The Rural Early Adolescent Learning Program: Project REAL

Background Carolina Longitudinal Study (4 th grade into adulthood) --Correlated risks linked to low achievement, school failure, and dropout --Supportive teacher relations and school engagement as protective factors School Engagement Project / Developmental Pathways of Rural African American Youth (5 th grade into high school) --Deep South, extremely high poverty (over 50% below poverty level) --Reflected findings of the CLS Project BEST – Transition to middle school Rural Competence Support Program – Inservice/consultation Intervention Specialist Training – 50% annual turnover

Project Aims To promote rural students’ academic achievement and school adjustment during early adolescence by addressing academic, behavioral, and social factors To support rural teachers with high concentrations of subgroups of students who are at-risk of achievement difficulties ( e.g., poverty, special education, minority, ESL) To promote parental involvement and support

Initial Research Sites Two rural districts in Appalachian Mountains --Virginia, West Virginia --20% below poverty, over 50% free & reduced lunch --Significant depopulation in last decade (closing of mines) --High concentrations of low-achieving youth (not making AYP) Two Intervention and two control middle schools --11 feeder elementary schools --Equivalent on standardized tests and other key variables --Randomly selected to condition -- Correlated risks

Intervention Components Academic Engagement Enhancement Competence Enhancement Behavior Management Social Dynamics Training Parent Involvement Needs of Latino/a immigrant youth

Intervention Delivery REAP leaders – Summer Institute Inservice training Directed consultation – weekly teams alternating between academic and social / behavioral Parent Involvement – (in development, planning to have 2-3 meetings around parent generated issues)

Research Design Randomized control trial Phase 1 (years 1 and 2) --Dual cohorts in VA & WV --Face-to-face in year 1, phasing to technology delivery Phase 2 (years 2 and 3) --Single cohorts in Midwestern states (year 2) --Single cohorts in Southern states (year 3) --Face-to-face (summer institute) and technology (videoconferencing) Phase 3 (year 4) --Single cohorts in Western states --technology delivery for all components

Planned Research Sites Phase 1 – Virginia and West Virginia Phase 2 – Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota Phase 3 – Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Texas

Project REAL: Academic Engagement Enhancement Component

Aims of The Component To provide teachers with easy-to-implement organizational strategies designed to assist adolescent learners ranging from time management to organizing oneself for learning To provide research-based strategies appropriate for adolescents who struggle with reading in the areas of vocabulary development and comprehension To provide teachers with academic strategies for enhancing inclusion and differentiating instruction to meet a wide variety of learning needs

Topics and Content of Academic Engagement Enhancement Organizational strategies, setting up a routine, time management, learning strategies, homework strategies, test-taking strategies, use of rubrics for setting expectations and evaluation Vocabulary development Reading comprehension and questioning techniques Adaptations for instruction, materials, task requirements, assessment materials Closure, review and homework strategies

Project REAL: Behavioral and Social Component

Aims of The Component Foster consistency across 6 th grade teachers in terms of behavioral expectations, classroom management, and disciplinary practices Reduce gulf between elementary and middle school in terms of structure and expectations Promote social contexts that minimize bullying, social aggression, and interpersonal conflict

Topics and Content of Behavior Management Component Structure, consistency, and behavior specific language Using problems as an opportunity to teach new skills and to foster responsibility for one’s behavior Instructional support strategies that reduce noncompliance Establishing schedules and reinforcement strategies that naturally reward productive classroom behavior and inhibit difficulties Fostering communication between administration and teachers (i.e. coordinating classroom management and disciplinary practices)

Topics and Content of Social Dynamics Training Component Classroom leaders and students who are models of productive classroom behavior Identifying classroom peer groups The influence of peers on classroom behavior Using class leaders and peer groups to support positive and productive classroom engagement Awareness of and intervening with bullying and social aggression