association of recovery schools accreditation manual · there are 6 standards in 4 areas. a school...

Association of Recovery Schools

Accreditation Manual

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PREFACE

This manual has been assembled by the Association of Recovery Schools to assist recovery high schools in the

self-reflective process of developing an accreditation report as a component to completing the accreditation

process. The Accreditation Manual is based on the Accreditation Framework for Association of Recovery

Schools Members, which is used to determine a school’s success relative to a common set of indicators, as well

as school-based goals.

Rationale

The purpose of the Association of Recovery Schools (ARS) accreditation review is to support recovery high

schools in a self-reflective process of examining the conditions and practices within their schools. The review

intends to assist a school with an in-depth look at what currently exists and what needs to be improved in

relation to student learning, student recovery support, and the overall school administration.

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RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL

ACCREDITATION PROCESS

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PROCESS SUMMARY

Self-Review and Self-Evaluation

The process requires multiple sources of evidence to understand the school’s performance. The school collects

evidence and writes a self-evaluative report prior to the visit. The school report is then submitted at least

one-month prior to a visitation. The review of the school program continues through an on-site visit, which

includes additional document review, classroom observations, and interviews with any number of

stakeholders. Findings provided by the site visiting team can be used to validate what the school is doing well

and prioritize its areas for improvement. It is the task of the site visiting team to report on the pre-identified

indicators of the Accreditation Framework and give to the Association of Recovery Schools Board of Directors

information to aid them in accreditation decisions.

Accreditation Visit and Onsite Evaluation

An Association of Recovery Schools site visit team engages in a number of evidence-collecting activities. The

focus of this evaluation is to validate the school self-report and to gauge perceptions of key stakeholders at

the school, in relation to the areas of the accreditation framework that are part of the evaluation. The ARS site

visit team conducts focus group discussions with students and staff, as well as interviews with the school

administration. These focus groups and interviews are conducted over the course of the site visit. Classroom

observations are performed on site using the classroom observation instrument provided by ARS. The onsite

observations last approximately 30 minutes (or a full class period if possible), with a goal of observing over half

of the teaching staff.

Accreditation Report and Follow-Up

As an outcome of the review, ARS will provide the school with a written report. An executive summary of that

report will be presented on the last day of the visit, and the site visit team will provide a full report within 45

days of the visit. The report will include a judgment and supporting evidence on various aspects of the school.

The report will be based on a rubric of indicators developed for each of the four core questions and sub-

questions in the Performance Framework. The assessment system utilizes the following judgments: Meets

Standard, Approaching Standard, or Does Not Meet Standard.

Schools can use the report to develop a plan to address areas of concern or use as a reference for federal,

state, or local planning. Should the site visit team recommend accreditation, the ARS Board of Directors will

approve within 30 days of receiving the final report. Should the site visit team not recommend accreditation,

the school will be given recommendations and a timeline in order for the school to meet the appropriate

standards.

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ACCREDITATION FRAMEWORK REVIEW

The Association of Recovery Schools Framework Review is designed to assess whether a recovery high school

is meeting the dual goals of providing a high quality education and supporting students’ recovery from

substance use and co-occurring disorders. The Accreditation Review Protocol is based on the Accreditation

Framework for Association of Recovery Schools Members, which is used to determine a school’s success

relative to a common set of indicators, as well as school-based goals.

The Evaluation Process

The Accreditation Report presents to the school and the Association of Recovery Schools a professional

judgment on conditions and practices at the school, which are best provided through an external perspective.

This report uses multiple sources of evidence to understand the school’s performance. Evidence collection

begins before the visit with the review of key documents and continues on-site through additional document

review, classroom visits and interviews with any number of stakeholders. Findings provided by the site visit

team can be used to celebrate what the school is doing well and prioritize its areas for improvement. It is the

task of the site visit team to report on the pre-identified indicators of the Accreditation Framework and give to

the Association of Recovery Schools Board of Directors information to aid them in accreditation decisions.

Final Accreditation Determination

The outcome of this review will provide the school with written report that includes a judgment and

supporting evidence on various aspects of the school, based on a rubric of indicators developed for each of the

four core questions and sub-questions in the Accreditation Framework. The assessment system utilizes the

following judgments:

Meets standard

Approaching standard

Does not meet standard

In the Accreditation Report, standards and indicators are listed with relevant evidence given related to the

performance criteria. Following the discussion of each indicator, a summary of strengths and areas for

attention are provided for the framework questions.

There are 6 standards in 4 areas. A school must receive 'meets standard/green' for at least 12 standards, and

must not receive 'does not meet standard/red' in more than 8 standards. There can be as many 'approaches

standard/yellow' as the math will allow, with the distribution being at least 3 “meets standard’/green” in each

area, and no more than 2 "does not meet standard/red” in any area.

ARS ACCREDITATION FRAMEWORK

School Organization

1.1 Business Planning: Does the high school operate with a revised strategic business plan that provides for a reasonable level of organizational

autonomy and is created for long-term survivability and viability?

Evidence: Budget, strategic/school improvement plan, organizational chart

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) operates with organizational

autonomy from sponsors, particularly in the area of school leadership; b) this autonomy is reflected in the mission

statement; c) the school possesses a comprehensive 3-5 year strategic/school improvement plan; d) the school has

a budget that is realistic and attainable; e) has realistic enrollment projections; f) has a clear plan to adapt to

leadership change.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not operate with

organizational autonomy from sponsors; b) the school’s mission statement does not reflect school autonomy; c)

the school does not possess a comprehensive 3-5 year strategic/school improvement plan; d) the school's budget

over-relies on temporary development funds or soft money; e) the school has unrealistic enrollment projections; f)

school leadership relies too heavily on the skills of one individual and has no succession plan.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three or more of the following indicators: a) the school does not

operate with organizational autonomy from sponsors; b) the school’s mission statement does not reflect school

autonomy; c) the school does not possess a comprehensive 3-5 year strategic/school improvement plan; d) the

school's budget over-relies on temporary development funds or soft money; e) the school has unrealistic

enrollment projections; f) school leadership relies too heavily on the skills of one individual and has no succession

plan.

Does Not Meet Standard

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1.2 Board Involvement: Does the school have a functional and appropriately involved Central Administration, School Board, and/or Board of

Directors?

Evidence: Organizational chart, employee handbook, interviews, focus groups, school documentation

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The Central Administration, School

Board, and/or Board of Directors: a) has members with divergent areas of expertise that benefit the school; b)

receive regular updates from the school leader(s); c) operates with financial oversight of school; d) regularly

evaluates and provides feedback to school leadership; e) has a well defined relationship with the school leader; f)

(charters & independent schools only) reflects the diversity of the school and the local community.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: The Central Administration, School

Board, and/or Board of Directors: a) does not have members with divergent areas of expertise that benefit the

school; b) does not receive regular updates from the school leader(s); c) does not operate with financial oversight

of school; d) does not regularly evaluate and provide feedback to school leadership; f) does not have a well defined

relationship with the school leader; f) (charters & independent schools only) does not reflect the diversity of the

school and the local community.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: The Central Administration, School

Board, and/or Board of Directors: a) does not have members with divergent areas of expertise that benefit the

school; b) does not receive regular updates from the school leader(s); c) does not operate with financial oversight

of school; d) does not regularly evaluate and provide feedback to school leadership; f) does not have a well defined

relationship with the school leader; f) (charters & independent schools only) does not reflect the diversity of the

school and the local community.


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1.3 School Leadership: Does the school have a recognized and fully trained leader or leaders in both academic and therapeutic programs who

operate with a level of autonomy and flexibility within the larger organizational system?

Evidence: Organizational chart, employee handbook, interviews, focus groups; school documentation, focus groups, interviews

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school possesses a leader trained

in either therapeutic or educational content; b) the school leader is provided with qualified support staff in areas

they are not trained in; c) all school leaders have appropriate certification and training; d) the school provides

leadership with professional development; e) the school has fully defined job descriptions for all leadership

positions with leadership roles and responsibilities distinct and well understood f) the school director operates

with autonomy regarding issues of treatment and education.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school does not possess a fully

trained leader; b) the school leader does not have fully qualified support staff; c) all school leaders do not have

appropriate certification and training; d) the school does not provide leadership with professional development; e)

the school does not have fully defined job descriptions for both leadership positions with leadership roles and

responsibilities distinct and well understood; f) the school director does not operate with autonomy regarding

issues of treatment and education.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school does not possess a fully

trained leader; b) the school leader does not have fully qualified support staff; c) all school leaders do not have

appropriate certification and training; d) the school does not provide leadership with professional development; e)

the school does not have fully defined job descriptions for both leadership positions with leadership roles and

responsibilities distinct and well understood; f) the school director does not operate with autonomy regarding

issues of treatment and education.


