OFFICE OF MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION:

1. OFFICE OF MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION: Developing and strengthening differentiated pathways to high school graduation and post-secondary opportunities for overage, under-credited youth Presented to the American Youth Policy Forum South Brooklyn Community High School May 25, 2006

2. “The problem is that our educational system is not delivering on the promise of a second chance.  Only one in ten of the high school dropouts who persist and get a GED and then persist and enroll in college actually come out with a degree.  What that says is that the young people keep trying and we keep failing them . . . . There is a need for more pathways that help dropouts pursue an education: we cannot continue to base policy on the erroneous belief that all students will proceed through a traditional four years of high school followed directly by two to four years of college.  Instead, communities and states need to be strategic in the way they carry out high school reform  --  especially in low-income central cities with high concentrations of dropouts.  Such activity includes the creation of new school options and a more diverse portfolio of options and pathways for young people, all of which lead to postsecondary credentials.” Making Good on a Promise:  What Policymakers Can Do to Support the Educational Persistence of Dropouts, Cheryl Almeida, Cassius Johnson, and Adria Steinberg, Jobs for the Future, April 2006

3. Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation NYS Regents diploma NYS Local diploma GED Post-secondary training Workforce connections Transfer Schools Universe of overage, under-credited youth Young Adult Borough Centers Blended GED Programs Learning to Work Program MISSION: To create a differentiated portfolio of educational options integrated with secondary reform that will provide systemic opportunities to improve student high school graduation rates and the long-term plans of overage and under-credited youth — or multiple pathways to graduation:

4. Area # of Credits • English 8 • Social Studies 8 • Mathematics 6 • Science 6 • Second Language 2 • Art 1 • Music 1 • Health Education 1 • Physical Education 4 • Elective Areas 7 • Total 44 Multiple Pathways options meet New York State graduation requirements Regents Exams: 5 Courses: 44 credits • Click to add Text • Click to add Text • Click to add Text • Comprehensive English • Global History and Geography • U.S. History and Government • Mathematics • Science

5. Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation Methodology SITUATION ASSESSMENT Define and understand student population Conduct a segmented population analysis STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Research best practices and design models for schools and programs Build capacity system-wide GOAL Create a differentiated portfolio informed by analytics Develop tools to start, sustain, and strengthen schools and programs ACTIVITY

6. Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation Methodology SITUATION ASSESSMENT Define and understand student population Conduct a segmented population analysis GOAL ACTIVITY

7. Definition of overage, under-credited students Situation Assessment: Segmented population analysis An overage and under-credited student is defined as a student who is 2 years behind his or her expected age and credit accumulation in high school Age Credits Segmentation informs strategy: Who are these students? What is their experience in the system?

8. 100% Age 20 Age 19 Age 20 80% Age 18 60% Age 19 Age 17 40% 20% Age 18 Age 16 or Younger Age 17 0% Situation Assessment: Segmented population analysis Of the nearly 140K overage and under-credited youth in New York City, half are currently in school. Out-of-School Youth In-School Youth 68K 70K Age 21 Focus of MultiplePathways Initiative Percent of Students IN- AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL OVERAGE AND UNDER-CREDITED YOUTH, JUNE 2005 Note: Includes District 75 students. Students are counted as out-of-school youth only if they are dropouts (as opposed to other discharges) Source: ATS Data, Parthenon analysis DRAFT DOCUMENT

9. How much time does the student have to complete the requirements for credential? How far has he or she progressed? Situation Assessment: Segmented population analysis STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS Segmentation by student age and credits earned What potential strategies have preventive versus recuperative power? Segmentation by level of academic preparation at high school entrance To what extent can programs at the high school level be effective? DRAFT DOCUMENT

10. Office of Multiple Pathways to GraduationMethodology GOAL ACTIVITY

11. Transfer Schools Universe of overage, under-credited youth Young Adult Borough Centers GED Blends Learning to Work Program Strategy: Differentiated portfolio informed by analytics Situation assessment provides in-depth understanding of student needs and how or whether the system meets them. Segmentation of student population drives differentiated programmatic development — or multiple pathways to graduation:

