moving from research to practical application in dropout prevention presented by: pat homberg,...
TRANSCRIPT
Moving from Research to Practical Application in Dropout Prevention
Presented by:
Pat Homberg, Executive Director
Susan Beck, Assistant Director
Debbie Harless, Coordinator
Office of Special Education
Prepared by:
Loujeania Williams Bost, PhD
Director, National Dropout Prevention Center for Students
with DisabilitiesModule 2 Intensive Technical Assistance
Objectives
1. Increase participants’ awareness and understanding of dropout and its effect on students with disabilities.
2. Provide participants with an overview of recent research on the causes and risk factors associated with dropout.
3. Identify effective practices that increase student engagement and school completion.
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What the Research Tells Us:
I. What is Dropout?
Dropout: A Process of Disengagement• Not an isolated event
• Elementary years, process begins• Elevated dropout rates reported among children who were rated as highly aggressive by their 1st grade teachers (Ensminger & Slusarcick, 1992).• Dropouts could be distinguished from graduates with 66%
accuracy by the third grade using attendance data; and• Identification of dropouts can be accomplished with
reasonable accuracy based on review of school performance (behavior, attendance, academics) during the elementary years (Barrington & Hendricks, 1989) .
• Students who had repeated a grade as early as K – 4th grade were five times more likely to drop out of school (Kaufman & Bradby, 1992).
Predictors of Dropout (Balfanz & Herzog, 2005; 2006)
1. The four strongest predictors – determined by the end of sixth grade
1. Poor attendance (14%)2. Poor behavior (17%)3. Failing math (21%)4. Failing English (16%)
2. Sixth graders who do not attend school regularly, receive poor behavior marks, or fail math or English
• 10% chance of graduating on time• 20% chance of graduating a year late
Predictors of Dropout (Continued)
3. Students who repeated middle school grades are 11 times more likely to drop out than students who had not repeated.
4. A student who is retained two grades increases their risk of dropping out of high school by 90% (Roderick, 1995).
5. Transition between schools Middle school/junior high school to high school
Predictors of Dropout (Continued) (Balfanz & Herzog, 2006)
6. Students who enter ninth grade two or more grade levels behind their peers have only a one in two chance of being promoted to the tenth grade on time.
7. Ninth grade retention is the biggest predictor of dropouts.
8. The biggest fall off for students is between ninth and tenth grade
What the Research Tells Us:
II. Causes and Risk Factors
Risk Factors
• Education, Sociology, and Economics• Demographic characteristics and family
background• Past school performance• Personal/psychological characteristics• Adult responsibilities• School or neighborhood characteristics
Risk Factors (Continued)
• Personal/psychological characteristics– Commitment to schooling and ability to follow
through on this commitment, low self-esteem & locus of control, low educational expectations or plans
• Adult responsibilities– Employment, caring for a child
• Working >20 hours/week positively associated with dropping out
• Pregnancy positively associated with dropping out
• School or neighborhood characteristics– Poor neighborhoods vs. wealthier neighborhoods– Higher in urban schools; rural; suburban
Risk Factors (Continued)• Demographic Characteristics
– African American, American Indian/Native American, Hispanic/Latino American• Approximately half of African American students do not
receive diplomas with their cohort.• Less than 50% of Native American Students graduate
each year (Faircloth & Tippeconnic, 2010).• Native students have the highest dropout rate in the
nation (Indian Nation At Risk, 1991). • Hispanic students are the largest minority group in our
Nation’s schools.• Fewer than half of all Hispanic children participate in
early childhood education programs, and far too few Hispanics students graduate from high school.
