GRADUATION INITIATIVE DROPOUT PREVENTION GRANTS BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS MAKING THE TRANSITION TO SCHOOL SUCCESS Technical Assistance Meeting December 1,

GRADUATION INITIATIVEDROPOUT PREVENTION GRANTSBUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS

MAKING THE TRANSITION TO SCHOOL SUCCESS

Technical Assistance MeetingDecember 1, 2010

What Does the Research Say? “Overage and under-credited students

are unlikely to be successful in the regular high school setting. For students who have already become entrenched in patterns of chronic absenteeism and course failure, it appears that more non-traditional options for earning a high school diploma would be helpful.” (Mac Iver)

“Simply put, if students successfully make transitions into each level of schooling, they are significantly more likely to graduate from high school, [and the transition to middle school] is perhaps the most perilous.” (Balfanz)

Ninth grade serves as a bottleneck for many students who begin their freshman year only to find that their academic skills are insufficient for high school-level work. Up to 40 percent of ninth grade students in cities with the highest dropout rates repeat ninth grade; only 10 to 15 percent of those repeaters go on to graduate.

-Alliance for Excellent Education

Key Components

Mini-Mester

Summer Bridge Programs

Parent Outreach/Attendance Specialist

Why Try?

Math Initiative Tutoring Summer Program Collaboration Professional Development

Program Goals

To reduce the Buncombe County Schools dropout rate and improve student success through targeted interventions that address course completion, high absenteeism, student-school connectedness, and academic performance

Increase the number of under-credited students who earn credits required for graduation through summer course offerings and recovery opportunites

By August 2012, 90% of BCS Mini-mester participants will earn or recover at least one credit towards graduation requirements

OBJECTIVE 1 SMART OUTCOME 1

Decrease district dropouts related to excessive unexcused absences through increased parent contacts, attendance monitoring, and school connectedness activities

By June 2012, 80% of targeted students with 10 or more unexcused absences will improve school attendance by at least two days.

OBJECTIVE 2 SMART OUTCOME 2

Increase the percentage of students who are prepared to successfully earn an Algebra I (or equivalent) credit in 9th grade, thus improving the likelihood that those students will graduate.

By June 2012, the percentage of 8th grade students earning proficient scores on the NC EOG Math test will increase from 77.7% to 85.4%

OBJECTIVE 3 SMART OUTCOME 3

Community Partners

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

UNC-Asheville Warren Wilson YMCA Camp Earthshine Buncombe County Health Department

About 1000 Students Served

Mini-Mester 2010

60 Student Served 68 Credits Earned 15 Graduates

90% of previous participants have graduated or are on track

“I would like to thank you for taking your summer break to teach us. This opportunity has been a blessing to me considering how bad I messed up last semester during my senior year.”

Summer Bridge Highlights

Five sites Enka Middle Parent Day YMCA Team Building Why Try? Mini-Camps

Camp College Camp Fitness Camp Earth Camp CSI Technology

Other Initiatives

Why-Try Training Attendance Data Monitoring Math Initiatives

Tutoring Summer Program Collaboration Professional Development

Lessons Learned

Keep Good Records Find Your Critical Allies Hire the Right People Fine-tune Your Outcomes Be Flexible