1. The Power of Schools to Improve Outcomes for Teens Robert Wm. Blum, MD, MPH, PhD William H. Gates Sr. Professor and Chair Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Prepared for: Smith Anniversary Conference University of Arizona 21 October 2008 Improving the Odds

2. Young people who are connected to school not only do better academically but are less involved with every risk behavior studied.

3. Methods n The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health s A stratified random sample of 80 high schools with primary feeder schools s N=134 schools (127 participated in school survey) s N=71,515 students in 7th through 12th grade s N=127 school administrator surveys The Sample

4. Add-Health Sample Design 129 Schools (79%) 90,118 (75.6%) Saturation High income African American Twins Disability N=15,243 In-School Sample (1994) In-Home Samples (1995) Special Core In-school survey & school rosters Wave 1 (1994-5) Teen N=14,738 Wave 2 (1996) Teen N=12,105 (79.5%) Parent N=10,471 (86.5%) Young Adults N=15,197 Wave 3 (2001-2) Adults Wave 4 (2007-8) Partners N=1507

5. Methods n Ethnicity s Black 15.0% s Latino 12.2% s White72.8% n Gender s Female51.8% s Male49.2% The Sample (continued)

6. Substance Use Levels of connectedness Students who feel connected to school are less likely to use substances Frequency of Use: Level of Substance Use (SD Units)

7. Emotional Distress Students who feel connected to school experience less emotional distress Levels of connectedness Level of Emotional Distress (SD Units)

8. Violence or Deviant Behavior Students who feel connected to school engage In less violent or deviant behavior Levels of connectedness Level of Violence or Deviant Behavior (SD Units)

9. Pregnancy Students who feel connected to school are less likely to become pregnant Levels of connectedness Percent ever Pregnant

10. Research Questions n What contributes to teens feeling connected to school? n Why do some adolescents feel attached to school and others don’t? n What school characteristics predict connectedness? n What impact do friendships have on a young person feeling connectedness to school?

11. Methods n Size 42 to 5422 (average=642 ) n Public 82.7% n Class size 10 to 39 (average=23) n Location s Rural 18.6% s Suburban 59.6% s Urban 21.8% School Characteristics

12. Methods Master’s degree 42% 1st year teachers 9% Teacher Characteristics

13. n Out of school suspension for smoking n Out of school suspension for cheating n 10 item scale (alpha=.78) for disciplinary policy of school for: Scales Discipline Policies Possessing alcohol Drinking alcohol Possessing an illegal substance Using an illegal substance Destroying school property Verbally abusing a teacher Fighting Injuring a teacher Injuring another student Carrying a weapon

14. n Getting along with teachers n Getting along with other students n Paying attention in school n Getting homework done Scales Classroom Management 8 items: alpha =.83

15. n I feel close to people at this school n I am happy to be at this school n I feel like I am part of this school n The teachers at this school treat students fairly n I feel safe in this school Scales School Connectedness

16. n School size mattered …classroom size did not n School type is not associated with connectedness …public, private, parochial n Location of school is not associated with connectedness …urban, suburban, rural Results Factors Associated with School Connectedness THE SCHOOL

17. n No single school policy was associated with connectedness … n … A climate of harsh discipline is associated with lower school connectedness n The directionality of the relationship cannot be deduced from the present study Results Factors Associated with School Connectedness SCHOOL POLICIES

18. n Teacher experience was not associated with connectedness. n Having a master’s degree was not associated with connectedness. Results Factors Associated with School Connectedness TEACHERS

19. The single strongest association with connectedness was school climate Results Factors Associated with School Connectedness SCHOOL CLIMATE & CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

20. Initiated Cigarette Use Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

21. Initiated Getting Drunk Predicted Percent Three Levels of Teacher Support 6.2 11.3 9.5 4.5 3.2 13.4 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

22. Initiated Marijuana Use Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 4.4 6.3 4.7 3.4 2.6 8.3 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

23. Seriously Considered or Attempted Suicide Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 2.2 5.0 4.5 1.7 1.3 5.5 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

24. Initiated Violence Predicted Percent at Three Levels of Teacher Support 7.5 6.0 4.7 Multinomial logit models adjusted for social belonging, race/ethnicity, income, gender, family structure, emotional distress, relationship with parents, hx of peer suicide, hx of family suicide

25. Family Engagement and School leaving: what are the effects over time?

26. CONCEPTUAL MODEL Wave 1 Early Adolescence: Ages 12-14 Wave 2 Early to Middle Adolescence: Ages 13-16 Wave 3 Emerging Adulthood: Ages 18-21 Family Closeness Parental Behavioral Control Skipping School Dropping out of School