Risk Factors (Continued)
• Family Background• Family income, SES, family involvement, families
who receive welfare, parents’ educational attainment, single parent home, limited English proficiency, parent or sibling dropped out
• Students from low SES families are four times more likely to drop out than their high SES peers
• Past School Performance• Low grades, poor test scores, retention & age,
disciplinary problems, truancy, spending little time on homework
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Taking a Closer Look
III. Status and Alterable Variables
• Age• Gender• SES• Ethnicity• Native language• Region
• Mobility• Ability• Disability• Parental employment• School size and type• Family structure
Status Variables
Variables associated with dropout that are difficult and unlikely to change
Alterable Variables
Variables associated with dropout that can be changed
• Grades• Disruptive behavior• Absenteeism• School policies• School climate• Parent engagement
• Sense of belonging• Attitudes toward
school• Educational support in
the home• Retention• Stressful life events
Examples of Status and Alterable Variables
Class of Variables Status Variables Alterable Variables
StudentDisability
(e.g. LD, EBD)Attendance
(e.g. sporadic)
FamilyStructure
(e.g. single parent family)
Supervision of free time
(e.g. rarely occurs)
PeersIntelligence(e.g. low IQ)
Identification with school
(e.g. alienated)
SchoolSocioeconomic
Status(e.g. living in poverty)
Monitoring of Student Progress
(e.g. consistently occurs)
CommunityGeographic
Features(e.g. urban)
Support Services (e.g. available)
Source: Christenson, Sinclair, & Hurley (2000)
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Taking a Closer Look
IV. Pull and Push Factors
Pull Factors That Lead to Dropout
• Pull Factors• Reported by students• Compete with the goal of regular school
attendance • Compete with successful school completion as a
first priority or• Have to be performed in conjunction with
attending school
Push Factors That Lead to Dropout
• Push Factors• Reported by students• Located within schools• Cause students to feel unwelcome• Students resist or altogether reject schooling• Manifest disruptive behavior, chronic absenteeism, and
completion cessation of academic effort
Pull Factors That Lead to Dropout (Continued)
Pull Factors
• Had to get a job• Had to support family• Became pregnant• Wanted to have a family• Wanted to travel• Friends dropped out• Got married, or planned to get married• Had to care for family member due to illness
Push Factors That Lead to Dropout (Continued)
Push Factors
• Did not like school• Could not get along with teachers/students• Suspended too often• Expelled too often• Did not feel safe at school • Did not belong• Could not keep up with school work/failing school
V. Theoretical Models of Prevention
What the Research Tells Us:
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting School Completion
(Finn, 1993)
• School Completion = Engagement in School and Learning
• KEY ELEMENTS• Student Participation• Identification with School• Social Bonding• Personal Investment in Learning
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting School Completion (Continued) (Fashola & Slavin,1998)
• Incorporating personalization by creating meaningful personal bonds;
• Connecting students to an attainable future;
• Providing academic assistance to help students perform well in their coursework; and
• Recognizing the importance of families in the success of their children’s achievement and school completion.
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting School Completion (Continued)
(Dynarski, 2000)
• Creating small schools with small class sizes
• Building relationships and enhancing communication between students and teachers
• Providing individual academic and behavior support
• Helping students address personal and family issues through counseling and access to social services
• Orientation towards assisting students in efforts to obtain GED certificates.
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting
School Completion (Continued) (Christenson, 2002)
• Help students develop connections with the learning environments across a variety of domains
• Engagement is viewed as a multi-dimensional construct involving four types of engagement and associated indicators
Four Types of Engagement & Associated Factors (Christenson, 2002)
• Academic engagement refers to time on task, academically engaged time, or credit accrual.
• Behavioral engagement includes attendance, avoidance of suspension, classroom participation, and involvement in extracurricular activities.
• Cognitive engagement involves internal indicators including processing academic information or becoming a self-regulated learner.
• Psychological engagement includes identification with school or a sense of belonging.
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting School
Completion (Continued) (Lehr et al., 2003)
• Personal/affective (e.g., retreats designed to enhance self-esteem, regularly scheduled classroom-based discussion, individual counseling, participation in an interpersonal relations class)
• Academic (e.g., provision of special academic course, individualized methods of instruction, tutoring)
• Family outreach (e.g., strategies that include increased feedback to parents or home visits)
• School structure (e.g., implementation of school within a school, re-definition of the role of the homeroom teacher, reducing school size, creation of an alternative school)
• Work related (vocational training, participation in volunteer or service programs)
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting
School Completion (Continued) Lehr et al., 2003)
Theoretical Conceptualizations for Preventing Dropout and Promoting School Completion (Continued) (Principles for
Keeping Kids in School: Kortering, 2004)
Increase the Holding Power of Schools for SWD
• Students must have a reason to want to complete school. They must understand the relevance of graduation to their future.
• Students need and want to access an adult who will encourage them to stay in school and help them to succeed..
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What the Research Tells Us:
VI. Effective Interventions and Models
Effective Approaches for Intervention
• Implementation of early intervening strategies that are universal in nature and focused on prevention.
• Program offerings to provide extra help for certain groups of students who share particular risk factors
• Extensive or personalized help for targeted students.
• Interventions occur over time, usually months or years
• Interventions that are strength based and involve a variety of contexts
Non Effective Approaches for Intervention
• Short-lived approaches• Punishment-oriented approaches• Approaches not focused on engaging
students in school • Practices not based on data • Practices utilizing practices without
evidence of effectiveness
General Practices Related to Dropout Prevention
• Comprehensive diagnostic data systems• Early warning systems • Provide rigorous and relevant instruction • Provide academic support • Provide personalized instruction and learning• Instruction on behavior and social skills • Supportive school climate• Family engagement
Interventions Influenced by Educators• Focus on factors linked to dropout
• Positive school climate• Attendance• Behavior • Academic performance• Family engagement• Student engagement• Evaluate policies and procedures regarding
dropouts• Implementation of evidence-based
strategies/interventions• Interventions must be matched to student needs
Effective Models (Continued)Original Study Outcomes
(Cobb, 2005)
• Staying in school; retention in support programs designed to keep students in school
• Attendance
• Engagement with school
• Physical or verbal aggression
• Self-concept; self-esteem
Conclusions (Cobb, 2005)
FINDINGS•Cognitive-behavioral Interventions – (YES)
• Appears best for high incidence disabilities
•Applied Behavior Analytic Interventions – (Cautious Yes)
• Appears useful to reduce verbally and physically aggressive behavior and both high and low incidence disabilities
•Counseling Interventions – (No Judgment Can Be Made)
• Appears useful specifically for students with emotional disorders
Recommendations
• Diagnostic processes for identifying student-level and school wide dropout issues
• Targeted interventions for a subset of middle and high school students who are identified as at risk for dropping out
• School wide reforms designated to enhance engagement
Use a Diagnostic Approach Institute of Educational Science Dropout Prevention Practice Guide
Targeted Interventions
• Caring Adult Advocates• Academic Support & Enrichment• Improvement in Behavior and
Social Skills
School wide Reforms
• Personalized Learning Environments/Processes
• Rigorous and relevant instruction in academic and career skills
What We Know About Patterns of Risk (Allensworth, 2007)
Freshmen with 0–4 absences in a 90-day grading period have a greater than 80% rate of graduation, while freshman with 10–14 absences in the same period graduate at a 40% rate.
