Devising an Effective Guidance and Advisement Program June 13, 2007 Columbus, Ohio

Key Practice # 8: GUIDANCE Involving all students and their parents in a guidance and advising system that ensures the completion of an accelerated program of study with an in-depth academic or career/technical major

What is Guidance? 1. A process to help each student improve his/her chances for long-term employment 2. A comprehensive plan to provide students with skills and background to make decisions about his/her education and career 3. A plan to aid students in developing self- awareness, option awareness, and decision-making skills

“Comprehensive guidance programs have been found to lead to: –lower dropout rates, – more students in AP courses, –more females in math and science courses, –better grades, –higher levels of satisfaction with school, –increased attendance rates.” Bridget Brown, National Career Guidance News, Winter

Comprehensive guidance programs prevent students from “falling through the cracks.”

Take 100 of this year’s entering 9 th graders, 68 of them will eventually graduate from high school; 40 of those will enter college immediately; Of those, only 27 will continue as college sophomores; And only 18 will graduate from college within 6 years. (White House Office of Communications, Sept. 04)

Essential Question: What are the key indicators of an effective guidance and advisement program?

Indicators of a Successful Guidance and Advisement Program Received most help in planning a high school program of study by the end of grade nine (64%) (HSTW goal is 85%) Students reported they took part in a parent-teacher- student conference to plan a high school program of study at least once a year.(31%) (HSTW goal is 85%)

A teacher or guidance counselor met with them to help them review the sequence of courses they planned to take throughout high school at least once a year. (64%) (HSTW goal - 85%) Talked at least once a year about my four-year high school plan with my parents or guardians. (78%) (HSTW goal - 95%) A teacher or counselor talked to them individually about their plans for a career or further education after high school. (80%) (HSTW goal - 85%)

Students spoke with or visited someone in a career to which they aspire. (65%) (HSTW goal - 85%) Someone from a college talked to them about going to college. (83%) (HSTW goal - 95%) Students and their parents received information or assistance from someone at school about selecting or applying to college. (63%) (HSTW goal - 90%)

Students report that they had an adult mentor or adviser who worked with them all four years of high school.(38%) (HSTW goal - 90%) Students report that they were often encouraged by counselors or teachers to take more challenging mathematics courses.(16%) (HSTW goal - 85%) Students report that they were often encouraged by counselors or teachers to take more challenging science courses.(12%) (HSTW goal – 85%)

The percentage of student responses on eight indicators that suggest the school has an intensive emphasis on providing timely guidance to all students: (6 to 8 items) 47% - all sites; 85% - goal

MMGW Student Survey Students reported: They were encouraged to take pre-algebra in 6 th, 7 th or 8 th grade: 20% Teachers talked to them about what they will need to know and be able to do in the ninth grade: 73%

MMGW Students Survey Students reported: They have a written plan for courses they will take in high school: 17% They talked with the following people about what classes to take in high school at least several times: –Guidance Counselor: 15% –Teachers: 39% –Parents/Guardians: 52%

Keys to Successful Implementation A Stated Purpose Teacher Buy-In Supportive Administration Thoughtful Organization Relevant Advisory Program Curriculum Size of Advisory Groups Time Ongoing Evaluation of the Program Advisers Keep the Same Students for Three to Four Years Professional Development (See Page 1 of your Planner.)

Does your guidance and advisement program address national standards ? Suggestions for the Guidance Curriculum

Content Areas 1) Academic development 2)Career development 3)Personal-social development © Sue Reynolds and Peggy LaTurno Hines, 2001 May be reproduced by educators with proper citations for educational purposes.

Academic Development Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills contributing to effective learning in school and across the life span. Standard B: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Standard C. Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.

Career Development Standard A: Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions. Standard B: Students will employ strategies to achieve future career success and satisfaction. Standard C: Students will understand the relationship between personal qualities, education and training and the world of work.

