SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL Rebecca Harrison Consultant [e-mail] International Center for Leadership in Education

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SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONSMIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH
SCHOOLRebecca HarrisonConsultantbfharris49_at_
suddenlink.netInternational Center for
Leadership in Education
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CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH PERFORMING HIGH SCHOOLS

• Focus on Student Interests and Needs Getting
  to Small
• Culture of High Expectations for ALL
• Relationships at All Levels Personalization
  and adult collaboration
• Curriculum and Instruction Rigor and Relevance
• Use of Data

• Leadership
• Professional Development
• 12th Grade
• 9th Grade
• LITERACY
• Civility Character
• Quality Support
• Unity of Purpose

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CAPROCK HIGH SCHOOLMODEL SCHOOL 2004, 2005,
2006

Seamless Transition
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PRE NINTH GRADE TRANSITIONS

• VISIBLE PRESENCE ON MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS
  BEGINNING IN OCTOBER
• EIGHTH GRADE ELECTIVE FAIR JANUARY
• HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS ATTEND ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL
  SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW
  COMMITTEES
• CAMPUS TOURS
• SUMMER ACADEMIC ACADEMIES
• SUMMER FREE ATHLETIC CAMPS GRADES 5-8
• AUGUST STUDENT FISH CAMP
• AUGUST PARENT FISH CAMP
• MONTHLY PARENT MEETINGS
• 1. P.O.S.S.E PARENT ORGANIZATION
• PASSING OF THE SPIRIT STICK CEREMONY

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HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION DATA

• END OF YEAR FAILURE RATES IN MATH AND SCIENCE
• SELECT STUDENTS FOR SUMMER ACADCEMY
• SELECT STUDENTS FOR AFTER SCHOOL ACADEMY THE
  FIRST SIX WEEKS OF SCHOOL
• IDENTIFY STUDENT HISTORY OF FAILING SCORES ON
  STATE TESTS FROM GRADE 5 ON UP USED TO SET UP
  ADDITIONAL PULLOUTS AND INDIVIDUAL TUTORING ON
  SKILLS
• IDENTIFY THE LEXILE SCORES FOR INCOMING 8TH
  GRADERS FOR ENGLISH AND SOCIAL STUDIES TO IDENTLY
  READING STRATEGIES TO USE IN THESE CONTENT AREAS.

• STATE TEST SCORES FOR EIGHTH GRADERS
• PLACE STUDENTS IN MATH AND SCIENCE USING A ONE TO
  THREE RATIO OF READY TO NEEDY.
• IDENTIFY BUBBLE STUDENTS IN MATH AND SCIENCE
• IDENTIFY STATE TESTING WEAKNESSES ACROSS THE
  NINTH GRADE IN READING, MATH, AND SCIENCE

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CAMPUS WIDE TRANSITIONS

• SCHOOL WIDE FOCUS ON STUDENT SUCCESS
• SIX WEEKS PERIODIC ASSESSMENTS TO INSURE SUCCESS
  ON STATE TESTING
• CO-TEACH INCLUSION CLASSES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
  AND ELL STUDENTS
• DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS
• LAYERED SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES
• ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL

• SIX WEEKS CREDIT RECOVERY
• MANDATORY TUTORIALS
• INDIVIDUAL INTERVENTION PLANS
• PARENT CONFERENCES EACH SEMESTER
• REVIEW OF EIGHTH GRADE SKILLS IN MATH AND SCIENCE
  THE FIRST SIX WEEKS IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
• ACADEMIC SUCCESS CONTRACTS
• SELF ADVOCATES
• ADOPT A FRESHMAN PROGRAMS
• STARFISH MENTORING PROGRAM
• EXTENDED YEAR PROGRAMS
• ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND COUNSELOR ACADEMIC
  SUCCESS FOCUS

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HIGH SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITION DATA

• HIGH SCHOOL COUNSLEORS ATTEND ALL EIGHTH GRADE
  ADMISSION, REVIEW, AND DISMISSAL MEETINGS
• MOVE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN DIRECTION OF
  TAKING THE REGULAR STATE TEST.
• IDENTFY AREAS OF WEAKNESS IN THE AYP FOCUS AREA
  OF READING AND MATH TO ADDRESS TENTH GRADE STATE
  TESTING.

