March 17, 2009

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Virginia' s Policies and Paths to Graduation

Renewed efforts to improve support for all students

Dr. Deborah L. JonasExecutive Director for Research and Strategic Planning

Virginia Department of Education

Dr. Vivian Stith-WilliamsStudent Services Specialist

Virginia Department of Education

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Overview

• Updating state policies

– Standards of Accreditation

– Legislation

– Consistent and more comprehensive data reporting

• State support for school improvement focused on increasing graduation rates.

• Technical assistance to support LEAs improve local policies and practices.

Updating state policies

School Accreditation

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School Accountability for Graduation Rates

• Since 1998, to be fully accredited all Virginia high schools have had to meet a pass-rate benchmark on state end-of-course exams in:– Mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II);

– English reading and writing (Grade 11 English and Grade 11 Writing);

– Science (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry); and

– History and Social Sciences (U.S. and Virginia History, World History, Geography).

• State level support is provided to schools that fail to meet minimum requirements.

• The Board of Education and lawmakers spent several years developing data and policies to increase graduation rates.

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2009 Accreditation Updates

• To be fully accredited, schools with a graduating class would be required to meet:

– The current end-of-course pass-rate benchmarks; and

– A minimum percentage on a weighted graduation and completion index.

• The proposed Graduation and Completion Index (GCI) is a weighted percent of the students who graduate, complete, or stay in school each year.

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Context for Including the GCI in the SOA

• June 2005– The Nation’s governors, including Virginia’s Governor Warner

signed the NGA Compact on high school graduation rates.

– Commits to reporting a graduation rate formula that is consistent across states.

• General Assembly 2006: – House Bill 16 required the Board of Education to ensure a

uniform assessment of high school graduation rates and prescribe the formula to calculate graduation rates.

• July 2006:– Board President formed a committee to research and

recommend policies to reduce the number of students who drop out of high school and to improve graduation rates, especially among minority students.

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Legislative and Regulatory Context for Change (cont’d)

• November 2006: – BOE defined a cohort graduation rate for Virginia, known as

the Virginia On-Time Graduation Rate, consistent with NGA Compact.

– Report to the General Assembly stated that the cohort graduation rate would be reported for the first time in the fall of 2008.

• General Assembly 2007:– SJR 329 required further study of graduation and dropout

rates, with a focus on dropout rates

– In November 2007, BOE recommended that cohort dropout rates be published in the context of other information, such as graduation and completion rates, as well as the “stay in school” rate.

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Virginia BOE Policy Changes (GCI related)

• January 2008– Board proposed changes to the SOA that included a weighted

graduation and completion index (GCI).– Schools that have a 12th grade class would be required to meet a

minimum bar on the index AND pass rate standards to earn full accreditation from the state.

• February 2009: – The Board adopted final changes to regulations for accrediting

public schools in Virginia.– Regulations require schools to meet a minimum benchmark on

the GCI and pass rate standards.– Requires all students, beginning in middle school, to have an

Academic and Career Plan.

• Regulatory process will be completed in the next few months.

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Graduation and Completion Index

• The index calculation results in a weighted percentage of graduates and completers for each school.

• The calculation uses an adjusted cohort formula to account for all high school students.

• Students who remain in school longer than their expected graduation year are included in the index for multiple years.

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Weights in the BOE approved GCI

Outcome Points Notes

Diploma in four years 100

Diploma in more than four years

100 In the graduation year

GED certificate 75

Remain in school beyond four years

70

Points awarded each year the student remains in school without earning a credential

Certificate of Program Completion

25

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Implementation of Proposed Index

• Implementation:

– Accreditation will rely on the GCI using data from the academic year 2010-2011.

– School accreditation ratings apply in the ratings determined in the fall of 2011-2012.

• Schools that fail to meet the minimum index standard are subject to state intervention consistent with current practice.

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Considerations and Potential Impact of Index

• Adds a minimum bar for schools with a graduating class.

• Provides incentives for schools to:

– Help all students to earn meaningful credentials.

– Continue to support students who require more than four years to graduate.

• Ensures accountability for all students by tracking students from the first time they enter 9th grade.

• Incorporates incentives for schools.

• Schools are equally accountable for academic achievement standards AND graduating students.

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The Academic and Career Plan• Required for all 7th grade students and is to be completed by fall

of grade 8. Each plan shall:– Include the student’s program of study for high school graduation

and a postsecondary pathway;

– Be based on the student’s academic and career interests; and

– Be reviewed and updated if necessary before the student enters the ninth and eleventh grades.

• The plan encourages:– Middle and high school students to reflect on potential career paths;

– Student exploration of requirements to successfully pursue their goals and options for postsecondary education and training.