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1.4 Community Partnerships: Does the school establish collaborative partnerships with local schools, treatment centers, and other community

resources to create a coordinated system of support?

Evidence: List of collaborations, community resources, school and treatment partners, MOU's with collaborators, org chart for system of support,

interviews and focus groups

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school has collaborative and

meaningful partnerships with local schools; b) has collaborative and meaningful partnerships with local treatment

centers and mental health providers; c) has established MOU's or other official agreements with collaborative

partners; d) collaborative partners provide materials and personnel; e) local resources are leveraged to provide the

best possible services for students; f) the school is a good community partner and offers services to the local

community.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not have

collaborative and meaningful partnerships with local schools; b) the school does not have collaborative and

meaningful partnerships with local treatment centers and mental health providers; c) the school does not have

established MOU's or other official agreements with collaborative partners; d) collaborative partners do not

provide materials and personnel; e) local resources are not leveraged to provide the best possible services for

students; f)the school is not a good community partner and does not offer services to the local community.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not have

collaborative and meaningful partnerships with local schools; b) the school does not have collaborative and

meaningful partnerships with local treatment centers and mental health providers; c) the school does not have

established MOU's or other official agreements with collaborative partners; d) collaborative partners do not

provide materials and personnel; e) local resources are not leveraged to provide the best possible services for

students; f) the school is not a good community partner and does not offer services to the local community.


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1.5 Public Relations and Privacy Issues: Do the school and its governing body have a plan to promote the school and its programs while

respecting the privacy and safety of its students and families?

Evidence: Parent materials, privacy statements, public relations documents, FERPA and HIPAA policy statements

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school and/or its governing

body have a comprehensive and professional public relations plan; b) have adequate emergency PR response

procedures; c) have a public relations plan that promotes the school to the local community as well as to

potential students; d) have adequate documentation and procedures for FERPA; e) (if necessary) have adequate

documentation and procedures for HIPAA.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school and/or its governing

body do not have a comprehensive and professional public relations plan; b) do not have an emergency PR

response procedure in place; c) do not have a public relations plan that promotes the school to the local

community as well as to potential students; e) do not have adequate documentation and procedures for FERPA;

e) (if necessary) do not have adequate documentation and procedures for HIPAA.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school and/or its governing

body do not have a comprehensive and professional public relations plan; b) do not have an emergency PR

response procedure in place; c) do not have a public relations plan that promotes the school to the local

community as well as to potential students; e) do not have adequate documentation and procedures for FERPA;

e) (if necessary) do not have adequate documentation and procedures for HIPAA.


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1.6 Program Evaluation: Does the school perform regular performance evaluations to improve overall staff quality and plans created to

identify and address staff training needs?

Evidence: School documentation, focus groups, interviews

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) the school disaggregates

achievement and recovery data demographically for the purpose of quality improvement; b) student

assessment data is systematically analyzed in order to identify gaps in educational performance; c)

student recovery data is systematically analyzed in order to identify gaps in recovery supports and relapse

preventions.

Meets Standard

The school is found to be deficient in two of following indicators: a) the school does not disaggregate


assessment data is not systematically analyzed in order to identify gaps in educational performance; c)

student recovery data is not systematically analyzed in order to identify gaps in recovery supports and

relapse preventions.

Approaches Standard

The school is found to be deficient in three of following indicators: a) the school does not disaggregate


assessment data is not systematically analyzed in order to identify gaps in educational performance; c)

student recovery data is not systematically analyzed in order to identify gaps in recovery supports and

relapse preventions.


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School Community

2.1 Target Population: Does the school have a clearly defined eligibility criteria aligned with the mission to support recovery from substance

use and co-occurring disorders?

Evidence: Admission materials, student handbook, admission policies

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) the admissions requirements

clearly reflect the stated mission of the school; b) the school has clearly documented admission procedures: c)

admission materials clearly define those admissions requirements; d) the admission materials are available in

multiple formats; e) admission criteria contain substance abuse treatment requirements; f) admission criteria

contain age and educational progress requirements; g) the school's admission requirements do not place an

undue burden on applicants; h) lottery procedures (if needed) are simple and are fair to all applicants.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the admissions requirements do

not clearly reflect the stated mission of the school; b) the school does not have clearly documented admission

procedures: c) admission materials do not clearly define those admissions requirements; d) the admission

materials are available in only one format; e) admission criteria do not contain substance abuse treatment

requirements; f) admission criteria do not contain age and educational progress requirements; g) the school’s

admission requirements place an undue burden on applications; h) lottery procedures (if needed) are

complicated and favor one group of applicants over another.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the admissions requirements do

not clearly reflect the stated mission of the school; b) the school does not have clearly documented admission

procedures: c) admission materials do not clearly define those admissions requirements; d) the admission

materials are available in only one format; e) admission criteria do not contain substance abuse treatment

requirements; f) admission criteria do not contain age and educational progress requirements; g) the school’s

admission requirements place an undue burden on applications; h) lottery procedures (if needed) are

complicated and favor one group of applicants over another.


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2.2 Enrollment Diversity: Do the school’s admission and recruitment procedures reflect intentionality around enrolling a diverse student body?

Evidence: Admission materials, student handbook, admission policies

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) the admission

materials are available in multiple languages or have option for translation; b) the

school/charter/district student handbook contains language promoting diversity; c) the diversity of

the student body is comparable to that of the local school district or community.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the admission

materials are not available in multiple languages and have no option for translation; b) the



Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the admission

materials are not available in multiple languages and have no option for translation; b) the




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2.3 Transitional Planning & Support: Does the school have clear procedures for transitioning students from traditional school, community or

treatment settings into the recovery high school setting?

Evidence: School documents, focus groups, interviews

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school has procedures in place

to ensure that a student’s prior educational records are obtained in a timely manner; b) the school has

procedures in place to ensure that a student’s prior treatment and placement information is obtained in a

timely manner; c) student educational background is available to all relevant educational staff; d) student

substance use & co-occurring disorder recovery history is available to all relevant therapeutic staff; e) baseline

assessments are gathered when a student enrolls and that data is shared with relevant staff.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school does not have

procedures in place to ensure that a student’s prior educational records are obtained in a timely manner; b) the

school does not have procedures in place to ensure that a student’s prior treatment and placement information

is obtained in a timely manner; c) student educational background is not available to all relevant educational

staff; d) student substance use & co-occurring disorder recovery history is not available to all relevant

therapeutic staff; e) baseline assessments are not gathered when a student enrolls & that data is shared with

relevant staff.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school does not have

procedures in place to ensure that a student’s prior educational records are obtained in a timely manner; b) the

school does not have procedures in place to ensure that a student’s prior treatment and placement information

is obtained in a timely manner; c) student educational background is not available to all relevant educational

staff; d) student substance use & co-occurring disorder recovery history is not available to all relevant

therapeutic staff; e) baseline assessments are not gathered when a student enrolls & that data is shared with

relevant staff.


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2.4 Climate & Culture: Does the school utilize constructive rather than punitive practices that aim to generate and restore a sense of well-being

among students and staff??


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school provides a discipline

policy that is responsive/restorative rather than punitive; b) expectations and outcomes for staff behavior are

clearly outlined in the school/charter/district employee handbook; c) expectations and outcomes for student

behavior are clearly outlined in the school/charter/district student handbook; d) student discipline policy is in

line with a recovery support philosophy; e) student discipline policy is fully implemented in the daily life of the

school.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school provides a discipline

policy that is punitive rather than responsive/restorative; b) expectations and outcomes for staff behavior are

not clearly outlined in the school/charter/district employee handbook; c) expectations and outcomes for

student behavior are not clearly outlined in the school/charter/district student handbook; d) student discipline

policy is not in line with a recovery support philosophy; e) student discipline policy is not fully implemented in

the daily life of the school.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school provides a discipline

policy that is punitive rather than responsive/restorative; b) expectations and outcomes for staff behavior are

not clearly outlined in the school/charter/district employee handbook; c) expectations and outcomes for

student behavior are not clearly outlined in the school/charter/district student handbook; d) student discipline

policy is not in line with a recovery support philosophy; e) student discipline policy is not fully implemented in

the daily life of the school.


