An overview for Texas Dropout Recovery Program grantees’ new staff Rebecca E. Wolfe, Ph. D.

1. BACK ON TRACK TO COLLEGE IN TEXASDesigning schools & programs that recover dropouts and put them on a path to postsecondary success An overview for Texas Dropout Recovery Program grantees’ new staff Rebecca E. Wolfe, Ph. D. December 14, 2011

2. Who We Are & What We Do JFF overview Technical assistance for TX Dropout Recovery Program grantees Fully 60% of jobs in the United States will require postsecondary education by 2018 (Carnavale, Smith, & Strolh, 2010)

3. BACK ON TRACK PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Why Back on Track? We CAN Improve Outcomes Designing the Right Programs for the Right Off-track/Out-of-school Youth Populations JFF’s Three Phase Model for BOT Schools/Programs Resources and Tools to Support Effective Practice

4. BACK ON TRACK PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Why Back on Track? We CAN Improve Outcomes Designing the Right Programs for the Right Off-track/Out-of-school Youth Populations JFF’s Three Phase Model for BOT Schools/Programs Resources and Tools to Support Effective Practice

5. We CAN Improve Outcomes New York City’s Transfer schools have graduation rates one to two times higher than the rest of the district for over-age, under-credited students YouthBuild USA’s Postsecondary Success Initiative schools graduated 71% of their first cohort of students – 90% of whom are older, lower-skilled former dropouts -- and enrolled 51% of those in postsecondary education Chicago’s Youth Connection Charter Schools maintain an 81% average attendance rate (80% of students were formerly chronically truant ); and make, on average, two year gains in reading and math skills each year Texas Dropout Recovery Program Sites collectively produced 1,283 college-ready graduates during the grant’s first two years

6. The most effective Back on Track schools and programs recognize that… Back on Track Lessons Learned Age & distance to graduation matters Right design or pathways combination significantly increases positive outcomes Accelerated learning via right combination of academic / social supports path to postsecondary readiness Partnerships -- with higher ed for college and CBOs for social supports --- are critical …to successfully transition OT/OSY to postsecondary education 6

7. BACK ON TRACK PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Why Back on Track? We CAN Improve Outcomes Designing the Right Programs for the Right Off-track/Out-of-school Youth Populations JFF’s Three Phase Model for BOT Schools/Programs Resources and Tools to Support Effective Practice

8. Typical Off-track Populations

9. Design Elements: Young and Far • Diploma-granting high schools • Full-time, daytime, extended day, and summer programming to accelerate • Organized to facilitate credit accumulation (e.g., modules, project-based learning) • Multi-year sequence of career & postsecondary exploration • Connection to internships & service learning

10. Design Elements: Old and Close • Diploma granting schools or GED programs • Flexible programming that accommodates adult responsibilities w/enough time to get college/career ready • Interdisciplinary curricula that meets multiple credit requirements and/or • Self-paced academics w/strategic use of on-line courses • Condensed career & postsecondary exploration • Rapid connection to postsecondary programming

11. School Design Elements: Old and Far • GED programs with clear pathways to postsecondary • Flexible programming that accommodates adult responsibilities w/enough time to get college/career ready • Intensive literacy across the curriculum • Math catch-up • GED-prep coursework accompanied by preparation for credit-bearing postsecondary courses • Clear pathways/interim benchmarks through GED & postsecondary education and training • Career exploratory experiences and in-depth, sector-specific connections

12. School Design Elements: Old and Very Far • Pre-GED program that leads to GED w/clear pathways to postsecondary • Flexible programming accommodates adult responsibilities w/enough time to get college/career ready • Intensive literacy and math catch-up • Transparent sequence of pre-GED academic skill development followed by GED-prep coursework accompanied by preparation for credit-bearing postsecondary courses • Clear pathways/interim benchmarks toward GED program entry and eventually to postsecondary • Employment-readiness programming • In-depth, sector-specific career experience

13. School Design Elements: Late Entrant ELLs • Clear pathways/interim benchmarks toward GED program entry and eventually to PSE • Employment-readiness programming • In-depth, sector-specific career experience • Pre-GED program leads to GED-granting or diploma-granting programs w/clear pathways to PSE • Flexible programming accommodates adult responsibilities w/enough time to get college/career ready • Intensive language-acquisition help and acceleration • Focus on intensive literacy across the curriculum • Transparent sequence of pre-GED skill devel. followed by GED-prep w/prep. for credit-bearing PSE courses

14. BACK ON TRACK PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Why Back on Track? We CAN Improve Outcomes Designing the Right Programs for the Right Off-track/Out-of-school Youth Populations JFF’s Three Phase Model for BOT Schools/Programs Resources and Tools to Support Effective Practice

15. JFF’s Back On Track Three Phase Design • KEY FINDINGS • Adaptation of research-based work of early college high schools and other innovators in the field • Three overlapping phases: • ENRICHED PREP, POSTSECONDARY BRIDGING, FIRST-YEAR SUPPORT • Intensive, intentional, supported, and accelerated programming • “College connected” designs Building transparent and supported pathways into and through postsecondary education

16. JFF’s Back On Track Three Phase Design

17. BACK ON TRACK PRESENTATION OVERVIEW Why Back on Track? We CAN Improve Outcomes Designing the Right Programs for the Right Off-track/Out-of-school Youth Populations JFF’s Three Phase Model for BOT Schools/Programs Resources and Tools to Support Effective Practice

18. Implementing the Three Phase Design • WEBINAR: Peer Learning Network call: Back on Track Three Phase Model Overview http://backontracktx.org/peer-learning-network/tdrp-member-page**PASSWORD: TDRPnetwork** • DESIGN OVERVIEWS http://backontracktx.org/design • KEY ELEMENTS & OPERATIONAL FEATURES http://backontracktx.org/design (Download PDF) • SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL http://application.jff.org/shortbotselfassessment/index.php

19. www.backontracktx.org What are some of the key features of interest on the TX back on track website for TDRP grantees? • Resources and Tools • Grant and Funding Info. • Reports and News items • Celebrating Successes • Information for Students (and counselors) • TDRP Networking Visit the New Website! http://backontracktx.org/ 19

20. Core Program Practices What tools and resources are on the website to assess, support, and improve program practices? • Staff Recruitment • Course & Curriculum Sequencing • College-Ready Instructional Practices • Student Recruitment • Student Intake • Student Engagement and Community-Building • Postsecondary Transitions http://backontracktx.org/back-track-toolbox http://backontracktx.org/tdrp-institute-resources http://backontracktx.org/peer-learning-network/tdrp-member-page

21. Grant Mgmt., Policy, & Funding Where can you find information on grant management and tips on how to access policy that helps support your programming? • http://backontracktx.org/blog • http://backontracktx.org/texas-dropout-recovery-program • http://backontracktx.org/additional-funding-sources

22. Questions?Thank you We look forward to working with you!