AwarenessExplorationActive Inquiry Confirma- tion 7 th & 8 th grade9 th & 10 th grade11 th grade12 th grade Self awareness and possible career pathways Career Interest and Attitude Inventories Investigate career pathways Campus Visits College and Career Planning Internships, Apprenticeships, Dual enrollment Field Trips, Guest Speakers Job ShadowingService Learning, Senior Projects

“Just as academic subjects are taught in a systematic manner throughout the curriculum, so must career development skills. For students to be able to think about tentative career plans with any kind of depth, they must have a foundation of career awareness and career exploration experiences. Career exploration is sandwiched between career awareness and career planning/preparation.” Kelly Arrington, National Career Guidance News, Winter

“There is an extensive body of evidence suggesting that informed career decisions are related to more success in education, in work and in life. Students who make such decisions are more likely to graduate from high school and to succeed in postsecondary education.” Bridget Brown, National Career Guidance News, Winter,

Personal/Social Development Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals. Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills.

ACTIVITY BALANCE Group Guidance Individual Guidance Relationship Building

GROUP GUIDANCE Engaging Activities Student-Led Projects The Adviser is seen as the “Coach”.

Individual Guidance Activities Goal Setting Monitoring Progress Active Support Active Listening

Relationship Activities Informal Time for Discussion Trust Building Fun

Turn to Advisement Topic Ideas in your Folders Turn to pages 3 and 4 in your Planner.

Turn to Resume Lesson Plans in Your Folders Examine the 3 Lesson Plans on Resume Writing. In your opinion, which one is best to give to teachers for an advisement lesson? Why?

A Good Advisement Lesson Plan Should Have: an objective (referenced to a standard) A clear description of the lesson (activity) (bulleted and scripted) A list of materials needed An evaluation (Everything needed to facilitate the advisement should be delivered in one packet to the adviser.) Turn to page 5 in your planner.

The Use of Portfolios What is a Career Portfolio? A lifelong student-managed collection of accomplishments that show progress toward career goals.

How Do Portfolios Benefit Students? Displays their strengths and abilities. Highlights their accomplishments. Assists them in planning for the future. Helps them select their courses more appropriately. Increases their self-esteem by showcasing their accomplishments.

How Can a Portfolio Be Presented? Binder (three-ring notebook) Scrapbook Legal Folder Computer Disk On-Line – Individual Academic and Career Plan (IACP)

Individual Academic and Career Plan How do schools use it? How often is it updated? What problems are associated with its use? Who is responsible for ensuring that it is used at the school? Is the use of the IACP optional? Is the on-line IACP sufficient to meet the needs of teachers, students and parents? Are there limitations to the IACP? If so, what are they? Find the IACP in your folders. Review the components of the IACP.

When is the Portfolio Used? During Interviews Applying for Internships Applying for Scholarships Developing/Creating a Resume Preparing for the senior exit interview or a part of the senior project

Career Portfolio Components Introduction o Personal Information Sheet o Letter of Introduction Career Development o Resume o Application Information Sheet o Career Assessments o Thank you Letter

Career Portfolio Components Job-related skills (internships, summer jobs, competency certificates) Academics o Transcript or Summary of Credits o Samples of Academic Work

Career Portfolio Components Evaluations o Jobs o Letters of Recommendations Achievements o Certificates o Awards/Recognition o Extracurricular Activities o Volunteer Service Self-Reflection

How Can an Advisory Program Support Academic Rigor?

Key Findings from HSTW Research In the middle grades, teacher encouragement to do well and teacher assistance with planning a high school program were significant predictors of students doing their best in school. In high school, encouragement from teachers and counselors to take challenging courses and assistance in planning a high school program were significant predictors of positive student behavior.

What implications do these two findings have for your school or district? Describe the school climate that must exist for these two findings to occur in your school or district. Turn to page 6 in your planner. Take 5 minutes to list these implications at your table. Have someone record your list. What is the current ratio of guidance counselors to students at your school?

Four Corners Activity All classes should be heterogeneously grouped. Ability grouping should be eliminated. Go to the corner of the room that most closely represents your feelings regarding this statement.

