Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
PLANNING ASSESSMENT TOOL: Working Together to Decrease Dropout and Increase Graduation Rates in High School1
This planning assessment tool is designed to help schools and districts reflect on current practices and strategies and develop a plan for implementing an
effective schoolwide approach to decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates at the high school level. The planning assessment tool serves as guide for
schools and districts that are thinking about one or more of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) high school case
studies (Malden, West Springfield, Turners Falls) and how the findings apply to their context (e.g., guiding questions that can direct engagement in the content
and conversation about the case study themes; guidance on how to interpret and apply the information to a specific context). It is a flexible and comprehensive
resource that addresses common themes that emerged from the case studies.
Districts and schools are encouraged to take a team approach to using this planning assessment tool to think about what is needed in their contexts to improve
their practices and strategies. The planning assessment tool is best used by various team combinations of leadership, dropout prevention, and high school staff
working together to: 1) systematically identify existing structures and practices along with gaps in services; 2) discuss what is working well; 3) formulate actions
that are necessary to address identified gaps; and 4) establish a coordinated schoolwide plan to meet the needs of all students at risk of dropping out. The
following are the planning assessment tool categories, which were derived from the three case studies, for improving dropout and graduation rates.
I. Human Resources:
A. Leadership
B. Faculty Roles
C. Professional Development
II. Programs and Strategies:
A. Pathways to Graduation
B. Ninth Grade Scaffolds
C. Student Supports
III. Infrastructure:
A. Student Support Teams
B. Data Utilization
C. District Commitment
IV. Partner Connections:
A. Community-School Partnerships
B. Family-School Interactions
1
This planning assessment tool was developed as part of the ESE contract: Case Studies of High Schools with Improving Cohort Graduation Rates and Declining Annual Dropout Rates (BD-14-1026DOE02-DOE01-00000000708). It highlights common themes and strategies that emerged from the Malden, West Springfield, and Turners Falls High School case studies, including strategies and
roles supported by MassGrad awards (funded through the federal High School Graduation Initiative) as part of Massachusetts’ College and Career Readiness strategy. RMC Research, Portsmouth,
NH prepared the assessment tool. June 2015
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / Page 1
RATE CURRENT STATUS
SCHOOL STRUCTURES, PRACTICES, STRATEGIES
Fully in
Place
Partially
in Place
Not Yet
in Place
DISCUSSION NOTES
(WHAT’S IN PLACE?)
III. INFRASTRUCTURE
A. STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS
1.
A student support team type structure is in
place for the school’s adults to
communicate frequently and regularly about
their reasoning and decisions regarding
individual students, and to make sure they
are doing what is best for each student.
2.
The student support team makes decisions
about planning interventions and securing
additional services for individual students.
3.
The school’s student support team is
empowered to apply academic interventions
in a flexible manner (e.g., double doses of
academic courses, credit recovery).
4.
The student support team has flexibility that
allows them to address individual student
crises immediately.
5.
Counselors are an integral part of academic
and support teams working with students at
risk for dropping out of school and provide
intense individualized services to support
students and families.
6.
A process for recording and tracking
academic and counseling services provided
to at-risk student has been established to
coordinate the timely delivery of supports
and avoid overlap and duplication.
7.
The student support team meets as a group
with a student or family to send a unified
message.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / A. Student Support Teams / Page 2
PLANS FOR NEXT STEPS
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / A. STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS
1. Review the discussion notes and identify common themes – Are there underlying needs (e.g., additional guidance staff) or common desired strategies (e.g.,
professional development in working with struggling students)?
2. Note the themes below and discuss priorities – Which approaches can be accomplished without additional resources and which require a longer-term strategy of
reallocating resources?
3. Use that information to determine next steps – Consider a multi-prong strategy that will bring about some “quick wins” while you are working toward longer-term
changes.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / A. Student Support Teams / Page 3
RATE CURRENT STATUS
SCHOOL STRUCTURES, PRACTICES, STRATEGIES
Fully in
Place
Partially
in Place
Not Yet
in Place
DISCUSSION NOTES
(What’s in Place?)
III. INFRASTRUCTURE
B. DATA UTILIZATION
1.
The school has a designated data team (or
other group) that examines multiple data
sources on a routine basis (e.g., tracking
early warning and attendance data,
reviewing grades and discipline data, and
reviewing experiences of students and
recent graduates through the state data
system) to stimulate discussions about the
scope and nature of dropout patterns at
the school (e.g., credit attainment,
obstacles to graduation) and generate
program improvements to support
student graduation success.
