Graduation and Dropout Prevention State Plan

1. Graduation and Dropout Prevention State Plan Governor’s Summit April 10, 2009

2. “In Public Education we are declaring victory on the kids who would have succeeded anyway and we’re losing the ones who really need us.” gwired.gwu.edu/.../ d/38601/Site_ID/5171 ~ Joe DiMartino, Concord, NH, July 21, 2008

3. The Goal ~ 0 Dropouts by 2012: Current Status

4. Parameters ~ • Projections based on continued funding of dropout programs • More than one program may serve the same at-risk student, so the projected number of dropouts is only an estimate • Services need to be expanded to address the needs of younger students in the areas of ELA, Math, alternative education, and Career and Technical Education • Pending legislation to address systemic issues like truancy and High School Graduation requirements are also a part of the plan • Overall success of the plan will be dependent on: • The ability of schools to implement key aspects of the minimum standards in collaboration with community partners, and • The state to address juvenile justice, social and emotional factors, substance abuse in minors, homelessness and transience of families via state and local health and human service programs

5. Vision ~ The Department of Education will work in partnership with policymakers, parents, students, school boards and districts, communities and community organizations, business leaders, and educational leaders across the state to build a system that will prepare all students to graduate from high school and succeed as productive and contributing members of New Hampshire society.

6. Overall Goals ~ • Reduce the Dropout Rate to 0% by 2012. • Follow The Child: Identify the personal, physical, social barriers, and educational gaps to success for each student and build a system that will address those barriers and gaps early in the process by creating a variety of options towards success. • Build a system that will challenge each student to become college and work ready by high school graduation.

7. Much Leakage From Educational Pipeline! • Elementary • Middle • High School • College Entry • College • Completion

8. Principles for Action ~ • Build through partnerships at the state, regional, and local levels. • Provide for accountability for the emerging system through clearly identified goals at every level. • Create on-going regular communications between levels to share successes and problem solve solutions.

9. Methods to Engage and Build the System ~ • Leadership and Encouragement by the Governor, Commissioner and State Board of Education. • Federal, State, and Private Grants. • Implement the Minimum Standards for School Approval, through Technical Assistance Advisories and other communications. • Build networks of schools, programs, and leaders. • On-going professional development. • Evaluate school and program performance, provide technical assistance, and showcase success.

10. Basic AssumptionNeed Tiered Interventions ~ Tier 3 Tier 2 Tier 1

11. The Data to Date ~

12. 07-08 Dropout Report • Further breaks out data statewide and by school: • GED Completers ~ 253 • Early College Enrollees ~ 51 • Dropouts Only (unduplicated) ~ 1,682 • Annual Rate ~ 2.5% • 4 Yr Cumulative Rate ~ 9.7%

13. Additional Data ~ • Demographic information sorted for Graduates and dropouts… • Findings: higher numbers of coded students statewide and higher numbers of students with Hispanic background in Manchester and Nashua • Collected students ages 16 and 17 who dropped out in 2006-2007 and will be doing same for 2007-08. • Working with each High School requesting that they follow these children and report back as a baseline of information, to include Graduation, Dropout Rate, and PS attendance and retention.

14. Highest Need Students • Special Needs Students ~ • Bureaus of Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation have developed a plan to follow the progress of special needs students in transition. • VR Counselors will provide direct follow-up on students. • District Efforts in Manchester and Nashua regarding Attendance, Ethnicity, and Race

16. USDE Dropout Prevention Grant • APEX in l0 high schools with highest dropout rates 2003-04 State event dropout rate • Baseline for school year 2003-2004…………………3.8% • Year 2005-2006 projected reduction 5% ................3.6% • Actual 2005-2006 Dropout Rat……………………..3.1% • Year 2006-2007 projected reduction of 6%..............3.3% • Actual 2006-07 Dropout Rate…………..…………..3.2% • Year 2007-2008 projected reduction of 9%..............3.0% • Actual 2007-08 Dropout Rate… Not available until March 2009 • No cost extension through 9/09 approved by US DOE.

17. APEX II Targets vs. Actuals

18. State Grants ~ Alternative Education • Approximately $2.l million let for 18 months • Technical Assistance Conference Aug, 07. • 27 applications; 9 proposals funded with available funds. • Progress being made – Summary report handout • Tuition and Transportation also a part of the mix, though underutilized • Contingency RFP closed last week, predicated on level funding

19. Opportunities ~ ARRA Funding! • Available Funds: • NCLB Title I ~ $31 million • Ed Tech ~ $3.2 million • IDEA Title I ~ $41.4 million • WIA Youth ~ $2.3 million • Vocational Rehabilitation ~ $1.9 million • Innovation and Race To The Top Funds ~ $5 billion + • Collaborations ~ States; Communities; Non-profits • Common Standards and Assessments, Expanded Learning Opportunities (Afterschool, Community Schools)