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2.5 Parent Engagement: Does the school actively engage parents, guardians, and families, with parents/guardians recognized and involved as

partners in the education and recovery process? Does the school provide training and support for families to promote the healthy growth and

academic achievement of each student?

Evidence: School documents, parent interviews

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school frequently

communicates with parents; b) information shared with parents is relevant and timely; c) parents feel welcome

to visit school; d) the school provides support for parents to be part of their child's recovery; e) the school

provides easy to understand academic and sobriety data; f) the school provides information in a variety of

modes, including both paper and electronic communications.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not frequently

communicate with parents; b) information shared with parents is not relevant and timely; c) parents do not feel

welcome to visit school; d) the school does not provide support for parents to be part of their child's recovery;

e) the school does not provide easy to understand academic and sobriety data; f) the school does not provide

information in a variety of modes, including both paper and electronic communications.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not frequently

communicate with parents; b) information shared with parents is not relevant and timely; c) parents do not feel

welcome to visit school; d) the school does not provide support for parents to be part of their child's recovery;

e) the school does not provide easy to understand academic and sobriety data; f) the school does not provide

information in a variety of modes, including both paper and electronic communications.


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2.6 Sensitivity to Differences: Does the school or its governing body create policies and procedures that promote sensitivity to human

differences and are responsive to individual student’s developmental needs?


The school or its governing body presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) has policies in

place that promote the acceptance of diversity among students, including gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual

orientation; b) has a process to fully document violations of discrimination policies; c) responses to violations

are in line with the severity of the violation.

Meets Standard

The school or its governing body presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) policies are

not in place that promote the acceptance of diversity among students, including gender, race, ethnicity, and

sexual orientation; b) does not have a process to fully document violations of discrimination policies; c)

responses to violations are not in line with the severity of the violations.

Approaches Standard

The school or its governing body presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) policies are

not in place that promote the acceptance of diversity among students, including gender, race, ethnicity, and

sexual orientation; b) does not have a process to fully document violations of discrimination policies; c)

responses to violations are not in line with the severity of the violations.


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Recovery Practices

3.1 Recovery Supports: Are recovery supports and relapse prevention measures meeting the needs of students?

Evidence: School documents, focus groups and interviews

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school staff reports that they

are providing recovery support and relapse prevention practices that meet the needs of their students; b) the

students believe that the current recovery support and relapse prevention practices are meeting their needs; c)

there are clear and regular lines of communication between school staff members regarding student needs for

recovery support and relapse prevention; d) students report that they are making progress in their recovery

efforts.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school staff does not believe

that they are providing recovery support and relapse prevention practices that meet the needs of their

students; b) the students do not believe that the current recovery support and relapse prevention practices are

meeting their needs; c) clear and regular lines of communication between staff members regarding student

needs for recovery support and relapse prevention do not exist; d) students report that they are not making

progress in their recovery efforts.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school staff does not

believe that they are providing recovery support and relapse prevention practices that meet the needs of their

students; b) the students do not believe that the current recovery support and relapse prevention practices are

meeting their needs; c) clear and regular lines of communication between staff members regarding student

needs for recovery support and relapse prevention do not exist; d) students report that they are not making

progress in their recovery efforts.


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3.2 Recovery Climate: Does the school provide a recovery-oriented school climate that promotes collegial relationships among faculty,

students, and their families?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school provides a strong and

supportive recovery community; b) relationships between staff and students are respectful and collegial; c) the

school incorporates an intake process that involves faculty, students, and their families; d) recovery policies

and supports are clearly defined for students and families as part of the intake process; e) recovery related talk

is modeled and supported by school staff; f) there are opportunities for students and staff to provide positive

feedback and support as part of the school culture.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not provide a

strong and supportive recovery community; b) relationships between staff and students are not respectful and

collegial; c) the school does not incorporate an intake process that involves faculty, students, and their families;

d) recovery policies and supports are not clearly defined for students and families as part of the intake process;

e) recovery related talk is not modeled and supported by school staff; f) there are no opportunities for students

and staff to provide positive feedback and support as part of the school culture.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not provide a

strong and supportive recovery community; b) relationships between staff and students are not respectful and

collegial; c) the school does not incorporate an intake process that involves faculty, students, and their families;

d) recovery policies and supports are not clearly defined for students and families as part of the intake process;

e) recovery related talk is not modeled and supported by school staff; f) there are no opportunities for students

and staff to provide positive feedback and support as part of the school culture.


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3.3 Recovery Assessment: Does the school collect data for initial screening, progress monitoring, and outcome measures to assess and improve

short and long-term results for students?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school collects screening data

that are reliable and fully implemented; b) the school performs active progress monitoring; c) the school

collects outcome measures that are reliable and implemented well; d) data are provided to relevant staff on a

regular basis; e) data are actively used to improve student outcomes.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not collect

screening data that are reliable and fully implemented; b) the school does not perform active progress

monitoring; c) the school does not collect outcome measures that are reliable and implemented well; d) data

are not provided to teaching staff and counselors on a regular basis; e) data are not actively used to improve

student outcomes.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not collect

screening data that are reliable and fully implemented; b) the school does not perform active progress

monitoring; c) the school does not collect outcome measures that are reliable and implemented well; d) data

are not provided to teaching staff and counselors on a regular basis; e) data are not actively used to improve

student outcomes.


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3.4 Recovery/Therapeutic Staff Evaluation & Professional Development: Is the recovery/therapeutic staff appropriately trained for their

current positions, with ongoing professional development in areas salient to the school community, such as mental health and therapeutic

practices, cultural competence, and adolescent development?

Evidence: School documentation, focus groups, interviews

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The recovery/therapeutic staff

members are appropriately licensed or certified in their respective fields; b) recovery/therapeutic staff are

deployed in sufficient number and in positions to maximize their contributions to the school; c)

recovery/therapeutic staff are regularly evaluated using a well designed performance evaluation system; d) the

performance evaluation system is understood by all recovery/therapeutic staff; e) the recovery/therapeutic staff

receives regular feedback from the performance evaluations; f) the recovery/therapeutic staff receives

professional development in evidence-based substance use and co-occurring disorder best practices.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The recovery/therapeutic staff

members are not appropriately licensed or certified in their respective fields; b) recovery/therapeutic staff are






Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The recovery/therapeutic staff

members are not appropriately licensed or certified in their respective fields; b) recovery/therapeutic staff are







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3.5 Relapse Prevention & Recovery Support: Does the school have services available which help support the students’ plan to abstain from

substance use and recover from substance use & co-occurring disorders, from intervention through recovery maintenance and relapse

prevention?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school has services to support

students’ recovery with a licensed/certified counselor and/or recovery coach available on a daily basis; b)

mandatory random drug testing occurs on a regular basis; c) processes for all students to develop and monitor

their own plans of recovery are in place; d) peer support and/or psycho-educational groups occur on a regular

basis; e) specific policies are in place to support relapsed students; f) students are provided with access to mental

health professionals on a regular basis or as needed.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school does not have services to

support students’ recovery with a licensed/certified counselor and/or recovery coach available on a daily basis; b)

mandatory random drug testing does not occur on a regular basis; c) processes for all students to develop and

monitor their own plans of recovery are not in place; d) peer support and/or psycho-educational groups do not

occur on a regular basis; e) specific policies are not in place to support relapsed students; f) students are not

provided with access to mental health professionals on a regular basis or as needed.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school does not have services

to support students’ recovery with a licensed substance abuse counselor available on a daily basis; b) mandatory,

random drug testing does not occur on a regular basis; c) processes for all students to develop and monitor their

own plans of recovery are not in place; d) peer support and psycho-educational groups do not occur on a regular

basis; e) specific policies are not in place to support relapsed students; f) access to mental health professionals is

not provided on a regular basis.


