Teachers as Advisors: An Advisement System for College and Workforce Readiness

1. Teachers as Advisors:An Advisement System for College and Workforce Readiness Planning, Training, Implementation, And Evaluation NCPN Richmond, VA October 19, 2012

2. Dr. Keith BallardAdvocate for Teachers as Advisors Superintendent Tulsa OK Public Schools Claremore, OK Public Schools Oologah, Ok Public Schools

3. College and Career ReadinesDept Tulsa Public School • Harold Helton – Director • Jeanie Newell-Career Guidance Specialist • Jeff Miller - College and Career Transition Specialist

4. What is Teachers As Advisors? • A classroom guidance delivery system where students, divided into small groups, receive career, academic and personal social development facilitated by a teacher

5. Presentation Objectives • Planning: Define your goals; plan toward a deadline; find an advocate; $$$$ issues • Training: Why it is so important; when it should be done and who should do it? • Implementation: Ways to structure TAA; select personnel; curriculum choices; CACR • Evaluation: Surveying your outcomes with everyone and planning time to change

6. Tulsa Public Schools 2011-2012 • 40,919 students • 9 high; 12 middle; 8 alternative schools • 85% Free and reduced lunches • TPS Student Demographics: 30% African American; 29% Caucasian; 26% Hispanic; 7% Native American; 8% other • Graduation rate 2010-2011=79 % Goal: to provide TAA to all 6-12 graders in three years (approximately 20,000 students)

7. Tulsa Magnet Schools • Central HS Fine and Performing Arts • McLain HS Aviation; Pre Engineering; Robotics • Webster HS Broadcasting; Journalism & Info Tech • Rogers MS & HS Early College; IB; Languages • Memorial HS Science; Tech; Engineering • BTW HS IB & languages • Edison MS & HS College Preparatory Academy • East Central HS Entrepreneurial magnet • Hale HS Culinary; Human Performance; Lodging and Hospitality • Tulsa MET Alternative “Big Picture”

8. Concerns That Led to TPS Advisory Program in 2008-2009 • Graduation rate=66.2% • College and Career Readiness=7% (Measured by proficiency on four ACT academic tests. Those who are proficient do not require college remediation.)

9. TAA Provided These Solutions: • Provide equal access to academic college and career advisement to all • Structure to communicate important information about academic standards career planning and postsecondary training • Adult who cared about students ability to succeed in school and life, by showing relevance of school and their future

10. TAA is NOT • Replacement for professional counseling • Homeroom • Study hall • Sustained silent reading time • “Free time”

11. TAA IS • Trained teachers who work with small groups to explore educational and career possibilities • Trained teachers who see the whole student, not just in one class or subject • Trained teachers providing an approved curriculum for academic, social/personal growth and career development • Trained teachers who help students see why education is relevant to their future

12. Planning • Determine what you want TAA to do • Find an advocate • Define your mission statement • Plan toward a deadline • Get buy-in from those participating • Select schools/grades; personnel; pilot programs; volunteers??? • $$$ -What do you need? Who will fund?

13. TPS TAA Mission Statement Establishing academic and career goals beginning in the sixth grade and continuing through the senior year; developing a relationship with an adult who shows a genuine interest in a students progress in achieving academic and career goals.

14. Stumbling Blocks • Lack of consensus of what to accomplish • Not everyone thinks this is a good idea • Finding a curriculum to fit your needs • Scheduling time and structure for a advisory program • Buy-in from top to bottom • $$$$$ - how do we get what is needed?

15. How to Get Buy In For TAA • Administrators-TAA can help raise graduation rates; lower drop out rates; creates more parental involvement • Counselors-Relieves high ratio of students/counselors. Help to provide college and career readiness info to all • Teachers /Parents-connecting future careers to current education; parents more involved • Students-provide an adult who is interested in the whole person, just not the subject

16. How to Train for TAA Train EVERYONE on the concept of TAA • Designate one trainer specifically for TAA • Research other TAA training programs • Hire a consultant for training • Provide teachers with an established curriculum they can modify • Importance of evaluation data

17. Training: Guidance – What is it? Guidance Counseling The help some students receive from credentialed professionals to overcome personal and social problems that interfere with learning • The help all students receive from parents, teachers, counselors, community members and others who assist with educational and career development

18. Prerequisites for Teachers who are Advisors • Researched and chosen a career • Chosen a postsecondary training institution • Applied and been accepted at a school • Created and completed a plan of study • Mastered study skills to succeed • Participated in internship (student teaching) • Been licensed and have secured work

19. Job Duties for Teacher as Advisors • Consistent disseminator of essential career and postsecondary information • Encourages students to plan for the future • Supports efforts to be prepared for college and career • Shares life lessons and experience • Goes beyond mastery of any one subject • Best if this can be a long term relationship (“looping”)

20. Implementing an Advisory Program • Use your mission statement to evaluate outcomes • Create a curriculum using the mission statement • Beg, borrow or steal materials from other advisory programs • Plan to review your program at the end of the year and be prepared to change

21. TPS Implementation Componentsin Each School • Customized OK Regents Planner in hard copy and binder for each student • Other TAA Lessons posted on our website • Designated a coordinator to manage TAA • Lesson format? Grades, subjects, career clusters? Who selects? Who disseminates? • Students scheduled into small groups (15-20) • 30 minute minimum advisory period • Advisory least once every two weeks

22. Evaluate Everything! • Make sure to share your data with your advocate and other stakeholders • Yearly evaluation (rubric) with principal and coordinator administrator in charge • Teacher evaluations yearly • Students complete pre and post survey on topics covered in TAA • Adjust accordingly after reviewing evaluations

23. Has any teacher ever talked to you about your career interests?

24. Has a teacher or counselor discussed with you the exact requirements and courses needed to graduate from high school?

25. Has a teacher or counselor discussed with you the requirements necessary to attend a college, technical programs or the military after your high school graduation?

26. Has a teacher or a counselor suggested that you list all your school, community or church activities including clubs, sports, honors, certificates, and leadership roles?

27. Have you completed a Six Year Plan of Study?

28. Do you have a relationship with an adult at your school with whom you can talk about your future?

29. TAA Teacher Evaluation2011-2012 • 70% said they were properly trained • 92% said there was adequate time for TAA • 73% thought the materials and time allotted, information and activities were helpful • Most teachers used College and Career Planner; many used the materials found on the website and others used materials produced at the school • Suggestions for improvement encouraged

30. Rogers Early College High School2011-2012 • New school accepted 6-10th graders • College credits through concurrent enrollment starting 11th grade on Rogers campus • Must have a 19 on the ACT in 10th grade to be concurrently enrolled • Advisory focuses on improving EXPLORE and PLAN scores to make the 19 on the ACT • 81% of parents attended student enrollment conferences and reviewed Plans of Study

31. College Access Career Readiness Coaches (CACR) • Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and OU -Tulsa Community Engagement Center • Provide coaches to assist during advisory time • Share personal experiences and importance of education in specific careers • Recruitment, training placement and evaluation by TPS, Chamber and OU

32. Contacts Dr. Keith Ballard Supt Tulsa Public Schools ballake@tulsaschools.org Harold Helton Director College and Career Readiness Dept heltoha@tulsaschools.org Jeff Miller Transition Specialist milleje2@tulsaschools.org Jeanie Newell Career Guidance Specialist newelje@tulsaschools.org