Dropout Early Warning System (DEWS) Pilot Program

1. Dropout Early Warning System (DEWS)Pilot Program Spring 2008

2. Purpose of Program To identify students who exhibit characteristics of dropping out and actively work with these students to prevent them from dropping out and increase their chance of completing high school

3. Dropout Early Warning System (DEWS) • Reporting system that identifies potential dropouts and brings these students to the attention of school, district and state personnel.

4. Indicators/Triggers Used by DEWS to Identify At-risk Students • Student attendance • Absent 10% of days enrolled • Student course achievement • Current Year GPA ≤ 1.00 • Drop in GPA ≥ 0.50 • Student behavior • Discipline count is 7% of days enrolled • Student age

5. DEWSReporting Capabilities • Allows different levels of reporting. • Detailed student level • District summary chart • State summary chart • Allows editing of triggers • Linked to a notification System

6. Detailed Student Level • Alphabetical listing of at-risk students by district • Identifies data that placed students on the list • Complete listing emailed on the 1st and 15th of each month • New student listing emailed on other days

7. Student Level

8. District Summary School Level • Number and Percent of students by category • School listing within a District • Two Reports • Grades 8-12 – green header • Grade 9 only – red header

9. District Summary School Level

11. Reporting Method • Read-only Detailed reports emailed to users (Superintendents, Principals, Assistant Principals, Counselors) • Electronic summary reports generated by users • Available any time • Sort capability • Drill down to student level

12. Report Access • Detailed student level • School • District • Summary school level • School • District • State • Summary district level • District • State (LDE)

13. DEWS PILOT PROGRAMRequirements for Schools • Generate and Examine DEWS Reports • Develop process to “check” EWS data • Is student really at-risk?? • Is student newly at-risk?? • Determine distribution strategy (Consider FERPA) • Develop an Intervention Program - Must include 9th grade; may include other grades - Should focus on newly at-risk students

14. Dropout Intervention Program Interventions should be: • Immediate • Appropriate • Sufficient • Take advantage of electronic capabilities to notify parents, truancy officers, etc. • Be integrated w/ Positive Behavior Support Program

15. Dropout Intervention ProgramRegional Workshops • Regional Workshops for School Leadership Teams • Purpose is to support development of intervention plan (sharing best practices) • Organized by RESCs • February-March • Exact dates/locations TBA • Participation optional

16. DEWS Pilot Program Deadlines • $3700/$370 Allocations • Budgets and assurances due immediately • January 15 expiration date • February 8 reimbursement request deadline • $3,000/$300 Allocations • Budgets and assurances due immediately • May 15 expiration date • May 31 reimbursement request deadline

17. DEWS Pilot Program Deadlines, cont. • Final Reports • Due to LDE by May 31 • Report forms to be provided by LDE • District level report • School level report

18. RESOURCES • Approaches to Dropout Prevention: Heeding Early Warning Signs With Appropriate Interventions, National High School Center • What Matters for Staying on Track, Consortium for Research on Chicago Public Schools, University of Chicago • Making Good on a Promise: What Policymakers Can Do to Support the Educational Persistence of Dropouts, Jobs for the Future

19. Questions??? Contact: Bobby Franklin bobby.franklin@la.gov