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3.6 Recovery Transition: Does the school have processes in place to help students transition smoothly from the recovery supports provided by

the recovery high school in order to maintain their sobriety?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) the school works with students to

design a transition plan for recovery supports after leaving the recovery high school; b) the transition plan is a

logical extension of the current recovery plan the student is under; c) the recovery plan includes information about

recovery supports in the community that the student will have easy access to; d) the recovery plan includes access

to mental health professionals when needed.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not work with

students to design a transition plan for recovery supports after leaving the recovery high school; b) the transition

plan is not a logical extension of the current recovery plan the student is under; c) the recovery plan does include

information about recovery supports in the community that the student will have easy access to; d) the recovery

plan does not include access to mental health professionals when needed.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not work with

students to design a transition plan for recovery supports after leaving the recovery high school; b) the transition

plan is not a logical extension of the current recovery plan the student is under; c) the recovery plan does include

information about recovery supports in the community that the student will have easy access to; d) the recovery

plan does not include access to mental health professionals when needed.


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Educational Practices

4.1 Diploma: Does the school offer credits leading to a state-recognized high school diploma and does the school offer all courses needed to

graduate?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school offers credits leading to a

high school diploma; b) the core courses needed are offered with enough frequency to allow a student to graduate

on schedule; c) all courses are offered on site or at a convenient location for students; d) the school curriculum is

aligned to existing state standards; e) the school offers accelerated coursework or opportunities for advanced

students f) the school provides appropriate remediation for students who are struggling or who are behind on

credits.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school does not offer credits

leading to a high school diploma; b) the core courses needed are seldom offered and without the frequency to

allow a student to graduate on schedule; c ) courses are offered off site or at an inconvenient location for students;

d) the school curriculum is not aligned to existing state standards; e) the school does not offer accelerated

coursework for advanced students; f) the school does not provide appropriate remediation for students who are

struggling or who are behind on credits.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school does not offer credits

leading to a high school diploma; b) the core courses needed are seldom offered and without the frequency to

allow a student to graduate on schedule; c) courses are offered off site or at an inconvenient location for students;

d) the school curriculum is not aligned to existing state standards; e) the school does not offer accelerated

coursework for advanced students; f) the school does not provide appropriate remediation for students who are

struggling or who are behind on credits.


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4.2 High Quality Curriculum & Instruction: Does the school provide a high quality curriculum and classroom instruction of high quality?

Evidence: School documents, focus groups, interviews, curriculum review

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school provides a quality

education that includes a rigorous curriculum that is focused on core learning objectives across the curriculum; b)

the curriculum is systematically reviewed to ensure there are no gaps in student knowledge; c) teachers provide

quality classroom lessons that are appropriately paced; d) the school provides lessons that are rigorous; e)

classroom materials are available for quality instruction; f) lessons are differentiated according to student learning

styles/needs; g) classroom lessons have clear goals and outcomes.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not provide a

rigorous curriculum that is focused on core learning objectives across the curriculum; b) the curriculum is not

systematically reviewed to ensure there are no gaps in student knowledge; c) classroom lessons are not

appropriately paced; d) the school does not provides lessons that are rigorous; e) classroom materials are not

available for quality instruction; f) lessons are not differentiated according to student learning styles/needs; g)

classroom lessons do not have clear goals and outcomes.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not provide a

rigorous curriculum that is focused on core learning objectives across the curriculum; b) the curriculum is not

systematically reviewed to ensure there are no gaps in student knowledge; c) classroom lessons are not

appropriately paced; d) the school does not provides lessons that are rigorous; e) classroom materials are not

available for quality instruction; f) lessons are not differentiated according to student learning styles/needs; g)

classroom lessons do not have clear goals and outcomes.


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4.3 Data-driven Instruction: Is the school curriculum and classroom instruction data-driven?

Evidence: Classroom observations, document review, lesson plans and curriculum maps

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school uses standardized and/or

classroom assessments that are accurate and useful measures of established learning standards/objectives; b)

assessment results are received by classroom teachers in a timely and useful manner to influence instructional

decisions; c) assessments have sufficient variety to guide instruction for a wide range of student learning abilities;

d) there is sufficient frequency or use of assessments to inform instructional decisions effectively; e) assessment

results are used to guide instruction or make adjustments to curriculum.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) does not use standardized and/or


assessment results are not received by classroom teachers in a timely and useful manner to influence instructional

decisions; c) assessments do not have sufficient variety to guide instruction for a wide range of student learning

abilities; d) frequency or use of assessments is not sufficient to inform instructional decisions effectively; e)

assessment results are not used to guide instruction or make adjustments to curriculum.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) does not use standardized and/or


assessment results are not received by classroom teachers in a timely and useful manner to influence instructional

decisions; c) assessments do not have sufficient variety to guide instruction for a wide range of student learning

abilities; d) frequency or use of assessments is not sufficient to inform instructional decisions effectively; e)

assessment results are not used to guide instruction or make adjustments to curriculum.


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4.4 Teaching Staff Evaluation & Professional Development: Is the teaching staff appropriately trained for their current positions, and does the

school perform regular performance evaluation to improve the quality of instruction? Does the school provide professional development in

areas salient to the education community?

Evidence: Classroom observations, document review, Special Education File review; IEP audit

The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The teaching staff are appropriately

licensed in their respective fields; b) teaching staff are deployed in sufficient number and in positions to maximize

their contributions to the school; c) teaching staff is regularly evaluated using a well designed performance

evaluation system; d) the performance evaluation system is understood by all teaching staff; e) the teaching staff

receives regular feedback from the performance evaluations; f) the teaching staff receives professional

development in evidence-based educational best-practice.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The teaching staff are not

appropriately licensed in their respective fields; b) teaching staff are not deployed in sufficient number and in

positions to maximize their contributions to the school; c) regular evaluations using a well designed performance

evaluation system are not performed; d) the performance evaluation system is not understood by all teaching

staff; e) teaching staff do not receive regular feedback from the performance evaluations; f) the staff do not

receive professional development in evidence-based educational best practice.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The teaching staff are not

appropriately licensed in their respective fields; b) teaching staff are not deployed in sufficient number and in

positions to maximize their contributions to the school; c) regular evaluations using a well designed performance

evaluation system are not performed; d) the performance evaluation system is not understood by all teaching

staff; e) teaching staff do not receive regular feedback from the performance evaluations; f) the staff do not

receive professional development in evidence-based educational best practice.


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4.5 Special Education Services: Does the school have educational and behavioral plans in place to address the spectrum of student

exceptionality?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school has a special education

staff that is well-trained and appropriately licensed; b) all student IEPs are up-to-date and contain the appropriate

signatures; c) student goals and educational outcomes are designed for each student; d) student testing and

assessment are up to date; e) students with IEPs are making adequate academic progress; f) Special Education staff

are receiving appropriate training and professional development opportunities in the area of special education; g)

school policies and practices are designed to provide promote the best outcomes for exceptional students.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) the school does not have a special

education staff that is well-trained and appropriately licensed; b) all student IEPs are not up-to-date and do not

contain the appropriate signatures; c) student goals and educational outcomes are not designed for each student;

d) student testing and assessment are not up to date; e) students with IEPs are not making adequate academic

progress; f) Special Education staff are not receiving appropriate training and professional development

opportunities in the area of special education; g) school policies and practices are not designed to provide promote

the best outcomes for exceptional students.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) the school does not have a special

education staff that is well-trained and appropriately licensed; b) all student IEPs are not up-to-date and do not

contain the appropriate signatures; c) student goals and educational outcomes are not designed for each student;

d) student testing and assessment are not up to date; e) students with IEPs are not making adequate academic

progress; f) Special Education staff are not receiving appropriate training and professional development

opportunities in the area of special education; g) school policies and practices are not designed to provide promote

the best outcomes for exceptional students.


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4.6 Post-Secondary Transitions: Does the school have criteria and plans in place to help students transition smoothly from the recovery high

school to the student’s next educational or workforce setting, preparing the student for the broadest selection of reasonable post-secondary

options?


The school presents concerns in one or fewer of the following indicators: a) The school provides a counselor who

is trained to provide career and post-secondary advice; b) opportunities exist to explore post-secondary options; c)

opportunities exist to explore workforce opportunities; d) workforce development training is available; e) ACT and

SAT prep are available.

Meets Standard

The school presents significant concerns in two of the following indicators: a) The school does not provides a

counselor who is trained to provide career and post-secondary advice; b) opportunities do not exist to explore

post-secondary options; c) opportunities do not exist to explore workforce opportunities; d) workforce

development training is not available; e) ACT and SAT prep is not available.

