ABCs of
DROPOUT PREVENTION
School Leadership Conference
September 30, 2013
Agenda
• Statistics
• Dropout Prevention Initiatives
• ABC Framework
• Early Warning Tool-WOW
• Chart of Practice
• Plan Development
What?
Year
Graduation Rate
2008-09
70.8%
2009-10
75.5%
2010-11
76.5%
2011-12
77.9%
Year
Dropout Rate
2008-09
2.8% (3,527)
2009-10
2.7% (3,353)
2010-11
2.2% (2,729)
2011-12
1.7% (2,114)
West Virginia Department of Education
So, What?
 Projected continued dropouts
 At this rate, next ten years over 35,000 will drop out
of WV schools.
 Cost (nationally)
 Each class of dropouts cost $55 million in healthcare.
 75% of all prison inmates are high school dropouts.
 80% of dropouts end up in prison.
 More than 80% of prison inmates are illiterate.
 12 millions students who will drop out over the next
decade will cost the nation $3 trillion dollars.
–Mattie C. Stewart Foundation
What We Know About Truancy
• Truancy of an elementary-age child is a strong indication of an
underlying family issue.
• Low-income children are more likely to have chronic
absenteeism from school. (National Center for Children in Poverty)
• In kindergarten, children in poor families are four times more
likely to be chronic absentees than their highest income
counterparts. (National Center for Children in Poverty)
• Truant children and youth may be exposed to repeated
opportunities to commit crime or be victimized by crime.
• Truancy has been identified as one of the early warning signs
for social isolation.
What We Know About Truancy
• Truancy is a good predictor of middle school drug use.
Truant 8th graders were 4.5 times more likely to smoke
marijuana. (National Center for School Engagement)
• Frequent absences are one of the most common indicators
that a student is disengaging from the learning process.
• Excessive absenteeism is a predictor of school failure.
• Excessive absenteeism is a strong indicator that a student
will drop out of school.
• Truancy is one of the most powerful indicators for serious
juvenile delinquency and adult crime. (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention)
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
• WVDE partnered with the Supreme Court of Appeals and
Judicial Systems to create Community Awareness and Action
on truancy and dropout prevention.
• School-based probation officers serve in eight counties:
Cabell, Logan, Mercer, Greenbrier, Monongalia, Wayne,
Boone and Putnam.
• Juvenile Drug Courts are operating in Boone/Lincoln,
Brooke/Hancock, Cabell, Greenbrier/Pocahontas, Harrison,
Jefferson, Kanawha, Logan, Mercer, Monongalia, Putnam,
Randolph, Wayne, Wood and McDowell counties.
Dropout Prevention
Initiatives
• Beginning with the 2011-2012 high school freshman
cohort class of students, the minimum age for ending
compulsory school attendance increased from 16 to17
years of age. (House Bill 4593 – High School Graduation
Improvement Act)
• Alternative education programs enrolled 3,410
students during the 2011-12 school year. From 20092012 counties have been asked to gather data with
regard to graduation and Option Pathway completion
for students placed in alternative education programs.
Dropout Prevention
Initiatives
• A total of $2.2 million dollars in Dropout Innovation
Zone Grants were distributed to 11 grantees in 2013.
• WVDE partnered with several advocacy organizations:
– Education Alliance Frontline Network – Communities
Unite for High School Success and Dropout Prevention in
West Virginia
– Legal Aid of West Virginia through “Youth M.O.V.E. West
Virginia”
– Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) to co-host
the annual Student Success Summit
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
• West Virginia Department of Education Virtual
School currently offers 43 credit recovery
courses.
– West Virginia students registered for 2204 credit
recovery courses during the 2012-2013 school
year.
• Twenty-eight counties registered students for
credit recovery courses during the 2012-2013
school year
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
• Mountaineer Challenge Academy - offering
struggling students an alternative way to
receive a West Virginia Diploma.
• Mountaineer Challenge Academy graduated
52 students in 2012-2013 school year with a
West Virginia High School Diploma through
the Option Pathway.