12. Differentiated Portfolio: Transfer Schools Transfer Schools are small, academically rigorous diploma granting high schools for students that have been enrolled in a NYC public high school for at least one year and are far from promoting on grade level in their current high school. Essential elements of Transfer Schools: • personalized learning environment • rigorous academic standards • student-centered pedagogy • support to meet instructional and development goals • focus on connections to college OMPG Transfer School Portfolio: The Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation supports and strengthens NYC DOE’s network of 22 Transfer Schools, and is developing tools for new Transfer School start-up.

13. Differentiated Portfolio: Blended GED Programs • OMPG is developing models of blended GED programs tailored for overage, under-credited youth. The model will serve as a lab school for further research and development of GED programs for overage, under-credited youth. • Essential Elements of GED Blend Model: • • Youth development approach • • Integrated learning cycles • Portfolio creation process• Innovative systems for student engagement, assessment, and progression• Pathways to post-secondary training and other opportunities • • In-depth, sector-specific career exploration with individualized career strands • OMPG GED Blends Portfolio: • 3 programs launched at Learning to Work sites in 2005-2006 • 1 full-time, stand-alone program with a Learning to Work component will be launched in Fall 2006, with a capacity of 150 students

14. Differentiated Portfolio: YABCs • Housed in host high schools, Young Adult Borough Centers are full-time programs for students who are 17½ or older and have at least 17 credits. The instructional model of YABCs allows students to concentrate only on the credit portfolio they need for graduation through a non-traditional block schedule. • Essential elements of YABCs, provided by a Community Based Organization at each program site: • youth development support • career and college counseling • assistance with job placement • OMPG YABC Program Portfolio: • 16 YABC Programs, with 9 new programs launched in 2005-2006

15. Differentiated Portfolio: Learning to Work Learning to Work (LTW) is an integrated workforce readiness and student support program that prepares overage, under-credited students for the workforce, connects them to jobs and post-secondary, and enables them to earn a high school diploma or GED through: CAREER PREPARATION • Vocational/Work Readiness Workshops • Career Exploration and Planning WORKFORCE CONNECTIONS • Internship Placements • Job Placements ACADEMIC SUPPORT • Tutoring and Attendance Outreach • Post-secondary Exploration and Advising SUPPORT SERVICES • Individual and Group Counseling • Referral to Services

16. Differentiated Portfolio: Learning to Work Learning to Work is an initiative that cuts across all Multiple Pathways programs. In 2005-2006, LTW sites were launched at: • 9 Young Adult Borough Centers (YABCs) • 5 new YABCs • 4 existing YABCs • 6 Transfer Schools • 3 GED Programs

17. Differentiated Portfolio: LTW Workforce Connections Learning to Work connects students to a broad array of employment sectors throughout New York City LTW INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT BY SECTOR Learning to Work also empowers students to make their own connections: • To date, 1403 students from LTW programs have made workforce connections • 833 students placed in LTW internships • 570 students are currently working in positions secured outside of the LTW internship program • Preliminary data shows that 50 LTW students have already turned their LTW internships into paid jobs DRAFT DOCUMENT

18. Office of Multiple Pathways to GraduationMethodology GOAL ACTIVITY

19. Implementation and Capacity-Building • STARTING NEW SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS • Developing new models • Adolescent literacy • GED blends • Replicating successful models • Creating tools for implementing models • SUSTAINING EXISTING SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS • Bolstering networks of schools/programs to capture and share learnings, identify best practices, and disseminate information • STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM • Managing performance; creating accountability standards • Developing resources • Sharing knowledge and disseminating information • Network meetings for YABC/LTW program directors

20. Challenges • Capacity/Models • Data Management • Meeting State and Federal Standards

21. Questions? NYS Regents diploma NYS Local diploma GED Post-secondary training Workforce connections Transfer Schools Universe of overage, under-credited youth Young Adult Borough Centers Blended GED Programs Learning to Work Program