1. Keys for Successful Implementation of an Advisement Program April 1, 2008
Southern Regional Education Board

2. Guidance: What is it? Counseling Guidance
The help all students receive from parents, teachers, counselors, community members and others to assist with educational and career development
Counseling
The help some students receive from credentialed professionals to overcome personal and social problems that interfere with learning.

3. Personalizing the Learning Environment
“High schools of the 21st century must be much more student-centered and above all much more personalized in programs, support services and intellectual rigor.” This means every student should have a personal adult advocate and a Personal Plan of Progress.
NASSP. (2004). Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform

4. Teacher Buy-In – How Do You Get it?
Get teachers involved at ground level
Help teachers see the need for an advisement program
Send teachers to other schools to see successful advisement programs
Have schools with successful advisement programs visit your school
Everyone has an advisement class
Remove fear of being responsible for students meeting graduation requirements

5. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: your school?
What are the desired outcomes of the advisement program that you wish to implement/improve at
your school?

6. #1 Outcome!! Prevent students from “falling through the cracks.”
All students are well known by at least one adult in the building.

7. Breaking Ranks II Recommendations
Each student will have a Personal Adult Advocate to help him or her personalize the educational experience.
Each student will have a Personal Plan for Progress that will be reviewed often (every 6 to 8 weeks) to ensure that the high school takes individual needs into consideration and to allow students, within reasonable parameters, to design their own methods for learning in an effort to meet high standards.
Teachers will convey a sense of caring so that students feel that their teachers share a stake in student learning.

8. “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

9. Other desired outcomes:
Parents have a contact at the school that they feel comfortable talking with.
Every student has a postsecondary goal and at least a 6 year plan towards achieving that goal.
Parents and students are on the same page regarding their student’s program of study and future goals.

10. Other desired outcomes:
Increase annually the percentage of students completing a college preparatory academic core and either an academic or a career and technical major.
Increase the percent of students who receive timely extra help and assistance to meet core standards.
Assist students to develop study skills, time management, and other “habits of success.”

11. ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
What problems exist at your school that you want your guidance and advisement program to address?

12. School data to consider:
Completion rate
Retention rate by grade level
Increase in number of students taking higher level courses
Disciplinary referrals (% of ISS, OSS)
Attendance Rate
Number of students participating in extra help

13. Students surveyed would say that they: 1 2 3 4
Current Status
Place the number that best describes the degree to which the following indicators are in place.
1-Not Addressed 2-Planned 3-Early Stages of Implementation 4-Full Implementation
Students surveyed would say that they: 1 2 3 4
Received most help in planning a high school program of study before grade nine.
Participated in a parent-teacher-student conference to plan a high school program of study at least once a year.
Had an adult mentor or adviser at the school for all four years of high school.
Received information from someone at school about selecting and/or applying to college.
Spoke with or visited someone in a career to which they aspire.
Talked to someone from a college about going to college.
Talked at least once a year about my four-year high school plan with my parents or guardians.
Talked to a teacher or counselor individually about their plans for a career or further education after high school.

14. High School-Post High School Transition1 2 3 4
The school works with a postsecondary institution to give most juniors a placement exam to determine which students are not ready for postsecondary study and uses the senior year to get them ready.
Teachers report that the school requires students performing below the state or national average on the ACT or SAT mathematics and verbal sections to take higher-level mathematics and English courses during the senior year.
Students report taking a mathematics course during the senior year.
Decreasing the percentage of students needing to take remedial or developmental courses in reading, language arts, writing or mathematics at the postsecondary level.
Students were often encouraged by counselors or teachers to take more challenging mathematics courses.
Students completed four courses (credits) in mathematics.
Students were often encouraged to take more challenging science courses.
YES NO
Is your school’s ACT or SAT composite below, at, or above the district level? Where are the gaps? In content areas? Among subgroups?
Are you aware of the remediation rate for your students who enter postsecondary institutions in your area? Where are the gaps?
What percent of the current seniors started at your school as freshmen?

15. Do obstacles exist that would hinder your school from addressing these problems? Discuss this question with your team. List potential obstacles and provide suggestions on how to best address these obstacles.

16. ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
What conditions must be in place to have an effective guidance and advisement program to address?

17. 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

18. The Most Important Key to a Successful Advisement Program is:
Relationships

19. Relationship Building: What are the necessary ingredients?

20. Research Shows that Close Relationships with Teachers Matter
Close personal relationships compliment success and are powerful motivators of student behavior. It is a teacher’s greatest tool for motivation.
Student motivation to learn increases when they view teachers as personally interested in them.

21. Research Shows that Close Relationships with Teachers Matter
Students are much more likely to have a clear focus on their future and a plan for getting there.
Students improve their performance when they have a mentor who is keeping close track of their progress and providing more timely help with academic problems.

22. 4 Signature Elements of Caring:
Noticing students and checking into their well-being
Making discussions relevant to students’ experiences
Listening without judgment
Inviting student to talk outside of class time
Perez, 2000

23. Relationship Building Suggestions:
Increase praise; decrease criticism
Greet students cheerfully at the door by name.
Show interest in their lives.
Create opportunities for personal discussion.
Send notes, cards, make phone calls to parents.

24. Relationship Building
Organize non-academic extracurricular activities for students and teachers to participate in together.

25. At Your Tables, Brainstorm Activities That You Can Implement In Your Schools to Develop Relationship Building Between Advisers and Advisees

26. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: advisement program?
What curriculum/activities must be developed to address problems and desired outcomes of your
advisement program?

27. Content Areas According to ASCA
1) Academic development
2) Career development
3) Personal-social development
The scope of practice for guidance is 1) academic development . . .
© Sue Reynolds and Peggy LaTurno Hines,  May be reproduced by educators with proper citations for educational purposes.

28. 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.

29. SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Focus on postsecondary success, not college admissions
Take career exploration seriously – career direction correlates with success
If one goal is economic security, then don’t confuse education with occupational skills
For many students, technical colleges that can lead to a 4-year degree are an excellent choice
83% of workers with associate degrees earn the same annual income as university grads
(Dr. Ken Gray, Penn State University)

30. If ALL students are expected to go to work, then ALL students are vocational students.
A guidance and advisement program helps students choose the right careers and take the courses that will get them into the colleges that make those career dreams come true.

32. However different their strengths, weaknesses, or plans for the future, all of our students hope ultimately to find a job that will provide them with a productive life. Whether we teach them English or art, help them learn to get along with each other or score the winning touchdown, our purpose should be guidance and advisement that will enable our students to become employable as well as employed.

33. 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.

34. Awareness Exploration Active Inquiry Confirma-tion 7th & 8th 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 Shadowing
Service Learning, Senior Projects

35. “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

36. “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,

37. 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.

38. An Effective Advisement Program Should Teach the “Habits of Success”
Our schools may be failing at equipping students with those habits that will lead to success as members of the U.S. workforce. High school students and college graduates are deficient in many of the applied skills that employers consider very important.
Source: The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and the Society for Human Resource Management.

39. Top-ranked skills that employers consider most important:
Professionalism/Work Ethic
Oral and Written Communications
Teamwork/Collaboration
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

40. Habits of Success
Habit1: Build and maintain productive relationships with peers and adults.
Habit 2: Organize, manage time and develop study skills.
Habit 3: Develop strong reading and writing skills.
Habit 4: Develop strong mathematics skills.
Habit 5: Set goals and make plans to reach them.
Habit 6: Learn how to access resources needed to achieve goals.

41. ACTIVITY BALANCE Individual Group Guidance Guidance Relationship
Building

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

43. Individual Guidance Activities
Goal Setting
Monitoring Progress
Active Support
Active Listening

44. Relationship Building
Informal
Time for Discussion
Trust Building
Fun

45. 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.)

46. Advisement Lesson Plan
Title of Lesson
Grade Level
Objective
Activity Description
Materials Needed
Evaluation (for both students and advisers)

47. ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
What should be the role of an adviser in an effective guidance and advisement program?

