CATCHING THE THROW AWAYS

Jeff Davis Parish Overview

Jeff Davis Parish is a rural blue collar community. Its 5,600 public school student attend 13 schools and one instruction campus.Jeff Davis ranks at the bottom half of the state in average income and % employment.It is among 12 Louisiana parishes with the highest alcohol and drug problem.

The Good News

Jeff Davis students rank 6th in the state by District Performance Score. The DPS is an aggregation of SPS’s. Jeff Davis students ranked 1st in 8th grade persistence.Our free and reduced student ranked 4th in performance among at-risk students.The dropout rate among JD Students is 0.96%. (2nd to Caldwell Parish, 2006). Resulting in 1.1 million extra MFP dollars.Student employment among OPTION completers 2001-2007 is 90%. Note: 42% were special education students.

The Top Five Reasons for a Successful Alternative Program!

Board and Superintendent must grant Power and AuthorityStudents and staff must be hand picked, no dumpingMust create an efficient student management system for instruction and recordsTeachers must have “virtual principal power.” Students have only one teacher.Layers of interventions must be immediately accessible for the most challenging students

DEWS

Discipline Parent Communication Center (PCC) SWPBS Minor Referral Program Letters Sent Home DEWS/SWPBS Team Meeting Conference with Student Detention Counseling

DEWS (Discipline Cont.)

Alternative to Suspension Conference with Parents In-School Suspension Pupil Appraisal Referral FINS Conference with Parents (District Level) Alternative Program CSIP Marine Institute Incarceration

DEWS (Cont.)

Attendance Parent Command Center Letters Sent Home: 3 days, 5 days,

Counseling, 8 days DEWS/SWPBS Team Meeting Conference with Parents Referred to Attendance Officer Pupil Appraisal Referral Home Visits FINS Truancy Court

DEWS (Cont.)Grade Point Average Parent Command Center Homework Hotline/Hut Remediation/Tutoring Program Report Card Counseling DEWS/SWPBS Team Meeting Conference with Parents Freshman Academy Teacher Teaming Options Program Credit Recovery

DEWS (Cont.)

AGE Accelerated Program (Middle School)\ Diploma Online Track (High School) Counseling Options

Don’t make it a prison

And reduce your teachers to guards

Make the Alternative Program

. . . . . A privilege

The Next Step

CSIP Community Service Interventio

Program

Refer to District Attorney Court System

Marine InstitutionThe student does not “just go home”

Enrollment Criteria

Behavior Rules are reviewed with parents and the studentDress Code Rules are reviewed with parents and the studentThe Contract Explaining Termination and the Next Step is read aloud to the parents and the student

Results

90% of Options Completers Employed (42% of completers were special ed.)Dropout rate 0.96%.(2nd to Caldwell Parish 2006) Resulting in 1.1 million extra MFP dollarsJeff Davis ranked 6th in state by DPSFree and Reduced students ranked 4th in performanceJeff Davis ranked 1st in 8th grade persistence

What do at-risk youth need to become successful adults?

Academic preparation (with another possible way of earning a high school diploma)

Job-related preparation-Work Ethics-Skills Training

Life skills preparation Counseling

How can you make it happen in your district?

All Program Educators (Principals, Counselors, Teachers) must work together to:

-Combine special knowledge-Combine program resources-Combine interests in providing the best education for all students