Transcript Slide 1

School Connectedness,
And Closing the Achievement
Gap
Health
Academics
Connectedne
ss
ATOD
Safety
Sean Slade, M.Ed, Regional Manager, California Healthy Kids Survey
Health and Human Development Program, WestEd
“we will not close the achievement gap for minority
youth
until we close a social and emotional gap
based on disparities between minority and other
youths
in experiencing key external assets…”
Greg Wolfe, CDE,
Nov. 2007
School Connectedness
Research shows that supportive schools and communities foster
positive
outcomes by promoting students’ sense of:

Connectedness (1997) Resnick et al.,

Belonging (1995) Baumeister & Leary,

Community (1997) Schaps, et al.,
School Connectedness
• California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) collects
student data on School Connectedness (RYDM)
• Based on the scale from the National Longitudinal
Study on Adolescent Health.
• Measures the degree to which students feel close to
people at school, a part of the school, treated fairly,
happy, and safe at school.
School Connectedness
National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health
(Ad Health)
• School connectedness were found to be protective
against every health risk measure
• Perceived caring from teachers and high
expectations for student performance foster a sense of
connection.
• Highly correlated with school attendance and
grades (Resnick et al., 1997).
Asset Gap
School Connectedness Mean
50
45
40
35
30
White
Black
Hispanic
25
20
15
10
5
0
7th grade
9th grade
2004-2006 weighted CHKS data
700,000 students
11th grade
Asset Gap
Caring Relationships
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
White
Black
Hispanic
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
7th grade
9th grade
2004-2006 weighted CHKS data
700,000 students
11th grade
Asset Gap
High Expectations
60%
50%
40%
White
Black
Hispanic
30%
20%
10%
0%
7th grade
9th grade
2004-2006 weighted CHKS data
700,000 students
11th grade
Asset Gap
Meaningful Participation
20%
18%
16%
14%
12%
White
Black
Hispanic
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
7th grade
9th grade
2004-2006 weighted CHKS data
700,000 students
11th grade
External assets that foster connectednes
Health
Caring Relationships
Academics
Connectedness
High
Expectations
ATOD
Meaningful Participation
Safety
What is the CHKS?
The California Healthy Kids Survey is a comprehensive
and customizable youth self-reporting survey
Provides essential and reliable health risk assessment
and resilience information to schools, districts, and
communities
Targeted at grades 5, 7, 9, 11 and NT
Conducted every 2 years by majority of Californian
public schools
Risk (ATOD use, violence, safety) and Resilience
(Connectedness - school & community)
What is the CHKS?
Looks at both assets of youth as well as areas of concern.
Currently in 85%+ of all districts across California
Over 1 million students in last cycle
All district reports available online
www.wested.org/chks
Relationship between Connectedness
and…
 Academics
 Health
 Safety
 and ATOD Use
Health
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
ATOD
Safety
Academic
s
www.wested.org/pub/docs/chks_health.html
Relationship: Connectedness &
Academics
Caring Relationships and Test Scores
High Expectations and Test Scores
Meaningful Participation and Test Scores
Resilience research identify these factors as beneficial
influences
Sad/Hopelessness and Test Scores
And are associated with both a lack of involvement in
health
comprising behaviors and academic success
Relationship: Connectedness & Academics
Caring Relationships and Test Scores
Change in SAT-9 (NPR)
10
5
0.1
0.4
0.8
1.2
0.8
1.1
1.5
1.9
2.2
0.5
1.5
1.0
2.1
2.7
0
-0.3
Reading
-5
Language
Mathematics
-10
52
58
64 71
77
52
58 64
71
77
52
58
64
Percent reporting caring relations with adults at school
Source: California Healthy Kids Survey & STAR data files.
71 77
Relationship: Connectedness &
Academics
High Expectations and Test Scores
Change in SAT-9 (NPR)
10
5
0.4
0
-0.5
0.9
1.4
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.7
1.9
0.8
1.1
1.5
1.9
2.3
-0.1
Reading
-5
Language
Mathematics
-10
58 65
72 80 87
58 65 72 80
87
58 65 72 80 87
Percent reporting high expectations at school
Source: California Healthy Kids Survey & STAR data files.
Relationship: Connectedness & Academics
Meaningful Participation and Test Scores
Change in SAT-9 (NPR)
10
5
0.5
1.1
1.5
0.6
1.1
2.0
1.5
2.5
1.0
1.3
1.6
2.0
2.2
0.0
0
-0.5
Reading
-5
Language
Mathematics
-10
48
55
62
70
77
48
55
62
70
77
48
55
62
Percent in school reporting meaningful participation in community
Source: California Healthy Kids Survey & STAR data files.
70
77
Relationship: Connectedness &
Academics
Sad/Hopelessness and Test Scores
Change in SAT-9 (NPR)
10
5
2.4
1.5
1.0
0.7
2.0
2.6
1.6
1.2
0.3
2.1
1.7
0.7
1.1
0.6
0
-0.2
Reading
-5
Language
Mathematics
-10
20
25
29
34
39
20
25
29
34
39
20
25
Percent reporting sadness/hopelessness (12 month)
Source: California Healthy Kids Survey & STAR data files.
29
34
39
Relationship: Connectedness and …
 Safety
