Embedded Credit

1. Embedded Credit David W. Dillard David Ruhman Arcadia Valley CTC

2. What We Are Doing The Arcadia Valley Career Technology Center is proposing to offer “embedded” academic credit for those students who complete: • a six-hour vocational program and • additional academic specific criteria. • complete a six-hour vocational program would receive the credit.

3. Mathematics One hour of elective mathematics credit, Technical Mathematics, if students can pass a competency test sometime within their two years in the vocational school. The mathematics credit could meet the required math credits if the students failed in their earlier classes – depending on the sending school.

4. Language Arts One hour of elective English credit for Technical Writing if they meet the minimum requirements for all established components of a portfolio. Each exhibit will be assessed by a scoring guide/rubric with minimum levels established.

5. Why? • In Missouri a School Board can award credit based on a curriculum • We can: DESE is not involved if it does not go through Core Data • We did receive some funding from Missouri DESE (Perkins, local PD and state HSTW funds were also used) • We needed it for the following reasons:

6. Perkins • Perkins III: This program has accountability requirements that are based on student achievement in mathematics and language arts along with placement requirements. The Congressional debate over future Perkins funding is centering on the idea that CTE classes do not assist in raising overall academic achievement scores. • Part of our Perkins Accountability Plan

7. Lost Credit • The majority of the sending school students attending the AVCTC lose two credits due to travel. This program would allow them to earn as many credits as other students in their schools. We have had several students graduate because they could earn the extra credit.

8. MSIP • The granting of embedded credit will help all districts meet the MSIP requirement for dropouts by allowing some students to earn additional credits and remain on track to graduate with their class. This may be even more important as accountability moves from dropouts to graduation rates.

9. Prepare Our Graduates • CTE graduates must have the skills needed by industry. • Advisory Committees have continuously pointed out the lack of math and reading skills of our graduates. • CTE graduates must learn how to learn to keep pace with future change. • Embedded credit is tied to employability skills. • All Aspects of the Industry. • CTE students see the connection between academic skills and their career field.

10. HSTW • HSTW: There are several areas of the HSTW reform model that the granting of “embedded” credit will allow the district to meet. Academic and vocational integration is critical for both the high school and the vocational school. The extra work to earn the “embedded” credit will add rigor to our vocational programs and there will be homework for most of the vocational students.

11. All Students Need Math • The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics states, “All students should study mathematics in each of the four years they are enrolled in high school.” “Because student’s interests and aspirations may change during and after high school, their mathematics education should guarantee access to a broad spectrum of career and educational options. They should experience the interplay of algebra, geometry, statistics, probability, and discrete mathematics.”

12. CTE Enrollment • Students who can earn additional credits can stay in the CTE programs • Students who can earn additional credits can attend CTE classes and still graduate • Our enrollment has already reached capacity

13. High Expectations • Higher graduation requirements for core areas • Highs That Work requirements • NCLB and ALL students achieving • Perkins accountability • All CTE programs are currently articulated with two community colleges for 18 to 36 college credits

14. Remedial Work • 68% of AVCTC graduates who attend post-secondary school have to take remedial math, reading and/or writing classes • Embedded credit will lead to better preparation to the Compas Test • The number of graduates who need remedial classes is declining at AVCTC

15. Higher Graduation Requirements • President Bush has called for raising graduation requirements • Missouri has raised graduation requirements • HSTW recommends raising graduation requirements • 4 language arts • 3 math • 3 science • 3 social studies

16. The Process At Arcadia Valley CTC • Began in 1999-2000 • Integration by CTE class and local math teachers • Developed integrated lesson plans • Summer of 2003 • Attended HSTW Summer Conference in Nashville • Developed idea and began research • Collaborated with sending schools • Wrote first draft of the manual • January 2004 • Field tested math tests • August 2004 • Full implementation of math • Field testing of language arts

17. Keys to the Process: Collaboration • Developed by-in by CTE staff • Invited area math and language arts teachers to the AVCTC to see what we did and look at curriculum • Meetings to discuss curriculums • Principals and counselors support • School Board(s) support • Outside agencies: • DESE: credit, funding • Mineral Area College • RTEC • Mineral Area Tech Prep