27. Measures: Parenting Family closeness in early adolescence 5-item measure of youth report that s/he has fun with family; family pays attention to youth; cares for youth; understands youth; how much youth felt like leaving home (α =.76) Response categories: 1 = not at all; 5 = very much Mean= 4.2 (.02)

28. Measures: Parenting Parental behavioral control in early adolescence Seven items measuring whether or not youth decides: what wears; who hangs out with; TV amount & programs watch; time home on weekends; time to bed during week; what eats. Response categories: 0 = no; 1 = yes. Reverse coded.

29. Measures: Parenting Parental behavioral control 3 Classes: 37% “High” - Parent decides many things (reference group) 30% “Moderate” – Parent decides curfews and inside activities (eat, TV programs, time to bed) 32% “Low” – Parent decides curfews

30. HOW WERE FAMILY CLOSENESS AND PARENTAL BEHAVIORAL CONTROL OPERATIONALIZED My Family Cares for Me Parent decides what child eats, who child hangs with and what child wears Parent decides what TV programs child watches and time child goes to bed on week- night Parent decides amount of TV child watches and what time child comes home on weekend My Family Pays Attention to Me I Have Fun with My Family My Family Understands Me Family Closeness Parental Behavioral Control.42***.72***.78***.57***.46***. 43***. 11**

31. Measures: Youth Outcomes School engagement Time 1 & Time 2:Skipped school past year Time 3: Highest education completed 10 years or less Proportion youth skipping school: 14% (T1) & 18% (T2) Proportion youth dropping out: 7%

33. SCHOOL DROPOUT: MALE Family Closeness Ages 12-14 Parental Behavioral Control Ages 12-14 Skipped School in the Past Year Ages 13-16 School Dropout Ages 18-21 -.10* -.01 (.05).16***.01 (.003).06

34. SCHOOL DROPOUT: FEMALE Family Closeness Ages 12-14 Parental Behavioral Control Ages 12-14 Skipped School in the Past Year Ages 13-16 School Dropout Ages 18-21 -.19*** -.08 (-.12**).21***.10 (.01).004

35. Conclusion The present report suggests that school climate and adult connections as well as family connectedness may impact health as well as educational outcomes.

36. 1.Be a model of respectful, cooperative, positive behavior in your everyday interactions. 2.Participate in school events. 3.Show interest. Be involved in your child’s academic activities. 4.Maintain regular contact with your child’s teacher. Parents Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

37. 5. Monitor your child’s homework completion and work with him or her on homework assignments that involve family participation. 6. Be present when things go wrong. 7.Meet your child’s friend, and their parents. Parents Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

38. 8. Ask school leaders what you can do to support them. 9. Volunteer at school. 10. Nominate effective school leaders for local awards. Parents Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

39. 1. Help students get to know each other’s (and your) strengths. 2. Involve students in planning, problem solving, identifying issues and assessing curriculum in the classroom. 3. Promote cooperation over competition. Post everyone’s best work. Offer opportunities for the class to work together to help everyone achieve their level of excellence. Teachers Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

40. 4. Build a strong relationship with each student. 5. Convey attentiveness to students and excitement about learning through nonverbal gestures. 6. Involve all students in chores and responsibilities in the classroom. 7. Integrate concepts of discipline and respect for classmates through instruction. Teachers Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

41. 8. Give students more say in what they will learn. 9. Involve students in developing the criteria by which their work will be assessed and provide guidelines so they clearly understand what’s expected of them. 10. Use first person plural (we, us, let’s) when presenting classroom activities. Teachers Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

42. 1. Brainstorm with students, faculty, staff and parents simple changes that could make school a more pleasant place to be. 2. Create policies that are based on student, family and neighborhood strengths and assets. 3. Turn mistakes into learning opportunities rather than failures meriting punishment. Administrators Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

43. 4. Acknowledge and honor accomplishments and all types of competencies (such as helpfulness, good citizenship, most improved performance, volunteerism, participation in decision making, and cessation of negative behavior). 5. Set high standards and challenge students to meet them. 6. Reinforce explicit expectations for positive behavior and academic success. Administrators Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School

44. 7. Encourage highly interactive teaching strategies. 8. Create a welcoming environment for all who come to the school. 9. Invite family and community members to take active and regular roles in the daily operation of the school. 10.Create a common vision of success and keep it visible. Administrators Ten Strategies that Foster Connections to School