Approaches Standard

The school presents significant concerns in three of the following indicators: a) The school does not provides a

counselor who is trained to provide career and post-secondary advice; b) opportunities do not exist to explore

post-secondary options; c) opportunities do not exist to explore workforce opportunities; d) workforce

development training is not available; e) ACT and SAT prep is not available.


SITE VISIT TIME & FINANCIAL BUDGETING PLAN

One-Time Accreditation Fee of $6,000/School Includes: ARS Administrative Fee - $1,000

Coordinating travel logistics

Connecting leads with schools

Provide technical assistance to schools Site Visit Personnel Travel Expenses - $1,000/Team Member

Team Leader

Education Expert

Recovery Expert Site Visit Activities

Classroom observations in at least half the classrooms

Observation of daily routines of the school

Interviews with school leaders—preferably individually

Focus group interviews with students, teaching staff, therapeutic staff and parents, BoD member if appropriate or external leadership group

Curriculum review

Recovery policy and procedures review Roles & Responsibilities of Team Members (w/ estimated time commitment)

Team Leader Stipend - $1,000

Site visit scheduling and document gathering prior to visit (16 hours)

Participation in site visit activities (2 days)

Follow-up and document gathering post site visit (4 hours)

Writing of overall site visit report (16 hours) Team Experts Stipends - $500/Team Member

Participation in site visit activities (2 days)

Writing of individual portion of report (6 hours)

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ARS ACCREDITATION PROCESS FOR RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS & STAFF

1. Compile school data over a multiyear period in regards to student learning and recovery outcomes.

2. Engage school community in the evaluation of data in relation to student learning and recovery

outcomes.

3. Collaborate with the school community in a self-reflective process around the pre-identified indicators

of the Accreditation Framework.

4. Summarize findings in a School Accreditation Report which includes:

a. Multiyear school data focused on student learning and recovery outcomes.

b. An evaluation of the school data with areas of strength and areas of need.

c. An evaluation of the school program based on the pre-identified indicators of the Accreditation

Framework.

d. An overall summary of the school program.

Self-Reflective Report Format

Chapter 1: School Summary (Prompt: Provide a clear and detailed description of the total school program)

● Community and school information

o Include a description of the school and the community that depicts the socioeconomic and

ethnic mix, information about the education level of parents, major employers and other

features of interest. Include School history, mission and vision.

o Detail admission guidelines, if any.

o Provide the percent of students who participate in specialty programs (e.g., Title I, special

education, and free or reduced lunch).

o Include institutional memberships, special recognitions and honors.

● Curriculum

o Describe the available academic programs, special diplomas, tracks and any nontraditional

or unusual curricula.

o Detail the enrollment policies (open or selective) for courses, the number of students in the

school and the number and percentage in specialized course English Learners, special

education, etc.

o List graduation requirements.

o Explain grading procedures, especially any weighting system used.

o Include explanations for any computer codes that appear on the transcript.

o Explain process for transitioning students back into traditional academic institutions or

higher education.

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● Recovery practice

o Describe the available addiction treatment options and programs.

o Detail partnerships with evidence based treatment programs or institutions.

o Explain the process of transition students back into their communities

● Extracurricular opportunities

o List the programs in which students can participate.

o List clubs and other organizations students can join.

Chapter 2: School Data (Prompt: Provide a clear picture of student performance data for the school)

● Enrollment

o Grade level

o Gender

o Ethnicity

o Predominate primary languages other than English (e.g., Spanish, Hmong)

o Title I

o Special needs

o Programs (e.g., online instruction)

o College/careers (e.g., IB, AP, Honors, AVID)

o Language Proficiency Numbers

● Attendance

o Mobility or transient rate

o Average daily rate of attendance

o Truancy rate

o Tardiness rate

● Student Academic Performance Data

o Summative and formative assessment data (Common Assessments)

o Standardized testing data (State and Federal Testing)

o Does the school have any outside providers or external evaluators that are currently

working with the school?

o Does the school have a corrective action plan, an alternative governance plan or joint

intervention agreement?

o Is the school under any state or federal imposed deadlines for improvement or evidence of

growth in student achievement for identified subpopulations or the entire school

population?

● Student Recovery Data

o Lengths of sustained sobriety/days of use

o Sobriety dates

o Drug-screening results

o Expulsion/withdrawal rates due to drug use

o Indicators of mental/emotional well-being (e.g., GAIN data)

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o Post-recovery high school days of use

● Disciplinary Data

o Referrals

o Suspension and expulsion rates (disaggregated)

o Crime statistics

● Socioeconomic Status

o Free/reduced lunch status

o Parent education level

● Description of the safety conditions, cleanliness, and adequacy of school facilities

● Staff

o Number of certificated staff and classified staff, include number of qualified personnel for

counseling and other pupil support services and substitutes

o Percent of teachers who have met the highly qualified teachers’ requirements of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

o Number of National Board Certified Teachers and licensed/certified clinical/counseling staff

and coaches

o Percent of teachers instructing outside credentialed areas and include an explanation

o Number of teachers/counselors with Short Term Staff Permits and Provisional Intern

Permits

o Number of staff with advanced degrees

o Years of educational service in education and treatment

o Number of teachers/counselors in an intern program

o Gender

o Ethnicity

o Attendance rates of staff

o Number and assignment of paraprofessionals who meet the requirements of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

● Professional development programs/activities

o Content of staff development and numbers participating (e.g., programs, activities and

numbers)

● Student participation in co-curricular activities and extra-curricular activities

● District policies/school financial support

o Expenditures per pupil

o Monies from other funding sources, e.g., Tuition, Title I, grants, foundations

● Report card analyses percentage of Ds and Fs for last three semesters

● Graduation rates

● Percentage of students enrolled by academic year (tracked over time)

● Dropout rates

● Post-enrollment data: admission/entrance to and performance in postsecondary education, armed

forces, and workforce

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● Perception Data - Results of interviews, surveys, etc. about how stakeholders view the school

(students, parents, staff, community)

Chapter 3: Response to Data (Prompt: Based on the data in chapter 2 summarize the current state of the

school in relation to student academic performance and student progress toward recovery).

● What does the data describe in relation to student performance and student recovery?

● Based on the data identify 2-4 areas of concern in relation to the overall school program?.

● Discuss important ideas, concerns, and questions based on the analysis of the data.

Chapter 4: Evaluate the school program in relation to the ARS pre-identified indicators of the Accreditation

Framework. For each of the four categories prepare a brief summary that includes evidence which supports

each indicator, including a conclusion outlining strengths and areas of concern. The four indicators of the

Accreditation Framework include;

o School Organization (1.1-1.6)

o School Community (2.1-2.6)

o Recovery Practices (3.1-3.6)

o Educational Practices (4.1-4.6)

1. School Organization

1.1 Business Planning: Does the high school operate with a revised strategic business plan that provides

for a reasonable level of organizational autonomy and is created for long-term survivability and

viability?’

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school has a clear and coherent business plan with long-term

sustainability.

1.2 Board Involvement: Does the school have a functional and appropriately involved Central

Administration, School Board, and/or Board of Directors?

Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s governance structure.

1.3 School Leadership: Does the school have a recognized and fully trained leader or leaders in both

academic and therapeutic programs who operate with a level of autonomy and flexibility within the

larger organizational system?

Prompt: To what degree does the school have an established site leadership which operates effectively

within the larger organizational system?

1.4 Community Partnerships: Does the school establish collaborative partnerships with local schools,

treatment centers, and other community resources to create a coordinated system of support?

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Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school has established collaborative partnerships to create a

coordinated system of support.

1.5 Public Relations and Privacy Issues: Do the school and its governing body have a plan to promote the

school and its programs while respecting the privacy and safety of its students and families?

Prompt: How effectively does the school promote its programs while respecting the privacy and safety of

its students and families?

1.6 Program Evaluation: Does the school perform regular performance evaluations to improve overall

staff quality and plans created to identify and address staff training needs?

Prompt: Assess the degree to which the school regularly evaluates the academic and therapeutic

programs for continuous improvement.

2. School Community

2.1 Target Population: Does the school have a clearly defined eligibility criteria aligned with the mission

to support recovery from substance use and co-occurring disorders?

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school have a clearly defined eligibility criteria aligned with the

mission to support recovery from substance use and co-occurring disorders.

2.2 Enrollment Diversity: Do the school’s admission and recruitment procedures reflect intentionality

around enrolling a diverse student body?