18. Mathematics Teachers • Visited CTE programs: looked at how their subject was related • Developed list of math topics for credit & handouts to define topics • Assisted with cross-reference of topics to Show-Me Standards, MO Grade-Level Expectations, & NCTM Standards • Wrote test questions (16 questions for each sub-section) • Talked with CTE to find common ground (this was a key) • Provided in-service on math topics

19. Mathematics Teachers

20. Language Arts Teachers • Visited CTE programs • Developed list of topics for student portfolios • Created scoring rubrics • Conducting in-services for CTE staff on reading & writing in the classroom

21. Senior Project

22. CTE Instructors • Attended in-services on math, lreading and writing in the classroom and curriculum development • Cross-referenced vocational competencies with math topics • Incorporated math and language arts in their classes • Developed vocabulary lists

23. Aligned CTE Competencies & Math Topics

24. Vocabulary Lists

25. Vocabulary

26. In-services and Lessons

27. Math in the CTC • Weekly lessons for teachers and then students • Complete tests and begin testing • Purchased supplemental math & technical writing textbooks • Started development of math lesson plans and videos (CD-ROM) for each math topic • CTE staff determine formulas they use and develop study guides

28. Other Staff • Testing of students • Student feedback • Math instruction • Career activities • Writing assignments • Project management Director Assistant Director Basic Skills Instructor VRE

29. Embedded Math • Topics chosen by sending school math teachers based on observation and CTE written curriculums • Written Test with questions developed by the sending school math teachers • 29 topics chosen for testing • Students had to pass 25 of the 29 topics to earn credit • Each topic had three question on the test: students had to answer two of the three question correctly to pass the topic • Students could retest as often as they had time: only the sections they failed

30. Math in the CTC Additional help • Textbooks were purchased and aligned to the various topics; students could check them out • Study guides were developed for each topic • Test help sessions were provided • Classroom instruction provided on weekly topics • CTE instructors “emphasized” the embedded topics as they appeared in their curriculums

31. Student Response • We conducted a web-based survey in late January and the response was over whelming Seniors Juniors Number 79 81 Want math 66 75 % 81.5% 92.6% Want LA NA 71 % NA 87.7%

32. Year One Results • 100 students took the math test at least once • 41 passed the test • 45 Students took the test more than once • 49 of the students taking the test were juniors (27 passed) • One student passed who need the credit for graduation (elective credit)

33. Year One Results • State model being shared with other CTEs and comprehensive high schools • Presented to: • MOACTE/NASSP meeting • Regional Tech Prep meetings • Vocational Director’s Leadership Meeting • Posted Embedded Credit curriculum on district webpage • Shared with various districts through visits and email

34. Year Two Results First-Time Takers Who Passed Test: 21.2%

35. Year Two Results • State model being shared with other CTEs and comprehensive high schools • Presented to: • MOACTE/NASSP meeting • Regional Tech Prep meetings • Vocational Director’s Leadership Meeting • SREB’s HSTW Summer Conference • Various CTEs and local school districts • Shared with various districts through visits and email

36. Lessons Learned • Lots of work • Need buy-in by everyone: • School board(s) • Administration • Sending school teachers • CTE instructors • Students

37. Lessons Learned • Basic skills instructor or someone responsible to manage the project • Awarding credit through a certified math & language arts teacher • Determine how credit will be awarded • Require ALL students to test and work toward mastery

38. Next Steps • Summer Internship for academic teachers • 27 Academic teachers – four CTE Programs for a week • Teachers spent two days in two different CTE programs and wrote three integrated lessons based on their curriculum

39. What’s New For 2005-2006 • On-line testing and record keeping • All students tested during the first two weeks to determine base-line • Working with Mineral Area College to articulate for college credit • Updating the language arts curriculum • Math lesson have been re-written • Videos for math lessons are in production

40. http://www.onlinecoursetools.com/

41. OIS Pricing

42. Online Instructor Suite

43. Embedded Math

44. Tests

45. Grade Book

46. www.k12.mo.us

47. http://www.av.k12.mo.us/ctc/ecredit.htm

48. David Dillard ddillard@mail.av.k12.mo.us 573-546-9700 ext 5 David Ruhman druhman@mail.av.k12.mo.us 573-546-9700 ext 4