September 29, 2010

1. Performance Based Diploma Academy September 29, 2010

2. Dr. Gary Norris Superintendent 29 Years • Waterloo, IA (2008) • Sarasota County, FL (2004) • Salina, KS (1994) • Indian River County, FL (1989) • Hibbing, MN (1985) • Satanta, KS (1982)

4. December 18, 2006

5. 21st Century Students • Know more about the world • Think in interdisciplinary combinations • Manage, interpret, and validate information (information literacy) • Communicate and work in teams • Utilize technology • Understand key concepts taught in depth

6. August 2009 we launched a comprehensive district wide strategic plan--to prepare our students for the 21st Century

7. Strategic Focus Areas • Student Achievement and Development • Human Assets • Climate for Learning • Financial Sustainability and Operational Excellence • Community Engagement

8. Why? -Because children’s brains are wired differently • -Because we must align teaching and learning to tomorrow’s workforce needs • -Because we must acknowledge global economic and technological realities

9. 1950s Educational strategies just will not work • Passive • Receive Knowledge • Learn Alone • Learning Content • Replicate • Tracking

10. Engaged 21st Century Classrooms -Active Learning -Construct Knowledge -Learn Together -Learning to Learn -Relevant instruction -Different Learning Styles

12. Horn Concludes: Customized learning will help many more students succeed in school • Student-centric classrooms will increase the demand for new technology • Computers must be disruptively deployed to every student

13. Horn Concludes: • Disruptive innovation can circumvent roadblocks that have prevented other attempts at school reform We can compete in the global classroom—and get ahead in the global market

14. A local example of disruptive innovation… • We are the first district in Iowa to implement PBDA

15. PBD Beginnings • 1987 • Vero Beach, Florida • Dr. Jim Burns, Superintendent • Ms. Judy Jones, Coordinator • Plato-Wicat Software • Tape Drive Computers • GED Test Exit Exam • Regular Vero Beach High School Diploma • Rave Reviews from Employers

16. Four Components of a Performance Based Diploma • This is not credit recovery—although PLATO is being used in our district for just that. • Without all of these components you can not create a true Performance (Mastery) Based Diploma. • Philosophically this eliminates the “Carnegie Unit.” • Credits are no longer based on seat time but based on mastery.

17. Component One 1. Online academic instruction with PLATO courseware. 300 Students at East and West 200-250 at Expo

19. Component Two • Career technical course sequence leading to certification

20. Component Three 3. Counseling

21. Counseling • Life skills • Conflict resolution • Problem solving • Crisis management • Human interaction skills • Family environment

22. Component Four 4. Mentoring

23. Mentoring • Teammates • District mentor coordinator • Matching partially based on career interest • Could use an outside agency like: Big Brothers and Big Sisters • One hour per week • Suggested activities

24. Testimonals • Performance Based Diploma Academy—Justin Little and Anjuli Myers

25. Alan November Novemberlearning.com

26. Nationally Jobs are divided into 16 Career Clusters Information Technology Finance Agriculture, Food Natural Resources Arts A/V Technology Communications Business, Management, Administration Marketing, Sales, Services Science Technology Engineering Mathematics Architecture Construction Health Sciences Human Services Manufacturing Transportation Distribution Logistics Hospitality Tourism Government Public Administration Education Training Law Public Service Security

27. Arts, Communication & Business Academy Health Academy Human Services Academy Engineering, Technology and Manufacturing Academy

28. Career Interest Academies-get students off to a great start in High School • Teach employability skills in 9th grade and the career courses--reinforced in academic courses • Use local employer partnerships to provide program guidance, mentors and field-based experiences.

29. Academic CTE/ Electives Emotional/ Social

30. Professionals in each high school: • Math teacher • Social Studies teacher • Science teacher • Language arts teacher • Program facilitator • Counselor

31. PBDA (Performance Based Diploma Academy) • 150 students at East High School • 150 students at West High School • Depending on the course 70-80% online instruction • Augmented by 20 to 30% other assignments and projects

32. PBDA (Performance Based Diploma Academy) Student Day • Half of the day is core course content • One-fourth of the day is career-tech education • One-fourth of the day is counseling and mentoring

39. What are students saying about the program?

48. I am a senior graduating this year, 2010. PBDA has helped me reach my success. In this program you have an opportunity to accomplish your goal of graduating on time. There are teachers in each class to guide you through the material, but it is up to you to succeed. The faculty bases the program upon mastery – you are required to get no lower than 80%, which is a great accomplishment. I was in traditional (REGULAR) classes from my freshman year until my junior year, and I only had twenty-some credits after my junior year, and I needed to graduate in order to pursue my career in health services.

49. PBDA to me helped me in so many ways. If I had not been put in the program, I would not have finished high school on time, I think that the program is very great. I love the fact that if you need help with something, the teacher will sit down and help you through it. I love the fact that you can get that one-on-one when it is needed. I think that this program is a very good success, and I would tell any student to join the program.

50. What comes to mind when I hear the letters PBDA? I think success! This program opened up and saved me from dropping out of high school. It saved the only key to success…education. Being in PBDA helped me get all my required credits and more in a short period of time. This would have never been done without the inspiration my teachers and counselors gave me in PBDA.