48. Suggestions for the Role of Adviser

49. Role of the Adviser Primary Goal:
To provide a supportive environment that encourages the personal growth and development of all students by establishing a relationship with each advisee which is characterized by genuine concern and understanding.

50. Role of the Adviser: Implements the advisory program curriculum
Assists students in registering for courses
Has an annual meeting with parents and students to review their program of study
Serves as a positive role model

51. Role of the Adviser(?) Serves as an advocate for advisees
Provides a nurturing environment which promotes communication
Monitors academic progress of advisees
Talks with other teachers about setting up extra help if needed
Fosters quality communication and relationships between the school and the parents/guardians of advisees

52. Role of the Adviser (?)
Meets with parents once a year to review the student’s four-year plan
Calls parents when students’ progress reports have failing grades
Calls parents to check on extended absences
Calls parents to share good news/celebrate student accomplishments
Keeps a Personal Parent Contact Log
Supervises grade-specific activities
Attend Prom
Attend Graduation
Attend Welcome Party for incoming 9th graders

53. Monitoring provides a systematic and efficient way to connect disengaged students with immediate interventions.

54. Indicators of Risks to be Monitored
Tardiness
Skipping
Absenteeism
Behavioral Referrals
Detention
In-School Suspension
Out-of-school Suspension
Failing classes/Behind in Credits

55. Give students Regular Feedback about overall progress in school
All students, regardless of risk, should receive basic interventions on at least a monthly basis. Intensive interventions should be implemented immediately for students exhibiting high risk.
Basic Interventions:
Give students Regular Feedback about overall progress in school
Discuss the Importance of Staying in School

56. At the Bronx Lab school in New York, each adviser is a student’s initial point of contact for a problem.
At Southside Jr. High School in Lebanon, Tennessee, each adviser is to build a relationship with their advisees.
Bronx Lab’s advisories meet 4 times a week for 45 minutes. Two sessions are devoted to silent reading.
Bronx Lab advisers have about 12 students each.

57. At your table:
Decide what specific duties should be assigned to an adviser.

58. How Can an Advisory Program Support Academic Rigor?

59. 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.

60. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has projected that 90% of the fastest-growing jobs will require some form of postsecondary education.

61. The Impending Workforce Crisis
Too few recent high school graduates meet college- and career-readiness standards.
COLLEGE-READINESS
ACT results indicate that a large proportions of 2007 high school graduating class are not prepared for college-level course work. (Source: ACT High School Profile Report: The Graduating Class of 2007: National.)
Percentages of students in 2007 meeting ACT’s readiness benchmarks,
English 69 percent
Reading 53 percent
Mathematics percent
Science 28 percent
A benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject-area test to indicate a 50 percent chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75 percent chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit-bearing college course.
REMEDIATION:
Federal statistics indicate that 40 percent of admitted and enrolled students take at least one remedial course (Source: NCES 2004), reducing dramatically their probability of graduating from college.
Nationally only 17 percent of those students who must take a remedial reading class receive a bachelor’s degree or higher; of those taking two remedial classes other than reading, only 20 percent receive such a degree or higher. (Source: NCES 2004).

62. The Impending Workforce Crisis
Too few students enter programs of study leading to high-demand, high-wage occupational specific jobs critical to the nation’s infrastructure.
DEMAND in STEM:
The bedrock of America’s competitiveness and capacity to innovate is a well-educated and skilled workforce. Capacity to innovate. scientific advancement and innovation are key to maintaining the nation’s competitive edge. A recent report from Public Agenda indicates that “parents, students and local communities are complacent about or even resist efforts to strengthen math and science education. Too many young people and their families do not recognize the vast and interesting opportunities available to students with strong math and science backgrounds.”
Edward Gordon in his book, The 2010 Meltdown, reports that jobs in occupations that require a technical certificate, degree or apprenticeship will increase at a faster rate than all other categories as the technology revolution spreads to even more jobs; computer technicians, lab technicians, airplane mechanics, auto mechanics, electricians, carpenters, electronic machine repairers and many others.
On one hand, we have too many untrained people or people trained for the wrong jobs. On the other hand, we will increasingly lack enough people to fill the jobs that support our knowledge-based, high-tech economy.
The labor market is out of sync with the marketplace. Too many people trained in the wrong jobs. Unfortunately, our cultural aspirations contribute to these gaps.
For example, Monday’s Wall Street Journal (WSJ 09/24//07, page A1) reported on the supply-and-demand imbalance affecting many recent law-school graduates. Some take temporary contract work without benefits just to be employed. While the legal sector is growing at half the rate of overall economy, workforce needs in STEM-related fields, including health sciences are escalating.
Source: Gordon, Edward. The 2010 Meltdown, 2005.