– Student engagement in plans for their future and more effective transition to high school.

• The plan provides an opportunity to discuss:

– Personal Interest and Talents– Academic and Career Preparation

– College and Career Preparation– Character Building

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General Assembly legislation

• 2009 General Assembly legislation permits juvenile justice courts to suspend the driver’s license of students with 10 or more consecutive unexcused absences.

• Schools are authorized to notify district court judges of situations in which students have 10 or more unexcused absences.

• For details see: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+ful+CHAP0439+pdf.

Consistent and more comprehensive reporting

The Cohort Report and information available regarding students progress

through high school

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Data for the state, school divisions, and schools can be downloaded at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/src/ontime_grad_rate.shtml

Subgroup% Graduated

On-Time

% Completed school on

time% Still

Enrolled%

Dropout

% Long-term leave

% Unconfirmed

status

All Students 82.1% 86.3% 2.6% 8.7% 0.4% 2.0%

Female 85.0% 88.4% 2.1% 7.4% 0.4% 1.7%

Male 79.2% 84.3% 3.1% 9.9% 0.4% 2.2%

Black 73.9% 78.0% 4.8% 12.6% 0.7% 3.9%

Hispanic 71.5% 75.2% 2.9% 19.9% 0.3% 1.6%

White 85.9% 90.4% 1.7% 6.3% 0.3% 1.3%

Asian 93.4% 94.5% 1.3% 3.6% 0.1% 0.5%

American Indian 75.7% 79.3% 5.0% 13.9% 0.0% 1.8%

Native Hawaiian 85.2% 89.8% 3.4% 4.6% 0.0% 2.3%

Other 90.5% 92.4% 1.8% 4.7% 0.1% 0.9%

Students with Disabilities 81.8% 86.4% n/a 13.5% 0.0% 0.2%

Identified as Disadvantaged 70.6% 77.5% 4.7% 13.5% 0.7% 3.6%

Limited English Proficient 69.2% 72.0% n/a 27.0% 0.0% 0.7%

Identified as Migrant 75.4% 80.7% 0.0% 15.8% 0.0% 3.5%

Homeless 60.2% 65.1% 10.6% 18.7% 2.0% 3.6%

Results from Virginia’s Cohort Report

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More from the Cohort Report

Subgroup Cohort

AdvancedStudies

Diploma StandardDiploma 

ModifiedStandardDiploma

SpecialDiploma

GeneralAchievement

Diploma

VirginiaOn-Time

GraduationRate

All Students 96152 41894 33264 1827 1938 17 82.1

Students with Disabilities 10796 871 4194 1827 1938 < 81.8

Students Identified as Disadvantaged 21251 4376 8920 749 958 < 70.6

Limited English Proficient Students 3140 838 1234 69 33 0 69.2

Students Identified as Migrant 57 23 19 0 < 0 75.4

Homeless 502 59 202 16 25 0 60.2

Extract from the Virginia Cohort Report

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Resources from VDOE• EIMS “Watch List” Report

– A K-12 resource to help schools and divisions identify students who are at-risk of not persisting to graduation.

– Factors include:

• Statewide at-risk identification tool for rising ninth grade students– State is piloting a tool with four school divisions.– Refinements expected over the next year.– Final tool-kit will include a “how-to” guide for understanding your data

and resources to improve student support.

• School improvement planning templates and tools

Attendance

Overage for grade

Retention status

State assessment results

Participation in mathematics assessments.

Technical assistance

Improved collaboration at the VDOE to improve support to

school divisions

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Where did we begin• Superintendent directed staff to document past and current state

efforts around improving graduation rates

• Prepared a template to provide visual framework

• Identified VDOE’s initiatives related to student achievement and graduation

• Matched each division to their specific initiatives and funding source

• Indicated primary area of impact and targeted audience

• Aligned initiatives with primary areas of impact

• Various department members met and shared findings

• Met with Superintendent and Dr. Bost to analyze findings and determine next steps

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Systemic Approach to Student GraduationPlease use the following template to document information for each division effort conducted in the recent past, currently, or that is planned for the future to address dropout prevention and persistence to graduation.