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NINTH GRADE GOALS

• DECREASE THE RATE OF RETENTION IN THE NINTH GRADE
• REDUCE THE GAP IN RETENTION OF SUBGROUPS
• REDUCE THE NINTH GRADE DROPOUTS
• HELP NINTH GRADERS SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATE TO THE
  TENTH GRADE
• INCREASE ATTENDANCE RATES IN THE NINTH GRADE
• PROVIDE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS FOR STUDENTS FROM
  MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL

• FOCUS ON DATA
• SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE ON THE STATE
  ASSESSMENTS
• IMPROVE ACADEMIC SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING
• TEACH STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND BE SELF
  ADVOCATES
• ESTABLISH COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT MECHANISMS FOR
  ALL STUDENTS

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NINTH GRADE PROGRAM COMPONENTS

• DESIGNATED NINTH GRADE COUNSELOR AND ASSISTANT
  PRINCIPAL
• ACADEMIC SUPPORT SPECIALIST
• TEACHER TEAMS- FOUR CORE SUBJECTS, 80-100
  STUDENTS
• RATIO OF READY TO NEEDY IN MATH AND SCIENCE
• HOUSED IN PARTS OF BUILDINGS TO ISOLATE AS MUCH
  AS POSSIBLE
• SEPARATE LUNCH- CLOSED CAMPUS FOR FRESHMAN ONLY
• CLASS SIZE 20-22
• PRO ACTIVE APPROACH TO DISCIPLINE AND ACADEMICS
• FIRST TIME FRESHMAN ONLY
• WEEKLY TEAM MEETINGS
• PRINCIPAL, COUNSELOR, AND ACADEMIC SPECIALIST
  ATTEND WEEKLY TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY
• FOCUS ON STUDENT ISSUES
• WEEKLY SPEICFIC AGENDA
• ADDRESS PROGRAMMATIC PROBLEMS IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY

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DATA ANALYSISMIDDLE SCHOOL

• SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITIONS
• INCLUSION
• EXEMPT
• TAKING REGULAR STATE TESTS
• LAYERS OF INSTRUCTION
• Regular classroom no modifications
• Regular classroom with modification
• Inclusion / co-teach
• Content Mastery
• Resource classes
• Functional living skills classes

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DATA ANALYSISMIDDLE SCHOOL

• ELL TRANSITIONS
• NUMBER OF STUDENTS EXITED FROM ELL
• NUMBER MAINSTREAMED TO REGULAR CLASSES WITH SAME
  LAYERING AS SPECIAL ECUATION
• TEST SCORES TELPAS, RTPE, STATE TESTING
• HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT - MATH SCIENCE
• NEWCOMER CENTER EXIT

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DATA ANALYSISMIDDLE SCHOOL

• FAILURE RATES IN MATH AND SCIENCE
• ENROLLED IN PAP CLASSES
• ENHANCED NATIVE SPEAKER CLASSES

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ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONSMIDDLE SCHOOL

• MANDATORY TUTORIALS TIED TO LUNCH PERIOD
• SIX WEEKS PERIODIC ASSESSMENTS
• SIX WEEKS STANDARDS TIED TO STATE ESSENTIAL
  ELEMENTS

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VERTICAL COLLABORATIONMIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL

• TEACHER SWAP EACH SPRING
• YEARLY COMBINED MEETINGS OF CORE SUBJECT
  TEACHERS
• PAP TEACHERS YEARLY MEETING
• SHARED STAFF DEVELOPMENT FOCUS
• SIOP SHELTERED INSTRUCTION OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
• DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
• CO OPERATIVE LEARNING

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MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS FOCUS

• SCHOLARSHIPS - K-12 FOCUS
• ACE
• HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT CLASSES
• OFFERED NATIVE SPEAKERS CLASS
• SHARED COACHING STAFF

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SUMMARY

• Long term success data Data driven
• Ninth grade passing rate has gone from 53 in
  1999 to 93 in 2006
• Graduation rates have gone from 70 in 1999 to
  90 in 2006
• For 2006-2007 - 45 increase in students taking
  PAP and AP courses
• All freshman take the Recommended Diploma
• Strong support system for students and teachers
• Goal is to graduate to the tenth grade - This
  years
• Freshman class was 582. 570
  graduated to the
• tenth grade.

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WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

• DATA DATA DATA
• Learn all there is to know about incoming 8th
• graders.
• Use what you learn to set up early intervention
  programs.
• Build credit recovery programs by three weeks,
• six weeks, and on going throughout the
• year.
• Monitor individual student progress by the week,
  by
• six weeks, and on-going
• Intervene early

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• Leadership in todays high schools is not a
  journey to retirement with the intention of
  arriving safely, without risk, with all that is
  now familiar about the American high school in
  tact, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly
  used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
  wow we have made the transition from middle
  school to high school - what a ride