How do we convince teachers that all students can take a more rigorous curriculum? EDUCATE!!! – professional study groups –Sharing research –Send to conferences, workshops –Send to schools that have had success

Recommendations Action 1: Set goals for guidance and advisement that include: –Motivating students to choose a difficult curriculum and work hard –Helping students make sound academic choices that maximize the opportunity to raise their achievement levels, –Preparing students to move from one educational level to the other

How Do You Motivate Students to Take the Right Courses? Educate students and their parents about the level of education needed for today’s jobs. Educate students and their parents about what it takes to get into the postsecondary option of their choice. Provide an extra-help support system. Encourage students; believe in them.

Transcript Study: The single biggest predictor of college success is quality and intensity of high school curriculum. Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education.

Getting a four-year college degree depends a lot on how far you go in high school math (American Educator – Spring, 2004)

Percentage of US 10 th –Graders Expect to Attain a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher, 1980, 1990, 2002, by Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status (U.S. Department of Education, 2004)

Students’ course taking patterns do not match their educational aspirations. 43% of seniors report that they intend to go to a four-year college directly after high school Of those: - 43% took fewer than 4 math classes -57% took fewer than 4 science classes

Common Misperceptions “It’s better to take easier classes in high school and get better grades.” “My senior year in high school doesn’t matter.” “I don’t have to worry about my grades, or the kind of classes I take until my junior year.” “Community colleges don’t have academic standards.”

“As many as half of all college students do not have adequate academic preparation and are required to take remedial courses.” “More than one quarter of the freshmen at 4-year colleges and nearly half of those at 2-year colleges do not even make it to their sophomore year.” College Board

Public 2-year colleges provide remedial course work for 42% of the entering freshmen. In 2000, the length of time in remediation has increased to 40% that average a year or more in remediation.

“Most college-bound students simply do not know which courses are necessary not just to enter college, but to begin credit-bearing work. One of the most common student misconceptions about college readiness is that meeting their high school graduation requirements will prepare them for college.” Betraying the College Dream, by Venezia, Kirst and Antonio

WHAT IS THE GOAL? College Admissions or College Success? College Attendance or Graduation? (Dr. Ken Gray, Penn State University)

Remind Students: ALL DECISIONS YOU MAKE HAVE CONSEQUENCES MAKE THE BEST ONES YOU CAN

Information on the importance of the right curriculum, college requirements, and employment data must be a part of the advisement curriculum.

Recommended Academic Core for All Students Four credits in college-prep/honors English Four mathematics credits – Alg. I, geometry, Alg. II and above Three science credits at the college-prep level; four credits with a block schedule Three units of social studies; four credits with a block schedule Mathematics the senior year

Recommended Concentrations Mathematics and Science Concentration – four credits in each field, with at least one at the AP level Humanities Concentration – four credits each in college-prep language arts and social studies with at least one at the AP level and four additional credits from foreign language, fine arts, journalism debate, etc. Career/technical Concentration – four credits in a planned sequence of courses within a broad career field – pre-engineering, health/medical science, etc.

Mean Scores of Students Who Completed All HSTW-Recommended Curriculum (21% Completed) YesNoGoals Reading Mathematics Science

Questions to Consider 1.What type of information must be provided to students to help them set goals after high school? When should it be provided? How often? 2.How does this affect your advisement program? Will you make changes in your adviser-advisee curriculum map? (Refer to pages 3 – 4 in your planner.)

Parental Involvement – How Do We Get It?

“ In this complex world, it takes more than a good school to educate children. And it takes more than a good home. It takes these two major educational institutions working together.” Dorothy Rich, author of MegaSkills

Parental Involvement is the single greatest factor in determining student success.

School practices that encourage parents to participate is the most important fact in whether or not parents will participate. School attitudes and actions were more important than the parents/ income, education level, marital status, race or student grade level in predicting whether the parent would be involved in the school.

We need informed parents who will help their students make the right choices.

Do you enjoy throwing money away?

Planning for the Future is very important What are your child’s plans after graduation? Is he/she taking the right courses to make those plans a reality?

Parents should be invited to at least one meeting a year to review their child’s program of study and course selection for next year.

