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Data-Driven Decision Making to Increase School-Completion Rates Slide 2 Todays Focus Why we use data in decision making Where to find and access your data NDPC-SDs Dropout Prevention Intervention Framework Understanding and working with your schools data Slide 3 Why Data-Driven Decision Making? Seeing trends and patterns can help Identify causes and focus TA efforts Target school and student risk factors Monitor progress and evaluate efforts Strengthen accountability Data lend substance to your argument Without data its just another opinion Slide 4 Early Warning Identifiers Identify and monitor building-wide trends in academics, behavior, engagement, exiting and school completion Identify current students who are at risk of dropping out so you can intervene appropriately and in time Identify incoming students with histories of academic problems, truancy, behavior problems, and retention so they can be placed in the appropriate tier of intervention Slide 5 Data Resources ZoomWV/WV-e is a real-time, longitudinal data system that insures high-quality educational information. Helps drive educational initiatives to improve instruction and student performance in West Virginia, in part by making information available in easy-to-understand aggregate reports at the state, regional, county, and school level. West Virginia Early Warning System (BrightBytes) is an online dashboard that serves as a decision support system for educational leaders. It weights each indicator based on your schools specific details and then based on a unique analysis, provides a risk analysis for each student plus an overall risk analysis for your school. Slide 6 Helps conceptualize and structure the work in a systematic and comprehensive manner that helps a team implement and sustain their local school-completion initiative. Slide 7 Identify Objectives and Define Questions What problem(s) do you want to address? Who is impacted by the problem? What is the magnitude of the problem? What do you hope to change/accomplish? How will you measure success? How will you sustain this effort? Slide 8 Factors that Support School Completion Improved School Completion Rates Appropriate Social Behaviors Sufficient Academic Success High School Engagement Decreased Dropout Rates Effective Transition Services Slide 9 Indicators What to Look At? IndicatorData Source Graduation and DropoutZoomWV AttendanceZoomWV and ZoomWV-e WV Early Warning System Course gradesZoomWV-e WV Early Warning System General Summative AssessmentZoomWV and ZoomWV-e WV Early Warning System Course-completion data, pass/failure ZoomWV-e WV Early Warning System Slide 10 Indicators What to Look At? IndicatorData Source DisciplineZoomWV-e WV Early Warning System RetentionZoomWV-e WV Early Warning System Professional LearningOffice of Research, Accountability and Data Governance School ClimateSchool Climate Survey TransitionOne Year Follow-up Survey Slide 11 High-Yield Indicators (Allensworth & Easton, 2007) Academic Achievement Attendance Behavior Family Engagement Research from several U.S. school districts provides a strong foundation for defining early warning signs that students might drop out, but local adaptation is key Slide 12 SWD Graduation Rate and Modified Diploma Four-year SWD graduation formula: # of SWD cohort members who earned a regular high school diploma by the end of the 2014-2015 school year # of first-time SWD 9 th graders in fall 2011 (starting cohort) + students who transfer in (during school years 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015) - students who transfer our, emigrate, or die (during school years 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015) + cohort members earning a modified diploma (in four years) Note: SWD = any student with an IEP during any time between 9 th and 12 th grades Slide 13 Graduation Rate and Modified Diploma RESOURCE WVs Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate Question and Answer Guide http://wveis.k12.wv.us/wveis2004/documents/WV%20 Adjusted%20Cohort%20Guidance_091913.pdf Or, go to http://wveis.k12.wv.us/ then click on Calendar, under WVEIS Events Calendar click on Graduation Cohorts (located in the 3 rd row of the 1 st column)http://wveis.k12.wv.us/ Slide 14 Graduation Rate and Modified Diploma Why are students who graduate with modified diplomas not counted in the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate or five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate? As federal guidelines state, alternative graduation credentials that are not fully aligned with a States academic content standards may not be counted as a regular high school diploma for the purpose of calculating the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate or five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. Thus, students who graduate with a credential other than a regular high school diploma, such as a the State of West Virginia High School Equivalency Diploma, modified diploma, or certificate of attendance, may not be included in the numerator, but must be included in the denominator of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. Slide 15 Have the right data? Verify that you have all the right pieces Have good data? Does the data appear to be reliable and correct? Have enough data? Use as much of the data as you can get your hands onHaving multiple years worth of data will let you spot any patterns What does the data show and what does it mean? Connect the dots Graphs can make it easier to see patterns and trends. Consider the causes of what you see. Analyze Data and Identify Needs Slide 16 Work as a team to develop an intervention plan Based on your results, identify the area(s) you need to address and the tier(s) of intervention at which to implement Identify the desired outcomes and measurable outcomes, determine the activities, develop timelines, and identify additional expertise or resources you will need Build in evaluation activities so you can show results Design the plan for sustainability Develop Your Plan Slide 17 Address the Potential Variables Within the Context of Your School Facilitate the implementation of evidence-based strategies that promote: School attendance Academic success Prosocial behaviors A positive school climate Student engagement Parental engagement Remember: focus on alterable variablesthings you can change! Slide 18 Tiered Approach to Intervention School-level reform can reduce student risk factors that lead to dropping out Implementation of early intervening strategies that are universal in nature and focused on prevention Targeted program offerings to provide extra help for certain groups of students who share