Ninth Grade Intervention Pilot Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Ninth Grade Intervention Pilot Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Purpose of Report: To provide information regarding ninth grade interventions to reduce the percentage of ninth grade semester failures by 50 percent and increase the percent of ninth grade students who complete five credits at the conclusion of their first two semesters of high school. Targeted strategies at Lincoln, Roosevelt and Washington High Schools are reducing the number of failing semester grades among ninth grade students and increasing the number of freshmen earning five or more credits by the end of the year. By focusing on relationships, alternative delivery of course curriculum and interventions, each school has developed unique programs for keeping students ontrack to graduate from high school in four years. The percentage of ninth grade students earning five or more credits during the first year of high school has risen from 86.9% in 2007 to 91.1% in 2011 - a 4.2% increase. The District will continue to improve and enhance current strategies for ninth grade success and, where applicable, implement new instructional practices to reach the goal of reducing ninth grade semester failures by 50 percent. Administrative Recommendation to School Board: Acknowledge the report of ninth grade interventions targeted to reduce the percentage of ninth grade semester failures and increase the percent of ninth grade students who complete five credits at the conclusion of their first two semesters of high school. Report Prepared by: Curriculum Services/Special Services June 27, 2011 Presented by: Dr. Laura Raeder

Ninth Grade Intervention Pilot Report Purpose of Report: To provide information regarding ninth grade interventions to reduce the percentage of ninth grade semester failures by 50 percent and increase the percent of ninth grade students who complete 5 credits at the conclusion of their first two semesters of high school. District Priority Area: Student Achievement Goal/Strategy: All students will successfully complete high school graduation requirements. SA4.6 Each school develop and pilot a ninth grade transition plan that reduces the percentage of ninth grade semester grade failures by 50%. Explanation: Sioux Falls School District high schools have implemented strategies to reduce the percentage of ninth grade semester failures by 50 percent. By increasing the number of ninth grade students receiving passing grades, the District will meet the performance target of Annually increase the percent of ninth grade students who have completed five credits at the conclusion of their first two semesters of high school. District high schools have a commitment to implement intervention strategies which support the belief that failure is not acceptable. A focus on relationships, alternative delivery of course curriculum and interventions continue to be at the core of academic success for District ninth graders. Washington High School (WHS) implemented a Freshman Academy supported by a team of high school teachers who share common team planning time, which provides opportunities to constantly communicate and develop engaging lessons and common assessments. (Washington High School Freshman Academy Board Report, June 22, 2009) The Freshman Academy will be starting its fourth year of implementation. WHS partners with Whittier and Patrick Henry Middle Schools, focusing on pre-identified students in four criteria: behavior, attendance, failing math and/or failing English during eighth grade year. A strong effort is placed on the first eight days of school to make the best possible start for all students. Each student s schedule is checked by the Academy team to ensure correct course placement which matches their strengths and challenges. Academy teachers use study hall time to discuss high school patterns for success, expectations, and ninth grade opportunities. Additional interventions include: Link Crew programming 100+ upperclassmen receive 10 hours of training before leading freshman orientation; Five activity fairs are held during the students study hall where clubs and sports teams present to students who have self-selected their interest; Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 1 June 27, 2011

Each Academy team is their own Student Assistance Team (SAT) - counselors and off-team teachers are invited or provide written feedback to inform decisionmaking; Collaboration is held weekly or bi-monthly for all the subject areas to meet and coordinate instruction; Each homework assignment is valued and pursued through the ZAPs (Zeros Aren t Permitted) Program; Teams provide written, regular, positive feedback to students; Teams meet with individual students to develop academic plans for success; Tutoring is offered twice a week after school to all freshmen; Academy teachers average 10 parent contacts per day in an effort to partner with parents; Focused study halls are structured so that students can get help from their core subject area teachers every day; Schedules for English Language Learners and Special Education students are adjusted to ensure appropriate course placement; A Pyramid of Interventions is used for academic support and a Pyramid of Success is used to celebrate student accomplishments; Pilot Wellness Program - 20 incoming freshman are identified by critical health indicators for specific educational and physical training to promote healthy living and personal well being; and Algebra Skills is a specialized course for students with non-proficient Dakota STEP math scores or by teacher recommendations that provides support and assistance for students to succeed in the traditional Algebra 1 course their freshman year. As indicated in Table A below, the percentage of Fs received by WHS ninth grade students for the 2010-11 school year was 8.3 percent, a 0.8 percent decrease from 2006-07. Table A Grade 2006-07 and 2010-11 Washington High School Ninth Grade Comparison For All Courses A B C D F 2007 2011 (Baseline) Count 2048 2193 % within 30.5% 35.9% Count 1850 1801 % within 27.5% 29.5% Count 1263 1009 % within 18.8% 16.5% Count 948 594 % within 14.1% 9.7% Count 610 505 % within 9.1% 8.3% Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 2 June 27, 2011

