Focusing on the 8th to 9th
Transition
College and Career Readiness Webinar Series
October 13, 2015
Research Findings on Grade 9
• 9th grade announces, and often defines, a school’s
commitment to equity and to preparing every
student for life
• The messages students receive in 9th grade, and
the self-beliefs they adopt, can define their high
school years
• Nationally, most high school dropouts fail 25% of
their courses in 9th grade, but only 8% of eventual
graduates do
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
Research Findings on Grade 9
• High rates of 9th grade academic course failures
are more related to non-cognitive skills and
behaviors than academic skill deficits
• 9th grade PLCs that meet regularly, review data,
and collaborate on planning and teaching are
essential
• 9th grade performance is highly predictive of a
student’s likelihood of graduating high school
• 9th grade is either a gatekeeper to
opportunity or springboard to success
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
9th Grade as a Gatekeeper
• Assumption that students arrive ready for high
school level work
• Belief that students know how to take advantage
of the opportunities provided
• Perception that only some students are “college
material”
• Courses, schedules, and curriculum built around
teacher and institutional needs and desires
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
9th Grade as a Gatekeeper
• Academic courses and support are separate and
uncoordinated
• More resources are allocated to higher level
courses and older students
• Teachers work in isolation
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
9th Grade as a Springboard
• Assumption that all students need personalized
support and attention
• Belief that teachers need to guide or coach
students to make good choices
• Perception that all students can succeed
academically and go to college
• Courses, schedules, and curriculum are built
around student needs
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
9th Grade as a Springboard
• Academic courses and support are deeply
coordinated
• Adequate resources and staff are allocated to
support incoming students
• Teachers collaborate regularly within the school
day and with potential out of school
opportunities
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
EWIS Academic Milestone for Grades 7, 8, & 9:
Passing All Grade 9 Courses
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
Less than 80% of Grade 9 Students
Complete and Pass All Grade 9 Courses
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
1 in 10 first time 9th graders are not promoted
to 10th grade
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
8th to 9th Grade Transition Best Practices
• Middle school collaboration
• Multiple sources of early warning data
• Multi-faceted high school orientation
programming
• Summer bridge programs
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
Middle School Collaboration
• Middle school staff help identify students that may need
additional supports in high school
• District establishes multiple opportunities for middle
school staff and 9th grade staff to meet in the
spring/summer to review student data, ask questions,
plan interventions, etc.
• Middle and high school teachers meet regularly (at least
twice a year) to ensure a seamless, coherent grade 6-12
curriculum
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
Multiple Sources of Early Warning Data
• Middle school staff help identify students that may need
additional supports in high school
• State Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) data is
reviewed for all incoming grade 9 students
• High school has a process to examine key indicators
(“flags”) during first 30 days of school – e.g., attendance,
behavior, course performance
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
Multi-Faceted High School
Orientation Programming
• Focus on orientation for students and parents/families
beginning in middle school
• Begins before students enter grade 9
- Meet and greet sessions at the middle school
- Home visits over the summer
- multi-day orientation to high school works and life for all
students and families
• Proactive, positive actions to engage the parents of at-risk
rising 9th grade students
• Advisory groups and/or school mentors assigned in the
spring and advisors/mentors reach out to students and
families prior to the school year
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
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Summer Bridge Programs
• Involves the 9th grade faculty, advisors/mentors, and
support staff
• Invitations to participate to all students and families and
no cost to participate
• Aligned to 9th grade curriculum
• Several weeks long
• Addresses four critical dimensions of 9th grade success:
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Readiness in ELA and math
Orientation to high school life and academic expectations
Socio-emotional skill building and support
Preparation for rigorous academics: research techniques, tech literacy,
study habits, organization and planning tools
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
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District Highlight: West Springfield
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Graduation Success, an intensive summer program to build student
connections for at-risk students over the summer
Free, two-week program
Intended to bridge the transition to high school for students who are
identified at risk by counselors at their middle schools
Includes a drug and alcohol education component and field trips to local
businesses to learn about entrepreneurship
Students receive free transportation, breakfast, and lunch
Daily attendance is mandatory and students receive 2.5 elective credits
toward graduation
Faculty phone calls and home visits with all students are viewed as an
important way to connect with students and families and spark interest in
the program
Students receive outreach services and participate in events and service
projects to build school-family relationships, such as food or clothing drives,
and activities such as gardening to connect students with the community
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
District Highlight: Gill-Montague
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9th grade academy established to enhance the connectedness of 9th graders
with the school community
The academy teaching team reaches out to students before they arrive at the
high school
At least one team member and guidance counselor meet individually with 8th
grade students as they get ready to select their classes
Each student works with his or her family and guidance counselor to
formulate a four-year individualized plan for graduation
8th grade students are taken on tours of the high school and hear from
current students about their experience at Turners Falls High School
The team reaches out to parents to let them know the kinds of experiences
their child will have at the high school and sponsors open house events
before the start of the school year
High school and middle school counselors meet to review the backgrounds of
entering 9th grade students to identify potentially at-risk students
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
District Highlight: Malden
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Dedicated ninth grade counselors work with middle school staff and
students to ease the middle-to-high school transition, setting the tone early
on about high school course selection and college and career planning
Information shared among staff at the middle and high schools helps to
match the needs of entering 9th graders with appropriate resources
Counselors host transition-to-high school meetings in middle schools at
several points in the 8th grade year and also organize visits to the high school
Counselors meet individually with students and family members for
orientation to high school and to discuss the option of college and the course
requirements for various career options
Hosts a 9th grade family night for parents and teachers and makes outreach
calls to families
The first day of high school is for 9th graders only
Focus of the transition experience and support for students continues into
the grade 9 year with activities such as individual meetings with counselors
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education
Resources and Tools
• Watch for our 3 high school case studies to be released this month!
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/
• DART Success After High School:
http://www.mass.gov/edu/docs/ese/accountability/dart/dart-successafter-high-school.xlsx
• Consortium for Chicago School Research
What Matters for Staying On-Track and Graduating in Chicago
Public High Schools:
http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/07%20What%
20Matters%20Final.pdf
• Great Schools Partnership, Ninth Grade Counts 3-Part Guide:
http://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/resources/ninth-gradecounts/
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary
Education