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May 15, 2008

Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage. May 15, 2008. Arizona has the highest high school dropout rate in the U.S. and graduation rates declined in 2006 Only 42% of graduates go on to college Arizona per-pupil spending rate went from 49th to 50th

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May 15, 2008

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  1. Project Graduation:The Digital Advantage May 15, 2008

  2. Arizona has the highest high school dropout rate in the U.S. and graduation rates declined in 2006 Only 42% of graduates go on to college Arizona per-pupil spending rate went from 49th to 50th Less than 20% of Pima County residents have a bachelor’s degree Johns Hopkins University study lists Desert View and Sunnyside as among “Arizona’s Dropout Factories” Cities in Crisis A Special Report on High School Graduation April 1, 2008 Silent Epidemic Sense of Urgency

  3. Cities in Crisis • “Only about one-half (52%) of students in the principal school systems of the 50 largest cities complete high school with a diploma”. Furthermore, great disparities exist between high school settings and sub-groups within those settings. • Schools in urban areas (60.4%) are far more likely to have lower graduation rates than suburban areas (74.9%). 2008

  4. 69% of the students stated that they were not motivated to work harder in class, but 66% would have worked harder if the school’s expectations were higher. 59-65% of students who dropped out of school had frequent absences the year prior to their departure, and 38% of students felt they had too much freedom allowing for more frequent absences. In fact, 43% of the students cited an accumulation of absences that prohibited them from “catching up” as one of the primary reasons for leaving school. The Silent Epidemic Perspectives of High School Dropouts A report by Civic Enterprises in association with Peter D. Hart Research Associates for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation John M. Bridgeland, John J. DiIulio, Jr., & Karen Burke Morison, March 2006 The Silent Epidemic

  5. Identifying the Dropout Crisis • Nationally, nearly one in five high schools has weak promoting power (<60%). • Arizona is one of 15 states that collectively house almost 80% of the country’s high schools producing the highest number of dropouts. • Tucson, as one of the nation’s largest 100 cities, has 50% or more of its high schools showing less than 60% promoting power. Sunnyside High School and Desert View High School made the nation’s “dropout factory” list in a follow-up brief given to the Associated Press from John Hopkins University in 2007. Based upon data for the graduating classes of 2004-06, 35 high schools in Arizona—one in five—made this list of schools that qualified by having weak promoting power (<60%).

  6. Freshman failure rates in algebra 2006 Algebra I grades are an important predictor of whether students drop out or graduate; students who failed this course were 4.1 times more likely to drop out than those who passed the course. Freshman promotion/retention rates Nearly 33% of freshmen were not reaching sophomore status on time. Senior class academic profile While over 1,034 students began as freshman, only 556 were on track to graduate in four years. SUSD Reality Check

  7. Limited credit recovery No Strategic Plan to monitor, assist and support Limited computer and correspondence opportunities Funding/Transportation problem Excessive failure rates Middle school transition and readiness 9th grade experience Lack of academic progress for 2008 senior cohort Current Credit Recovery Options SUSD Obstacles

  8. Longitudinal District AYP Graduation Results

  9. Academic Progress of 2008 Cohort

  10. Freshman Year • Students who fail/repeat 9th grade tend to: • fail algebra • have poor reading comprehension and fluency • lack intermediate academic skills • Compared to other grade levels, 9th-grade dropouts are more likely to: • leave school for disciplinary reasons • leave due to a lack of inspiration or motivation • have more frequent absences during the year in which they leave See research report for citations on these facts.