Table B indicates the percentage of ninth grade students earning five or more credits. The WHS staff has worked to increase this percent from 88 percent in 2007 to 92.3 percent in 2011. Status 5 or More Less Than 5 Table B 2007-2011 WHS Ninth Grade Credits 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Count 447 434 492 476 406 % within 88.0% 91.2% 92.5% 91.7% 92.3% Count 61 42 40 43 34 % within 12.0% 8.8% 7.5% 8.3% 7.7% WHS Freshman Academy teachers report the increase in credits earned is attributed to constant communication among teachers on student performance and progress. A new intervention was implemented in FY10 to address Biology failures. Any students with failures on unit tests were moved to study hall for recovery of concepts. Once they passed the next test, students moved back out of the review period. Future plans for the science department include collaboration to discuss and implement strategies which will reduce failures in Biology and Physical Science, with a focus on homework practice. Freshman Academy team planning allows teachers to develop lessons and units that engage students while focusing on standards. Common assessments, test item analysis, and ongoing collection of individual student performance data allow for targeted lesson planning and assignments to achieve individual student success. Standards Based Grading allows for individual student grades to be reported for each standard in the curriculum. Parents and students have a better understanding where study should be focused. Teachers have a better understanding of concepts that need repeating. In summary, building relationships, intervening, and working closely with students prior to failure have been the greatest factors in reducing failures and keeping students on track to graduate. Lincoln High School (LHS) has continued to implement a variety of strategies aimed at reducing ninth grade failures. These strategies include: Freshman welcome program all ninth graders have a tailored program to acquaint them to the school, schedules, clubs and school procedures. This is hosted by the LHS counselors with additional help from upper classmen. All three middle school feeder schools brought their 8 th graders over to the school in late April for a presentation and brief tour. The counselors at LHS hosted this presentation and had many student groups at Lincoln give brief presentations and overviews of their activities to get the 8 th graders excited about high school. The feedback from the middle school counselors was that the 8 th graders felt very special and were very excited about being future Patriots! Relationships ad rooms break down ninth graders into small groups which meet Monday through Thursday, with an emphasis on building relationships. Ad Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 3 June 27, 2011

room teachers also help monitor grades and attendance and they alert counselors and administration when there is a concern. Algebra Skills based on Dakota STEP scores from middle school, as well as eighth grade math grades, ninth grade students are placed into an Algebra Skills class in addition to their regular Algebra 1 class. This additional class helps students stay on track with the regular Algebra 1 class as well as provides additional support for math skills. Algebra Skills teachers use activities (Project Based Learning) to help build conceptual understanding for students through manipulatives and technology. English Skills based on teacher recommendation, LHS revised the previously taught full class period of English Skills, to a half hour class opposite the student s lunch period. It was found that for many ninth graders, having an additional full period of English in addition to their regular English 1 class was just too much time. The half hour was just right. The students received extra time to complete English work as well as received additional support and re-teaching of concepts. Mentor program counselors/parents or others identify students who are matched with an adult mentor. Reading period this is for the whole school and the ninth graders have a good start to the importance of literacy right from the first day of school. Improved assessment and grading practices during collaboration, teachers across disciplines made it a priority to look at main problem areas for students based on state and district standards. Teachers continued to work in course-alike groups to determine the best practice for students to improve the standards that were of concern. Relevance a new emphasis was placed on making lessons more relevant (in addition to the rigor). Several teachers have been trained in the Project Based Learning and have been a part of the training of other teachers during in-service trainings. As indicated in Table C below, the percentage of Fs received by LHS ninth grade students for the 2010-2011 school year was 10.6 percent, a decrease of 4.2 percent from 2007. Table C Grade 2006-07 and 2010-11 Lincoln High School Ninth Grade Comparison For All Courses A B C D F 2007 (Baseline) 2011 Count 1746 1778 % within 27.6% 29.4% Count 1490 1664 % within 23.5% 27.5% Count 1186 1194 % within 18.7% 19.7% Count 969 775 % within 15.3% 12.8% Count 938 643 % within 14.8% 10.6% Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 4 June 27, 2011