Prompt: To what degree do admission and recruitment procedures reflect intentionality around enrolling

a diverse student body?

2.3 Transitional Planning & Support: Does the school have clear procedures for transitioning students

from traditional school, community or treatment settings into the recovery high school setting?

Prompt: Evaluate the school process for transitioning students from traditional school, community or

treatment settings, into the recovery high school setting.

2.4 Climate & Culture: Does the school utilize constructive rather than punitive practices that aim to

generate and restore a sense of well-being among students and staff??

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school utilize constructive rather than punitive practices that

aim to generate and restore a sense of well-being among students and staff.

2.5 Parent Engagement: Does the school actively engage parents, guardians, and families, with

parents/guardians recognized and involved as partners in the education and recovery process? Does the

school provide training and support for families to promote the healthy growth and academic

achievement of each student?

rev 4-15 36

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school actively engage and recognize parents, guardians, and

families as partners in the education and recovery process. How effectively does the school provide

training and support for families to promote the healthy growth and academic achievement of each

student.

2.6 Sensitivity to Differences: Does the school or its governing body create policies and procedures that

promote sensitivity to human differences and are responsive to individual student’s developmental

needs?

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school has in place policies and procedures that promote

sensitivity to human differences, and are responsive to individual student’s developmental needs.

3. Recovery Practices

3.1 Recovery Supports: Are recovery supports and relapse prevention measures meeting the needs of

students?

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school’s recovery supports and relapse prevention measures

meet the needs of students.

3.2 Recovery Climate: Does the school provide a recovery-oriented school climate that promotes

collegial relationships among faculty, students, and their families?

Prompt: How effectively does the school provide a recovery-oriented school climate that promotes

collegial relationships among faculty, students, and their families?

3.3 Recovery Assessment: Does the school collect data for initial screening, progress monitoring, and

outcome measures to assess and improve short and long-term results for students?

Prompt: Evaluate the schools process of collecting data for initial screening, progress monitoring, and

outcome measures to assess and improve short and long-term results for students.

3.4 Recovery/Therapeutic Staff Evaluation & Professional Development: Is the recovery/therapeutic

staff appropriately trained for their current positions, with ongoing professional development in areas

salient to the school community, such as mental health and therapeutic practices, cultural competence,

and adolescent development?

Prompt: To what degree is the therapeutic staff appropriately trained for their current positions? To what

degree does the school perform regular performance evaluations to improve the quality of recovery staff

and provide professional development in areas salient to the recovery community?

3.5 Relapse Prevention & Recovery Support: Does the school have services available which help support

the students’ plan to abstain from substance use and recover from substance use & co-occurring

disorders, from intervention through recovery maintenance and relapse prevention?

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Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school has support services available to help students abstain

from substance use, and recover from co-occurring disorders (from intervention through recovery,

maintenance, and relapse prevention)?

3.6 Recovery Transition: Does the school have processes in place to help students transition smoothly

from the recovery supports provided by the recovery high school in order to maintain their sobriety?

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school has the school has processes in place to help students

transition smoothly from the recovery supports provided by the recovery high school in order to maintain

their sobriety.

4. Educational Practices

4.1 Diploma: Does the school offer credits leading to a state-recognized high school diploma and does

the school offer all courses needed to graduate?

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school offers credits leading to a state-recognized high school

diploma and all courses necessary for graduation.

4.2 High Quality Curriculum & Instruction: Does the school provide a high quality curriculum and

classroom instruction of high quality?

Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the school curriculum and classroom instruction.

4.3 Data-driven Instruction: Is the school curriculum and classroom instruction data-driven?

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school curriculum and classroom instruction is data-driven?

4.4 Teaching Staff Evaluation & Professional Development: Is the teaching staff appropriately trained for

their current positions, and does the school perform regular performance evaluation to improve the

quality of instruction? Does the school provide professional development in areas salient to the

education community?

Prompts: To what degree is the teaching staff appropriately trained for their current positions? Evaluate

the process for regular performance evaluations to improve the quality of instruction. How effectively

does the school provide professional development in areas salient to the education community?

4.5 Special Education Services: Does the school have educational and behavioral plans in place to

address the spectrum of student exceptionality?

Prompt: To what degree does the school have educational and behavioral plans in place to address the

spectrum of student exceptionality?

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4.6 Post-Secondary Transitions: Does the school have criteria and plans in place to help students

transition smoothly from the recovery high school to the student’s next educational or workforce

setting, preparing the student for the broadest selection of reasonable post-secondary options?

Prompts: Evaluate the school process for transitioning students smoothly from the recovery high school to

the student’s next educational or workforce setting. Evaluate the school process for preparing students

for the broadest selection of reasonable post-secondary options.

Chapter 5: Overall Summary and Conclusions of findings (Prompt: Address the 2-4 areas of concern in relation

to the overall school program in chapter 3 and the school program in relation to the ARS pre-identified

indicators in chapter 4).

● Areas of strength to be continued and improved upon

● Areas of concern and growth

● Plans for addressing areas of concern and growth

● Measurable ways of assessing progress toward targeted growth

● Timeline

● Resources

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CODE OF CONDUCT FOR REVIEWERS1

All site visit evaluation teams approved by the Association of Recovery Schools are guided in their work by a

code of conduct. Adherence to the code of conduct creates a professional tone in which the visiting team and

the school can discuss key strengths and areas for improvement.

Site Team Members’ Responsibilities

Review background information on school

Review documentation and evidence related to the Performance Framework, especially the School Accreditation Report

Carry out work with integrity.

Treat all those you meet with courtesy and sensitivity. Try to minimize stress.

Allay anxiety through mutual respect and valuing opinions. Show an interest in what is said.

Focus attention and questions on topics that should reveal how well students are learning.

Assure confidentiality.

Act in the best interests of students and staff.

Do not put students or staff in a position where they may have conflicting loyalties.

Emphasize that students come first and are at the center of the review.

Wherever possible, work to others’ convenience.

Be supportive and enabling. Evidence given under undue stress is unreliable.

Under no circumstances, criticize the work of a teacher or anyone else within earshot of others.

Classroom visits are confidential. Classroom observations are not evaluations. Individual teachers should not be provided feedback, and information on individual teachers should not be shared with the Association of Recovery Schools.

Teacher interviews and focus groups are confidential. Any information reported to the team should remain anonymous in both oral and written reports.

Try to understand what teachers are doing and why. Be supportive.

Be objective; base judgments on evidence, not opinion.

An individual’s perception can be evidence, especially if supported by others’ observations.

1 Acknowledgement of Massachusetts Charter School Site Visit Protocol and the OFSTED code of conduct.

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Judgments must be robust, fully supported by evidence, and defensible and must inform the key questions.

Judgments must be reliable in that others would make the same judgment from the same evidence.

Be prepared to ask questions to establish whether a view is based upon opinion or evidence. This applies to team members’ judgments as well.

Discussion with staff and team members is part of the process to create a fair and secure evidence base from which corporate judgments are made.

If a given piece of evidence is not affecting students’ learning or recovery, then it is irrelevant.

OVERVIEW OF THE SITE VISIT PROCESS

The process that leads to school evaluation is guided by professional integrity and is grounded in evidence, not

opinion. The site visit evaluation team uses evidence from classroom visits, school documents, and numerous

interviews with a variety of stakeholders. The process is an evidence-based system. The judgments expressed

in the report should be based on evidence collected during the process. Evidence comes from observations,

interviews, and document reviews. The site visit evaluation team should build a base of evidence for each of

its findings that would reasonably lead any set of individuals to come to a similar judgment of the school’s

programs and practices. The process should be iterative, repeatedly checking on and testing the quality of

judgments and evidence that supports judgments.

For schools with an enrollment of less than 30, site visit teams may have two members. For schools with more

than 30 students, site visit teams should have three members. The teams should be composed as follows:

Recovery Expert – to focus on the recovery/therapeutic staff and programming

Education Expert – to focus on teachers and classroom instruction

Team Leader – to focus on administration and leading the site visit process and report preparation

Should there be only two team members, the Recovery Expert and Education Expert will share the Team

Leader responsibilities, with one of them designated as the primary contact for the school.

Site visit team members can use a four-step process to move from pieces of evidence to supported judgments

about the school. What follows is a description of how this process might look.

1. First, team members record evidence by reviewing the School Accreditation Report, which they should receive about one-month before the site visit. Team will also review support documents, conduct observations, and do interviews.

