Freshman High School Students - Research Paper Example

Running Head: FRESHMAN HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT Action Research Project Proposal: Freshman High School Dropout between Schooling Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………....3 Chapter I: Introduction.........................................................................................................4 Problem Statement………………………………………………………………...4 Purpose……………………………………………………………………………4 Description of Community………………………………………………………..4 Description of Work Setting………………………………………………………5 Writers Role……………………………………………………...…………….....6 Chapter II: Study of the Problem………………………………………………………….6 Problem Description……...……………………………………………………….6 Problem Documentation…………………………………………………………..6 Literature Review…………………………………………………………………7 Causative Analysis…………………………………………………………..……8 Chapter III: Outcomes and Evaluation………………………………………………......10 Goals and Expectations………………………………………………………….10 Expected Outcomes………………………………………………………….......10 Measurement of Outcomes……………………………………………………....11 Analysis of Results………………………………………………………………11 Chapter IV: Solution Strategy…………………………………………………………...12 Problem Statement………………………………………………………………12 Discussion……………………………………………………………………….12 Description of Selected Solutions………………………………………………14 Calendar Plan…………………………………………………………………....15 Abstract This Action Research is designed in an attempt to lessen the incidences of dropping out of school of high school freshmen. School disengagement of such students has been found to be linked to demographic, motivational and academic factors. The study will implement the Effective Learning Program to a group of at risk ninth graders recommended by the guidance counselor and teachers. The ELP program will be executed once a week for three hours for one semester in collaboration with teachers who are trained to provide a family atmosphere to the students. The trained ELP staff will take every opportunity in and out of classrooms to follow up on the students and to coordinate with their classroom teachers as to student behavior and to guide them accordingly in the formation of their character and developing good school habits. ELP teachers shall be in regular communication with parents, counselors, administrators and non-ELP teachers to monitor each student’s progress. Results will indicate if the ELP program is effective in motivating the students to stay in school and prevent dropping out. High School Students Dropout between Schooling Chapter I: Introduction Adolescence is a very trying time in a person’s life. It is when an individual struggles to establish his own identity in the face of changes and challenges that come his way. High school freshmen are vulnerable to a lot of adjustments. Not only are they adjusting to physical changes, but also emotional and social changes as well. For some, there is more to it than the usual adjustment to change, as some factors gravely affect their school performance. Research has unearthed information that school drop out rates are mostly coming from the population of high school freshmen. Problem Statement The problem is that more and more freshman high school students from Ballard High School are at risk of dropping out of school due to various reasons. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the reasons why students drop out of school and to find out what schools and teachers can do to prevent it. Description of the Community A large suburban school district in the United States was the community selected for study. This school district has more than 100 schools and serves close to 90,000 students annually (Zvoch, 2006). School enrollment is composed of large numbers of White and Latino students. The usual composition of the student population is approximately 46% Latino, 44% White, 4% American Indian, 3% African American, 2% Asian and 1% other (Zvoch, 2006). This district also serves many economically disadvantaged and language minority students (Zvoch, 2006). 15% of the students are classified as English Language Learners (ELLs) (Zvoch, 2006). The school organization was defined by the presence or absence of a smaller learning-community-style freshman academy.(Zvoch, 2006). This Freshman academy helped out ninth grade students by mentoring them one on one, providing a block schedule and team taught by teachers (Zvoch, 2006). The teachers meet weekly to discuss student issues and plan interdisciplinary lessons (Zvoch, 2006). Two (18%) of 11 district high schools had a freshman academy defined by principles commonly associated with smaller learning communities (Cotton, 2001) Description of Work Setting The research project will attempt to conduct a survey in one of the schools in the district. The selected school is Ballard High School. The student body is composed of approximately 1,600 students living in both the surrounding suburban neighborhood and an urban, inner-city district (Nowicki et al, 2004). Counselors, teachers, administrators and parents identify students at-risk of dropping out of school based on their low grades, poor attendance, learning disabilities, etc.) (Nowicki et al, 2004. These students have less than a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) at the