OFFICE OF MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION: Developing and strengthening schools and programs that lead to high school graduation and post-secondary opportunities for overage, under-credited youth CCSSO Secondary School Redesign Conference Atlanta, Georgia June 7-9, 2006 THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation JOELLEN LYNCH, Executive Director

Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation MISSION: To create a differentiated portfolio of educational options integrated with secondary reform that will provide systemic opportunities to improve student high school graduation rates and the long-term plans of overage and under-credited youth — or multiple pathways to graduation: Universe of overage, under-credited youth Transfer Schools Young Adult Borough Centers Blended GED Programs Learning to Work Program NYS Regents diploma NYS Local GED Post-secondary training Workforce connections

Multiple Pathways options meet New York State graduation requirements Regents Exams: 5 Courses: 44 credits Area # of Credits English 8 Social Studies 8 Mathematics 6 Science 6 Second Language 2 Art 1 Music 1 Health Education 1 Physical Education 4 Elective Areas 7 Total 44 Click to add Text Comprehensive English Global History and Geography U.S. History and Government Mathematics Science

Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation Methodology Define and understand student population SITUATION ASSESSMENT Conduct a segmented population analysis STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Research best practices and design models for schools and programs Build capacity system-wide GOAL Create a differentiated portfolio informed by analytics Develop tools to start, sustain, and strengthen schools and programs ACTIVITY

Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation Methodology Define and understand student population SITUATION ASSESSMENT Conduct a segmented population analysis GOAL ACTIVITY

Definition of overage, under-credited students Situation Assessment: Segmented population analysis An overage and under-credited student is defined as a student who is 2 years behind his or her expected age and credit accumulation in high school Definition of overage, under-credited students Age Credits Segmentation informs strategy: Age 16 Fewer than 11 Credits Age 17 Fewer than 22 Credits Age 18 Fewer than 33 Credits Age 19-21 Fewer than 44 Credits Who are these students? What is their experience in the system?

Situation Assessment: Segmented population analysis Of the nearly 140K overage and under-credited youth in New York City, half are currently in school. Out-of-School Youth In-School Youth 68K 70K 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Age 20 Age 19 Age 18 Age 17 Age 20 Age 19 Age 18 Age 17 Age 16 or Younger Age 21 Focus of Multiple Pathways Initiative Percent of Students IN- AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL OVERAGE AND UNDER-CREDITED YOUTH, JUNE 2005 Note: Includes District 75 students. Students are counted as out-of-school youth only if they are dropouts (as opposed to other discharges) Source: ATS Data, Parthenon analysis

Situation Assessment: Demographic Profile of Current OA/UC Students Overage / under-credited students have the following demographics: Gender: ~60% male (vs. NYC total of 51%) Age: ~42% aged 18 or older (vs. NYC total of 22%) Ethnicity: ~83% African-American or Hispanic (vs. NYC total of 71%) Demographics of Overage / Under-Credited Students vs. Total HS Enrollment, June 2005 Gender Age Ethnicity Source: ATS Data

Non-Overage and Under-Credited Situation Assessment: Segmented population analysis Nearly all high school dropouts have a history of being overage and under-credited The dropout population is the overage and under-credited population, just at different points in time By contrast, only 19% of graduates were once overage and under-credited in high school 37K 19K 100% Non-Overage and Under-Credited 80 60 Non-Overage and Under-Credited Percent of Students Overage and Under-Credited 40 (93%) 20 Overage and Under-Credited (19%) Graduates (Class of 2003 Cohort) Dropouts (Class of 2003 Cohort) Graduates and Dropouts by Overage and Under-Credited Status, Class of 2003 Cohort Note: Excludes District 75 Students; Source: ATS Data

Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation Methodology GOAL ACTIVITY

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS Segmented population analysis drives Multiple Pathways strategy STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS How much time does the student have to complete the requirements for credential? Segmentation by student age and credits earned How far has he or she progressed? What potential strategies have preventive versus recuperative power? Segmentation by level of academic preparation at high school entrance To what extent can programs at the high school level be effective?

Differentiated Portfolio: Transfer Schools Transfer Schools are small, academically rigorous diploma granting high schools for students that have been enrolled in a NYC public high school for at least one year and are far from promoting on grade level in their current high school. Essential elements of Transfer Schools: personalized learning environment integration of youth development practices with rigorous academic instruction student-centered pedagogy support to meet instructional and development goals focus on connections to college OMPG Transfer School Portfolio: The Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation supports and strengthens NYC DOE’s network of 22 Transfer Schools, and is developing tools for new Transfer School start-up.

