Jackson County
FOCUS
on
Student Success
March 2013
NDPC SD and WVDE
Our County
Jackson County Schools has a current
enrollment of 4,960 students.
Two High Schools
Ripley High School has 918 students
– 142 Students with Disabilities
Ravenswood High School has 440 students
– 66 Students with Disabilities
Our Team
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Lisa Martin-Team Leader, Director of Special Education
Jim Mahan, Director of Secondary and Vocational Education
Lora Sturm, Transition Coordinator
Judy Lieving, CIFMS Stakeholder Chairperson
Samantha Skeen, Special Educator, Ravenswood HS
Jay Carnell, Assistant Superintendent/Chief Instructional Leader
Phyllis Matheny, Attendance Director
Bev Shatto, Ripley High Assistant Principal
Jo Hendricks, Ravenswood High School Principal
Jimmy Frashier, Graduation Coach, Ripley High School
Mick Price, Graduation Coach, Ravenswood High School
Melissa Browning, Ripley Middle Assistant Principal
Sharon Carroll, Ravenswood Middle Assistant Principal
Tina Holley, Guidance Counselor, Ripley High School
Graduation/Dropout Rates
Jackson County Schools
NCLB – COHORT GRADUATION RATE
2008 -09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
SWD
ALL
SWD
ALL
SWD
ALL
SWD
ALL
49.2
74.7
56.8
77.3
58.5
78.7
55.9
76.2
75.7
54.6
79.6
79.9
56.8
74.2
Ravenswood High School
60.9
72.9
79.2
86.1
66.7
Ripley High School
42.9
75.8
46.0
71.6
55.3
NCLB – DROPOUT INFORMATION
2009-10
SWD
12
3.7%
2010-11
ALL
38
SWD
1.7%
14
4.5%
2011-12
ALL
56
SWD
2.6%
14
4.68
Current Year to Date
ALL
51
SWD
2.3%
9
ALL
16
Research
The research and data analysis process
facilitated by NDPC-SD and completed by the
county stakeholder team identified the two
primary focus areas to be:
Student Engagement
and
Academic Content/Instruction
Dropout Factors
• Attendance
and Truancy
Prevention
• Behavior
• Course
PerformanceAcademic
Content and
Instruction
• Student
Engagement
• Parent
Engagement
• School Climate
• Attendance rates for students with disabilities
were at or above 95% for each of the five
years prior to project participation.
Attendance rates for SWD at Ripley High
School were slightly higher than Ravenswood
High School.
• WVEIS Discipline Data Reports analyzed for
the three years prior to project participation
indicated that SWD were provided positive
behavior supports and interventions resulting
in suspension rates much lower than their
non-disabled peers. Those suspended out of
school for 10 days or more
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
SWD
S w/o D
SWD
S w/o D
SWD
S w/o D
3
31
8
41
6
36
Dropout Factors
• Attendance
and Truancy
Prevention
• Behavior
• Course
PerformanceAcademic
Content and
Instruction
• Student
Engagement
• Parent
Engagement
• School Climate
• Student achievement data was reviewed as
part of the NDPC project as well as the
annual desk audit/self-assessment. Students
with disabilities, while demonstrating
progress, failed to meet AYP targets for the
prior three years. Additional data revealed
course failures, particularly in Algebra 1 for
which SWD needed to repeat or recover
credit.
• Although many students with disabilities
participate in extra-curricular and cocurricular activities, feedback from dropout
surveys indicates that those students who
dropped out prior to graduation were not
actively involved in school activities.
Interventions to Improve
Student Engagement
• In the spring of each year, all eighth grade
students begin participation in transition
activities including:
– High School Principals Presentation for 8th Grade
Students
– “Move Up” Day to visit the high school with paired
mentors
– Eighth Grade Tour of Roane-Jackson Technical Center
– Student/Parent Night (automated call/counselor
invitation)
– Attendance at IEP meeting
Interventions to Improve
Student Engagement
Third Year for “Jump Start” Program
Middle/High school administrators cooperatively
identify at-risk students for participation in
“Jump Start” summer transition program
Summer 2010
Summer 2011
Summer 2012
Participation
SWD
Participation
SWD
Participation
SWD
4
0
16
8
15
1
15
1
On Track to Graduate with Cohort
3
--
15
7
Interventions to Improve
Academic Achievement
Individualized Credit Recovery
• Several options are available to students with
disabilities to recover credit throughout the
school year.
– Before school, after school, lunch tutoring with a
special educator using PLATO
– Individualized credit recovery/assignment
completion designed by content teacher
– Learning Academy – Schedule class for PLATO
Summer Credit Recovery
Employment of Special Educator to Provide
Targeted 1:1 Intervention/Support for Credit
Recovery in Summer School using PLATO and
Direct Instruction, Summer 2011 and 2012.
Summer 2012
SWD Enrolled
Credits Recovered
8
7
Summer 2013 – Special Education Co-Teacher
will provide individualized support for
students with disabilities enrolled in summer
school.
Interventions to Improve
Academic Achievement
Freshman Academy/Focus on Organizational Skills
• School Year 2011 -12: All incoming 9th grade
students and teachers (either English 9 or
homeroom) were trained in organizational skills
for classroom success by Weber and Associates
• School Year 2012 -13: Organizational Seminar
provided by Principal(s) and/or Special Educators
• Organizational binders provided for all incoming
9th grade students, and available to 10, 11 & 12
grade students with disabilities.
Information for Students & Parents
Each school has a web page which includes student
rights and responsibilities, attendance
requirements, graduation requirements, etc.