  11. Freshman Promotion Rates

  12. A Call to Action Project Graduation Phase I: Increasing High School Graduation Rates in SUSD: A Strategic Plan Phase II: Credit Recovery Phase III: Freshman Intervention Phase IV: District Attendance Initiative Phase V: Advisory Periods for 2008-09 Phase VI: Summer School

  13. Graduation Data Points Do the math Data alignment - Infinite Campus Data analysis Graduation intervention plan for School Year: 2008 Targeted interventions for seniors who can graduate in 2008 Credit recovery options Targeted for graduation in ‘08 with space available for others in need Districtwide graduation support team Counselor School administrator Central office personnel Intervention plan anticipated expenses Board action Graduation Intervention Plan Budget Project Graduation: Phase I SUSD Graduation Strategic Plan Components

  14. Phase II: Credit Recovery Interventions Sample Model

  15. Study Skills Class Implemented a study skills class in January to serve 125 of the at-risk freshmen at each site Reading/Literacy Class Implemented a reading class for 100 freshmen who were significantly below grade level in their reading abilities Freshman Attendance Intervention Team Each school site will examine current personnel and their responsibilities regarding attendance intervention in an effort to identify resources/personnel to more closely monitor student attendance Phase III: Freshman Intervention

  16. Alignment and clarification of the attendance policy. A districtwide policy will be enforced consistently at SUSD schools. Operational efficiency, to ensure that all teachers follow the same procedure, to decrease attendance-taking errors, and to improve our overall efficiency. Incentives and recognitions at each school K-12 to acknowledge and give positive reinforcement to those students who improve their attendance. Each school now has a budget for incentives. An intervention plan to address unexcused absences in a timely manner and in a more personalized way. Awareness of the importance of attendance, with improved student/parent communication systems and the development of a new culture of attendance The Ninth-Grade Attendance Intervention Plan includes timely interventions and consequences, attendance monitoring, the Mentors Project, MessageYou, and active involvement of the Governing Board and superintendent. Phase IV: District Attendance Initiative We want every student and family to know that attendance is the first step to success in school. A strong emphasis on attendance is fundamental to achieving our mission of academic success and our goal of graduation for every student. SUSD has initiated one of the most comprehensive attendance initiatives the district has ever experienced. The SUSD Attendance Initiative Components:

  17. Mandatory Parent Meeting:At 10 unexcused absences in one class, a mandatory parent meeting will be held with the superintendent or assistant superintendent or Governing Board member to discuss the reason for absences. Assistant principal: Assistant principals will assign detention, single-period ISS, half-day ISS, or all-day ISS as appropriate. They may assign Saturday credit recovery to help improve grades. Students will meet with an assistant principal and parent contact will be made. Six house teachers for every assistant principal. Outreach Team: (Includes the truancy officer, PIA, ACO, and Prevention Office). Outreach team will make home visits to hard-to-reach students/parents and to students who have three or more consecutive unexcused absences. Level II Monitoring: Freshman Mentors (Central office members partnered with a home base teacher). A team of school and district personnel will partner with the home base teachers to monitor student attendance of a designated group of students. Monitoring will consist of communicating with the teacher to assist in making phone calls to parents, meeting individually with students who have absences, and making referrals to outreach team, counselor, or assistant principal for needed intervention. Level I Monitoring: Freshman Teachers (18 freshman house teachers and ELL/SPED teachers). Teachers will decide within their house to take responsibility for a class of students in a designated period. They will monitor each student’s attendance for the entire school day, making phone calls home on unexcused absences and referring students as needed to the counselor, outreach team, or assistant principal assigned to their classes as needed. Freshman Attendance Intervention PlanFreshman Focus

  18. Phase V: Advisories • It is in the one-on-one relationship with their advisors, however, that students primarily experience advisory as a social, emotional, and academic support system. This component of advisory provides students with someone to go to when they need help either with their work or with negotiating their relationships with peers and teachers. • advisory helps students make sense of and navigate their school experience • advisory provides students with a sense of belonging

  19. Meet at least twice a week Minimum 30 minutes meeting time Allow for teachers to loop with their students from year to year (6-8) (9-10,11-12) Utilize a research-based advisory curriculum Include relationship component Measurable accountability One adult that will serve as an advocate for students SUSD Advisory Guiding Principles Dr. Manuel Isquierdo

