Don DixonSenior Researcher

For Your Information

Evaluation of California’s District

Community Day School Program

Preview of Final Report

• Compile expulsion information - statewide• Examine program structure, operation and outcome

Evaluation Structure (What we did)

• Expulsion, poverty and violence data• District administrator surveys • Teacher and site administrator surveys• Student data

Evaluation StructureCollecting program information

District administrator surveys Teacher surveysStudent data

Program Evaluation Activities

1998-99

2001

2000

• Fewer start-ups than initially expected 1997 - 45 programs 1998 - 125 programs 1999 - 154 programs In 1997-98 served estimated 5,100

students• Major growth in past 2 years

• Honda Bill removed many fiscal barriers

• Major increase during 1999-2000• 300 programs serving as many as 13,000

students in 2000-2001

District Community Day Schools

• Adopting districts were different Higher than average expulsion rate More poverty students

• Perceived lack of available options 90% of administrators saw as major reason 48% felt county options weren’t sufficient Particular problems with elementary placements

Why Districts Adopted CDS Program

Assignment from other school settings Program

Services

OtherAgencies

Referral

Referral to alternative programs

Return to regular school setting

OR

CDS Program Design

How Students are Referred –

Initial Years of Operation

CDS Programs

Mandatory Expulsion

Other Expulsions

SARB Board

Court or Probation

Transfer or other

25%

25%

25%

8%

17%

How Students are Referred –

Most recent year

CDS Programs

Mandatory Expulsion

Other Expulsions

SARB Board

Court or Probation

Transfer or other

16%

26%

21%

14%

23%

Changes in Ways Students Are Referred to CDS Programs

50%

25%

25%

58%

26%

16%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

District/Other

Other Expulsion

Mandatory 20001997

Characteristics of Youth Served Grade levels of CDS students – 2000

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%20%

K-6 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

Changes in Student Grade Levels

More Elementary Students Being Served

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

K-6 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

19972000

Characteristics of Youth ServedEthnicity of CDS students in 2000

20%

15%

6%

59%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

African American Hispanic White Other

Characteristics of Youth Served

19%

42%

34%

5%

20%

59%

15%

6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

African American

Hispanic

White

Other20001997

Changes in Ethnicity of CDS students

Characteristics of Youth ServedLanguage Background of CDS Students

0102030405060708090

100

K-67-8

th 9th 10

th11

th12

thTota

l

OtherSpanishEnglish

Characteristics of Youth ServedPoverty Status of CDS students

79 6650 39 33 29

47

0102030405060708090

100

K-6th

7-8th 9th 10

th11

th12

th

All Studen

ts

Not Eligible

Eligible for freeor cheaper lunch

Characteristics of Youth ServedProbation Status of CDS students

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

K-6th

7-8th 9 10 11 12

On probation at entranceFormerly on probation at entranceOn probation at exit

r Getting it together

Controlling impulses, staying “clean”, changing attitudes, gaining self - confidence

Improving grades, passing assignments

In

Getting and holding a j ob

Citizenship Finding meaning

Five Stage Model of Achievement

Controlling impulses, staying “clean”,

changing attitudes,

gaining self -

confidence

Focusing on School

Improving

attendance

punctuality, completing

assignments

Learning

Improving

grades,

passing

assignments

Earning credits,

graduating,

passing GED,

Succeeding In Life

Getting and holding a job

Citizenship

Finding meaning

Stage II

Stage I

Stage III

Stage IV

Stage V

for Students in Alternative Schools

r Getting it together

Controlling impulses, staying “clean”, changing attitudes, gaining self - confidence

Improving grades, passing assignments

In

Getting and holding a j ob

Citizenship Finding meaning

Stage 1 -- Achievement

Controlling impulses, staying “clean”,

changing attitudes,

gaining self -

confidence

,

,

Stage I

for Students in Alternative Schools

Services Provided:

Service 1997 2000 ChangeLife-skills education 53 63 10Behavior modification 48 54 6Crisis intervention 36 49 13Substance-abuse assistance 45 48 3Gang diversion 34 41 7Career/job preparation 41 41 No changeEducational mentoring 24 31 7After-school tutoring 13 28 15