2. Second, the team together reviews evidence to make simple claims about how the school operates. 3. Third, the team presents preliminary judgments to the school throughout the visit. This ensures that

the school has every opportunity to present additional evidence before judgments are finalized. 4. Finally, feedback is given to the school. As an outcome of the review, ARS will provide the school with

a written report. An executive summary of that report will be presented on the last day of the visit, and the site visit team will provide a full report within 45 days of the visit. The report will include a judgment and supporting evidence on various aspects of the school. The report will be based on a rubric of indicators developed for each of the four core questions and sub-questions in the Performance Framework.

Schedule Template

rev 4-15 41

Before the scheduled site visit, the site team leader and/or an Association of Recovery Schools representative

meet with the school leader. This should ideally occur at least a month before the visit. The school leader may

invite other administrators or staff to attend this meeting as well. This conversation provides an introduction

and overview of the site visit process for the upcoming year.

Day 1

Site visit team arrives at school—tour of school with school leader

Education Expert begins classroom observations—at least 30 minutes per class

Recovery Expert begins observations of therapeutic activities

Team Leader (and others if available) performs focus group interviews with students, parents and Board/Governing Body members

Day 2

Team Leader and Education Expert perform teacher focus group

Team Leader and Recovery Expert perform therapeutic staff focus group

All 3 site visit members interviews leadership (e.g., principal, assistant principal, recovery coach, lead teacher, etc.)

Two of 3 site visit members interviews community members/stakeholders

Education Expert continues classroom observations as needed

Recovery Expert continues observations of therapeutic activities as needed

Day 3

Leadership debrief in the morning to answer any last questions, give preliminary feedback to school, and to ask any questions they may have. Plan for about 90 minutes.

Preparation Checklist Prior to & During the Visit

Recovery School’s Responsibilities

Identify a contact person to facilitate the site visit questions or issues

Schedule site team members’ site visit with the school

Set up a work space for the team where they can meet and work without interruption

Designate space(s) for focus group interviews

Identify participants for parent, student, instructional, and therapeutic staff focus groups

Map of the school with teachers, grades, and classroom locations identified

Gather the following documents (can include as part of the Accreditation Report, or as addenda): o Organizational chart and/or list of staff (names, grades, subjects) o Copies of written policies and/or handbooks for teachers, parents, and/or students o Copy of school’s master schedule (most current) o Staff organizational chart o Employee spreadsheet (names, grades, subjects taught, etc.)

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o Background information on school – mission, enrollment targets, description of philosophy, and curriculum (from the charter)

o Summary of background information on students – number of students and demographics (grades, race/ethnicity, gender, ESE, ESL, other students with special needs)

o Curriculum map, link to state standards (if possible) o Any Memorandums of Understanding, contracts, etc that are relevant to the accreditation

standards o Instruments, data, analysis of data tracking student achievement and recovery (NWEA, AYP,

drug-screens, sobriety dates/lengths, etc.) o Examples of publications or information for parents and the general public o Copy of school-specific goals, if applicable o Board meeting minutes in which school is represented or discussed o Comparison of academic performance to schools that students would have attended o Synthesis of classroom observations conducted by school administration o Available for classroom observations: lesson plan and related materials for review

Note the above list is not exhaustive in that other evidence sources could be requested.

Classroom Observations

These observations can be scheduled with specific classrooms via a block of time. Usually team members spend 30-45 minutes per classroom, and the entire class period if possible.

Teachers should have a copy of their lesson plans and any related materials to be used during the class for the site team member to review.

Space Requirements

The site team should have access to a team meeting space that is not used by staff. The team meeting space can be small but it must be private.

It is easier to give teachers a specific room location for focus groups versus having team members move from room to room. The minimum requirements are to have a private team space (can be small) and to have the appropriate space designated for focus groups.

All administrative interviews can be conducted in the administrator’s office (e.g., principal, lead counselor, lead teacher).

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INTERVIEW GUIDELINES

Interview worksheets enable the interviewer to easily identify questions and required evidence (consistent

with the Accreditation Framework) for specific interviewees and/or focus groups.

In addition, while on site, interview questions that are school-specific and based on the team leader’s

judgment of what must be learned to come to judgment on the key questions can be added. The questions are

designed to be either printed out or copied into an electronic document for on-site transcription of

participants’ responses.

A thorough evaluation includes interviews and/or focus groups with the following members of the school

community.

SCHOOL-WIDE INTERVIEWS Interviews/

Focus Groups Description Approximate

Time Needed

Board/School Governance Interview

The Board/Governing body member interview can take place via conference call or in-person.

The school should encourage at least one to two Board/Governing body members to attend the end-of-day feedback session (via phone also works).

60 minutes

School Leadership

Those who need to be interviewed include: school leaders; coordinators for teaching, counseling, and special education; curriculum coordinators/directors; and other administrators that are specific to the school’s mission of providing safe environment for recovery from substance abuse.

If necessary, site team members may talk with two administrators at one time. The more closely aligned their job functions are, the better.

Tailor the questions from the Leadership Interview protocols to the job functions of the administrator being interviewed, for example when interviewing the Curriculum Director only ask questions regarding curriculum and assessment. These questions can then be omitted from other interviews.

2-3 hour

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Teacher Focus Groups

As many teachers as possible must be interviewed, and they must each know the location and start time. They should be on time.

For focus groups of 5 to 6 teachers per group, an hour is sufficient for one site team member to conduct the interview. Six is the maximum number of teachers for any one focus group.

It is easier to give teachers a specific room location for focus groups versus having team members move from room to room.

It is helpful to have all first-year teachers and transition to teaching staff in one or two focus groups together, as there are issues related to mentoring and professional development for these teachers.

In some cases, the site visit evaluation team may request a focus group meeting with teaching assistants, aides, or other personnel to discuss their roles in the delivery of the academic program at the school.

60 minutes (If possible, scheduled during common preparation periods or before and after school)

Parent Focus Group

Parent focus groups should occur at a time most convenient to parents. This usually results in a morning, late afternoon, or evening timeframe.

Prior to the day of the site visit, the school should work proactively to recruit parent participation for the parent focus group.

All parents should be encouraged to attend, but a minimum of eight parents is ideal. Parents need not to be invited selectively or hand-picked; rather all parents need to be aware of and encouraged to attend.

Parent focus groups should represent those whose children have a range of academic needs, have attended the school for various lengths of time, and who have a range of participation experiences with the school.

60 minutes

Student Focus Student Focus

Students need to be selected based upon their grade level (grades four and up) and ability, as well as any other demographic that is relevant to the school. A diversity of input and perspectives from students is the goal. Each group should consist of three to five students. If desired, the site team can choose to randomly select students.

Students can be interviewed in one large space (e.g., cafeteria, library, media room).

30 Minutes

Recovery Specialist

Specialists include the school’s Recovery Coach/Counselor, Mental Health Directors, mental health providers, school counselor, and school nurse. School leaders should identify personnel who play a significant role in supporting student sobriety and recovery and academic success.

60 minutes

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INTERVIEW & FOCUS GROUP GUIDES

The following interview guides are provided to help the site visit team and the school prepare for the onsite interviews. The guides are not intended to be used verbatim. Rather, schools should try to answer as many of these questions as possible as part of their report. Site visit team members should review the school information provided prior to the visit and determine which of these questions need to be asked during on-site interviews to fill in missing information or to expand upon the information provided. The guides included here include:

School Leadership Interviews

Board of Directors/School Governing Body Interviews

Teaching Staff Interviews/Focus Groups

Therapeutic Staff Interviews/Focus Groups

Special Education Staff Interviews

Student Focus Groups

Parent Focus Groups Interviews should try to get a sense from all interviewees of:

The interviewee’s understanding of the school’s purpose;

How well the interviewee feels people understand and support the purpose/mission;

Strengths of the school; and

Areas of improvement.

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School Leadership Interviews Mission & School Operations:

In your own words, what is the mission of your school?

How well do you think other stakeholders, i.e., parents, students and staff, understand the mission?

Please describe some general strengths & potential areas of improvement for the school overall. Business Plan & Collaborations:

Please describe the leadership structure and roles/responsibilities of key personnel.

What plan is in place to provide for replacement of key personnel in the school, e.g., the Principal, recovery coach, curriculum leader?

What is the relationship between the school and the governing body/sponsoring organization?