20. Underlying Principles of New Hampshire’s Vision of HS Redesign • Follow The Child • Personalization & Relationships • Relevance ~ • Engagement & Active Learning • Rigor and High Standards • Demonstration of Student Mastery • Empowered Educators • Teachers as “Facilitators of Learning” • Choices and Flexibility for Where and When Learning occurs

21. Studies of Successful School Redesign: Factors influencing new school success 1. Small Size and Personalization Small classes; reduced pupil load Advisement relationships 2. Teams working continuously with students 3. Coherent, purposeful curriculum tied to 4. Performance Assessments & exhibitions 5. Adaptive pedagogy Explicit teaching of key skills Multiple strategies for active learning Real-world connections

22. How Can Public Schools Personalize? • Smaller Learning Communities where “everybody knows your name!” • “Schools Within Schools”, Houses/Academies • Reduced Pupil Loads through • Block Scheduling to promote engaged learning & • Reallocation of Staff • Less Fragmented Schedules • Advisories • Personal Learning Plans • Extended Learning Opportunities based on students passions and interests • Professional Learning Communities ~ Staff talking to each other about Learning and Students

23. Freshmen Watchlist is district-wideor school-wideeffort to prepare all students for post-secondary and employment success % of students making expected annual gains % of students graduating outcomes Every child in every school is on track at every stage in his or her CPS career to graduate prepared for success in post-secondary education and employment % of students on track at every grade level % of students scoring at grade level progress

24. FreshmenWatchlist Credit RecoveryReport • List of incoming first-time freshmen with risk factors • Populated with 8th grade data, including grades, attendance, performance scores, whether the student has an IEP, and feeder elementary school • Early 9th grade results, such as Freshmen Transition Program participation, will be added as available • This is the only report that includes upper classmen • The report will be a list of all students who fall into the credit recovery target population • This group is defined as students who are 1-2 credits off-pace towards graduation or who are on-pace, but with core course failures • This report will be updated at the end of each semester and should be used to enroll students in credit recovery programs • Use in the summer and through the first quarter Early Warning Reporting System:‘Hot’ Data Supporting Data-Driven Leadership Development Freshmen Success Report • On-going monitoring of all first-time freshmen • Report will track increases in risky behaviors (high absences, low course grades, high course failures)

25. Snapshot of the Freshmen Watchlist

26. Using the Freshmen Watchlist: Definition of Data Fields A student is flagged “Yes” for Attendance Intervention if He had more than 9 unexcused absences in the 8th grade These students are color-coded dark orange A student is flagged “Yes” for Math and/or Reading Intervention if • She had a D or lower for the final grade in the 8th grade course • These students are color-coded light orange Students with both Attendance and Math/Reading flags are color-coded yellow

27. Snapshot of the Freshmen Success Report

28. Using the Freshmen Success Report: Definition of Data Fields A student is flagged “Yes” for Attendance Intervention if • He had more than 3 absences in the first quarter of the 9th grade • These students are color-coded dark orange A student is flagged “Yes” for Math and/or Reading Intervention if • She had a D or lower in any core academic course in the first quarter • These students are color-coded blue Students with both Attendance and Math/Reading flags are color-coded yellow

29. Time Flexibility The school approval rules also contain a requirement that all high school courses be measured by the mastery of course level competencies as a means to earn credit towards graduation. This rule will allow schools and students to be more flexible with time regarding the completion of these courses. This, in turn, will allow for the use of after school, out of school, and summer school programs and credit recovery efforts to support credit attainment for struggling students.

30. Mastery of Course Competencies 306.27 (d) ~ By the 2008-2009 school year, the local school board shall require that a high school credit can be earned by demonstrating mastery of required competencies for the course, as approved by certified school personnel.

31. Bob Marzano ~ “Some of the braver districts and schools might wish to replace the time-based system with a performance-based system.”

32. Bob Marzano “The time-based system is over 100 years old.”

33. The Requirements of a Time-Based System Students: • Must be in class the entire year • Must behave appropriately • Must complete the work assigned • Must figure out what each teacher expects of them • Can be passed on without adequate knowledge if they are successful at 1-4

34. Unintended Consequences of a Time-Based System • Students succeed if they can figure out and are willing to follow the rules • Those students who do not figure out the rules or are unwilling to follow them get so far behind relatively quickly that they have a high probability of dropping out. ~ Bob Marzano

35. The Requirements of a Performance-Based System Students: • Must demonstrate competence in important content knowledge • Must behave appropriately if they wish to be involved in classes • Must take some responsibility for their own learning • Cannot be passed on until they demonstrate competence in important knowledge

36. Some Intended Consequences of a Performance-Based System • Students do not have to figure out the rules from teacher to teacher • To catch up or move ahead at an eccelerated place, students do not have to spend a specific amount of time in class. Rather, they must demonstrate competence in important content. • There are fewer dropouts and more students completing graduation.