63. The Impending Workforce Crisis
Too few postsecondary students complete an apprenticeship or earn an employer certification, associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree.
Too many experienced workers are nearing retirement.
Postsecondary Completion Rates:
Nationally, 22 percent of the 2002 freshman class entering community colleges graduated within three years. In SREB states, the median graduation rate from community colleges was 17 percent. (Source: SREB Fact Book on Higher Education, 2007)
Of freshmen entering four-year colleges and universities in 1999, just 54 percent graduated in six years. In SREB states, the median graduation rate from four-year institutions was 52 percent. (Source: SREB Fact Book on Higher Education, 2007)
Baby-boomer retirements:
In the U.S. in 2000, 22 percent of the U.S. population was over 65 years old. By 2050, 38 percent will be over 65. (Gordon: The 2010 Meltdown.)
In 2010, the oldest of the 79 million baby-boomers turn 65.

64. High-Wage, High-Growth in Occupational Specialties (2004-2014)
Growth Rate
Avg $
Education
Surgical Tech.
30%
34K
Certificate
Sound Engr. Tech. 18
38K
Desktop Publishers 23
32K
Automotive Tech. 16
Dental Hygienist 43
58K
Associate
Paralegal 30
39K
Environmental
Engineering Tech. 24
High-wage, high-growth occupations are defined as those that are both growing faster than the average for total employment — 13 percent — and have annual earnings above the May 2004 median — $28,770.
May 2004 Median Income for the high-wage, high-growth STEM occupations ranged from $30,000 to $98,000.
Projected growth rates from 2004 to 2014 for these high-wage, high-growth health care occupations range from 13.0 percent to 36.4 percent.
Of the 30 occupations meeting the high-wage, high-growth criteria:
6 require an associate degree
18 require a bachelor’s degree
2 require a master’s degree
3 require a doctorate
1 requires a first professional degree
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bulletin 2602.

65. High-Wage, High-Growth in STEM-Related Occupations (2004-2014)
Growth Rate
Avg $
Education
Surgical Technologist
30%
34K
Certificate
Dental Hygienist 43
58K
Associate
Radiology Technician 23
43K
Computer Systems Analyst 31
66K
Bachelor
Environmental Engr. 30
Civil Engineer 17
64K
Biochemist 21
70K
Doctorate
High-wage, high-growth occupations are defined as those that are both growing faster than the average for total employment — 13 percent — and have annual earnings above the May 2004 median — $28,770.
May 2004 Median Income for the high-wage, high-growth STEM occupations ranged from $30,000 to $98,000.
Projected growth rates from 2004 to 2014 for these high-wage, high-growth health care occupations range from 13.0 percent to 36.4 percent.
Of the 30 occupations meeting the high-wage, high-growth criteria:
6 require an associate degree
18 require a bachelor’s degree
2 require a master’s degree
3 require a doctorate
1 requires a first professional degree
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bulletin 2602.

66. Recommendations 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

67. 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.

68. 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.

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

70. Employers say… “Even those students seeking a technical or
vocational degree will need skills formerly
expected only for a 4-year college degree
program.”
GREAT EXPECTATIONS: A REPORT ON EMPLOUER EXPECTATIONS IN INDIANA, 1999 (Indiana Education Information Center, Hudson Institute)
Things are not as they were when I entered school in the ’50’s, and they have changed even since the younger teachers among us were in school.