end of their sophomore year and have missed more than 15 days of school by the end of their sophomore year (Nowicki et al, 2004). Upon gaining permission from the school authorities, the researcher shall conduct a survey using the Zoomerang Survey (2008) and analyze the results accordingly. Writer’s Role The writer holds a B.S. in business and administration and Teacher Certificate in education. She has been teaching in high school for 13 years. Her role at the school is a second language teacher and is an advisor for junior high school level. The writer is responsible for building lesson plans, test, expectations, and integrity for all second language students in language Basic I & Honors levels according to the language department curriculum. She is responsible for scheduling students work and overcome student’s academic and social barrier during advisory sessions. She consults with regular education teachers and with special educators experiencing problems in inclusive settings. Chapter II: Study of the Problem Problem Description The problem is that more and more freshman high school students at Ballard High School are at risk of dropping out of school due to various reasons (Nowicki et al, 2004). One reason is that students are unmotivated and not challenged enough by the education provided by the school. Another is that students are not performing well academically. Some students are greatly affected by their life situation changes and another reason is that their parents may not be involved in the students’ schooling. Problem Documentation A survey conducted by Civic Enterprises (2006) with about 470 dropouts nationwide on the top five reasons for dropping out yielded the following results: 47% said classes were not interesting; 43% said they missed too many days and could not catch up; 42% said they spent time with people who were not interested in school; 42% said they had too much freedom and not enough rules in their lives; and 35% said they were failing in school. Literature Review: Concern about the increasing numbers of students unable to graduate due to dropping out of school has prompted researchers to investigate the causes. A great deal of research has identified a host of factors associated with student disengagement from school (e.g. Zvoch, 2006; Entwistle, Alexander & Olson, 2004). Analysis of data gathered from research reveals demographic and academic factors as well as behaviors and attitudes of students influence dropping out of school (Alexander, Entwisle & Horsey, 1997; Alexander, Entwisle & Kabbani, 2001; Rumberger, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2000). Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, nontraditional (single, stepparent) families and students experiencing academic difficulties drop out at higher rates as compared with their more demographically advantaged and better achieving peers (Astone & McLanahan, 1991; Barro & Kolstad, 1987; Garnier, Stein & Jacobs, 1997; Goldschmidt & Wang, 1999). The drop-out rate in low socioeconomic status (SES) group was 25% compared with 13% and 8% in middle and high SES samples respectively (Ekstrom, Goertz, Pollack and Rock, 1986). Since poverty is three times more likely among African American and Hispanic families and ethnicity is clearly related to drop-out rate, 66% of a predominantly African American and Hispanic student body failed to graduate from high school (Natriello,1990; Fine, 1986). Dysfunctional or “broken” families and less well-educated parents are also associated with higher drop-out rates (Carnahan, 1994, Ekstrom et al., 1986, Rumberger, 1983). This may be explained by the emotional effects suffered by the students due to their personal concerns. Limited proficiency in English is also a contributory factor in academic failure (Natriello et al., 1990). This is on top of the many factors an adolescent student has to contend with! It has been established that the more students are engaged in school, the more academically resilient they become, the more likely they will be to remain in school through graduation (Finn & Rock, 1997). Causative Analysis: Demographic, Motivational and Academic factors are identified as the causes for school drop-outs (Nowicki, Duke, Sisney, Stricker & Tyler, 2004). Demographic factors such as poverty, race or ethnicity, family configuration, parental education and limited proficiency in the English language affect students’ school disengagement. Poor students’ inability to go to school due to financial constraints keeps them at home. Students from minority groups have a more difficult time adjusting to school due to their cultural differences and adjustment to the culture of the majority. As discussed earlier, students coming from dysfunctional families are not given enough parental support when it comes to their schooling. For students to be able to perform well academically, personal concerns such as family problems should be minimal or managed well so they can concentrate better on their schooling. Students of uneducated or less educated parents may not have the support of their parents to help them out in their homework so they are expected to fend for themselves. They need proper guidance from a trusted adult. English language learners (ELLs) need