rising K students attended Stepping Stones (29 in FY11 and 33 in FY12).Evaluation results for FY12 camp expected in the fall. Picture: Stepping Stones Graduation at Y.E. Smith, 2012.
EDCI Impact 2011-2012 Elementary School: • EDCI & partners offered several wrap around programs at Y.E. Smith to supplement DPS transformation school intervention. • Preliminary 2011-12 Y.E. Smith data shows a composite proficiency score of 61.8%, compared to 2010-11 composite score of 48%. • 20 low-performing students received HillRAP tutoring during the extended day period. Evaluation results expected this fall. • 150 students attended summer programs at Y.E. Smith (FY12) • Evaluation results for EDCI Summer Camp 2012 expected this fall. • 42 food insecure students received EDCI-funded Back Packs. • 80 EDCI kids involved in KidZNotes music program.
EDCI Impact 2011-2012 Parent Advocate Program: • 76% (123) of K-2 families at Y.E. Smith actively involved with an EDCI Parent Advocate (including 178 kids). • 24% (39) of K-2 families declined(4) or were unable to be reached. • 73% of families received at least one home visit. • 45% of families referred to at least one community resource. • Two Advocate-led parent workshops (30 and 35 parents attending) • Advocates held well-attended, Parent Appreciation Ceremony. . Picture: Family picture taken at Parent Appreciation Ceremony and Reception, Holton Center, May 2012.
EDCI Impact 2011-2012 Middle/High School: • Several EDCI partners engaged in work at Neal. Composite scores show 55% proficiency, which met Expected Growth. • Met with principals to discuss Y.E. Smith student transition to Neal. Helped facilitate Y.E. Smith student tour at Neal. Community • Participated in several East Durham community events and groups. Developed relationships with local residents, kids and families, churches, businesses, and non-profits. • Helped facilitate resident-led, community potlucks.
Success at YE Smith Elementary • 89 % of School Growth Met • 88.5% Durham Public Schools Scorecard Goals Met • 100% of State Assessment Goals Met • 100% of Teacher Data Goals Met • 95.1% Attendance Rate for 2011-2012 School Year
Proposed Three Year Strategy • Increase EDCI focus on programs at Neal MS and Southern HS. • Develop strategy to address changing needs of the community (e.g., increase in Spanish speaking families, large transient population). • Continue EDCI community engagement efforts. Seek feedback from residents and families to guide EDCI development. • Ongoing needs assessment and identification of gap in services. • Continue development and implementation of EDCI evaluation process. Use positive outcomes to garner additional funding.