71. ACT says…
High schools students who plan to enter workforce training programs after they graduate need academic skills similar to those of college-bound students.
An ACT Policy Alert: Ready for College=Ready for Workforce
Training, 2006.

72. 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

73. 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.”

74. “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

75. 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.

76. “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

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

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

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

80. 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

81. Questions to Consider:
What steps do you need to encourage more students to take more rigorous courses?
How do you provide information that helps students to set goals after high school? What information do you provide? When do you provide this information? How often? In what setting? Are parents included?
What special guidance and advisement activities should be in place in your school to make sure students are taking courses consistent with their goals beyond high school?

82. ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How can an advisement program increase parental involvement?

83. Parental Involvement – How Do We Get It?

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

85. 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.

86. ….encouraging parents to stay in contact with teachers is a good start, but how can schools create real, workable opportunities for such contact? Publicizing teacher and counselor Internet addresses is little help to those who cannot afford home computers. Regularly-scheduled Open Houses and Back to School Nights are infrequent and moreover tend to be dominated by parents who already know all the right questions to ask and are not shy about asking them. Low-income parents may need other opportunities and other kinds of help in approaching teachers to find out what their kids need.
(Poverty, Parents & Higher Education: Executive Summary)

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

88. Do you enjoy throwing money away?

89. 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?

90. 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.

91. 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
PLAN – given to 10th grade students. The results for PLAN and the ACT Assessment are reported on a common score scale with a range of 1-32 for the PLAN and a range of 1-36 for the ACT Assessment. Therefore each PLAN score is interpretable as the ACT Assessment test score that a student would be expected to achieve if that student had taken the ACT Assessment at the time of PLAN testing. Provides information that enable students and parents to make well-informed choices about courses to be taken in the remaining years of high school. (Also allow teachers to review curriculum content.)
High school seniors should not have to wait until they enter college to learn they need remedial courses. They should not have to wait until high school graduation to know whether they can pass an exam for a decent job. The local community college can administer its placement exams to 11th graders in the spring. Local employers can administer the exams that they use in testing applicants for good jobs. These tests will show students (and their parents) what needs to happen in the coming year to correct any deficiencies.
ASSET- includes four sections: writing, reading, numeric, and elementary algebra There are no passing scores. ASSET scores indicate strong and/or weak areas. Many technical colleges use it to help decide on remedial courses.

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

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

94. 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

95. Student-Led Conferences
Talk with your school team about implementing student-led conferences at your school. Could they be easily implemented? What would be the main obstacles?

96. Invite Parents to Meet with Advisers During Other Times of the Year
Beginning of the Year
Pick up report cards
Any other Open House events

97. Barriers to Parental Involvement:
Cultural and Language Barriers
Time Constraints
Transportation
Child Care
Parents’ own educational experiences in school
Parents feel they lack the educational background or skills needed to interact with teachers.

98. Recommendations to Improve Parental Involvement
1) Eliminate barriers
Cultural and language – Use a translator - a parent,
faculty member, or student
Time Constraints – Accommodate parents’ work
schedules
Transportation – Offer transportation, arrange carpools
Provide childcare, meals
Encourage family members to send a substitute family
member
Arrange meetings off campus
Asian parents may feel that it is disrespectful to talk to teachers because it looks like they are checking up on them.
As parents about the best time for them to attend.
Talk to companies about time off.

99. 2. Adopt a philosophy that family and community engagement is a key component of your whole school improvement plan.
Develop the capacity of school staff to work with families and community members.
Design staff development that:
-- helps all staff recognize the advantages of school, family and community connections.
-- explores how trusting and respectful relationships with families and community members are achieved.
-- enhance school staff’s ability to work with diverse families.
Making sure that it is part of your school improvement plan will ensure that you will address the issue.
Parents do not like to deal with school staff who are overly businesslike, who appear patronizing, or who talk down to them.
Only about ½ of the states in the nation have parent involvement requirements for teacher certification.
Teacher attributes that appear to positively influence teachers’ relationships with children and parents include: warmth, openness, sensitivity, flexibility , reliability, and accessibility.