comprehensive understanding of the language to be able to cope with the academic demands of the curriculum which is implemented in English. High school drop-outs interviewed claimed that the top reason to quit was lack of motivation (Gewertz, 2006). Students desired better teachers who were more effective and challenged their skills. Classes were found to be boring and teaching methods unable to elicit interest and participation. Students claimed they needed more structure and discipline in school. Thus, many students were failing academically. One way to significantly lower the dropout rate is to raise academic skills – whether through accountability or school-choice programs (Paulson, 2006). Curriculum should be improved and consider how students learn best by engaging their participation and challenging them to do their best. Educational methodologies should be varied to elicit and maintain student interest. On their part, students must be accountable in harnessing their academic skills. The following changes are recommended to help keep students in school (Civic Enterprises, 2006). One is to provide opportunities for real world learning to make classroom learning more relevant. A more practical and relevant education is more likely to be appreciated and valued by the students. This would need better teachers who keep classes interesting and smaller classes with more individual instruction. Better communication between parents and school is another precautionary measure against student drop outs. This should make parents more involved in their children’s schooling. Parents should make sure their kids go to school every day. Increased supervision and communication with the school ensures that students attend classes. Chapter III: Outcomes and Analysis Goals (Expectations) The goal is to lessen school disengagement by improving demographic, motivational and educational factors involving students. Expected Outcomes (i.e., Measurable Objectives) There are four specific outcomes that will be achieved by improving demographic, motivational and academic factors in school: 1. Various school reform programs implemented to encourage prospective drop-out students to stay in school will work to lessen drop out rate by at least 70% from the past schoolyear. 2. Improving the reading skills and comprehension of potential drop-out students will help them improve academically earning higher grades from the past schoolyear hence lessening the tendency to drop out from school due to academic failure. 3. Alternative learning environments will help meet the needs of potential drop-out students who are not too motivated in schools hence increase attendance to such environments by at least 50%. 4. Effective home-school support and communication of potential drop-out students will get parents more involved in their children’s schooling helping them increase their academic performance by at least 30% from last school year. Measurement of Outcomes The outcomes in improving demographic, motivational and academic factors in school will be measured in various ways. One is the end of school percentage difference of the drop out rate from the past school year. Another is the grades in the report cards of potential drop out students that are expected to increase due to better reading comprehension. Still another is the difference of attendance rates of potential drop out students to alternative learning environments as compared to the past schoolyear. Finally, the grades in the report cards of potential drop out students that are expected to increase due to effective home school support and communication Analysis of Results At-risk ninth grade students in the selected high school who are potential drop out students shall be recommended by the school guidance counselor. These students will be the subjects for this study. They shall participate in a selected school reform program that addresses their demographic, motivational and academic concerns and their school performance measured after undergoing such. At the end of the school year, their school performance shall be compared with last school year’s and the differences, if any shall be analyzed according to the reforms implemented. Enrollment period by next school year will reveal if the subjects will re-enroll, and data on this shall be compared with the school’s re-enrollment of potential drop outs of the past school year’s. Differences if any shall be analyzed in terms of the reforms effected on the subjects in the most recent schoolyear. Results will have implications on the effectiveness of the school reforms done. Chapter IV: Solution Strategy Problem Statement The problem is that more and more freshman high school students are at risk of dropping out of school due to various reasons. Discussion A number of solutions to address the problem of school disengagement have been gleaned from the literature. Certain school reform programs have been developed to cater to the needs of potential school drop outs. Quint (2006) reports three initiatives that re implemented in more than 2,500 high schools around the country to help low-performing students improve in their school performance. These are Career Academies, First Things First and Talent Development. Another initiative