Title of effort: _________________________________________

Timing of work: ___ Recently completed___ Currently happening___ Planned for the futurePrimary Impact Factor (check one)___ Appropriate Social Behavior___ Sufficient Academic Success___ Effective Transition Services___ School Engagement (student and parent)___ Accountability, Research, Data

Responsible DOE Division (check one)___ Office of the Superintendent___ Finance___ Instruction___ Special Education and Student Services___ Policy and Communications___ Student Assessment and School Improvement___ Teacher Education and Licensure___ Technology and Career EducationResponsible Office: _______________________

Title of work PurposeApproachAudience

What do we know? (Data)

What do we need? (Data)

State controlled factors versus locally controlled factors

Primary funding source

Perceived gaps in state efforts that impact high school completion

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Practices Related to Increasing Graduation & Preventing

Dropouts

Division

Initiatives Audience

Predictor/Risk Factor

Student/

Parent

Engagement

Appropriate Social

Behavior

Sufficient Academic Success

Effective Transition Services

Data

Accountability

Research

Early warning toolkit

LEAs, researchers, policymakers, program managers

X

Student Assistance Programming

Students, parents, all faculty and community stakeholders

X X X X

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Internal Framework to Support the Increase of Graduation Rates in

Virginia

• Vision statement of VDOE serves as our foundation.

• Mission statement clearly focuses on an integrated approach to support school divisions and schools with emphasis on primary impact factors.

• Specific objectives to align work and target resources in identified critical areas to prevent school dropout and promote school graduation.

• Provide technical assistance to school divisions to help them assess, align and integrate resources to promote successful high school graduation for all students.

• Defined underlying assumptions.

• Outlined specific actions for VDOE staff.

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Practical Application • Internal collaborative partnerships across the VDOE:

• Ongoing collaborative planning at all levels.

• External collaborative partnerships:

• “Vision to Practice” Summer Institute: Seven Million Minutes from Pre-Kindergarten to Graduation.

– Instruction– Student Services– School Improvement– CTE

– Research– Policy– Special Education– Federal Programs

– National Dropout Prevention Centers

– National High School Center

– Center for Innovation and Improvement

– ARCC

– REL– America’s Promise Alliance – National Post-School

Outcomes Center– Virginia Commission on

Youth

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Support to School Divisions

– Instruction

– Discipline

– Support Services

– Attendance

– Student Activities

– School/Community Relations

Six focus areas to assess policy and practice that affect student performance:

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Instruction: Policy and Practice

How does your school division provide multiple layers of support to academic success for students?

• Teaching styles and learning styles

• Variety of teaching strategies/learning strategies

• Alternative education plan for all at-risk students

• Retention/promotion criteria

• Credit attainment

• Transition programs for all students

• Grading Systems

• Graduation requirements

• Flexible scheduling

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Discipline:Policy and Practice

In what ways are multi-tiered prevention and intervention systems in place to provide support?

• School based discipline and consequences

• Consistent classroom rules for discipline/behavior

• Counseling and support services

• Student code of conduct

• Suspension and expulsion criteria

• Clarity with written communication on rules and discipline for all students

• Due process options for all students

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Attendance:Policy and Practice

How are students identified who are “fade outs” and “push outs”?

• Truancy definitions and consequences

• Parent notification system for absences and tardiness

• Designated staff for attendance/truancy concerns

• Criteria for unexcused absences vs. excused absences

• Number of absences any student may have for any reason

• Decisions to enforce court/legal mandates for attendance in school

• Out-of-school suspensions

• Application of rules by all staff for all students

• Student record transfer restrictions

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Support Services:Policies and Practice

What resources are available to adequately enhance learning and student engagement?

• Tutorial and remedial assistance at every grade level

• Fees for materials, tools, or equipment for classes

• Computerized scheduling

• Options for at-risk students

• Special education referrals and placements

• Class-to-class scheduling of students with different teachers and students

• Resources for students’ with substance use/abuse needs

• Day care services/options for teen parents

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Student Activities:Policy and Practice

• Dress code that acknowledge social changes, cultural diversity or religious backgrounds

• Enrollment in extra-curricular activities

• Participation fees and participation rules

• Transportation options/schedules

• Service learning and volunteer avenues

• Criteria for student recognition programs

How inclusive are available student activities?

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School & Community Relations:Policy and Practice

• Parent involvement in school programs

• Formal plans linking schools/division with community agencies

• Cultural competence and/or cultural responsiveness in school routines and procedures

• Diversity of role models in teaching staff and leadership positions

• Communication channel between student, parent and school staff

• Publication of current events and activities

• Business partnerships and collaborations

Has your school promoted partnerships with the community services/agencies?

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Resources

• Dr. Loujeania Williams Bost, Director, NDPC-D

• Iowa Department of Education

• Virginia Department of Education staff

• Virginia Commission on Youth

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Questions?

Deborah Jonas,Ph.D.

Executive Director for Research and Strategic Planning

Virginia Department of Education

Deborah.Jonas@doe.virginia.gov

804-225-2067

Vivian Stith-Williams, Ph.D.

Student Services Specialist

Virginia Department of Education

Vivian.Stith-Williams@doe.virginia.gov