Boone County Schools

1. Boone County Schools Drop Out Prevention Final Presentation March 2013 NDPC SD and WVDE

2. Boone County Schools • A small , mostly rural county school district serving a PreK-12 population of approximately 4500 students. • Boone County Schools has 3 high schools, a career technical center, 3 middle schools or junior high school facilities, an alternative learning center, 10 elementary schools and 1 pre-k center.

3. Our Team • Mary Knapp, Director Special Education • Sheila Paitsel, Coordinator Special Education • Paul Carden, Graduation Coach • Kim Cooper, Transition Specialist/Grad. Coach • Carrie Reeves, Assistant Principal/Sherman Sr. • Eddie Weikle, Attendance Director • Amy Cabell, Counselor/Scott High School

4. Starting Points (before the project) • As a component of AYP, graduation rate was a concern • Graduation coaches were hired and began work in February 2010 as part of the ARRA stimulus project • Attendance Director was responsible for reporting data to the state level through WVEIS GRADUATION RATES • 08/09 – SWD 52.9 All students – 72.5 • 09/10 – SWD 58.2 All students– 75.8 • 10/11 – SWD 69.1 All students– 78.1 • 11/12 – SWD 68.4 All students– 76.2

5. For this project, our team chose to focus on the following factors for dropping out: • Student Engagement • Parent Engagement • School Climate • While the other areas were KEY factors, the county already had initiatives in place to address those deficits. The three focus factors chosen were areas not currently being addressed.

6. Research A significant gap existed each year between the dropout rate for SWD and ALL STUDENTS: For example, in 2009-10, the drop-out rate for SWD was 5.2, while the drop-out rate for ALL STUDENTS was 3.1. Additionally, after reviewing the data for three years, 11th grade seemed to be a problematic year for students with the most drop-outs recorded within that year.

7. Dropout Factors • Attendance and Truancy Prevention • Behavior • Course Performance-Academic Content and Instruction • Student Engagement • Parent Engagement • School Climate • Our research showed that in the area of Course Performance/Academics many students who were retained (especially in the early grades) later became drop-outs. • With regard to students with disabilities, problem classes in the high school area that had a disproportionate failure rate were health, keyboarding and business computers.

8. Interventions • The Student Success Summit and other conferences/trainings along with the resources provided by the NDPC-SD staff gave us many ideas to implement such as: • Student engagement activities at the school level. • Mock graduation • Club Days

9. Graduation Rate • 08/09 WV SWD 51.3 Boone 52.9 All WV 70.8 Boone 72.5 • 09/10 WV SWD 57.5 Boone 55.2 All WV 75.5 Boone 75.8 • 10/11 WV SWD 57.5 Boone69.1 All WV 76.5 Boone 78.1 • 11/12 WV SWD 59.6 Boone 68.4 All WV 77.9 Boone 76.2

10. Initial Plan • There was no team previously • Boone County team was formed and plan was created • Focus on: Student Engagement, Parent Involvement and School Climate • WHY?? These were areas not being addressed at the time. • Planned to use funds for travel/prof. dev. the first year. • Planned for remainder of funds to used for drop-out prevention activities such as incentives for improvement in various focus areas and student engagement activities.

11. Plan Revisions • Narrowed the plan to focus most specifically on SWD and on student engagement. We made a plan to keep specific data on the participation of SWD in student engagement activities. • The team determined that we needed verification that each student with a disability was participating in a club. The students needed information ahead of sign up day to be informed regarding their club options.

12. Final Plan • Continuation of club days and engagement activities at Scott High • Mock graduation project at Sherman High gave students a graduation experience to use as a goal-setting activity • Truancy diversion officer hired(School based probation officer) in conjunction with WV Supreme Court to address truancy issues • Sherman High – School resource officer hired to provide necessary support for at-risk students

13. Plan Evaluation and Adjustments • Phase I: Initial Plan Increasing the number of club offerings • Phase II: Revised Plan Verifying that students were participating • Phase III: Final Plan Truancy diversion officer helping to guarantee that students are attending school in order to allow them to benefit from planned activities

14. County Developed Resources/Tools • Club list • At-risk lists with early warning indicators (This has been replaced by the state implemented early warning system on WVEIS) School climate surveys (Sherman High)

15. WVDE: Cohort Document and Data • The last cohort list of graduates (2011 graduating class) had many dropouts in 2007-08 school year (27 of 48 drops at Scott High). • The list helps us to start making links to other factors, such as the realization that many had been retained, often twice. • We believe that it is unrealistic to force all kids to be completers in 4 years…this hurts the school and puts a negative stigma on the students that do not complete in 4 years. • GED passage should not count against graduation rate.

16. WVDE: Early Warning System Tool • Identification of those at risk for attendance and grades is done for you…grad coach can immediately start on interventions rather than gathering data to identify correct students to target. • You can change parameters to customize your list. • Too early to draw conclusions…just became operational. • Find out how to drill down to spec. ed. data.

17. Use of Funds • 2011 - $3200 Travel and Expenses to trainings/conferences • Supplies for SWD • 2012 – Approx. $2000 Budgeted for travel and related expenses; Joint student engagement activity (tailgate) at the opening of the 13-14 school year involving all 3 high schools • 2013 – Budget $1000 for travel/Professional Development; Excess funds will be allocated to partially fund “The Choice Bus”

18. Data Trends-Graduation Beginning in 2008-09, the chart shows Boone County Schools’ progress on increasing the graduation rate. This information was taken from the Cohort Graduation Rate information provided by Ms. Ruddle.

19. Data Trends-Dropout Beginning in 2009-10, the chart shows Boone County Schools’ progress on decreasing the drop-out rate. This information was taken from the WVEIS private data information provided to special education administration.

20. Data Trends-Other • Using the longitudinal data beginning with the 08-09 school year, Boone County has made significant progress with SWD subgroup in increasing the graduation rate. • For all students the improvement is not as marked; however, we expect a significant increase on next year’s data.

21. Projected Graduation/Dropout Results These projections are based on information shared with principals and will be finalized with the upcoming AYP information.

22. Moving Forward and Next Steps • Drop-out team will continue to meet on a regular basis to provide an ongoing focus on the graduation rate and dropout rate. • Truancy diversion officer now in the budget. • 1.2 graduation coach position in the budget. • Sherman High Resource officer partially funded by BCS. • Focus more on school climate and early intervention in elementary and middle schools. • Needs – Time and money…more positions focused on drop-out and graduation issues.

23. Key Components of Plan Development • Have positions focused on drop-out and graduation problems full time. • Identify problem areas. • Educate stakeholders about early warning signs. • Use resources/tools available such as the early warning system. • Implement an advisor/advisee program for at risk kids to form relationships and follow up on at-risk students DAILY.

24. Key Components for Maintenance • Positions • Continuation of drop-out team meetings • Look for sources of funding • Get teachers/stakeholders on board to implement advisor/advisee programs • Involve the community/all stakeholder groups

25. Lessons Learned • Not an easy undertaking • Need everyone on board • It takes several years to see results

26. Contact Information • Mary Knapp – mknapp@access.k12.wv.us • Sheila Paitsel – sgpaitsel@access.k12.wv.us • Paul Carden – pcarden@access.k12.wv.us • Kim Cooper –lkcooper@access.k12.wv.us • Carrie Reeves – cbreeves@access.k12.wv.us • Eddie Weikle – eweikle@access.k12.wv.us • Amy Cabell – acabell@access.k12.wv.us

27. Thank you !