Georgia

CIS Small Schools Model Promoting Graduation and Career/College Readiness

The Performance Learning The Performance Learning CenterCenter®®

Georgia

Who We Are

Communities In Schools (CIS) is the nation’s leading community-based organization helping kids succeed in school and prepare for life.

• MISSION: To surround students with a community of support empowering them to succeed in school and achieve in life.

• GOAL: To assist communities in implementing locally-defined, comprehensive stay-in-school programs.

Georgia

The CIS Vision

ALL kids have a chance to succeed

The CIS Five BasicsEvery child needs and deserves:

• A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult• A safe place to learn and grow• A healthy start and a healthy future• A marketable skill to use upon graduation• A chance to give back to peers and community

Georgia

What We Do

Georgia

Network Structure

National Officecommunitiesinschools.org

CIS of Georgiacisga.org

Local Affiliates(multiple)

Georgia

The Most At-Risk Youth

• Only 60% of low-income students can expect to graduate from high school

• Only 1 in 3 low-income students will enroll in college

• Only 1 in 7 low-income students will earn a bachelor’s degree

Educational Policy Improvement Center, 2007

Georgia

Georgia’s Educational Challenges

Consider: Thousands of students are not making it to graduation.

96,131

95,443

90,402

145,243

142,079

135,091

0 50,000 100,000 150,000

Senior Class Freshman Class

2004

2008

2005

2009

2003

2007 -33.1%

Fall Senior Class Enrollment Compared to Fall Freshman Class Enrollment 3 Years Earlier (based on Georgia Department of

Education FTE Count)

The senior class is consistently over 30% smaller than the freshman class that entered four years earlier.

-32.8%

-33.8%

Freshmen

Freshmen

Seniors

Seniors

Seniors

Freshmen

GeorgiaAre we doing enough?Are we doing enough? AdvantagedAdvantaged

YouthYouthDisadvantagedDisadvantaged

YouthYouth

1. Are we prepared to serve youth who are:

• Motivated• Ready to learn• On task• Engaged in education• With support

• Unmotivated• Not ready to learn• Off task• Disengaged in education• Without support

2. Do youth possess cognitive and/or non-cognitive variables?

YES Cognitive

YES Non-Cognitive

Maybe Cognitive

NO Non-Cognitive

3. Deliberate and intentional solutions that lead to success.

Cognitive skills Rigorous curriculum

Non-cognitive skills Strong relationshipsRigorous curriculum

PLC Rationale

Georgia

Why the Performance Learning Center?

To serve students who are not succeeding in the traditional high school setting, particularly those who:

• Are chronically late or absent

• Have a lack of interest in school and learning

• Demonstrate poor academic achievement • (with average or above average ability)

• Are unable to cope with structured school environment

• Are facing non-academic challenges to success• (pregnancy, poverty, lack of health care, etc.)

• Are at high risk of dropping out of school

Georgia

Many Effective Strategies Improve Public Education

10

In the classroom

Education Management

1/3 still dropout

Public Education

Georgia

Performance Learning Center Structure

LEA

ACADEMIC COORDINATOR

LEARNING FACILITATOR

LEARNING FACILITATO

R

LEARNING FACILITATOR

LEARNINGFACILITATOR

LEARNING FACILITATO

R

CIS SITECOORDINATOR

CIS LOCALNETWORK AFFILIATE

CIS STATEORGANIZATION

PARENTSVOLUNTEERS/MENTORS

COMMUNITY

ADMINISTRATIVEASSISTANT

Georgia

PLC Structure

Program Model• 150 students • Separate school facility• District makes personnel decisions • PLC has its own schedule• Approved PLC Curriculum aligned to State standards• Charter (school district decision)• Teacher-to-student ratio 1:15-18• Positive School Culture/Climate• Flexible seat time based on content mastery (waiver)• Referral and Selection • Minimum reading/math competency levels

Georgia

13

Our Results (All PLCs: 2009-10)

Graduation:Graduation:

•Since inception in 2003, over 5,000 students have graduated from PLCs.

•96% of PLC students classified as seniors at the beginning of the year graduated in 2009.

Attendance:Attendance:

•PLC students had 65% fewer absences than at their previous schools.

•Average daily attendance is 88% percent across all PLCs.