37. Regional Conversations with Superintendents and Principals Survey ~ Started, Partial, Completed • Course Level Competencies • Assessments for Mastery • Standards-based Grading

38. Extended Learning Opportunities • Allows students to earn credit towards graduation outside of traditional classrooms with Qualified Educator Oversight • Definition ~ “Extended learning” means the primary acquisition of knowledge and skills through instruction or study outside of the traditional classroom methodology, including, but not limited, to: (1) Independent study; (2) Private instruction; (3) Performing groups; (4) Internships; (5) Community service; (6) Apprenticeships; and (7) Online courses.

39. Why are we focusing on ELOs? • Expected Skill Sets for Students are changing • What are Students Saying About “School?” • Senate Bill 18 ~ (g) The pupil obtains a waiver from the superintendent, which shall only be granted upon proof that the pupil is 16 years of age or older and has an alternative learning plan for obtaining either a high school diploma or its equivalent. (1) Alternative learning plans shall include age-appropriate academic rigor and the flexibility to incorporate the pupil’s interests and manner of learning. These plans may include, but are not limited to, such components or combination of components of extended learning opportunities as independent study, private instruction, performing groups, internships, community service, apprenticeships, and on-line courses.

40. Expectations for Learning are Changing The new context means new expectations. Most studies include: • Ability to communicate • Adaptability to change • Ability to work in teams • Preparedness to solve problems • Ability to analyse and conceptualise • Ability to reflect on and improve performance • Ability to manage oneself • Ability to create, innovate and criticise • Ability to engage in learning new things at all times • Ability to cross specialist borders Chris Wardlaw, "Mathematics in Hong Kong/China – Improving on Being First in PISA"

41. Technical Advisories have been developed ~ • Pathways to High School Graduation • Off-Site Programs • Student Accounting: Coding for High School Graduation • Tuition and Transportation • Sample Alternative Learning Plan

42. Legislation This Year: • Truancy Legislation filed for this session, further makes enforcing truancy more possible. In particular, addresses role of parental responsibility regarding school attendance. Coming Years: • Expansion of SASID: Consider expansion of SASID system to Higher Education and HHS programs • State Diploma System. Create a state-level high school diploma administered by the NH Department of Education to specifically address petitions for graduation by students who, through no fault of their own, have attended multiple high schools and currently have the 20 credits required for graduation under the Minimum Standards for School Approval, but do not meet the graduation requirements of their high school of residence.

43. RULE CHANGES • Keep Foster Children in School by allowing high school seniors to remain in the initial school district of residence that they attended at the beginning of the school year. Care will need to be used around the increased costs caused by these changes. (Education) • Tuition and Transportation Rates: Increase mileage from $.08 to $.10 per mile and board and care costs from $50 to $100 per diem.

44. Building Networks ~ Advisory Review and input from innumerable groups • Updates and progress reports to Governor’s office • Dropout Prevention and Recovery Council • Commissioner’s Advisory Group • School Personnel at various levels: Superintendents, Principals, CTE, Adult Basic Education, etc. • 5 Regional Events to Include Community Members • Youth Council • Youth Vision

45. Youth Vision • Staff from DOE, HHS, (Juvenile Justice, Children Youth and Families, and Behavioral Health), NH Employment Security, and the Workforce Opportunity Council collaboratively seek to serve the neediest youth (youth in foster care or aging out of foster care, youth offenders, youth with disabilities, dropouts, migrant youth, and children of incarcerated parent(s). • There are twelve local teams made up of state agencies and local providers focusing on resolving gaps that exist in services to neediest youth.

46. Professional Development and Technical Assistance ~GED Options • Professional Development provided Spring and Summer, 2008 • Provides students 8th grade reading level to remain in school as full-time student while preparing to take GED test. • Approved in Spring, 2008 • 16 applications were received and approved. • 8 programs began Fall, 2008. • Second round applications will soon be released.

47. Work to be Done! • Expanded partnerships ~ Schools, Business, and Communities • BIA and Chambers ex. Souhegan Expo! • Roll out of Lessons Learned and Intensive Partnerships ~ • NE Secondary Consortium ~ HS Redesign, Nellie Mae Grant, Alternative Education • Greater Media and Community Engagement • Supports for Underserved Students

48. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention The department has begun forging connections with Health and Human Services and the Juvenile Justice system to address the mental health and substance abuse prevention needs of at-risk students.

49. The Current Economy! • Homelessness • High Transience

50. Address the Needs of Younger Students NH-JAG obtained funding from Charitable Trust Foundation for piloting a middle-school version of the JAG model at two schools.