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
In 2011-2012, 18,001 students graduated
with EDGE (Earn a Degree-Graduate Early)
credits, and 2,047 students applied for
EDGE credits at a West Virginia community
and technical college
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
Career Technical Education Opportunities
• expanded High Schools that Work from 10 to 30
sites
• expanded Technical Center that Work from 7 to
13 sites
• expanded Advanced Career Programs from 3 to 6
high schools
• implementation in fall of 2013 of 21 Simulated
Workplace pilot sites
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
• a review by Attendance Directors and
significance to drop-out prevention of the
West Virginia Board of Education’s Drivers’
License Certification Policy 4150 that
includes requirements for attendance,
behavior and course performance in order
for students to receive their drivers’
permits
Dropout Prevention Initiatives
The Option Pathway by which a student receives both a
High School Diploma and a State Equivalency Diploma
(formally GED)
• The Option Pathway is a blend of Career Technical
Education (CTE) and the state approved high school
equivalency assessment (HSEA).
• Over 800 students were enrolled in the Option
Pathway during the 2012-2013 school year, with over
370 Option Pathway seniors earning high school
diplomas. This is an indication more diplomas were
issued this school year than the total enrollment of
357 students in the 2010-2011 school year.
ABC Framework
Attendance
Behavior
Course Performance
Attendance
 Relates to disengagement
 Kindergartener’s missing 30 or more days of school
 Need to create a culture of attendance
 This is a life and job readiness skill
 Legal consequences after 5 unexcused absences
 Many contributing factors : substance abuse,
family problems, depression, pregnancy, boredom,
social anxiety,
Behavior
 Can be a barrier to learning
 All behavior is purposeful (family problems, substance
abuse, learning problems, boredom, child abuse etc.)
 Need to learn the purpose of the behavior to change it
 The more time out of class the more they fall behind
Course Performance
 Progression of learning
 On track or Off track to graduate
 Acquiring basic skills to build upon
 Basic Math and Literacy Skills are required to pass a
GED test
 Some need additional help
 Some need a different level
 Some need a different teacher
Early Warning System
The Early Warning System is available to all
counties and is a web-based tool to help
educators identify at-risk students grades 6-12
from research-based indicators (attendance,
behavior and course performance)
Defaults for Early Warning System
• Attendance – 10% days absent. This includes excused and
unexcused absences.
– The option will be given to break the absences down by
unexcused and excused
– The option will be given to change the percentage to number of
days absent
• Behavior – 2 or more suspensions that are level 2 or above
– The option will be given to designate the level of the behavior
and number of occurrences
• Course Performance – Failure of Math and English in a
marking period
– The option will be given to also look at Science and Social
Studies
Example Login screen for WOW
WOW menu
Tab added to WOW
Early Warning System color coding:
Red = student has all 3 ABCs (attendance,
behavior, and course code failures)
Orange – Student has 2 ABC’s
Yellow – Student has 1 ABC
Early Warning System drop
down menu
Early Warning System drop down
menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop down
menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop down
menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop down
menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop down
menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop
down menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop down
menu (continued)
Early Warning System drop
down menu (continued)
Early Warning drop down menu (continued)
Around the State
Current practices or initiatives in schools
and counties.
ATTENDANCE
– Monthly drawings and/or
recognition for perfect attendance
– Driving privileges related to
attendance
– Traveling Trophy for classroom with
highest % for the month
– Graduation Coach
– Automated calling system
– Attendance Director
– Court System
– Classroom Xbox
– Individual school incentives
– End of year celebrations
– Attendance Captains
– School, classroom and countywide
incentive programs.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Adopt a Truant (teacher mentoring)
Education Matters Committee
Class competitions (weekly and
monthly rewards)
Classrooms tracking and charting
(math)
Monthly ballgames with staff for
perfect attendance
Phone calls home
Probation Officer
Various types of celebrations
Referrals to guidance counselor
Time for socialization
Exam exemption requirements
BEHAVIOR
Write three current practices in your
school/county to promote positive student
behavior.
ACADEMICS
• Peer mentoring built into the
daily schedule
• Grade-level PLCs
• Intervention groups based on
formative assessments
• Streamline of announcements
• Awards/recognitions for most
improvement
• SPL Coaches
• ACT Tutors
• WESTEST Schores based exam
exemption
• Enrichment courses
• Voyager – read & math
intervention program
• Thnk Through Math
• Acuity probes
• Student data notebooks
• Reflection with matrix
• High expectations
• Option Pathway (Option 1 and
Option 2)
• Collaborative Content Teamsfocusing on DuFour’s
questions and viewing student
work
A Plan For Success
– Determine an area of improvement
– Identify barriers/root causes to student success in
the particular focus area
– Brainstorm possible solutions (think of the
practices that were shared)
– Develop a plan, include: action steps, a monitoring
process and professional development. (Handout)
Thank You
Kathy Hypes
WVDE
Federal Programs School Improvement Coordinator
khypes@access.k12.wv.us