Best Practices in Educational Options Schools

1
Best Practices in Educational Options Schools
Programs
Juvenile Court and Community Schools San Diego
County Office of Education

• California County Superintendents Educational
  Services Association
• Palm Springs, CA
• March 23, 2007

2
School Overview

• JCCS students are referred to us from the
  Probation Department, the Department of Social
  Services and/or the student's resident school
  district. School districts refer students for
  zero tolerance, expulsion, credit deficiency, and
  truancy.
• 3,200 avg ADA, 47 day avg length of stay

3
School Overview
4
The Problem

• Challenges
• Test data incomplete, inconsistent, old model
• High mobility, low motivation
• Time sensitive
• The rationale for the practice
• Improve teaching and learning
• Report to Board of Ed and stakeholders

5
The Problem

• Challenges
• Conscientious teachers
• Voluminous standards
• Multi-subject/grade/ability
• Lack of continuity
• Rationale
• Well-prepared teacherswell-prepared students

6
The Practice

• The response to the problem/challenge
• Create new testing model for JCCS need
• Search for best tool to address the challenge
• The method or activity
• Team Approach
• Assessment, Technology, Curriculum
• Let the data drive the changes needed

7
The Practice

• Power Standards
• Teachers on Special Assignment
• Buy-backs
• Standards-aligned textbooks
• Focus of all staff meetings Instruction
• WASC

8
The Practice

• The JCCS Technology Support Team is a critical
  entity in supporting the academic goals for all
  JCCS students. A key area of technological
  support involves the use of assessment data to
  help drive differentiated instruction for
  students in our classroom, most of whom are at
  risk and performing well below grade level.
  Through the implementation of Northwest
  Evaluation Associations (NWEA) Measures of
  Academic Progress (MAP) program, our teachers,
  students and staff use timely assessment data in
  reading, math and language arts to target
  learning to address specifically identified needs.

9
The Outcomes

• Intended and unintended
• Cultural change
• New Leadership emergence
• Stepped around resistance
• Test data
• 50,000 MAP tests Reading, Math L.A.
• ASAM indicator data
• CAHSEE, Credit Completion, Attendance
• Student level data
• Inconclusive, simultaneously up and down

10
The Outcomes

• Intended
• Equity
• More confident teachers
• Better prepared students
• Improved CAHSEE test scores
• Continuity for teachers/students

11
The Outcomes
12
The Outcomes
13
The Outcomes
14
The Outcomes
15
Generalizability

• The program can be transported to other schools
  (MAP, FileMakerPro, testing centers etc.)
• Local focus on alternative needs
• Local design and development has unique features
  (Network Process)
• Continuity benefits

16
Resources, Challenges Roadblocks

• Fiscal
• Startup and ongoing expenses (MAP 12 per)
• Infrastructure upgrades, equipment, labs,
  transportation, database develop/customization
• Staff
• Lead Team, Tech support, Student Support
  Specialists
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Value of education
• Value of information to change culture
• Cost of doing nothing

17
Resources, Challenges Roadblocks

• Fiscal
• Title I, Title II, 21st Century Learning Grant
• Professional Development Block Grant
• IMF funds, Lottery funds, General Funds
• Staff
• Teachers on Special Assignment
• Cost Benefit Analysis

18
Conclusion

• JCCS academic indicators have shown steady
  improvement over the past six years, as
  illustrated by the increase in CAHSEE passing
  rates. Local assessments reveal improvement in
  academic skills, despite short enrollment
  periods. Indicators of student engagement and
  completion reveal that students attend school at
  an acceptable level and are productive in school.

19
Conclusion

• Information is power
• Teamwork is critical
• Cultural shift/change is challenging
• Share the data
• Test results have immediate value to impact
  instruction and promote student growth

20
Conclusion/Summary

• Contact Information
• Dennis Danielson, Ed.D.
• Mary Glover
• Juvenile Court and Community Schools
• San Diego County Office of Education
• ddaniel_at_sdcoe.net
• mglover_at_sdcoe.net