is the Effective Learning Program (ELP) which helps students who are at high risk for dropping out of high school. This intervention sought to change external control expectancies to more internal ones, improve students’ skills in building relationships with peers and adults, and increase graduation rates (Nowicki et al, 2006). Recognizing that school disengagement among the youth is a growing concern, the U.S. Department of Education currently funds two initiatives that provide some direct funding for high school reform―the Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) and the Small Learning Communities (SLC) grants program (Balfanz & Legters, 2004). Such initiatives work around three main approaches (GAO, 2002)namely providing supplemental services for at-risk students; different forms of alternative education, which are efforts to create different learning environments for students who do not do well in regular classrooms; and school-wide restructuring efforts for all children. “Schools that offer a personalized learning experience tend to have a communal organizational structure that may increase student visibility and promote outcomes ranging from higher and less differentiated student achievement to lower and more equitably distributed student dropout rates” (Zvoch, 2006, p. 99). Efforts to provide such personalized experiences include alternative learning environments which operate within schools or as separate alternative schools at an off site location. It can include small groups of students meeting each day to work on their academic skills in an informal, more personal setting such as ninth grade or career academies (GAO, 2002) Another practical solution to the problem is the improvement of quality of teachers hired by schools. Teachers should continue growing professionally through consistent training and updating of skills so that they could deliver quality education to their students, especially to those most at risk of dropping out of school (Quint, 2006). Description of Selected Solutions The study will implement the Effective Learning Program (ELP) (Nowicki, et al, 2004) to a group of at risk ninth graders to be recommended by the guidance counselor and teachers. In an ELP, students will participate in a three hour afternoon block a week of English, mathematics, social studies and humanities instruction for a period of one semester. Compared to a regular class, there will be a slightly lower student-teacher ratio of approximately 15 students to 1 teacher in an ELP class. The ELP teaching team will be comprised of two math teachers, two English teachers and two social studies teachers. In addition, one or two student- teachers may be included for support. The teachers will participate in the teaching of the humanities component which is not offered for academic credit but the academic grade for this class will be averaged from the academic grade for English, mathematics and social studies courses. The ELP block will encourage a “family” or “team” atmosphere that the students would not otherwise have in their regular classes. This feeling of belonging hopes to boost the students’ morale and motivate them in striving for better school performance. Like a concerned family member, the trained ELP staff will take every opportunity in and out of classrooms to make their students aware of their interpersonal behaviors and teach them a relationship language process that both teachers and students understand in discussing student behavior and consequences. The ELP teachers will give feedback on student behavior to guide them accordingly in the formation of their character and developing good school habits. They will be in regular communication with parents, counselors, administrators and non-ELP teachers to monitor each student’s progress. In the ELP, regular feedback and assistance will be given in an environment of nurturance while maintaining high academic standards. Calendar Plan The ELP will be implemented during the second semester of the school year. By this time, teachers and guidance counselors know the students well and can identify potential drop-outs based on their professional assessment. What follows is a week by week calendar plan which the researcher intends to adhere to in the course of the research study. It is considered that the school authorities and teachers have already been briefed about the purpose, objectives and mechanics of the study and ELP teachers have been adequately trained and ready to work with the prospective students. Week 1 Arrange an assessment meeting with the principal, class teachers and guidance counselors to determine potential school dropouts who would participate in the ELP. Depending on the number of prospective participants in the ELP, a maximum of 15 students in a class shall be selected. If there will be more than 15, the ELP class shall be divided into smaller classes. The researcher shall be furnished with a copy of the prospective students’ profile and assessment of school performance. Contact parents of the selected students for a meeting next week. Explain the purpose and objectives of the study and the ELP intervention that their students will undergo. Prepare interview questions for the students for their one-on-one session