Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative Evaluation

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative
Evaluation
Main Contacts Dr. Kate Tilleczek, Laurentian
University The Hospital for Sick Children Dr.
Bruce Ferguson, The Hospital for Sick
ChildrenDr. Michael Mueller, The Hospital for
Sick Children Ms. Dara Roth Edney, The Hospital
for Sick Children Ms. Sarah Bovaird, The
Hospital for Sick Children Dr. Simon Laflamme,
Laurentian University
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When and where?

• The tragedy of the transition years is not that
  students experience anxiety on transfer to
  secondary school. The tragedy is that this
  anxiety passes so quickly, and that the students
  adjust so smoothly to the many uncomfortable
  realities of secondary school life. These
  realtiescan restrict achievement, and depress
  motivation (especially among the less academic)
  sowing the seeds for dropout in later years.
• (Hargreaves Earl, 1990)

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Being and Becoming

Belonging
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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and
Implementation InitiativeINTRODUCTION

• As part of Phase Three of the Student Success
  strategy, the Ontario Ministry of Education
  developed and introduced the Grade 8 to 9
  Transition Planning and Implementation Initiative
  to improve the success of students as they make
  the transition from grade eight to grade nine.
• Training for this initiative was conducted by
  ministry staff for Student Success Leaders (SSLs)
  and supervisory officers of school boards in the
  spring of 2006.
• These board leaders in turn conducted the same
  training for the Student Success Teachers (SSTs)
  and transition team members in their respective
  boards.

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and
Implementation InitiativeINTRODUCTION

• The transition planning and implementation
  components included
• designation of caring adults
• strength-based timetabling
• strategies and interventions for grade 8 students
  who may be at risk
• grade 8 student profiles
• Board training and plan for local implementation

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and
Implementation InitiativeMETHODOLOGY

• During the Fall of 2006, questionnaires were
  circulated to all SSLs and SSTs via emails.
• SSL Response
• A total of 59 SSLs from 59 school boards across
  Ontario completed and returned the questionnaire.
  The distribution of SSLs comprised of 50 from
  English-language and 9 from French-language
  school boards, as well as 28 from Catholic and 31
  from Public school boards.

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and
Implementation InitiativeMETHODOLOGY

• SST Response
• 358 student success teachers (311
  English-language and 47 French-language) from 342
  schools within 56 district school boards
• 297 from urban schools and 52 from rural schools
• 230 from Public schools and 127 from Catholic
  schools
• Vast majority were secondary schools composed of
  grades 9 through 12 (88 )
• Based on the total number of secondary schools in
  Ontario
• (n869), the overall response rate was almost 40
  .

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning and
ImplementationInitiative Evaluation RESULTS
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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning
InitiativeRESULTS THE IMPLEMENTATION

• Overall implementation
• Both SSLs and SSTs reported high levels of
  diffusion and implementation of the components of
  the program.

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning
InitiativeRESULTS THE IMPLEMENTATION (SST)

• Almost two-thirds of the SSTs (59 ) reported
  that their schools have most components
  implemented.
• Less than 1 of SSTs reported their schools had
  only a few components implemented.

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning
InitiativeRESULTS THE IMPLEMENTATION (SST)

• There is variability across the Boards in
  defining families of schools.
• There was variability across Boards in defining
  at-risk.

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning
InitiativeRESULTS THE PERCEPTION OF THE
INNOVATION (SSL)

• Over two-thirds of the SSLs rated the Ministrys
  Transition Planning Training Sessions positively
  (28 somewhat useful, 45 quite useful, and
  28 very useful).

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning
InitiativeRESULTS THE PERCEPTION (SSL)

• CONCLUSIONS (SSL)
• Training sessions provided details of
  expectations, and resources/support for board
  wide sessions
• Training sessions clearly addressed the need for
  the different components

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Grade 8 to 9 Transition Planning Initiative
RESULTS OTHER FACTORS (SSL)

• Participation of SSLs and Supervisory Officers in
  Board training has important positive impact on
  levels of implementation.

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Discussion and Recommendations

• There is variability in how at risk was defined
  and this definition had an impact on the
  implementation of components.
• Participation of senior board officers in board
  training sessions had an important positive
  impact on implementation.

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Discussion and Recommendations

• The results suggest the need for more resources
  for staff training and an examination of the
  roles and resourcing of SSTs.
• The importance of elementary and secondary
  schools shared planning and implementation was
  highlighted.