Work-Based Learning
• FY 12 – Ripley High School – 47 students were enrolled
in career technical training at the Roane-Jackson
Technical Center, FY 13 – 28 students currently enrolled
• FY 12 – Ravenswood High School – 8 students were
enrolled in career technical training at the RoaneJackson Technical Center; FY13 – 11 students currently
enrolled.
• FY 12 – 13 Students with disabilities participated in
paid work-based learning experiences in community
settings; FY 13 – 4 students in community settings, 7
students in work-based learning programs at Jackson
County Developmental Center
• FY 12 – 11 Students with disabilities participated in
paid work-based learning experiences in school
settings; FY 13 – 11 students working in school settings.
Graduation
Coaches
2012-13 - Jackson County Schools employed a graduation coach at each high school .
At Ripley High School we will F.O.C.U.S. on our “At Risk” students. We will Find the students who are
“At Risk” of not graduating with their cohort. We will Organize the DATA to provide a program of study for
those students. Then we will Communicate the DATA with Student and Stakeholders in the student’s
lives. From there we will Utilize the resources provided by Ripley High School. And finally we will Stay
with those students until Graduation.
Finding the students began with the list of students who needed to make up courses in PLATO and
could graduate with their cohort in 2013. The next group of students was the incoming freshman that
had a history of failing classes, poor attendance, and low test scores from the middle school. We chose
the freshman to be the next group because of it being their first year at Ripley High School. After the
freshman we chose to target the juniors that were failing at the midterm and 1st six weeks. And finally to
the sophomores who had failing grades for the first six weeks. Students would get added to our list with
teacher referral and those students who were consistently absent from school. Organizing the DATA from
PLATO progress, teacher information, attendance reports, grade reports, as well as the Early Warning
System reports was the next step.
That information was collected and Communicated with the student as well as the parents. I have
specific days set up during the week for each grade level. However, a meeting with those students that
have been referred by another teacher and or principal will happen ASAP. I email all principals, teachers
and counselors who are involved with the student. These meetings continued through the semester with
target dates around the midterm and the end of six weeks.
During the meetings we encouraged the students to Utilize the resources at Ripley High School. We
had them to sign a contract of what resources they would be able to use with a copy of that being mailed
home to parents. The best resource in any school is the teachers and they have made themselves
available for the students during the one hour lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as well as the
after school program for 2 hours a day.
Each and every student that left the meetings, whether formal or informal, understood that we at
Ripley High School will Stay with them until Graduation and beyond. We will continue to check on them
as we have through the first semester.
• F—Find the students who are “At Risk” of not
graduating with their cohort.
• O—Organize the DATA to provide a program of
study for those students.
• C—Communicate that DATA with Student and
Stakeholders in student’s lives.
• U—Utilize the resources provided by Ripley High
School.
• S– Stay with students until Graduation.
WVDE: Early Warning System Tool
• Administrators, principals, counselors and
graduation coaches have been trained in the
use of the Early Warning System and utilize
data reports to identify at-risk students.
• Graduation coaches utilize the system most
regularly to provide data to student support
teams, parents, and students.
Plan Revisions
•The original plan developed by the county SWD
Dropout Prevention Stakeholder Group was
reviewed by WVDE team, with minor revisions to
the evaluation component.
•The SWD Dropout Prevention Plan now provides
the foundation for the improvement planning
process implemented by the CIFMS.
•The SWD committee no longer works in
isolation, but in conjunction with the County
Dropout Prevention Stakeholder Committee.
•Data analysis and input from multiple
subcommittees and stakeholders has
strengthened efforts to improve results for ALL
students.
Final Plan
• Implement Freshman Academy to enhance skills
for success with at-risk incoming 9th graders
• Expand Freshman Orientation to include
‘commitment to graduate’ and parent sessions
• Expand Jump Start Program to include
Ravenswood Middle to High transition
• Expand 9th grade learning/organizational skills
support to all grade levels for SWDs
• Strengthen/increase individualized mentoring
activities for at-risk students with disabilities
• Utilize multiple options for credit recovery
• Pursue implementation of GED Option Pathway
County Developed Resources/Tools
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Organizational Notebooks
Freshman Academy
Jump Start Program
Individualized Credit Recovery Programs
FOCUS Data Collection/Analysis Process
Created by Graduation Coach
• Reporting format for communicating data to
students and stakeholders
WVDE: Cohort Document and Data
Cohort data is used primarily by building
level personnel (e.g., principals,
counselors, graduation coaches) to
identify students who require support
and intervention, whether than be 1:1
mentoring, SAT interventions, or Special
Education and Related Services.
Use of Funds
• Each year, a minimal amount of the grant funds
has been used travel reimbursement for
stakeholder members to attend NDPC-SD
technical assistance, professional development,
and progress meetings.
• The greatest expenditure of funds has been the
salary of a special educator to provide
support/co-teaching in the regular summer
school program.
• The remainder of funds have been obligated to
purchase student supplies (organizational
notebooks) and will include equipment (head
phones) needed by SWDs to access PLATO
independently.
Moving Forward and Next Steps
Jackson County Schools is committed to
improving results for all students, including
students with disabilities. County resources have
been committed to the continuation of support
provided by Graduation Coaches.
The CIFMS Stakeholder Committee will continue
to work in conjunction with the NDPC-SD
Stakeholders to implement, monitor, evaluate
and revise activities and interventions based on
data collected throughout the school year from
multiple sources.
Contact Information
http://jackson.wv.schoolwebpages.com/
Jim Mahan, Director of Secondary Education
372-7300
Ripley High School: 372-7355
#2 School Street
Ripley, WV 25271
Ravenswood High School: 273-9301
Plaza Drive
Ravenswood, WV 26164
Thank you !