Increasing Student Engagement
Through Service-Learning
Dropout Prevention and Student Engagement Summit
February 18, 2011
Presenters
Paula Gumina, gumina_p@cde.state.co.us
Marc Morgan, mmorgan@cityyear.org
• Marc Morgan, Start Up Director, City Year
Denver
– What is City Year?
– How does City Year support ServiceLearning?
– Points of Entry for Service-Learning in the
School Day
• Paula Gumina, Program Coordinator,
Learn and Serve Colorado, CDE
– Research on Service-Learning and Student
Engagement
– Quality Practice
– What’s Happening with Learn and Serve
Colorado?
Meet one. Teach One.
City Year At a Glance
City Year is built on the belief that young people can change the world. As tutors,
mentors, and role models, City Year’s young leaders make a difference in the
lives of children and transform schools and neighborhoods across the United
States and in South Africa.
The City Year Corps :
• Are 17-24 year olds
• Perform a year of full-time service
• Are the most diverse youth corps in
the country
• Earn university scholarships
• Live on a weekly stipend
• Develop leadership skills
Scope
• 2,000 corps members serving 20 locations domestically
and in Johannesburg, South Africa and London, England
• Over 13,000 City Year alumni; one million children
served and one million citizens engaged in service
• Five time recipient of the Fast Company Social
Capitalist Awards
Highest Ranking on Charity Navigator five years running
City Year’s Whole School Whole Child model
Unique Assets
• Critical mass of people power
• Diverse “near peer” role
models and tutors
• Full-time and extended day
• Idealistic culture/energy
• Real-time response to need
Tiers of Impact
Targeted
Support
Classroom
Support
Whole School
Prevention
• For hundreds of students in school
• Academic and socio-emotional
• Enable differentiated instruction
• Reinforced classroom learning after school
• School climate, attendance, positive
behavior and enrichment programs
• Family engagement
Improved student Attendance, Behavior and Course Performance: English & Math
Improved on-time grade progression
Student mindset and skills for school achievement and civic participation
City Year advances district
Response to Intervention strategies
City Year’s WSWC model is helping at least 15 districts accelerate their RTI strategies.
City Year is uniquely positioned to deliver Tier 2 supports
City Year’s Tiered
Intervention Framework
Integrated
Student Services
Integrated
Student Services
EXAMPLE
Tier 3:
Specialized
Tier 3: Intervention
Specialized
Intervention
City Year Boston was
identified by district
leadership to be the
primary provider of Tier
2 interventions in 5
turnaround schools.
Tier 2:
Targeted Early Intervention
Tier 2:
Targeted Early Intervention
Tier 1:
Whole School Supports
Tier 1:
Whole School Supports
Attendance
Behavior
English
Initiative
Initiative
Initiative
Attendance
Behavior
English
Initiative
Initiative
Initiative
Adapted from: Comprehensive School Reform Plan, Dwyer & Osher 2000
Adapted from: Comprehensive School Reform Plan, Dwyer & Osher 2000
Math
Initiative
Math
Initiative
The Corps Member Daily Schedule:
Supporting Research-Based School Practices
Schedule
Before
School
8:00-8:15
Morning Greeting
8:15-8:30
Attendance Calls Home
8:30-10:40
10:40-11:30
During
School
11:30-1:00
After
School
Evidence-based Practices
In-Class Academic and Behavior Support
City Year Team Meeting
Individual Planning Time
Meeting With School Literacy Coach
Teacher Team Data Review Meeting
Math: 1:1 Tutoring or Small Group Support
Creating a school culture of
regular attendance and positive behavior
Data-directed targeted
interventions
Differentiating instruction & learning
Reinforcing curriculum
Expediting referrals to specialists
1:00-1:30
Lunch Time Mentoring Program
1:30-3:00
Literacy: 1:1 Tutoring or Small Group Support
3:00-3:30
After-school Planning Time
Dramatically extending learning time
3:30-4:30
Afterschool Homework Assistance and
Tutoring
Recruiting students who benefit most
4:30-5:30
5:30-5:45
Enrichment Activities (e.g. Service Learning,
Newspaper Club, Art Club)
After-school Dismissal; CY Team Final Circle
Reinforce classroom learning
Engaging families and communities
in the life of the school
National Results
SURVEY RESULTS
ATTENDANCE PILOT
Students
55% reduction
In students with less than 90%
Agree
City Year helps me believe I can
succeed (n=4,413)
80%
City Year helps me learn (n=4,438)
80%
attendance as a result of City Year’s
attendance support activities 1
LITERACY PILOT
90% of students tutored
Teachers
My corps members helped me
differentiate my instruction (n=986)
by City Year
71%
improved their literacy scores
My corps members helped my
students feel more motivated to
learn (n=963)
88%
MY corps members helped foster
a positive learning environment
2
SITE EXAMPLE
WASHINGTON D.C.