particular risk factors Intensive, personalized interventions focused on individual students in greatest need Slide 19 Put the Plan into Action Conduct baseline measures Train the teachers, staff and others who will be involved in the project Begin implementing the interventions with: Ongoing checks for fidelity of implementation Ongoing data collection for progress monitoring and documentation Report ongoing progress at school and to the community Share your successes Ask for help if you need it! Slide 20 Review Use early warning systems to identify building and student-level needs Examine at least the high-yield indicators: Attendance, Behavior, Course Performance, & Family Use a structured process to guide your work : NDPC-SD Dropout Prevention Intervention Framework Slide 21 Transforming Your Data Slide 22 NDPC-SD Data Tools A set of Excel-based tools that can help a school team organize, examine, analyze, make meaning of, and share its data to the end of developing and implementing a local intervention plan. Building-level data: identify systemic issues at the whole-school level; good for prescribing universal and some targeted interventions Student-level data: identify dropout risk level and areas of need of individual students so they can receive appropriate tier(s) of support and intervention Slide 23 Core Data Tool Start Here! Provides a high-level look at the main variables impacting graduation and dropout rates Serves as a starting point from which you will begin your data explorations Acts as an initial screener to help narrow down your focus Slide 24 Core Data Tool Organizes and analyzes 3 years of building- level data for SWD and all students: Graduation rates Dropout rates Attendance rates Proficiency rates on State English/ELA and mathematics assessments Office & disciplinary referral rates Generates a printable data table and 22 charts Slide 25 Guiding Questions: Core Tool What trends in graduation, dropout attendance, and academics do the charts show? Are there differences in performance between groups of students (gaps)? Has your school achieved its various targets across the years? What trends do you see? How do the referral rates look? Is there disparity in the rates between SWD and SWOD or all students? Where do you think you need to dig deeper? Slide 26 School Info Tab Slide 27 Core Data Tab 1.Enter data for most recent three (3) years 2.Use spreadsheet to plan and monitor Enter school targets for the data elements Spreadsheet will calculate if targets were met and distance from performance to target Slide 28 Core Data Tab Note: ZoomWV displays data for SWD and All students groups Slide 29 Core Data Tab cont. Slide 30 Slide 31 All Charts Tab (example) Slide 32 Other Factors to Examine Grade retention Whos on track/whos not Parental engagement School climate State/District/School policies & procedures Professional development Transition support for all transition points Slide 33 What percentage of your incoming 9 th grade SWD were retained one or more times in elementary or middle school? how many incoming Regular Ed 9 th graders? What were the retention rates in other grades? How many high school students have been retained two or more grades? How many students in each grade are NOT on track to move ahead a grade next year? Grade Retention Slide 34 What percentage of parents participate and interact with the school? Attend IEP meetings Attend parent-teacher conferences Volunteer for school activities/events Help with extracurricular activities Expect and promote graduation Level of parents education Dropout is a family tradition So is school completion! Parental Engagement Slide 35 Do parents in your school encourage their children and stress the importance of school? Do they help them plan for higher education? Do they keep them focused on learning? Can/do they help with homework? Do they make sure their children get to school every day? What does your school do to encourage and support parental engagement? Parental Engagement Slide 36 Who Cares? Encourages schools to focus on the most important R RELATIONSHIPS. Slide 37 To promote positive School Climate, students must universally Feel physically safe Feel social and emotional security Believe they are supported in their learning and goals (both short & long term) Believe their social and civic learning and activities are important and supported Believe they are respected, trusted and connected to the adults and the learning environment Slide 38 School Climate What extracurricular activities are available in your school? What are the participation rates in these activities for Special Education and General Education students? Does your school use a school climate survey? Do the students/school staff/parents perceive school as a safe, welcoming environment? Slide 39 Policies and Procedures Is there a system in place to track dropouts? What is done to reengage dropouts? What are the schools attendance policies? Is participation in activities tied to GPA? Are Special Education students encouraged to participate in CTE? What dropout prevention interventions or programs are currently in place? how is their effectiveness evaluated? Slide 40 Professional Learning What steps does the district/school take to help certify SpEd teachers who are not highly qualified? Are professional preparation sessions developed based on data from the district/school that shows a need for such training? Slide 41 Transition Planning Who is responsible for transition planning in your school? What agencies participate in your schools interagency transition council? To what extent are the students responsible for their own IEP development/transition planning? Does the school have formal interagency agreements in place? Slide 42 Preparing for Career and College CategoryPercentage of SY ____ grads % of students enrolled in post-secondary education % of students engaged in competitive employment % of students enrolled in post-secondary education and engaged in competitive employment Look at Post-School Outcomes! Slide 43 Recap Understanding and using your schools data will support the selection and implementation of evidence- based practices and strategies that promote: a positive school climate, better school attendance, prosocial behaviors, increased academic success, stronger student and family engagement, and ultimately, improved dropout and graduation rates. Slide 44 Questions Slide 45 Additional Information astohr@k12.wv.us phomberg@k12.wv.us sbeck@k12.wv.us dlharless@k12.wv.us vwilson@k12.wv.us Presentation adapted from: National Transition Technical Assistance Center University of North Carolina Charlotte Dr. Matthew Klare Email: mklare@uncc.edu Voice:704-687-8606mklare@uncc.edu