CONTRACTS

AND

CREDIT-DEFIC

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Click icon to add pictureTH

E IS

SUE IS

…• Credit-deficient juniors are more likely to

either not graduate at all or not graduate on time.

• Students that don’t graduate have a poorer quality of life and do not make as much as students that do graduate on-time from a regular high school.

• Current research does not necessarily cover credit-deficiency: it jumps straight to students that have already dropped out, or college students.

• Current research addresses a lot of big-picture ideas. The problem there? It’s not easily accessible!

BENSON POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL

M A J O R S

Digital Media Production

Radio

Nursing

Dental

Medical Professions

Manufacturing

Automotive

Electric

Construction

T H E D E T A I L S

• One of 2 magnet schools in PPS.

• Benson graduates the most minority students of any PPS school.

HOW DOES BENSON COMPARE?

2011 Comparison Between Benson Polytechnic and Averages for All

Portland Public Schools

 

Graduation

Rates

Free & Reduced

Lunch

Participants

% Meeting/Exceeding State

Benchmarks

MathReadi

ng

Writin

g

Scienc

e

Portland

Public

Schools

62% 43.2% 65 80 69 59

Benson

High

School

85% 62.9% 69 83 67 49

(2011). Retrieved from http://schools.oregonlive.com/search/

AS IT IS

…

42

. 5%

OF

TH

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UN

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CL

AS

S I

S

NO

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LY S

ET

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YIKES.

ADDRESSING T

HE IS

SUE…

Class of Variables Status Variables Alterable Variables

Students Disability (e.g., LD, ADHD) Attendance (e.g., sporadic)

FamilyStructure (e.g., single parent family)

Supervision of Free Time (e.g., rarely occurs)

Peers Intelligence (e.g., low IQ)Identification with school (e.g., alienated)

SchoolsSocioeconomic Status (e.g., Living in Poverty)

Monitoring of Student Progress (e.g., consistently occurs)

CommunityGeographic Features (e.g., Urban)

Support Services (e.g., available)

Source: (Christenson, S., Sinclair, M., Thurlow, M., Evelo, D. 1995).

What can be feasibly addressed by counseling staff within a reasonable time frame?Existing research supports the

following interventions: • Clear, obtainable goals. • Discussion of alternatives.• Discussion of School

Supports.• A consistent person for

follow-through.

DATA COLLECTION

I N T E R V I E W S

Data from Junior

Transcripts

S E L F - R E P O R T

Group Entrance/Exit

Surveys (measuring

school engagement &

self confidence)

Contracts

H A R D D A T A

Entrance to Group

ASSESSING AT-RISK JUNIORS: HARD DATA

Category 1: On-track to graduate with 16 or more credits earned both overall and for their core classwork.

Category 2: On-track to graduate with 16 or more credits earned, but are not on-track to graduate with their core classwork.

Category 3: Not on-track to graduate, have earned 14-16 credits

Category 4: Not on-track to graduate, have earned 12-14 credits.

Category 5: Not on-track to graduate,

have earned fewer than 12 credits.

ADDRESSING AT-RISK JUNIORS

Category 1: No action.

Category 2: Brief Contracts

Category 3: Group, Goal Setting & Contract.

Category 4: Group, Goal Setting, & Contract.

Category 5: Parent Meetings & Possible Transfer.

G R O U P T O P I C S

4-6 sessions, including:• Goal Setting • Identifying what went

wrong• Exploring options• Graduation Plan• Identifying school

supports

A C T I O N P L A N

Click icon to add picture

BENEFITS &

CONCLU

SIONS

If it

wor

ks?

• Higher Reported School Engagement and School Support

• Higher Reported Self-Confidence

• Students will have made up 1 or more credits.

ULTIM

ATE G

OAL?

NO

T V

I SI B

L E U

NT

I L 2

01

4…

MORE

STUDEN

TS W

ILL

GRADUATE!!

REFERENCES

Christenson, S., Sinclair, M., Thurlow, M., Evelo, D. (1995). Tip the balance: Policies & practices that influence school engagement for youth at high risk for dropping out. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration.

Davis, L. E., Johnson, S., Miller Cribbs, J., Saunders, J., & Cribbs, J. (n.d). A Brief Report: Factors Influencing African American Youth Decisions to Stay in School. Journal Of Adolescent Research, 17(3), 223.

Gándara, P. (2010). The Latino Education Crisis. Educational Leadership, 67(5), 24-30.

Henry, K. L., Cavanagh, T. M., & Oetting, E. R. (2011). Perceived Parental Investment in School as a Mediator of the Relationship between Socio-Economic Indicators and Educational Outcomes in Rural America. Journal Of Youth And Adolescence, 40(9), 1164-1177.

Lang, K. (2009, June 3). Turning it around: Former dropout, new graduate setting new goals. La Crosse Tribune (WI).

Oregon School Report Cards Issued. (2011). Retrieved from http://schools.oregonlive.com/search/

Smith, S.C., (2008). Addressing dropout related factors at the local level: Recommendations for teachers. The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities. Accessed: http://www.ndpc-sd.org/documents/LEA_Recommendations_for_Teachers.pdf

Tavakolian, H. R., & Howell, N. (2012). Dropout Dilemma and Interventions. Global Education Journal, (1), 77-81.

Thurlow, M. L., Sinclair, M. F., Johnson, D. R., & National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, M. N. (2002). Students with Disabilities Who Drop Out of School: Implications for Policy and Practice. Issue Brief: Examining Current Challenges in Secondary Education and Transition.

Tyler, J. H., & Lofstrom, M. (2009). Finishing High School: Alternative Pathways and Dropout Recovery. Future Of Children, 19(1), 77-103.