Transcript YES!!! - Colorado Department of Education

Dropout Intervention
and Recovery
Brian Brinkerhoff
October 24, 2008
Who is Considered a Drop Out?
A freshman is withdrawn from a school
because the parents object to the content
of a particular required class. The parents
decide to home school the youth, and
after trying for 3 months, give up. The
youth does not return to school.
Who is Considered a Drop Out?
A sophomore was arrested for selling
marijuana on probation. He went to a
youth corrections facility and spent six
months there. He was supposed to be
working on his GED but never did. When
he was released, he never went back to
school.
Who is Considered a Drop Out?
A junior, with a long history of truancy,
learns that he will need to stay in school
an extra year. After the new school year
starts, he refuses to go to school.
Frustrated, his mother takes him to the
school, withdraws him, and says she will
enroll him in a GED program, which she
never does.
Who is Considered a Drop Out?
A senior is injured in a car accident and
goes to the hospital. After spending six
months recovering, she is given some
packets to begin catching up. She refuses
to do them, finds them boring, and
decides not to return to school.
Who is Not a Dropout?
Someone who….
• “transfers to an educational program recognized
by the district,”
• “transfers to a GED program,”
• “committed to an Institution that maintains
educational programs,”
• “or is so ill that he/she cannot participate in a
homebound or special therapy program.”
– Colorado Department of Education
Why do they Dropout?
• Classes Not Interesting
• Not Motivated
• Lack of Positive Role
Model
• Not Encouraged to do
Better
• Needed to Work
•
•
•
•
Became a Parent
Lack of Support.
Could not Keep up.
Missed too Many
Days.
• Not prepared.
• Repeated a Grade.
What We do!
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dropout Intervention.
Dropout Recovery.
New School Creation.
School District Consultation and
Research.
Dropout Intervention
• Educational Intervention Specialist.
• 9th Grade Algebra Program.
• Volunteer Coordination.
• Educational Case Management.
According to the study “Silent Epidemic:
Perspectives of High School Dropouts,” it is
noted that:
“Three-fourths (74 percent) said that if they were
able to relive the experience they would have
stayed in school, and 76 percent said they would
definitely or probably re-enroll in a high school
for people their age if they could.”
Dropout Recovery
• Educational Outreach Specialist.
• Directly find youth in the community.
• Help with barriers.
• Provide support and help connect to
resources.
• Positions in DPS and APS.
Dropout Recovery
• Start with the Dropout List.
• Segment the Dropout List into Zip
Codes and Regions.
• Assign an Educational Outreach
Specialist to Each Zip Code or Region.
80226
80219
80232
80227
80223
80235
80236
80123
80110
80123
ZIP CODE
# of Dropouts
Current Pop.
80219
612
57,402
7.53 sq mi
$ 126,900
80239
368
36,897
8.31 sq mi
$ 138,600
80204
400
33,688
5.83 sq mi
$ 118,400
80205
202
33,825
4.49 sq mi
$ 131,500
# of Dropouts
Current Pop.
2
18,536
ZIP CODE
80203
Land Area
Land Area
1.05 sq mi
Avg House Value
Avg House Value
$ 204,300
0
Wheat Ridge
Standley Lake
Ralston
Pomona
Lakewood
Jefferson
Green Mountain
Golden
Evergreen
Dakota Ridge
Conifer
Columbine
Chatfield
Bear Creek
Arvada West
Arvada
Alameda
Dropout Rate
Jefferson County Dropout Rate by Grade 2006 - 2007
25
20
15
10
9th
10th
11th
12th
5
Dropout Recovery
Next Step….
GET THE DATA!
SHOULD I GET MY DIPLOMA OR MY GED?
Do you have your most
recent transcripts?
NO
How many credits
do you have?
Call the last school.
Ask for “records.”
?
0 - 60
YES
61 - 121
121 - 180
181 +
How old are you?
21
16
17
18
19
20
You have
to return to
school!
Find out what options are available, according to your age,
and the amount of credits you have!
?
0 - 60
61 - 121
16
MAYBE
YES!!!
17
MAYBE
18
MAYBE
19
20
21
121 - 180
181 +
YES!!!
YES!!!
YES!!!
YES!!!
YES!!!
YES!!!
YES!!!
MAYBE
YES!!!
YES!!!
YES!!!
Probably
MAYBE
MAYBE
YES!!!
YES!!!
Not
Probably Probably
MAYBE
MAYBE
YES!!!
Not
Not
Probably Probably Probably
MAYBE
MAYBE
Not
Not
Not
New School Creation
• PS1 @ The Spot.
– Pilot program combining dropout center and
DPS charter school.
• Academy of Urban Learning.
– Unique charter school serving high risk and
homeless youth.
• West Career Academy.
– A school within a school for older
dropouts.
School District Consultation
and Research.
• Meet with school officials.
• Help determine trends.
• Identify areas of high dropout
concentrations.
• Transmit youth voice.
Challenges?
• Where does education fit in Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs?
• Distrust of and Fatigue with school system.
• Lack of Understanding of Special Education
Options.
• Assuming mental health expertise translates to
cognitive/learning expertise.
What Works?
• All students are valued.
• One educator who advocates for youth.
• Families are valued partners.
• Schools must change and innovate.
• Instruction in different learning styles.
Montecel, M.R., Cortez, J.D., Cortez, A. (2004). Dropout prevention
programs: Right intent, Wrong Focus, and Some Suggestions on where to go
from here. Education and Urban Society. 36 (2), 169 – 188.
THANKS!
Questions?
Brian Brinkerhoff
[email protected]
303.888.3470