  20. Parent Engagement Initiative Learning Community Initiative College Readiness Building on last year’s success

  21. Parent Engagement • Parents As Teachers • Research-based educational support for parents of children 0-5 years old • Family Literacy • English-language, GED, and school volunteering • College Academy for Parents • College preparation workshops for parents of elementary students • Project College Bound • College-prep workshops for high school students and parents • Parent involvement assistants (PIAs) at every school • Liaison between parents and schools • Parent Engagement Steering Committee • District Parent Council • Meetings with parents, PIAs and pricipals

  22. Learning Community Leaders Learning Community Partnerships Foundation Alumni Association University of Arizona Pima Community College Businesses Neighborhood associations $100,000 USA Funds scholarship award in recognition of Initiative’s success Alumni Association Dollars for Scholars- $182,000 to 173 students in three years Sunnyside Community Stories Project Learning Community Initiative

  23. College Readiness • University of Arizona Partnerships • GEAR UP – Gaining Early Academic Readiness and University Preparation • College Academy for Parents • MESA – Math Engineering Science Achievement • Pima Community College • Talent Search • Upward Bound • Project College Bound • AVID – Advancement via Individual Determination • Arizona Academic Scholars • Arizona H.S. College Relations Councils • Honors Diploma • Advanced Placement • ScholarShop • ScholarShop Jr. • Unlock the Future

  24. Freshman Intervention Data Dropout and Unknown Status Academic Progress of 2008 Cohort Attendance Data Graduation Data Project Graduation Status Report Many of our Project Graduation Initiatives began between November and December 2007. As of 2008, the following slides illustrate our first status report of results yielded.

  25. Cohort 2011 – Single Period Absences (<4 absences) CURRENT

  26. Enrollment Summary—SecondaryEnrollment, Withdrawals & Unknowns

  27. High Schools—HISTORICALW5—Dropouts by grade level

  28. High Schools—HISTORICAL W4—Unknown withdrawals by grade level

  29. SMART Goal for Project Graduation The number of seniors who were academically on track in the fall of 2007 will equal the number of seniors who graduate in May 2008.

  30. Desert View High School English Recovery—17 English Recovery—6 Government—16 Economics—8 Geometry—10 Photography—20 Total:77 students 6 at STAR Academic Center Enrollment in Credit Recovery Classes Sunnyside High School • English Recovery—17 • English Recovery—9 • English Recovery—25 • Government—7 • Economics—4 • Geometry—14 Total:76 students 2 at STAR Academic Center

  31. Academic Progress of Students in their Fourth Year or More

  32. This district is ready for change!

  33. Governing Board, Leadership and Staff Louie C. Gonzales, Magdalena Barajas, Robert Jaramillo, President Eva Carrillo Dong, Clerk Eric Giffin • Our Governing Board is in sync with “Failure is NOT an Option” • Leadership of central office and sites is exceptional! • Teachers have been exceptionally responsive to the • transformation effort and process of change.

  34. Project Graduation Blueprint for Student Achievement Building on this year’s success

  35. New & Improved for 2008-09 • Blueprint for Student Achievement • Strategic • Comprehensive • Research-based • Advisory programs • Grades 6-12: for all middle schools & high schools • Mentoring programs • Ignite mentoring: 200 upperclassmen will be mentors to all incoming freshmen • School within a school for both sites – target 60 students • New student activities coordinator for each site will be recommended

  36. SUSD can make a statement on dropout prevention and improving the graduation rate not only in Arizona but in the nation

  37. Sunnyside’s Future “A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is just drudgery. But a vision with a plan can change the world.”