Table D indicates the percentage of ninth grade students earning five or more credits. The LHS staff has worked to increase this percent from 80.6 percent in 2007 to 86.9 percent in 2011. Status 5 or More Less Than 5 Table D 2007-2011 LHS Ninth Grade Credits 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Count 354 386 405 405 365 % within 80.6% 87.1% 91.4% 90.8% 86.9% Count 85 57 38 41 55 % within 19.4% 12.9% 8.6% 9.2% 13.1% Lincoln High School teachers attribute the increase in number of credits earned to improved assessment and grading practices. A collaborative effort by teachers identified the main problem areas for students based on State and District standards. Each standard was tied to a common assessment. Teachers worked in course-alike groups to determine the best practice for students to learn each standard. Daily objectives were posted and students were aware of the standard to be assessed daily, weekly, and through the semester exam. Teachers assigned less homework, and what was assigned was more relevant to learning. Daily objectives were assessed on quizzes, tests, informal assessments and lab activities. LHS teachers found that a majority of students who were failing were not earning completion points on daily homework assignments. Extended deadlines, increased monitoring of grades, and accepting late work for earned credit were strategies utilized to eliminate zeros in the grade book. Algebra Skills concentrated on an action-consequence-prediction model which focused on exploratory questions for analysis and deeper understanding. Algebra I sections utilizing a team model of regular and special education teachers demonstrated the highest semester test score average. Roosevelt High School (RHS) has taken a multi-faceted approach to the reduction of freshmen failures. RHS has taken a systemic approach that aligns at-risk students in a progressive series of interventions. The systemic approach started with the education of Roosevelt teachers about the RHS Pyramid of Interventions. The staff was taught the interventions that were available for failing students in a progressive order. The in-service program began with classroom interventions such as student engagement, quality instruction and teacher-directed check points as formative assessments. The next step in the training was to provide RHS teachers with strategies to use if effective teaching wasn t enough. The third step involved the directions for getting someone else involved in the needed interventions for failing students. The fourth step of training provided the teachers with programs and instructional support services that are available in the building to help troubled students. Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 5 June 27, 2011

Study hall was changed to the name of Student Responsibility Period (SRP). During SRP, teachers conference individually with their ninth grade students. The staff is encouraged to reassign struggling SRP students to teachers that are best suited to help with a particular weakness such as math or English. Homework Help is made available after school Monday through Thursday at RHS. Homework Help provides students with two tutors and at least two teachers every day after school with needed advice and guidance for the completion of school work. The Targeted Academic Guidance (TAG) process was introduced in the fall of 2010. RHS staff members and students were instructed how to use the process to help struggling students. The process essentially provides a systemic means for which struggling learners are required to stay after school either with their teacher or in Homework Help. In the 2010-11 school year, there were approximately 5,400 TAG referrals with approximately 1,450 students not showing up at the appointed time to meet with a teacher or tutor. RHS also utilizes In-School Suspension (ISS). ISS is used as the homework capital of Roosevelt High School. Students who do not complete TAG obligations and consequential disciplinary actions will receive ISS. These students are assigned ISS one day after the infraction so that homework can be lined up by the ISS supervisor. Teachers are encouraged to stop by the ISS room when they have a struggling student from their caseload in the room. ISS has proven to be effective because it keeps students in the building and in contact with their teachers. In the fall of 2010, RHS freshmen were welcomed to school with Link Crew Day. The freshmen were linked up with upperclassmen, engaged in plenty of activities and became orientated with the classrooms and hallways of RHS. Every Friday in the first month of school, RHS has Frontload the Fall activities in which ninth graders were invited to interact with their Link Leaders, ice cream and guest speakers. After each quarter the freshmen were recognized and rewarded by Link Leaders as an ongoing effort to support the students in their first year of high school. Many struggling freshmen participate in the Launch/Greatest Gainers Program. The program assists struggling students during their SRP time meeting in a small group setting on a regular basis with a guidance counselor. The small groups and counselors work through a structured curriculum designed to help at-risk students understand and learn successful student habits at school. The curriculum incorporates active student engagement and group activities. There are a number of other efforts at RHS to reduce the number of unsuccessful freshmen. Department chairs have gone to great lengths to properly place students in the correct level of classes. Regular education and special education teachers have teamed together to team teach many courses so special needs students can be placed in regular education courses. RHS has also piloted the John Hopkins model of math delivery for Algebra I. The first semester was a blocked class, two periods together, Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 6 June 27, 2011