Differentiated Portfolio: Transfer Schools Transfer Schools produce differentiated outcomes regardless of 8th grade ELA levels Overage and Under-Credited Seven-Year Graduation Rates by Reading Level: Comprehensive High Schools vs. Transfer Schools Relative improvement in performance is greatest for lowest-level students Graduation Rate Level 1 Low Level 2 High Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Transfer Schools Comprehensive HS Improvement vs. Comp HS 278% 145% 109% 111% 137% Note: Comprehensive HS data is for students who are OA-UC in each segment in June 2001 and end in a comprehensive HS; Transfer school data is calculated based on student credits and age at entry for the 2001-02 transfer school cohort; Graduation rate excludes IEP diplomas Source: ATS Data Similar analysis based on math level is unavailable, given change in 8th grade math test

Differentiated Portfolio: Transfer Schools …and outperform comprehensive high schools for students across a range of age and credits. Overage and Under-Credited Seven-Year Graduation Rates by Student Segment: Comprehensive High Schools vs. Transfer Schools Graduation Rate Comprehensive HS Transfer Schools Age: <18 Credits: <11 Age: 18, Credits: <11 Age: 19+, Credits: <22 Age: 17-18 Credits: 11-22 Age: 18+ Credits: 22+

Differentiated Portfolio: Blended GED Programs OMPG is developing models of blended GED programs tailored for overage, under-credited youth. The model will serve as a lab school for further research and development of GED programs for overage, under-credited youth. Essential Elements of GED Blend Model: • Youth development approach • Integrated learning cycles • Portfolio creation process • Innovative systems for student engagement, assessment, and progression • Pathways to post-secondary training and other opportunities • In-depth, sector-specific career exploration with individualized career strands OMPG GED Blends Portfolio: 3 programs launched at Learning to Work sites in 2005-2006 1 full-time, stand-alone program with a Learning to Work component will be launched in Fall 2006, with a capacity of 150 students

Differentiated Portfolio: YABCs Housed in host high schools, Young Adult Borough Centers are full-time programs for students who are 17½ or older and have at least 17 credits. The instructional model of YABCs allows students to concentrate only on the credit portfolio they need for graduation through a non-traditional block schedule. Essential elements of YABCs, provided by a Community Based Organization at each program site: youth development support career and college counseling assistance with job placement OMPG YABC Program Portfolio: 18 YABC Programs, with 9 new programs launched in 2005-2006

WORKFORCE CONNECTIONS Differentiated Portfolio: Learning to Work Learning to Work (LTW) is an integrated workforce readiness and student support program that prepares overage, under-credited students for the workforce, connects them to jobs and post-secondary, and enables them to earn a high school diploma or GED through: CAREER PREPARATION Vocational/Work Readiness Workshops Career Exploration and Planning WORKFORCE CONNECTIONS Internship Placements Job Placements ACADEMIC SUPPORT Tutoring and Attendance Outreach Post-secondary Exploration and Advising SUPPORT SERVICES Individual and Group Counseling Referral to Services

LTW INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT BY SECTOR Differentiated Portfolio: LTW Workforce Connections Learning to Work connects students to a broad array of employment sectors throughout New York City LTW INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT BY SECTOR Learning to Work also empowers students to make their own connections: To date, 1403 students from LTW programs have made workforce connections 833 students placed in LTW internships 570 students are currently working in positions secured outside of the LTW internship program Preliminary data shows that 50 LTW students have already turned their LTW internships into paid jobs

Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation Methodology GOAL ACTIVITY

Implementation and Capacity-Building STARTING NEW SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS Developing new models Adolescent literacy GED blends Replicating successful models Creating tools for implementing models SUSTAINING EXISTING SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS Bolstering networks of schools and programs to capture and share learnings, identify best practices, and disseminate information STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM Managing performance Developing resources Sharing knowledge and disseminating information Network meetings for YABC/LTW program directors

Implementation and Capacity-Building: Accountability Path of Transfer School Students in the Current System Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Comprehensive High School Average Enrollment = 2.7 years 80% have moved to Transfer School by halfway through 4th year On average, students… …Are retained for two years, earning 6 credits/yr …Become disengaged, attending at a <50% rate Transfer School Average Enrollment = 1.9 years 90% of students have a final outcome within 6 yrs On average, students… …Re-engage with school, attending at a 78% rate …Find academic success, earning 9-10 credits/yr When students become OA-UC in Comprehensive HS, they are on a path toward dropout Transfer Schools re-engage OA-UC students and put them on track for graduation Source: ATS Data

Implementation and Capacity-Building: Accountability The Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation is exploring accountability measures that reflect added value of Transfer Schools. Areas under consideration include: PROGRESS MEASURES: Value-added system captures: Average prior to admission 1st year in Transfer School 2nd year in Transfer School 3rd year in Transfer School Relative change versus prior schools Attendance Credits earned toward diploma Regents performance Graduation rate by credits at admission: 0-11 credits 11-22 credits 22+ credits PERFORMANCE MEASURES: Graduation rate by type of diploma: Regents diploma Local diploma School environment Safety Parent/Teacher student survey

Questions? Transfer Schools Young Adult Borough Centers Universe of overage, under-credited youth Transfer Schools Young Adult Borough Centers Blended GED Programs Learning to Work Program NYS Regents diploma NYS Local GED Post-secondary training Workforce connections