Alternative Programs Update Board Meeting – 2/28/11

1. Alternative Programs UpdateBoard Meeting – 2/28/11 Main Points • Guiding Principles • Collecting Data • Possible Changes for CVMS and 9-10 Program • Alternate Route to High School Completion

2. Guiding Principles • Forming meaningful relationships with positive adult role models is vital for student success in school • Building substantial and meaningful core academic skills is necessary for success after high school • Addressing students’ non-academic needs is necessary to ensure significant academic and personal success • A safe, respectful and inviting school climate is necessary in order for learning to take place • Developing life skills is an important component of a successful at-risk program • The needs and abilities of at-risk students are very individual in nature – a flexible and non-traditional educational program is necessary to promote student success

3. Student Achievement Data • Collecting meaningful achievement data on at-risk students is challenging – credits, grades, standardized test scores, etc. are not always very accurate • Planning to incorporate pre & post tests in priority skills – reading, writing, and math • Looking for ways to measure growth in “softer” skills – academic confidence, self-advocacy, etc. • Investigating moving to more competency based curriculum – students proving that they know something or can do something to a certain proficiency

4. Possible Changes to CVMS & 9-10 Program Chippewa Valley Middle School Separate rooms to serve different needs – academic vs behavior • Separate strategies/activities for different needs Half-day program to serve students with strictly academic needs • Keep connection with MS environment (transition to MS/HS will be easier) • Access to elective classes – Music, Unified Arts, etc. • Ability serve more students – Morning and Afternoon Sessions

5. Possible Changes to CVMS & 9-10 Program CVHS 9-10 Program Switch from full-day to half-day program for most students • Keep students connected to environment at Chi-Hi • Allow students access to electives • Concentrate on Core Areas that need extra work • Serve more students with current staff

6. Alternate Path to High School Completion GED Option 1 • GED – General Education Development/Degree • HSED (High School Equivalency Diploma) • GED Battery of Tests (5) – Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts • Plus health, civics literacy, employability skills, career awareness • High Schools contract with local technical school (CVTC – EC) • Student attends technical school for 3 hours per day, 5 days per week – high school pays per hour • High school may choose to offer diploma

7. Alternate Path to High School Completion GED Option 2 (GEDO 2) • Available since 2001 • Student completes work for HSED on-site (usually as part of an alternative program) • Student attends school for number of hours as required by the school • Criteria for entry into the program are developed by the school • Additional requirements may be added to those already in place for the HSED • An 80% success rate must be maintained for those students who enter the program • School must offer traditional diploma for students who successfully complete the program

8. Alternative Path to High School Completion Should awarding the traditional high school diploma be a obstacle in offering the GEDO 2? NO • It is the transcript that is important, not the diploma…and the transcript will look different • The traditional diploma is already awarded for a wide range of academic success • GED Tests are written so that 40% of high school seniors cannot pass them • In some cases, success on the GED Tests may be a better indication of knowledge or skill attainment than grades • No need to set up additional barriers to future success

9. Alternative Programs Update • Question and Answer if time allows!