Services Provided:Service 1997 2000 ChangeHealth service/referral 23 27 4Psychological/family counseling 25 26 1Probation counseling 17 23 6Sports or special activities 7 16 9Vocational training 12 13 1Job referral/placement 16 13 -3Housing/income assistance 5 7 2Specialized English (LES/NES) 5 7 2Pregnant minor/parenting 11 7 -4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Agressiveness InappropriateBehavior

Low SocialSkills

Poor TeacherRelations

Poor StudentRelations

Bad Relations -Staff

Poor AcademicAttitude

Entrance Exit

Percentage of Students With Great or Very Great Behavioral or Attitudinal Problems at Entrance and Exit to CDS Programs

Impact CDS Enrollment on Aggressive Behavior

1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

2.7

2.9

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

Seve

rity

of P

robl

em

At EntryAt Exit

-1.2

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

30 daysor less

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 ormore

Length of CDS Enrollment

Dec

reas

e in

pro

blem

K-8th

High School

Overall

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Aggressive Behavior

Impact CDS Enrollment on Inappropriate Behavior

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade-Level Grouping

Seve

rity

of P

robl

em

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Inappropriate Behavior

-1.6

-1.4

-1.2

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

30 daysor less

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 ormore

Length of CDS Enrollment

Dec

reas

e in

pro

blem

K-8th

High School

Overall

Impact CDS Enrollment on Poor Social Skills

1.5

2

2.5

3

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

Seve

rity

of P

robl

em

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Poor Social Skills

-1

-0.9

-0.8

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

30 daysor less

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 ormore

Length of CDS Enrollment

Dec

reas

e in

pro

blem

K-8th

High School

Overall

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Relations with Teachers

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

30 days orless

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 ormore

Length of CDS Enrollment

Dec

reas

e in

pro

blem

K-8th

High School

Overall

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Relations with Other Students

-0.8

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

30 daysor less

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 ormore

Length of CDS Enrollment

Dec

reas

e in

pro

blem

K-8th

High School

Overall

r Controlling impulses, staying “clean”, changing attitudes, gaining self - confidence

Improving grades, passing assignments

In

Getting and holding a j ob

Citizenship Finding meaning

Stage 2 through 4 -- Achievement

-

Focusing on School

Improving

attendance

punctuality, completing

assignments

Learning

Improving

grades,

passing

assignments

Earning credits,

graduating,

passing GED,

Stage II

Stage III

Stage IV

for Students in Alternative Schools

Impact of CDS Enrollment on Tardiness Problems

1.5

2

2.5

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

Seve

rity

of P

robl

em

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Tardiness Problems

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

30 days orless

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 or more

Length of CDS Enrollment

Dec

reas

e in

pro

blem

K-8th

High School

Overall

Impact of CDS Enrollment on Grade Average

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

Gra

de P

oint

Ave

rage

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of CDS Enrollment on SAT9 Reading Achievement

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

SAT9

Rea

ding

Sco

re

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of CDS Enrollment on SAT9 Math Achievement

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

K-6 7-8 9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

SAT9

Mat

h Sc

ore

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of CDS Enrollment on Earning High School Credits

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

9 10 11 12 Total

Grade level grouping

Gra

duat

ion

Cre

dits

Ear

ned

At EntryAt Exit

Impact of Length of CDS Enrollment on Earning High School Credits

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

30 daysor less

31-90 91-150 151-180 181-210 211 ormore

Length of CDS Enrollment

Hig

h Sc

hool

Cre

dits

Ear

ned

9-10

11-12

Overall

Summary of CDS Impact upon Measures of Student Performance

Learning Readiness

Impact on CDS Students

Grade Level Affected

Impact on 9th-, 10th- Graders

Impact on 11th-, 12th- Graders

Student Change While Enrolled

Behavior High K-8 Moderate Mod-high Moderate Relations Moderate K-6 Low Low Mixed Attitudes Very high K-6 Moderate Moderate Strong Moderate K-8 Moderate Moderate Mixed Achievement

GPA change Moderate K-8 Moderate Moderate Strong Reading improvement

Low 3–6 Low to negative

Low to negative

Mixed

Math improvement

Low 3–6 Low to negative

Low to negative

None

Completion Graduation

Very low

12

None

Low

--

Earn HS credits Moderate 9-12 Moderate High --

As we said when we began…“Stay tuned.”