Dr. Paul A. Rodríguez

Continuation Education Started in 1919 as an option for students who needed to work and finish school Refocused in 1965 with federal government pressure to reduce the drop-out rate Current system has focus on drop-out prevention and recovery Continuation is a mandated secondary option 2

Reform Act of 1983 brought a common school term length of 180 days Common graduation requirements and a single diploma resulted from reform Continuation high schools required to file an annual report on the condition of the school and its students 3

Funding Issues Pre-1978 schools operate on earned ADA at the district revenue limit amount Post-1978 schools earns income based on ADA but also has an add-on for administrative and operational costs COLA has become more regular in recent years Categorical funding eligibility is the same as other schools in the district Money is the “mother’s milk” of school success 4

Common Attributes of the “At-Risk” student A long history of poor school attendance and performance Families are often in poverty and move frequently and are dysfunctional Parents have history of poor school performance and low expectations for their students Alienation from the school and its ethos 5

Common Conduct & Behavior Issues Disciplinary and truancy problems that lead to credit deficiencies Chronic illness and generally poor health with lost school days & continuity Low self-esteem issuesImpulsive behaviors Family problems, drugs, pregnancy and other personal losses and crises 6

Effective Programs Vocational education with work related to education Small schools with low student-teacher ratios Counseling and support services available School is service-intensive that provides students personal contact with a qualified, caring staff Structure of the curriculum is non-traditional Provide effective alternatives to traditional policies Emphasis is on flexibility in tailoring curriculum and instruction to the learning needs of the individual student 7

Staffing and Administration Continuation schools or programs are mandated Separate administration and location required of district Teachers can be assigned based on skills and abilities rather than credential (*NCLB has changed this attribute in the) 8

Program Mandates Instructional components that lead to graduation are required Intensive guidance programs Work preparation programs Class size to be “as small as possible” Notification of alternative programs and voluntary placement of students 9

Class Size Issues CDE recommends 1:15 ratio and based on ADA and 1:20 based on enrollment Small enough to provide for alternative strategies and intensive guidance services CDE Advisory recommendations should guide district staffing policies 10

Ways to affect class-size impact Project based credit-system Competency-based credit earning Educational technology Community service learning opportunities Block scheduling 11

Student Referral and Admission Enrollment is voluntary Involuntary placement requires a hearing process that is set in local board policy CDE Advisory places entry age at 16 Compulsory attendance age limit is 18 years old but older students can be served Continuation schools are for those who have educational purpose 12

Program Assessment Program quality assessments can include WASC, CCEA Model Schools Program Alternative Schools Assessment Model (ASAM) is the required reporting tool required of continuation high schools Selected performance criteria is used to measure progress of students in the schools NCLB legislation requires a measure based on standardized test performance CSB has approved pre-post achievement measures for ASAM indicators of student academic progress Student pre-tested within first 20 days Post-test no sooner than 30 instructional days after the pre- test using alternative forms Performance measures used to demonstrate adequate yearly progress (AYP) 13

Curriculum Issues Curriculum is aligned with the district requirements, policies and procedures Academic content standards mastery is expected for all students Instruction provides opportunities for students to pass graduation requirements and mandated testing programs 14

Credit Earning Options Core academic program can include Independent Study, Community Service Learning, work Experience/Internship, Community College, ROP, or vocational school courses Seat time is a traditional high school system of credit earning Productive hours programs are based on classroom work hours and completion Competency is based on objective mastery 15

Curricular Expectations of School Program Mastery of core curriculum Proficient mastery of academic content standards Common diploma requirements with a program that will lead to successful completion Opportunities for learning assessed standards CASA Competence Affiliation Self-Confidence Autonomy 16

The Need for Competence Support persistence in learning Make students aware of their own thinking Encourage the use of past knowledge Coach toward precision in language and thought The Need for Affiliation  Create a culture of respect that honors:  Listening  Creativity  Self-knowledge  Humor 17

The Need for Self-Confidence Honor and reward flexibility in thinking Emphasize the need for accurate assessment Allow for the use of all senses Encourage the experiencing a sense of wonder The Need for Autonomy Recognize and manage impulsiveness Question and pose problems Think independently Respect lifelong learning 18

Create a home or “casa” that addresses student development needs 19

Unless changes occur in teaching and learning, all other changes are meaningless 20