Does the school have an administrator or director with a level of autonomy and operational flexibility within the larger organizational system?

Please describe current partnerships with local schools, treatment centers, and community resources.

What services do you offer to the local community, either as student public service or providing education regarding drug abuse?

What are the school’s public relations response procedures?

Were you involved in designing these procedures?

How is school funded? Admissions and Intake

What is your intake process? How do you involve parents?

Do you feel that the school’s admission policies have resulted in a student body that best reflects the school mission?

Is the school available to students impacted by substance abuse, regardless of race, religion or socio-economic status?

When a major decision regarding treatment or educational practice needs to be made, what is the process? Who plays a role in the decision, and what is that role?

What is your training and experience in education? In recovery?

What support for professional development in education and treatment are available to you as the school leader?

What is your job description? Do you feel it is an accurate description of the job you do? Governing Body/Board of Directors

How often do you provide updates to the Governing Body/Board of Directors?

What is the role of the Governing Body/Board of Directors in making decisions regarding educational and recovery support policies?

Curriculum and Teaching

How and when does the school review its curriculum to identify gaps based on student performance?

How are program changes made, and who is responsible for implementing them?

How are changes to the curriculum monitored and evaluated?

How do teachers know what to teach on a daily and monthly basis?

How does the school monitor what is actually taught?

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Recovery Supports, Relapse Prevention & Discipline?

How do you ensure that students have relapse prevention & recovery supports they need?

How do you ensure that there is regular communication between staff members regarding the needs and well being of each individual student?

Describe the school’s discipline policy. Is it effective? How do you know?

Is the school discipline policy documented and well understood by students, staff and parents?

How does this plan encourage positive behavior and high expectations for student behavior?

Is the discipline policy in line with the mission and philosophy of the school? Parent Engagement?

How does the school communicate student academic and sobriety progress to parents?

Describe outreach or training provided to parents to promote participation in their child’s recovery.

How are the school’s communication methods designed to meet the diverse needs of parents? Transitions:

What are the procedures for ensuring that a student’s previous academic records are obtained in a timely manner? For ensuring that treatment and placement records are obtained?

How does the school make sure that a student’s records are available to all members of the educational and therapeutic staff?

Does the school gather baseline data and is that data shared with staff?

Does the school have a career or post-secondary counselor available for students?

Are there school-sponsored activities to promote post-secondary options?

Is workforce development training available?

Are ACT or SAT preparation courses available?

What services are available to transition students to treatment and recovery supports? Does the school utilize valid and reliable instruments to measure achievement and growth in academics, mental and emotional well-being, and behavioral functioning?

What internal student assessments of sobriety and educational achievement are used at the school?

How often is each assessment administered?

How accurate and useful is each assessment?

How do you share achievement data with faculty, students, and parents? How do you assure that they understand this information?

What modifications have been made at the school in response to performance information?

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Board of Directors/School Governing Body Interviews Mission: & Public Relations:

What is the school’s mission?

How do you convey the mission to the public?


How aware is the community of this school? Business Plan & Collaborations:

Please describe the leadership structure and roles/responsibilities of key personnel.

What plan is in place to provide for replacement of key personnel in the school, e.g., the Principal, recovery coach, curriculum leader?

What is the relationship between the recovery school and the governing body/sponsoring organization?

How is school funded? Governance:

How often do school administrators provide updates to the Governing Body/Board of Directors?

What is the role of the Governing Body/Board of Directors in making decisions regarding educational and recovery support policies?

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Teaching Staff Interviews/Focus Groups

Mission & School Operations:



Please describe some general strengths & potential areas of improvement for the school overall.

Professional Development and Training:

Please describe the professional development opportunities provided by the school? Do you think they are reflective of the needs of the students and staff?

How are the professional development (PD) calendar established and decisions made? Do you have a say in the PD offered?

What training/professional development in substance use & co-occurring disorders have you had? Teacher Evaluation:

How are you as a member of the teaching staff evaluated?

How often are evaluations performed? And how are the results of the evaluations conveyed to you?

Do you understand the performance evaluation system as it is being implemented? Curriculum and Instruction:

How do you know what to teach on a daily and monthly basis?

How does the school monitor what is actually taught?

How and when does the school review its curriculum to identify gaps based on student performance?

How are program changes made?

Who is responsible for implementing them?

Do you offer accelerated coursework such as AP courses or college credit courses?

Can you describe the remediation provided to students who may be struggling?

How do you decide that a student needs remediation? School Culture, Discipline & Relapse:

Describe the school’s discipline and relapse policy. Is it effective? How do you know?

How well is the school discipline policy documented and understood by students, staff, and parents?

How does this plan encourage positive behavior and high expectations for student behavior?

Is the discipline policy in line with the mission and philosophy of the school? Parental Engagement:

How does the school ensure communications are both timely and relevant to the parental concerns?

How does the school communicate student academic and sobriety progress to parents? Transitions:

Does the school have a career or post-secondary counselor available for students?

Are there school-sponsored activities to promote post-secondary options?

Is workforce development training available?

Are ACT or SAT preparation courses available?

What services are available to transition students to treatment and recovery supports?

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Therapeutic Staff Interviews/Focus Groups Mission & School Operations:



Please describe some general strengths & potential areas of improvement for the school overall. Professional Development & Evaluation:

How are you as a member of the therapeutic staff evaluated?

How often are evaluations performed? And how are the results of the evaluations conveyed to you?

Do you understand the performance evaluation system as it is being implemented?

What training or professional development in substance abuse & co-occurring disorders have you had?

How are the professional development (PD) calendar established and decisions made?

Are the results of the staff evaluations used to drive professional development? Recovery Supports:

What is the schedule for the licensed abuse counselor?

What is the availability of mental health professionals?

How often are random drug tests performed?

How can a student monitor his/her own plan of recovery?

How often are group support activities offered? And what kind of activities are there?

What policies are in place to support the recovery of students who have relapsed?

How do you ensure that there is regular communication between staff members regarding the needs and well being of each individual student?

Intake:

Describe the intake process, and the role of faculty students and their families in the process.

What are the opportunities for parents and guardians to contact the school staff during enrollment? School Culture and Discipline:

Describe the school’s discipline policy. Is it effective? How do you know?

Is the school discipline policy documented and well understood by students, staff and parents?

How does this plan encourage positive behavior & encourage high expectations for student behavior?

Is the discipline policy in line with the mission and philosophy of the school? Transitions:

What services are available to transition students to treatment and recovery supports? Data Collection:

What internal student assessments of sobriety are used at the school?

How often is each assessment administered?

How accurate and useful is each assessment?

What modifications have been made at the school in response to performance information?

What sorts of screening data does the school collect?

What active progress monitoring processes are in place?

How is data used to improve student outcomes?

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Special Education Staff Interviews

Mission & School Operations:



Please describe some general strengths & potential areas of improvement for the school overall.

Special Education Services:

What is the proportion of Special Education students in the school? And can the instructor provide a rough breakdown of their needs?

Is the special education staff appropriately licensed?

Describe the current relationship between the special education provider and the recovery school—are special education services from an outside provider? Or is the special education teacher on staff?

What professional development opportunities are available for Special Education and General Education staff members?

Do the special education files comply with state and federal requirements?

What is the relationship between the Special Education and Gen Ed staff?

Are services provided using an inclusive or pull-out model?

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Student Focus Groups

Mission/Purpose:

In your own words, what is the school’s purpose?

Is it implemented in the life of the school?

Do you believe in the school’s mission? Why or why not? Student Information:

Why are you attending this school?

Where did you previously attend, and how is this school different? School Information/Satisfaction:

Is the school providing support for your recovery?

Describe a typical class. What are you learning?

Name one thing you like and one you don’t about this school.

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Parent Focus Groups

Mission:

In your own words, what is the school’s mission?

Is it implemented in the life of the school?

Do you believe in the school’s mission? Why or why not?

Please describe some general strengths & potential areas of improvement for the school overall. Parent Satisfaction:

Are you satisfied with your child’s experience at the school?

How does the school communicate with you?

How frequent are these communications?

How do you learn about the student achievement results at the school? About your own child’s academic progress?

How do you learn about your child’s recovery efforts?

If there is a communication that you do not understand, does the school take steps to clarify this for you?

association of recovery schools accreditation manual · there are 6 standards in 4 areas. a school...

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