Freshmen with no course failures have a greater than 80% chance of graduating, while those with two failures have a 55% graduation rate, and those with four failures have a 30% rate.
Freshmen with a GPA of 3.5 or higher have a nearly 100% graduation rate, while those with a 2.0 GPA have a 70% rate and those with a 1.0 have a 30% rate.
Sixth-grade students who fail math or English, have an 80% or lower attendance rate, or earn an unsatisfactory behavior grade have just a 10–20% likelihood of graduating high school in five years.
Key Risk Indicators Student absences Grade retention Low academic achievement Behavior Family Engagement School Climate Critical transition points
Areas Identified
• Adult Advocates• Family Engagement• Academic Success• 9th Grade Transitions• Student Engagement• Vocational/ Career Preparation• Interpersonal Skills• Class and School Restructuring
Adult AdvocatesRole of Mentor
Practical
• Monitor students’ attendance• Check homework completion• Help students develop conflict-
resolution skills• Communicate with families and
teachers• Arrange for tutoring and social
services• Help students establish
postsecondary and career goals
Social/Emotional
• Provide students with support and encouragement
• Convey the message to students that teachers care about their future
• Help students see the value in school and graduating from school
• Model positive behavior and decision-making skills
Strategies that Increase Family Engagement
• Conduct home visits to develop relationships with family members
• Provide transportation or arrange car-pooling to school events and offer to meet parents in locations that are convenient for them
• Provide assistance for parents in reinforcing classroom instruction and providing behavioral support for their children at home
• Contact parents with positive information about their children and thank them for their support
Strategies to Increase Academic Success
• Tutoring / individual instruction• Study skills and test-taking classes• Individual or small group instruction in
reading and core academic areas• Extra instruction / credit recovery through
Saturday school, after-school, or summer programs
• Self-paced online programs
Ninth-Grade Transitions• Use current high school students as
mentors for incoming freshman• Hold a freshman class orientation while
students are in middle school• Institute summer programs at the high
school to increase students’ academic skills, orient them to the layout of the school, and enable them to meet high school teachers
Ninth-Grade Transitions• Address the instructional needs of
students who enter high school unprepared for rigorous academic work
• Personalize the learning environment through small class sizes, a freshman academy, mentoring programs, or student participation in school activities
Strategies for Increasing Student Engagement
• Create small learning communities• Show an interest in students on a personal
level• Focus on the development of peer relationships• Encourage students to participate in school
activities• Use instructional techniques that emphasize
the relevance of classroom learning
Career and Vocational Preparation
• Classes focused on employability skills across a variety of occupations
• Occupationally specific programming in a trade, such as carpentry or plumbing
• Training in related skills such as computer literacy, job seeking, and workplace behavior
• On-the-job training for which students can earn credits
• Career days at which students can gain information from local employers
• Connections to postsecondary institutions
Interpersonal SkillsSelf Determination
• Decision making• Problem solving• Goal setting • Self-advocacy• Leadership skills• Self-management • Self-regulation
Interpersonal SkillsSocial Skills
• Meeting people• Conflict management • Active listening• Starting conversations• Appropriate body language, gestures,
and facial expressions
Interpersonal SkillsLife Skills
• Conflict management• Social skills• Goal setting• Leisure skills • Self-advocacy• Community participation• Job-seeking skills
Class / School Restructuring
• Reduce class sizes• Create freshman academies• Establish a school-within-a-school• Provide opportunities for team
teaching
What we Learned
• Dropout is COMPLEX – there is no one solution – the costs are substantial
• Dropout does not occur overnight• SWD are at considerable risk • We must identify and address risk factors • Risk factors have predictability • Educators can influence risk factors• Family engagement is critical• Evidence-based practices are essential
What we Learned• Existing district and school data systems can
be used to help learn about students at risk for school failure and dropout.
• Adults matter in youth’s lives• Instruction must be revelant, rigorous and
engaging• Use of a continuum of tiered interventions
can be used to address risk in academics and behavior
New Lessons Learned • Measuring risk indicators is an important first
step in intervention • A systems approach is required to make
significant gains• Early warning intervention systems can
support on-track success at each level of school
• States can support LEAs by providing sufficient infrastructure support to support implementation of initiatives at the local level.