  38. SUSD is poised to lead the state and the nation in its focus on graduation and freshman intervention.

  39. Building on our success in2007-08 we launched Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage

  40. A Call to Action Project Graduation Year 2 The Digital Advantage

  41. Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage • A laptop computer… • …will be provided for every incoming freshman student who achieves the 4 As by the end of the first semester: • Achievement – 2.5 GPA • Attitude – positive, good citizenship and no disciplinary issues • Attendance – 95% • Activities – participation in at least one extracurricular activity

  42. Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage • Benefits of the Laptop Initiative: • We give our incoming freshmen a digital learning advantage. • Our business community is investing in the future of students. • We convey to our students that we care about them. • We accelerate/increase the learning opportunities for: • access to technology • 21st century skills • discovery of a whole new world via the Internet • The Digital Advantage will also assist the whole family in learning/accessing 21st century skills. • Bridging the digital divide. • A new way of thinking, with business partners and SUSD working together

  43. Our Commitment to Maximize and Align Technology Resources to The Digital Advantage • JTED is providing $460,000 for 100% wireless connectivity at Desert View and Sunnyside. • Microsoft software vouchers totaling $600,000 will be committed to The Digital Advantage. • To enhance the Digital Advantage experience, one ninth-grade course will be identified to integrate the use of technology into the curriculum. • Professional development for the integration of technology into instruction will be delivered to ninth-grade teachers. • Information Technologies in cooperation with CTE/JTED will support the technical assistance that will be required for the laptops. • The district will work with local lawmakers to expand wireless connectivity in the community.

  44. SUSD’s New Support of The Digital Advantage • Professional development for teachers to integrate technology into the curriculum • Increased extracurricular activity opportunities for incoming freshmen • Freshman student activities coordinators • Advisory curriculum will be aligned to The Digital Advantage • The new grant writer will seek additional funding support for The Digital Advantage • Increase attendance monitoring/support staff • Example: 2 project managers and 2 attendance clerks

  45. Current 8th grade students At $600 per laptop: 2.0 GPA 938 students $562,800 2.5 GPA 664 students $398,400 3.0 GPA 412 students $247,200 3.5 GPA 161 students $96,600 An investment in our future

  46. An investment in our future Projected number of cohort 2012 students who will meet laptop criteria At $600 per laptop: High 800 students $480,000/yr Low 600 students $360,000/yr We are committed to four years of the Digital Advantage program, putting laptops in the hands of freshman students in cohorts 2012-2015. Projected cost over 4 years is $1.2 million.

  47. NEW TheDigital Advantage Digital Advantage 9th grade studentsAcademics– 2.5 GPA or higherAttendance– 95%, excused onlyActivity – participation in extracurricularAttitude – no out-of-school suspensions Digital Advantage Scholars 10th, 11th & 12th-grade studentsAcademics – 3.5GPA or higherAttendance – 95%, excused onlyActivity – participation in extracurricularAttitude – no out-of-school suspensions

  48. Public Relations & Marketing of The Digital Advantage • Feature in Your Sunnyside Story, mailed to homes July 11. • Letter to all incoming ninth-graders on July 18. • Postcard on attendance and The Digital Advantage mailed to Sunnyside District Community on July 25. • Opening Day Celebration for all SUSD staff on August 6. • Press conference held on July 17. • Interview on KVOA-TV’s “Inside Arizona Business” with Taunya Villicaña, SUSD Foundation, on June 29. • Front page story in the Tucson Citizen on June 30. • Editorial in the Tucson Citizen on July 5. • Radio interview on Tucson’s JOLT (AM 1330) with Brandon Protas on July 10. • Feature on KOLD News 13 on July 17. • Feature on KVOA News 4 on July 17.

  49. Public Relations & Marketing of The Digital Advantage • Articles in the Arizona Daily Staron July 18. • Editorials in the Arizona Daily Starand Tucson Citizenon July 21. • Interview on Access Cable with Dr. Isquierdo on August 1. • Radio interview on La Preciosa (KTZR FM 97.1) with Dr. Jeannie Favela & Brandon Protas on August 3. • Live radio interview on KXEW (1600 AM) with Dr. Isquierdo on August 5. • Live radio interview on Hot 98.3 FM (KOHT) with Dr. Isquierdo on August 5. • 30 second PSA’s on the JohnJay & Rich Show 93.7 KRQ Morning Show beginning August 6. • Article in the Arizona Daily Star on August 8. • Interview on Univision with Brandon Protas on August 8.

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