with the researcher regarding attitudes towards school and their evaluation of their school performance. ELP teachers and regular class teachers and the guidance counselor will have a collaborative meeting regarding the ELP intervention that will be implemented. ELP teachers will present their lesson plans for the entire semester to the regular class teachers so they can coordinate lessons and agree on feedbacking and communication strategies. Week 2 Conduct briefing of ELP with the parents of the students. Obtain Informed Consent forms from them. Have one-on-one interviews with the parents to know about specific concerns about their children. Conduct briefing with the prospective participants of the ELP. Introduce the teachers and explain what will go on in every session. Obtain Informed Consent forms from them. Have one-on-one interviews with the students on their attitudes towards school and self-evaluation of their performance. Week 3 to 14 Implement the ELP program with the students for 12 weeks. There will be one meeting a week lasting for 3 hours in the afternoon. The curriculum will cover English, mathematics, social studies and humanities instruction, adopting alternative strategies of teaching-learning. The sessions will engage active participation of students in a more informal “family” atmosphere that encourages the improvement of their self-confidence and elevate their self-esteem. ELP teachers will take every opportunity in and out of classrooms to make their students aware of their interpersonal behaviors and teach them a relationship language process that both teachers and students understand in discussing student behavior and consequences. ELP teachers, regular class teachers and the guidance counselor will meet every two weeks to discuss the progress of the students. ELP teachers will meet with the parents of the students every two weeks to discuss the progress of their children both at home and in school. Week 15 ELP teachers will come up with a comprehensive report for each student. This will showcase the performance and behaviors of the students in the ELP sessions. Regular class teachers will also come up with a comprehensive report for each student and an assessment of their performance and behaviors in their classes. The guidance counselor shall compare records of the ELP participants’ school performance (grades, teachers’ reports, detention history, etc.) from the previous school year with the current school year’s and execute individual reports for each participant. Week 16 A general meeting will be held with ELP teachers, regular class teachers, the guidance counselor, the principal to evaluate the general progress of the ELP participants. A thorough appraisal of the ELP itself shall be done collectively. Week 17 A general meeting will be held with the ELP teachers, regular class teachers, the guidance counselor, the principal and the parents of the ELP students to report on the outcomes of the ELP intervention. One-on-one talks with the ELP participants will be conducted to give them their evaluation of their school performance and behavior progress. Week 18 to Week 20 Researcher shall put together all the information gathered from the ELP teachers, regular class teachers, guidance counselor and data from the one-on-one interviews with parents and students to come up with a qualitative analysis of the study. Week 21 towards the end of the schoolyear Continued observation of the ELP students’ behavior and school performance shall be done by the ELP teachers from a distance and the regular class teachers within their classes. Researcher continues to add information and edit the Action Research report. Enrollment period of the following schoolyear Researcher will find out if the ELP students will re-enroll and add this information to the report. Final editing and submission of the Action Research report. References Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Horsey, C. S. (1997). From first grade forward: Early foundations of the high school dropout. Sociology of Education, 70, 87– 107. Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R.,&Kabbani, N. S. (2001). The dropout process in life course perspective: Early risk factors at home and school. Teachers College Record, 103, 760–822. Astone, N. M., & McLanahan, S. S. (1991). Family structure, parental practices, and high school completion. 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Smith, D.L. & Smith, L.J.(2006). Restructuring high schools: searching for solutions. mid America training and development. Quint, J. (2006). Meeting Five Critical Challenges of High School Reform. MDRC Executive Summary. US Dept of Education. (2001). Dropout rates in the United States: 2000. Retrieved June 22, 2008, from National Center for Education Statistics: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/droppub_2001/ Zoomerang. (2008). High school student dropouts survey. Marketools.Inc. Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB227X3JU6GV9 Zvoch, K. (2006). Freshman Year Dropouts: Interactions Between Student and School Characteristics and Student Dropout Status. Journal of Education for students placed at risk, 11(1), 97–117 Portland, or: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Read More