The Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES’ Regional Graduation Rate Initiative (GRI) is the local effort aligned with New York State and national initiatives.
The Goal:
To have 90% or more of the 2008 cohort achieve high school graduation by June of 2012
The America’s Promise-Alliance is…
The nation’s largest multi-sector collaborative dedicated to the well-being of children and youth. Our Alliance partners are school districts, nonprofit service organizations, foundations, policymakers, advocacy organizations, and faith groups that work collaboratively to ensure that America’s young people receive the Five Promises.
The Five Promises Include…
Caring Adults
Safe Places
A Healthy Start
Effective Education
Opportunities to Help Others
Promise 1: Caring Adults
Caring adults are the cornerstone of a child’s development and for the other four Promises that build success both in childhood and adulthood. Parents come first. Children also need to experience the support from caring adults in all areas of their lives
1/3 of teens and 20% of younger children lack quality relationships with their parents
Only 8% of young people ages 6 to 17 have a formal mentor
More than 40% of young people ages 8-21 say they want more adults in their lives to whom they can turn for help
Promise 2: Safe Places
All children need to be physically and emotionally safe wherever they are from the actual places of families, schools, neighborhoods and communities to the virtual places of media. They also need a healthy balance between structured, supervised activities and unstructured time
Only 37% of children & youth experience this Promise
Between 1/4 & 1/3 of all young people “never” or only “sometimes” feel safe at school and in their communities
Only 4 in 10 young people participate in high-quality activities that teach them needed skills, how to form lasting relationships with others, and how to make big decisions
Promise 3: A Healthy Start
All children need and deserve healthy bodies, healthy minds and healthful habits. These result from regular health check-ups and needed treatment, good nutrition and exercise, healthy skills and knowledge, and good role models of physical and psychological health
Only 43% of our young people are experiencing this Promise
More than 1/3 of teens lack the critical combination of components that make for good health care: health insurance coverage & annual visits to a doctor & a dentist
65% of young people say they wish they knew of more stores and restaurants that sold more healthy foods and drinks
Almost 80% of children report feeling stressed each month. 1 in 4 say they feel stressed at least once each day
Promise 4: An Effective Education
All children need the intellectual development, motivation & skills that equip them for successful work & lifelong learning. These result from having quality learning environments, challenging expectations & consistent guidance & mentoring. The number-one predictor of whether you will be successful in life is whether you graduate from high school. In today’s competitive global economy, effective education is more important than ever before
Only 39% of our teens are receiving this Promise
More than 40% of parents of younger children & 2/3 of adolescents say their children’s schools do not emphasize academic achievement
60% of 10- to 21-year-olds say their schools should give them more preparation for the real world
Promise 5: Opportunities to HelpOthers
All children need the chance to make a difference in their families, at schools and in their communities. Knowing how to make a difference comes from having models of caring behavior, awareness of the needs of others, a sense of personal responsibility to contribute to the larger society, and opportunities for volunteering, leadership and service
Nearly 1/2 of our children are not experiencing this Promise
1/2 of parents of young people say they rarely discuss current events with their children1/3 of young people say they lack adult role models who volunteer and help others 94% of young people want to help make the world a better place
The Foundation of A High School Diploma
Opens doors to young adults
Graduates are more employable
Graduates are more likely to pursue a post secondary education or technical training
Graduates have advantages in pursuing a career in the military services
Numerous studies are cited to provide corroborating evidence that show a relationship between retention & increased dropout rates
When schools retain students just one time, the dropout rate of these students rise 50% and 2 or more grade level retentions push the chance of dropout to 90%
Jones, Jones, and Hargrove
Based on the book; The Unintended Consequences of High Stakes Testing; Gail Jones, Brett Jones, and Tracy Hargrove (2003)
Paving the Way for Success in High School & Beyond:
Students’ decisions to drop out are not based simply on their experiences in high school; instead, the pathway to dropping out appears to start much earlier…..How smoothly students make this transition is strongly related to not only the likelihood of finishing high school but also the odds of staying in college until graduation
Based on the book by Jean Baldwin Grossman and Siobhan M Cooney (January 2009 );
Why Do Students Dropout………