that taught pre-algebra, and the second semester was a blocked class that taught regular Algebra I. RHS has utilizes its Student Assistance Team throughout the school year. The team meets once per week with recommendations on referred students. Students may be recommended for a schedule change, special education testing and/or accommodations within their regular schedule because of the work of SAT Team. As indicated in Table E below, the percentage of Fs received by RHS ninth grade students for all courses for the 2010-2011 school year was 6.5 percent, a 1.0 percent decrease from the 2006-07 school year. Table E 2006-07 and 2010-11 Roosevelt High School Ninth Grade Comparison For All Courses Grade A B C D F 2007 (Baseline) 2011 Count 1659 2241 % within 26.2% 34.7% Count 1924 1902 % within 30.4% 29.4% Count 1477 1187 % within 23.3% 18.4% Count 797 710 % within 12.6% 11% Count 477 423 % within 7.5% 6.5% Table F indicates the percentage of ninth grade students earning five or more credits. The RHS staff has worked to increase this percent from 92 percent in 2007 to 93.9 percent in 2011. Table F 2007-2011 RHS Ninth Grade Credits Status 5 or More Less Than 5 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Count 428 451 460 428 443 % within 92.0% 93.2% 93.1% 91.1% 93.9% Count 37 33 34 42 29 % within 8.0% 6.8% 6.9% 8.9% 6.1% RHS teachers report that the increase in credits earned is attributed to a focus on accountability and responsibility for learning. English I teachers will review current practice, collaborate with other English I teachers, work with the high school instructional coach for English, and develop a plan to reduce ninth grade failures. Ninth grade focused study hall teachers work daily to assist students to complete missing work and find success. Instructional strategies and 21 st Century activities, including vodcasting, reinforce identified standards where students struggle. Teacher collaboration and working in course-alike groups provide opportunities to identify problem areas in student learning. Teacher teams develop lessons and common assessments tied to State, District, and semester test standards to address concepts where students struggle. Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 7 June 27, 2011

In addition to interventions listed above, World Geography I teachers attribute the reduction in failures to collaborative efforts where teachers use their content expertise to strengthen the knowledge of the team. By sharing specific ideas, teachers have created interactive activities which engage students and have them excited about learning the material. The District has made it a performance target to increase the percent of ninth grade students who have completed five credits at the conclusion of their first two semesters of high school because research shows that keeping students on-track to complete high school in four years increases their chances of becoming a high school graduate. As indicated in Table G below, the percentage of Fs received by WHS, LHS, and RHS ninth grade students combined r all courses for the 2010-2011 school year was 8.4 percent, a 2.8 percent decrease from the 2006-07 school year. Grade Table G 2006-07 and 2010-11 WHS, LHS, RHS Ninth Grade Comparison For All Courses 2007 2011 (Baseline) Count 5453 6212 A % within 28.1% 33.4% Count 5264 5369 B % within 27.2% 28.8% Count 3926 3392 C % within 20.3% 18.2% Count 2714 2082 D % within 14.0% 11.2% Count 2025 1571 F % within 10.4% 8.4% Table H indicates longitudinal data of students who are enrolled from October 1 to the end of the school year and have earned credits in both semester 1 and 2. The data indicates the percentage of ninth grade students earning five or more credits has increased 4.2 percent from 86.9 percent in 2007 to 91.1 percent in 2011. Status Costs: N/A 5 or More Table H 2007-2011 Summary of Ninth Grade Credits Less Than 5 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Count 1234 1278 1357 1321 1315 % within 86.9% 90.4% 92.4% 90.9% 91.1% Count 186 136 112 132 129 % within 13.1% 9.6% 7.6% 9.1% 8.9% Committee Participation: High school principals, Instructional Support Services staff, Special Services staff, and Curriculum Services staff participated on the committee. Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 8 June 27, 2011

Summary: During the past four years (2007-2011), District high schools have implemented a variety of interventions designed to improve student academic success. The interventions vary across high schools, with each high school showing data that fewer ninth grade students are earning failing grades. A higher percentage of students are achieving five or more credits by the end of their ninth grade year compared to 2007. This achievement is significant throughout high school because students with at least five credits at the end of their ninth grade year are more likely to graduate from high school. The District will continue to seek and implement instructional practices that increase student success. Administrative Recommendation to School Board: Acknowledge the report of ninth grade interventions targeted to reduce the percentage of ninth grade semester failures and increase the percent of ninth grade students who complete 5 credits at the conclusion of their first two semesters of high school. Report Prepared by Curriculum/Special Services 9 June 27, 2011