100. There are three basic commandments for involving parents in their children’s education:
1) Connect the parents to their children rather than to the school.
2) Make the event and information meaningful to the parents.
3) Make the event workable for all parents in the community.
See Handout on Factors Affecting Family Involvement

101. With families of high school students, offer this kind of support:
Regular meetings with teachers and counselors to plan their children’s academic program.
Information about program options, graduation requirements, test schedules, and postsecondary education options and how to plan for them.
Explanations of courses students should take to be prepared for college or other postsecondary education.
Information about financing postsecondary education and applying for financial aid.

102. Parental involvement is neither a quick fix nor a luxury; it is absolutely fundamental to a healthy system of public education.

103. Questions to Consider
What specific steps will you take to encourage more parental involvement in your school?
How often will advisers meet with parents?
What will be the main topics at each session?
What obstacles will you have to overcome to get parents to meet with advisers? How will you address these obstacles?

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

105. 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.

106. How Can a Portfolio Be Presented?
Binder (three-ring notebook)
Scrapbook
Legal Folder
Computer Disk

107. 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

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

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

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

111. Best Practices for Guidance and Advisement

112. Best Practices Specified purpose (s) Thoughtful planning
An effective curriculum
Students develop postsecondary goals and a plan to achieve those goals with the help of their parents and advisers
Yearly meeting of students, parents and adviser to review the past year and plan for the upcoming year
Manageable advisory group size
Sufficient time to build relationships
Well-defined role of the adviser
Keep the same adviser all 4 years
Provide Staff Development for Advisers
An evaluation to determine if the advisement program is making a difference

113. What type of Staff Development Should be Given to Advisers?

114. 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

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

116. 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

117. 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

118. EVALUATING YOUR GUIDANCE ADVISEMENT PROGRAM
© American Student Achievement Institute   May be reproduced with proper citation for educational purposes.

119. We’d never dream of coaching basketball without keeping stats
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?
Not keeping achievement data is like coaching basketball without keeping player stats or keeping score during the game. Knowing our “student stats” helps us design academic strategies that our students need. Achievement data helps us know if our “game plan” is working.

120. 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?

121. Pre- & Post- Survey SCANTRON SURVEY FORM
I can describe my personal learning style.
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.
Yes
Don’t Know No
Yes
Don’t Know No
Another use for competencies is in guidance program assessment. Schools can use a pre- and post- format to determine if students have mastered the guidance competencies. Schools should be able to answer two questions: 1) Are students better off because they have participated in a guidance initiative? 2) Can you prove it?
The sample above is a simple student self-report. A self-report isn’t reliable in terms of assessing an individual’s master of the competencies, but student group data can be used to identify trends in self reported mastery.
Yes
Don’t Know No
SCANTRON SURVEY FORM

122. Guidance Portfolio 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
Another use for competencies is in guidance program assessment. Schools can use a pre- and post- format to determine if students have mastered the guidance competencies. Schools should be able to answer two questions: 1) Are students better off because they have participated in a guidance initiative? 2) Can you prove it?
The sample above is a simple student self-report. A self-report isn’t reliable in terms of assessing an individual’s master of the competencies, but student group data can be used to identify trends in self reported mastery.

123. STUDENT CHOICE DATA Behavioral Academic Career 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

124. Student Choices TASK 2004 2005 74% 57% 22% 28% 69% 100% 91% 57% 82%
% Enrolling In Algebra
74%
% Having a course plan that aligns
with their postsecondary plans
57%
% 10th taking the PLAN (pre ACT)
22%
% 11th grade taking the PSAT
28%
% 12th planning to continue education
after high school
69%
100%
91%
57%
82%

125. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT 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

126. Changes in Student Achievement
Data Field
2004
2005
% proficient on state test
54%
% passing Algebra in 9th grade
25%
% passing end-of-course tests
53%
% graduating
72%
% earning a 3 on an AP test 6%
56%
35%
58%
73%
10%

127. Evaluating Your Advisement Program
Is your advisement evaluation telling you what you need to know?
How can you improve your evaluation to get a clearer picture of the effectiveness of your advisement program?

128. “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.