Nearly 1/2 of dropouts surveyed for The Silent Epidemicsaid the main reason they left school was because classes were not interesting Nearly 70% said they were not motivated to work hard and 2/3 would have worked harder if more were demanded of them Approximately 1/3 left for personal reasons (to get a job, become a parent, or care for a family member) and 1/3 cited "failing in school" as a major factor Parental involvement is also a critical factor, with students whose parents were only "somewhat" involved or "not very" involved in their schooling more likely to drop out. Many of these parents only became involved when they realized their child was in danger of dropping out and by then, of course, it was usually too late
Statistics and Facts About High School Dropout Rate: What’s at stake……
Every 29 seconds another student gives up on school, resulting in more than one million American high school students who drop out every year Nearly 1/3 of all public high school students—and nearly 1/2of all African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans—fail to graduate from public high school with their class There are nearly 2,000 high schools in the U.S. where 40% of the typical freshman class leaves school by its senior year The dropout problem is likely to increase substantially through 2020 unless significant improvements are made Dropouts are more likely than high school graduates to be unemployed, in poor health, living in poverty, on public assistance, and single parents with children who drop out of high school
To date, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested nearly $4 billion to transform the levels of college-readiness and success for America’s young people, particularly for low-income and minority youth. We have helped demonstrate that with the right opportunities, all young people can achieve at high levels.
http://www.gatesfoundation.org
COLLEGE-READY FOR ALLpreparing students for success
NYS Dropout Prevention SummitOctober 10, 2008
Governor Paterson’s Contract for Excellence ensures a commitment to improving quality & increasing accountability among educators as we push forward & attempt to meet the needs of an evolving populace & ensure that more children succeed in the academic world, graduate & move on to productive adult lives.
The Governor is Committed to:
Improving school & student performance by linking new investments to proven practices & programsDecreasing classroom sizeIncreasing time for classroom instructionRestructuring middle school & high school Increasing early learningInnovating research-backed, experimental programs
Goal Action StepsThe educational community will be knowledgeable about the G.R.I and will commit to its success
1. Letter to staff outlining the G.R.I
2. Participation in the On-line discussion on Graduation Rate hosted by Medaille College. At least one administrator from each district and the BOCES
3. Participation in the training by Julie Reagan of Potsdam State on March 20. At least one educator from each district and the BOCES
4. Presentation to all area Boards of Education, on the current data and the G.R.I Provide Semi-annual follow-up reports thereafter. Requested that individual boards incorporate G.R.I in Board Goals
5. Overview and updates provided to all administrators at scheduled administrative forums
6. Identify and task a new or existing committee in each district to focus on the G.R.I
FEHB’s Graduation Rate Initiative
Goal Action StepsThe educational community will be knowledgeable about the G.R.I and will commit to its success
7. Presentation at faculty meetings in all schools
8. Post a Graduation Rate Initiative link on all District Websites and the BOCES Website
Link to: http://www.fehb.org/FEHRetionalGraduation RateInitiative.htm
FEHB’s Graduation Rate Initiative
Goal Action StepsStudents will be knowledgeable about the G.R.I and a concerted message will be provided on the importance of high school completion
1. Purchased posters will be displayed in all secondary schools, NFEC and AEC
2. Student poster contests will be encouraged and student posters will be displayed
3. Information will be disseminated to all students regarding the G.R.I
4. Student Focus Groups will be convened to elicit student input on improving Graduation Rates
Parents will be knowledgeable about the G.R.I 1. A letter outlining the initiative will be sent to all parents
2. Updated material will be available at www.fehb.org and school districts sites
3. Press outreach will be undertaken with all area media outlets
FEHB’s Graduation Rate Initiative
Goal Action StepsCommunity Agencies will partner with schools to promote high school completion
1. The Community Intervention Partnership will devote a portion of each meeting to the issue of high school completion
2. Superintendents and other school staff will present to civic groups such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, etc. On the topic of high school completion
3. Superintendents and the Commissioner of DSS will hold a roundtable discussion on issues impacting high school completion
FEHB ‘s Graduation Rate Initiative
FEH BOCES District Superintendent, Mr. Shafer and NFEC Principal, Lorraine Bessette presented a task to the Student Council to create posters about the benefits of students being at school and being on time.