91%
% of students increasing one or more reading levels
(n=920)
Principals
95%
I am satisfied with the experience
of having City Year in my school
96%
(n=277)
0%
1
61%
City Year Students
Corps members are positive role
models (n=274)
25%
50%
75%
Non-City Year Students
39%
100%
n=267; Based on start to end-of-year data from pilot programs in five sites, including: LA, RI, SA, SJ/ SV and NY, grades 6-9 (2009-2010). 2 n=1,691; Based on data from 10 sites: CHI, CLE, COA, COH, LA, LR/NLR,
MIA, SEA, SJ, WDC, grades K-5. Data aggregated from 10 different assessments, using grade level benchmarks. 3 Based on increases in proficiency levels on the DIBELS literacy assessment. City Year students
Six Step Process….
• Investigation
• Planning
• Action
• Reflection
• Demonstration
• Celebration
How Service-Learning
Fits?
Service-learning alone cannot solve
the complex problem of high school
dropout but it is a powerful tool to
help address many of the warning
signs—Bridgeland, DiIulio and Wulsin 2008
70 percent of students reported that they did
not see the real-world applications of their
schoolwork and nearly half felt bored by their
classes. More than 80 percent of students
believed that if schools provided opportunities
for real-world learning-such as service-learning,
work study, and internships—such
opportunities would improve students’ chances
of graduating from high school. ---The Silent Epidemic:
Perspectives of High School Dropouts as cited in Engaged for Success
Bridegland, DiIulio and Wulsin April 2008
Service-Learning and Student Engagement
Students who participate in service-learning activities receive fewer in-and
out-of school suspensions than their peers who do not participate in servicelearning (Billig, Jesse, & Grimley, 2008)
•Involvement in service appears to contribute to lessening the achievement
gap, with low-income students who serve doing better than students who do
not serve (Scales & Roehlkepartain, 2006)
•Compared to the non-participating peers, students who participate in
service-learning have a stronger set of job-and career-related skills and
aspirations, including knowledge of how to plan activities, desire to pursue
postsecondary education and job interview skills (Yamauchi, Billig, Meyer &
Hofschire, 2006)
Effectiveness Relies on Quality
K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice (p.14)
•Meaningful Service
•Link to Curriculum
•Reflection
•Diversity
•Youth Voice
•Partnerships
•Progress Monitoring
•Duration and Intensity
Learn and Serve Colorado
• To expand service-learning into more
Colorado schools as a school engagement
strategy
• To engage youth in addressing community
needs in order to build healthier
communities
Pueblo City Schools
• Two Focuses
• Youth Councils
• Administrative Challenges
• Examples of Success
Resources
• http://www.cde.state.co.us/servicelearning/
• http://www.servicelearning.org/
Reflection
Head: What thoughts and ideas did this
presentation spark?
Heart: What feelings did this presentation
inspire?
Foot: What are some actions you are
going to take to implement servicelearning in your schools?