DisciplineDiscipline: : 85% reduction in suspensions

Academics: Academics: Grade improvement ranged from 6-18%

GeorgiaAcademic Improvement

68

79.78

71.58

79.79

76.88

67.38

Pre Math Post Math Pre Reading Post Reading Pre All Post All

Pre / Post Subject

Gra

de

Av

era

ge

Georgia

Student Survey Results

87.0%

90.0%

97.0%

89.0%

90.0%

93.0%

82.0% 84.0% 86.0% 88.0% 90.0% 92.0% 94.0% 96.0% 98.0%

I am more Focusedon my School Work

Teachers Care AboutMe

At PLC, I Know I CanBe Successful

I have DevelopedGoals for My Future

I am a Good Student

At PLC, I am able toAccomplish More

Percent of Students Agreeing

Georgia

Independent Evaluations Prove ItThe Atlantic Philanthropies evaluation (Feb. 2011) concluded that Communities In Schools' model resulted in the strongest reduction in dropout rates of any existing fully scaled dropout prevention program that has been evaluated:

• CIS’s positive effect on both dropout rates and graduation rates is unique among dropout prevention programs;

• The higher the level of fidelity to the CIS model, the greater the effects, which validates the power of the model;

• Positive effects accrued to schools across states, settings (urban, suburban, rural), grade levels and ethnicities; and

• The Austin randomized controlled trial, which demonstrated a reduction in student dropout rates that was nearly three times the What Works Clearinghouse’s threshold for “substantively important” effects.

http://www.communitiesinschools.org/media-center/resource/five-year-evaluation

Georgia

Major Findings of ICF Evaluation of PLCs in Georgia (Jan. 2009)Effectiveness of the Model

• Case studies documented the effectiveness of the PLC model in promoting individual students success by providing facilitated self-paced instruction, individualized attention, and strong connections between the student, PLC, and the community.

• Increase on-time graduation

• Increase student aspirations on both continuing education and expanded options.

Increased Graduation Rates

• Overall, PLC district graduation rates improved by 6.0 points more than the comparison (non-PLC) districts over the 2-year evaluation period.

Georgia

Association for High School Innovation (AHSI) Distinguishers

A set of universal distinguishers evident in the design of all AHSI schools that provide a common design framework for development and assessment of our schools:

1. Authentic Learning, Teaching, and Performance Assessment

2. Personalized School Culture

3. Shared Leadership & Responsibility

4. Supportive Partnerships

5. Future Focus

www.ahsi.org

Georgia

Student Road Map to Success

C H A R T I N G F O R S U C C E S S

ACADEMIC S E R V I C E L E A R N I N G

Referral

Interview/IntakeProcess

IndividualDevelopment

Plan

Instructional Day

Scheduling

Capstone

Graduation

Career/College

Graduation

MentorProgram

College Readiness

LIFE SKILLS

Georgia

How to GRADUATE

How to THINK

High School Graduation

Credits, Online Curriculum, End-of-Course Tests, High School Graduation Tests

Beyond Graduation

Academic Service Learning, Teamwork, Critical Thinking Skills, Presentation Skills, Project-Based Learning, Senior Project, Dual Enrollment, Internships

PLC STUDENTS’ SUCCESS

College and Career ready

Georgia

PLC Strategy PLC Strategy “The 4 Rs“The 4 Rs”

Results

Rigorous academics

Relevant instruction

Relationships that motivate

P

RODUCT I VI T Y TIME

The Performance Learning Center meets students at their current academic skill and social development levels, as opposed to where they “should” be. Through the development of healthy relationships and a relevant and rigorous instructional program, students develop academically and socially and are prepared to move to the next level educationally, vocationally and as citizens.

Georgia

PLC Curriculum

• Comprehensive Online Courseware (NovaNET,

E2020, Apex, Plato and Odysseyware)

• Project-Based Learning & Academic Service Learning

• PLC Senior Project

• Advisory (Charting for Success ®)

• Capstone: Internships and Dual Enrollment

• Test Preparation & Other Supplemental Curriculum

(USATest Prep, SAS Curriculum Pathways, Rosetta Stone)

• Web 2.0 Technology (wikis, Edmodo, edNovo’s Gooru)

Georgia

The PLC Network

2011-2012–17 Georgia–5 North Carolina–4 Virginia–1 Washington

Total: 27 PLCs