The Student Council researched and developed these Seven Winning Rhymes.
Second Place Winner
Rachelle CluteSalmon River
First Place WinnerPam Henault
Franklin Academy
Third Place WinnerNakita ThomasSt. Regis Falls
Graduation Rate Initiative:North Franklin Educational Center Poster Contest
Medaille CollegeVirtual Round Table on Dropout Prevention
April 6 – June 1, 2009
Week Dropout Course Title
Facilitator
1 Dropout Prevention Prof. James Thompson
2 Customer Satisfaction Dr. Christopher Bogden
3 Motivational Deficits Dr. Fran Murphy
4 The Reasons Students Dropout
Prof. James Thompson
5 Elementary School & Dropout Prevention
Prof. James Thompson
6 Resiliency Prof. James Thompson
7 America’s Promise Prof. James Thompson
8 The AVID Project Dr. Granger Ward
9 Dropout Rates Due to Poor Curriculum Decisions
Dr. Bob Thompson
Dropout Prevention: America’s PromiseJulie Reagan
Clinical Faculty Professor
Dropout prevention begins with infusing staff & faculty with the tools and attitude necessary to create a positive climate for youth at risk. Most dropout programs serve students who are not a dropout risk. When actual high school dropouts were surveyed:
47% reported classes were not interesting69% were not motivated or inspired to work hard 70% were confident they would have graduated if they had tried harder1/3 said they had to get a job and make money26% became a parent35% said that failing in school was a major factor5% percent said they started high school poorly-fell behind in early grades
FEHB’s Action Planning to Achieve America’s Promise
Region:Once your America’s Promise S.M.A.R.T goal is developed from your region’s youth-centered data, it is important to define your steps, actions, supports and strategies to achieve it. Be as clear as possible
Region Name: East (North Country) St. Lawrence, FEH, CEWW BOCESAmerica’s Promise: Caring AdultsS.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) Goal: Increase the number of districts by 10% which establish partnerships with business/community organizations to provide mentoring to students by June 2010
Action Steps Person(s) Responsible
Timeframe Objectives How Will Improvement Be
Tracked?
Connected students with mentors in the workforce through on-the-jobexperiences
BOCES Principals Transition Services Coordinators
Sept-June(annually)
Established one-on-onerelationships between a student and adult over a prolonged period of time. Mentor provides consistent support, guidance, and concrete help to a student in need of a positive role mode
The coordinatorswill collect data from mentors, mentees and employers
Engage youth with adults through leadership programs (i.e., Student Council, Skills USA) as an integral component of PBIS program
Principals,Students, Faculty Advisors, Business Partners, PBIS Team Members
Sept-June(annually)
To address the behavioral and discipline systems needed for successful learning and social development of students
Discipline referral, Attendance rates, Performance at Regional, State and National Competitions
FEHB’s Action Planning to Achieve America’s Promise
Region: East (North Country) St. Lawrence, FEH, & CEWW BOCES Main Contact: Teri Calabrese-Gray Phone: (518)561-0100 x350 E-mail: [email protected]
Vision Statement: All young people are ready for and successful in college, work and life.
Current Graduation Rate: 68.6 % in NYS __N/A___ % for my school
America’s Promise: (Please circle) Caring Adults Effective Education Safe Places Opportunities to Help Others A Healthy Start
S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) Goal:
By 2010, increases the number of teachers using Project Based Learning (PBL) strategies by 10%.
Solutions: (please circle all that apply)
Employing Data Systems
Effective Education
Strengthening SchoolsSupporting Students
If you would like more information about the FEH BOCES’ Regional Graduation Rate Initiative please contact Leslie LaRose, Director of the Office of Special Services at 518‐483‐5230 or visit www.fehb.org.