Implementation Awards: Annual dropout rates. The table below summarizes the annual dropout rates for Implementation schools from school years 2007–08 to 2014–15. The dropout rate decreased from 7.7 percent in 2009–10 to 4.8 percent in 2014–15. Annual Dropout Rates for Implementation Schools, SY08 to SY15 Year Total HS Enrollment Number of Dropouts Annual Dropout Rate (%) SY08 27,325 2,184 8.0 SY09 26,706 2,159 8.1 SY10 26,223 2,008 7.7 SY11 26,013 2,015 7.7 SY12 26,816 1,588 5.9 SY13 25,219 1,390 5.5 SY14 25,132 1,361 5.4 SY15 25,003 1,203 4.8 The figure below shows the trend in annual dropout rate for Implementation schools from school years 2007–08 to 2014–15. Annual Dropout Rates for Implementation Schools, SY08 to SY15
International High Lowell Lowell High1 117 117 117 0 0 117 0 0 Malden Malden High1 718 562 0 368 275 454 128 0 North Adams Drury High 419 217 0 173 0 0 54 0 Phoenix Charter Phoenix Charter 885 254 0 0 0 885 0 0 Pittsfield Pittsfield High1 288 0 27 223 191 0 58 0 Pittsfield Taconic High1 279 0 15 199 186 0 70 0 Quabbin Quabbin Regional1 239 230 138 0 0 0 28 0 Somerville Somerville High1 404 0 0 352 0 0 0 0 Springfield HS of Commerce1 779 479 453 63 0 0 0 0 Springfield HS of Science and Technology 1,210 0 851 334 0 0 0 0 Springfield Putnam Voc Tech 1,231 203 950 207 0 0 0 0 Springfield High School Completion Program1 430 310 329 181 0 0 0 0 Whitman Hanson Regional1 282 282 259 68 0 281 58 0 TOTAL 17,827 4,980 5,431 6,787 3,320 2,198 973 684 Note: The High School Completion Program was counted as a 29th site for the 2013–14 and 2014–15 school years. (See explanation in report narrative.) 1Data were not submitted for school year 2014–15, so totals reflect student participation from school years 2011–12 through 2013–14. 2Lawrence totals are combined across schools.
Webinar #1 (Sep 9, 2014) – Data Wise: Sources of College and Career Readiness Data 8 14 Work Group Meeting (Oct 7, 2014, Leominster) – Making 9th Grade a Springboard for High School Success 36 62 Webinar #2 (Oct 14, 2014) – Building a Positive School Context in the Context of the New Discipline Law 9 16 Regional Gathering – Southeast (Nov 20, 2014) 7 12 Regional Gathering – Central (Dec 2, 2014) 1 2 Webinar #3 (Dec 9, 2014) – Integration of College and Career Readiness: the Personal/Social Domain 8 14 Regional Gathering – Northeast (Jan 15, 2015) 8 14 Regional Gathering – Western (Jan 22, 2015) 7 12 Webinar #4 (Mar 3, 2015) – Graduation and Dropout Data 17 29 Webinar #5 (Mar 10, 2015) – Career Development Education: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Immersion 7 12 Webinar #6 (Apr 14, 2015) – Transition to 9th Grade 8 14 Webinar #7 (May 12, 2015) – Individual Learning Plans 4 7 MassGrad Showcase. Participants were asked about the benefits provided by the MassGrad showcase. Almost all participants strongly agreed or agreed that the showcase was successful and provided opportunities to grow and learn from other districts. Benefits of Participation in Work Group Events The MassGrad showcase… N Strongly Agree (%) Agree (%) Neutral (%) Disagree (%) Strongly Disagree (%) Provided useful opportunities for districts to learn from each other. 77 56 42 3 0 0 Provided useful opportunities for networking. 76 46 45 9 0 0 Provided useful resources for carrying out dropout prevention and work in my own school. 77 47 43 10 0 0 Provided me with at least one idea that I can use to improve dropout prevention and re-engagement efforts in my school/district. 77 57 37 7 0 0 Helped my school/district stay energized and sustain momentum related to dropout prevention efforts. 77 47 42 8 4 0