Meet with Parents to Review Available Test Data Educational Progress Checks –National Tests (PSAT, PLAN, SAT, ACT, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford 9) –ASSET –Any State Tests –Any District Tests –Report Card –Teacher Recommendations

Educational Planning –Personal Career/Education Plan –4-year Program of Study –Next Semester’s (Year’s) Schedule

Build in “Reality Checks” for Students and Parents Look at discrepancies: – goals and performance – goals and course- taking patterns

How Do You Get Parents to Attend Annual Student-Adviser-Parent Meetings? Have an appointment Make the appointment meaningful Make the time convenient Student-led Conferences

Student-Led Conferences Turn to pages 10 – 12 in your planner. Talk with your group about implementing student-led conferences. Could they be easily implemented? What would be the main obstacles?

What type of Staff Development Should be Given to Advisers?

Suggested Topics for Staff Development Academic Topics: Contents of IGP Tests and test interpretation (PLAN, ACT, PSAT, SAT, ASVAB) Graduation Requirements How to calculate GPA Registration and scheduling information Student financial aid for postsecondary training Academic expectations for vocational studies

Suggested Topics for Professional Development Career Topics: Knowledge of interest/aptitude inventories Employability skills applying for a job interviewing resume writing communication skills

Suggested Topics for Professional Development Career Topics: Educational options college vocational-technical training military Career clusters and the occupational outlook Tech Prep/School-to-Work

Suggested Topics for Professional Development Social/Personal Topics: Effective listening skills Substance abuse education/knowledge Community resources/hotlines for crisis assistance Interacting positively with parents; how to hold a parent conference Awareness of cultural differences Conflict intervention

Suggested Topics for Professional Development Social/Personal Topics: Effective listening skills Substance abuse education/knowledge Community resources/hotlines for crisis assistance Interacting positively with parents; how to hold a parent conference Awareness of cultural differences Conflict intervention

© American Student Achievement Institute May be reproduced with proper citation for educational purposes.

We’d never dream of coaching basketball without keeping stats. Stats tell us if our coaching is making a difference. HOW WILL WE KNOW IF OUR ADVISORY PROGRAM IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

Schools Should Be Able to Answer Two Questions: Are students better off because they have participated in a guidance and advisement program? Can you prove it?

1.I can describe my personal learning style. 2.I can identify identified a career cluster that matches my interests. 3.I can use a conflict management model to to solve a problem between two friends. A.Yes B.Don’t Know C.No A.Yes B.Don’t Know C.No A.Yes B.Don’t Know C.No Pre- & Post- Survey SCANTRON SURVEY FORM

Part 1: Self Knowledge Activities Part 2: Exploration Activities Part 3:Planning Activities (goals) Part 4:Achievement Data Part 5:Best Work Part 6:Leadership Part 7:Self-Management Part 8:Team-Building Part 9:Problem Solving Guidance Portfolio

BehavioralAcademicCareer Tardy Rate Attendance Rate % Having Discipline Referrals % Suspended % Expelled Enrollment Patterns % Completing All Homework % Participating in Extra Help Programs % Visiting Post HS Campus % Taking PLAN and PSAT % Participating Job Shadowing % Conducting Information Interview % Participating in Internship STUDENT CHOICE DATA

Student Choices TASK % Enrolling In Algebra 74% % Having a course plan that aligns with their postsecondary plans 57% % 10th taking the PLAN (pre ACT) 22% % 11 th grade taking the PSAT 28% % 12th planning to continue education after high school 69% 100% 91% 57% 82%

State Testing Programs National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Northwest Educational Assessment (NWEA) Middle Grades Assessment (MGA) End-of-Course Tests % Passing Specific Courses or Subjects % Passing Academic Core ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Changes in Student Achievement Data Field % proficient on state test 54% % passing Algebra in 9 th grade 25% % passing end-of-course tests 53% % graduating 72% % earning a 3 on an AP test 6% 56% 35% 58% 73% 10%

Evaluating Your Advisement Program Does the school’s advisement program have an evaluation component? If so, is it telling them what they need to know? How can the school improve their evaluation to get a clearer picture of the effectiveness of their advisement program?

“Young people in the ’90s have sky-high hopes but little grasp of how to fulfill their dreams.” Schneider, B. and Stevenson, D. (1999). The Ambitious generation: America’s Teenagers motivated but directionless.