2.
Data tools (e.g., Early Warning Indicator
System) are used to identify and monitor
progress of at-risk ninth graders.
3.
The high school has a designated data
team (or other group) to monitor and
review early warning indicators, maintain
a watch-list of at-risk students, and inform
other teams and staff.
4.
The data team (or other designated
group) recommends or establishes
appropriate interventions for students at
key transitions (e.g., students moving
from one grade to the next, nearing
graduation).
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / B. Data Utilization / Page 4
RATE CURRENT STATUS
SCHOOL STRUCTURES, PRACTICES, STRATEGIES
Fully in
Place
Partially
in Place
Not Yet
in Place
DISCUSSION NOTES
(What’s in Place?)
III. INFRASTRUCTURE
B. DATA UTILIZATION
5.
Data team staff meet with teachers and
counselors working with students at risk
of dropping out to review, analyze, and
use data to plan and coordinate
instruction and behavioral or other
support strategies for students.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / B. Data Utilization / Page 5
PLANS FOR NEXT STEPS
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / B. DATA UTILIZATION
1. Review the discussion notes and identify common themes – Are there underlying needs (e.g., additional guidance staff) or common desired strategies (e.g.,
professional development in working with struggling students)?
2. Note the themes below and discuss priorities – Which approaches can be accomplished without additional resources and which require a longer-term strategy of
reallocating resources?
3. Use that information to determine next steps – Consider a multi-prong strategy that will bring about some “quick wins” while you are working toward longer-term
changes.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / B. Data Utilization / Page 6
RATE CURRENT STATUS
SCHOOL STRUCTURES, PRACTICES, STRATEGIES
Fully in
Place
Partially
in Place
Not Yet
in Place
DISCUSSION NOTES
(WHAT’S IN PLACE?)
III. INFRASTRUCTURE
C. DISTRICT COMMITMENT
1.
The district develops and shares
dropout prevention policies with all high
school administrators, specialists,
and relevant teaching staff.
2.
District leaders collaborate with the high
school to establish challenging targets for
student achievement and
dropout/graduation rates and review each
school’s progress against those targets.
3.
District leaders communicate the
importance of using researchbased practices for preventing students
from dropping out and for recovering
students who are out of school.
4.
District staff are available to provide the
high school with expertise, guidance, and
training on dropout prevention efforts (e.g.,
integrating academics and college and
career readiness options; establishing
transition programs, summer bridge
programs, and/or summer institutes;
prevention and recuperative strategies for
students who are off-track to graduation).
5.
The district communicates
dropout prevention policies to parents of
students who are at risk of dropping out of
school.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / C. District Commitment / Page 7
RATE CURRENT STATUS
SCHOOL STRUCTURES, PRACTICES, STRATEGIES
Fully in
Place
Partially
in Place
Not Yet
in Place
DISCUSSION NOTES
(WHAT’S IN PLACE?)
III. INFRASTRUCTURE
C. DISTRICT COMMITMENT
6.
District leadership has identified and
pursued local, state, and federal grant
monies to support implementation of
recommended practices in a coordinated
dropout prevention and recovery program
(e.g., professional development and staff
training).
7.
The district has established partnerships
with community-based program providers
and other agencies such as social services,
welfare, mental health, and law
enforcement, to implement behavioral and
social skills programs.
8.
The district has developed partnerships
with local postsecondary institutions to
host prospective student visits and
workshops on completing postsecondary
and financial aid applications.
9.
The district has reached out to partner with
local industries and businesses to create
new avenues for introducing at-risk
students to career and work-study options.
10. The district has been proactive in
collaborating with community agencies and
businesses to identify local resources (e.g.,
mentors, service-learning projects, work
experiences) to help the high school
provide community engagement
opportunities to students who are at risk of
dropping out.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / C. District Commitment / Page 8
PLANS FOR NEXT STEPS
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / DISTRICT COMMITMENT
1. Review the discussion notes and identify common themes – Are there underlying needs (e.g., additional guidance staff) or common desired strategies (e.g.,
professional development in working with struggling students)?
2. Note the themes below and discuss priorities – Which approaches can be accomplished without additional resources and which require a longer-term strategy of
reallocating resources?
3. Use that information to determine next steps – Consider a multi-prong strategy that will bring about some “quick wins” while you are working toward longer-term
changes.
III. INFRASTRUCTURE / C. District Commitment / Page 9