participants responded. Eighty-two percent (N=58) agreed or strongly agreed, 19 percent (N=12) were neutral, and 1 percent (N=1) disagreed. Formats for future trainings/events. Respondents were asked how likely they would be to participate in future Work Group events and trainings of various forms. Seventy-five to 80 percent responded that they were very likely or moderately likely to attend in-person trainings, in-person networking/sharing opportunities, or facilitated site visits to other schools. Fifty-six percent were very likely or moderately likely to participate in webinars. Likelihood of Participating in Future Work Group Events Event N Very Likely (%) Moderately Likely (%) Somewhat Likely (%) Unlikely (%) In-person trainings 111 41 38 16 5 In-person networking/sharing opportunities 113 43 35 20 2 Webinars 110 26 30 32 13 Facilitated site visits to other schools 111 38 38 22 3 Possible topics for future events related to dropout prevention and re-engagement. Respondents were asked to indicate their level of interest in participating in a range of dropout prevention and re-engagement topics. Of the topics presented, respondents were most interested in socio-emotional supports, alternative pathways, and re-engaging dropouts. Respondents were least interested in school discipline, online courses for credit recovery, and middle school supports. Respondents also identified other topics of interest. These included how to fundraise/apply for grants (N=2), cultural competency training (N=2), and guidance on students’ and schools’ legal rights and responsibilities (N=2). One respondent also requested that ESE create a list of schools or districts with comprehensive tracking systems of their interventions/programs/supports that were willing to share or be contacted. Interest in Future Dropout Prevention and Re-engagement Events
N Very Interested Moderately Interested Somewhat Interested Not Interested Re-engaging dropouts 110 64 25 11 0 Alternative pathways 110 69 21 10 0 Socio-emotional supports 109 62 32 6 1 Supporting 9th-grade students 110 56 30 10 5 Summer programming 106 42 38 15 6 Adult advocates (e.g., graduation and coaches) 107 43 32 18 8 Online courses for credit recovery 108 37 31 22 10 Middle school supports 107 36 30 22 13 Career development education 106 36 41 21 3 School culture 110 45 39 15 2 Making curriculum and instruction engaging 106 40 39 17 5 Proactive use of data / Early Warning Indicator System 108 30 43 21 7 Community partnerships 108 43 42 15 1 Service learning 107 36 40 18 7 Collaboration with higher education 108 34 41 23 2 School discipline 109 35 37 23 6 English language learners 110 36 36 20 8 Students with disabilities 108 37 39 21 3 Mental health 107 46 39 13 2 Competency-based education 109 41 35 17 7 Individual learning plans (ILPs) 109 36 38 21 6
Grade 09 3.57 [-0.91, 8.05] 0.51 3379 8546 Grade 10 3.23 [-0.46, 6.91] 0.12 1997 6206 Grade 11 1.41 [-2.26, 5.08] 0.09 1610 5161 Grade 12 2.65 [-4.11, 9.40] 0.45 2461 8241 *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. Note: The following models did not converge and are therefore not reported: ELL. Impacts of Implementation Award on Graduation, Year of Intervention by Strategy Group Odds Ratio 95% CI p-value N (Treatment) N (Comparison) Adult Advocates 1.40 [0.8, 2.45] 0.24 902 4,483 Alternative Pathways 0.81 [0.29, 2.28] 0.70 470 3,011 Credit Recovery 0.91 [0.70, 1.2] 0.52 1,516 6,286 Note: There were too few students (average of 10 students per strategy) to conduct valid analyses for the following strategies: Expanded Time, School Climate, Service Learning. Impacts of Implementation Award on Graduation, Year after Intervention by Strategy Group Odds Ratio 95% CI p-value N (Treatment) N (Comparison) Adult Advocates 0.99 [0.78, 1.26] 0.95 1,342 7,392 Alternative Pathways 1.11 [0.44, 2.81] 0.83 736 5,735 Credit Recovery 1.15 [0.89, 1.47] 0.29 2,497 10,118 Note: There were too few students (average of 10 students per strategy) to conduct valid analyses for the following strategies: Expanded Time, School Climate, Service Learning. Impacts of Implementation Award on Graduation, Two Years After Intervention by Strategy Group Odds Ratio 95% CI p-value N (Treatment) N (Comparison) Adult Advocates 0.61 [0.42, 0.89] 0.01** 767 9,724