Research and Public School Partnerships:

1. Razor C.O.A.C.H Program Research and Public School Partnerships: Arie Greenleaf, Counseling Gary Ritter, Education Policy Co-Principal InvestigatorsRazor C.O.A.C.H Program

2. What is the Razor C.O.A.C.H. Program Collaboration? • How is the program implemented and evaluated? • What are the Razor Coaches doing in our schools? Our Discussion

3. Collaboration between NWAC, COEHP, and local public schools. • Funded at $1.5M over 3 years, this program aims to serve at-risk high school students in Washington and Benton Counties. • MA students in counseling from the U of A COEHP mentor at-risk students on a weekly basis. Razor C.O.A.C.H. Program • Creating Opportunities for Arkansans’ Career Hopes The Program

4. Razor C.O.A.C.H. Program - Collaboration • Dr. Kristin Higgins – Principal Investigator/Project Coordinator • Dr. Dan Kissinger – Co-Principal Investigator/Training Coordinator • Dr. Arie Greenleaf – Co-Principal Investigator • Dr. Gary Ritter – Co-Principal Investigator/Coordinator of Evaluation • Josh Raney – Program Director Leadership Team

5. Implementation • Higher demand than anticipated • Big 5 districts 51% FRL and 15% dropout rate (Rural 10 - 53% and 12%) • Smaller than average but in a district of 15,000 students, 300 students from each cohort will dropout Evaluation • Coaches can serve 20-30 • Estimated slots 25*15 = 375 • Initial applications (targeted 1700, apps to 1400, returned 640) • Random assignment (@ 56%) Implementation and Evaluation

6. Challenges • Want widest possible targets for recruitment, yet can’t serve all • Need consent forms early on in hectic time • Signing up for unknown • Difficult to get students to agree to additional supervised time – not really fun! • Reluctance with RA • Schools of varying sizes .. Not one coach per school Student Recruitment

7. Total Applications Collected = 643 in 16 high schools • … minus Wildcards and Sibling Exclusions = 40 • Final Analytic Sample = 603 in 16 high schools • Participant Students = 321 (53%) • Control Students = 281 (47%) Evaluation Sample –

8. Outcomes for Evaluation • Measures of Student Success • High School GPA • Absences • Application for Financial Aid • Application to Post-Secondary Education • ACT Participation and Performance • Graduation Rates/Promotion to the Next Grade • Attendance at Post-Secondary Education • Some data collected from Students with surveys • Other data collected from School Administrators

9. Figure x: Summary of Coaching Impact Example Outcome Figure

10. 15 MA students in Counseling (prestigious fellowships) • Applied from various backgrounds from across the country • Most have worked in schools (TFA, counselors, teachers) • Will help HS students with: • Checking up on academic work • On track toward promotion and graduation • Answer questions about college prep, finances, etc. • Answer questions about other post-secondary options • Caring/Interested adult …. And … information broker Who are Coaches? What will they Do?

11. Students get to see the benefits of college through their coach • Coaches serve as good role models for students • Students will be more comfortable and more likely to relate with coaches given their age Other Affective Outcomes

12. Social cognitive career theory (SCCT): theoretical basis for new career coaching model • Components of SCCT model: • Academic self-efficacy • Outcome expectations • Perceived barriers/resources • S.M.A.R.T goals Day-to-day work of Coaches

13. Outcome Expectations More post secondary options Self-Efficacy Continued practice of beneficial behavior in college/career Perceived Supports More resiliency Perceived Barriers

14. Academic Self-Efficacy Scale

15. Outcome Expectancies Scale

16. Perceived Barriers Scale

17. SMART Goals Transition from discussion of Self-Efficacy and Outcome expectations into encouraging students to set goals and helping them do so with this "formula“: • Break down the Overall goal into more managable steps • Acknowledge the Barriers that they will have to overcome • Identify the Motivations that will keep the student working towards their goal • Accountability partners

18. Roleplay/Case Study Low Self-efficacy: Balancing schoolwork with home responsibilities, focusing in class, distractions affect studying High Self-efficacy-feels confident in breaking down large assignments into smaller one, strong motivation, confident in talking to someone working in her desired occupation. Outcome Expectancy-believes when motivated you can accomplish more, studying is beneficial, gpa will affect how she performs in her career Perceived/Real Barriers: Time Barriers, focus on time management, not having a place to study, transportation barrier What should we work on? Supports, goals, motivational factors, bridges to perceived barriers

19. Razor C.O.A.C.H Program Research and Public School Partnerships: THANK YOU!