High school assets are also associated with
improvements
in safe school environment, a necessary
precondition of learning.
 ATOD Use
Lack of school assets are associated with substance
use and disengagement from school.
 Health
High school assets promote feelings of
connectedness, security, and well-being.
Health
Academic
s
Connectedness
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
ATOD
Safety
Creating
Asset
Rich
Environments for Children and Youth
By providing youth with caring relationships, high
expectations, and opportunities for meaningful
participation, we meet the fundamental
developmental needs that must be met if they are
to become happy and successful.
p45
Ventura Connectedness
% scoring ‘High’ for Assets
Grade 5
V
CA
0506
0406
Total Assets
54
54
Caring Relationships
61
61
High Expectations
63
62
Meaningful Participation
16
18
School
Ventura Connectedness
% scoring ‘High’ for Assets
Grade 7
V
CA
Grade 9
V
CA
0506
0406
0506
0406
Total Assets
36
33
26
25
Caring Relationships
35
33
27
26
High Expectations
51
48
39
37
Meaningful
Participation
17
16
13
13
School
Ventura Connectedness
% scoring ‘High’ for Assets Grade 11
V
CA
Non Trad
V
CA
0506
0406
0506
0406
Total Assets
32
31
24
24
Caring Relationships
35
33
30
29
High Expectations
42
41
38
35
Meaningful
Participation
16
15
10
10
School
Ventura Connectedness
School Assets Overall
% scoring
‘High’ for
Assets
5
7
9
11
NT
In School
Total
Assets
CR
54 54 36 33 26 25 32 31 24
24
61 61 35 33 27 26 35 33 30
29
HE
63 62 51 48 39 37 42 41 38
35
MP
16 18 17 16 13 13 16 15 10
10
Ventura Connectedness
Community Assets Overall
% scoring
‘High’ for
Assets
5
Home
7
9
11
NT
Community
Total
Assets
CR
83 83 67 60 62 56 64 60 36
40
79 80 67 61 63 58 65 61 48
50
HE
92 92 68 62 63 59 64 61 45
48
MP
18 19 51 45 46 40 46 42 16
18
Ventura Connectedness
Assets
Don’t stop… keep doing what you’re
doing!
•Especially ‘Community’ & High Expectations
•Stabilize the positive and focus on ‘areas’
Attention to NT
•Communities
Look closer at ‘your’ district and school
•Individual schools
•Subsets
Teachers’ perceptions, expectations, and
behaviors
interact with
students’ beliefs, behaviors, and work habits
in ways that help to perpetuate
the Black-White test score gap.
Ronald F. Ferguson
Ventura Connectedness
by ethnicity
% scoring
‘High’ for
Assets
7
9
11
NT
Al
l
Hi
s
W
Al
l
Hi
s
W
h
Al
l
Hi
s
W
h
Al
l
Hi
s
Total
Assets
3
6
31 41
2
6
21 30
3
2
28 36
2
4
23 31
CR
3
5
31 40
2
7
23 30
3
5
30 39
3
0
28 39
HE
HE
5
1
45 56
3
9
34 42
4
2
38 45
3
8
35 45
MP
MP
1
7
13 19
1
3
11
13
1
6
15 17
1
0
8
W
h
11
50 years of resilience research tells us that…
when the focus is on supporting and
empowering youth,
over 70% of young people in the most
challenging of life’s conditions not only survive,
but grow into thriving adults.
Bonnie Benard
Is it any wonder
The 3 R’s of the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation
Relevance … Meaningful Participation
Rigor…
High Expectations
Relationships…Caring Relationships
Is it any wonder
High Performing Learning Communities
Strong connections between students and staff.
A set of high expectations and a rigorous curriculum…
Instructional strategies that engage students…
A school culture that is mission-driven and
Focused on helping all students learn.
Catherine Walcott, et al
High School Reform: National & State Trends, WestEd 2005
Is it any wonder
Institutional Success
Any institution that wants to claim success for
the majority of its youth participants needs to be
intentional about creating tight, challenging, learning
communities
that are focused on the whole adolescent
and that are built to bring young people from
wherever they are to the finish line.
Karen Pittman, Forum for Youth Investment
Is it any wonder
Getting Results
Research shows that young people who engage in
meaningful participation in school and community
activities
have improved chances for
positive and healthy development…
Getting Results, 1999, 2001
Pittman, Martin & Williams, 2007
Is it any wonder
We exist not as a mass of independent individuals, but
rather in the
context of a vast web of relationships; and these
connections
are what allows us to pursue collective action effectively…
Every sector has a role to play in a caring society,
whether by supporting, facilitating,
or directly providing care
to youths and those in need.
Rauner, 2000
Is it any wonder
Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children an
Investment in a child’s social and emotional well-being
through caring adult relationships produces
long-term positive effects not only for our young people,
but it also positively affects the well-being of the entire
community.
We all benefit, children, youth and adults…
BAISCO, 2007
Is it any wonder
Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children an
Together we can make it work.
Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a school
administrator, a member of a community- or faithbased organization, a policymaker, a business leader
or just a concerned citizen, become involved.
We believe that it is only through such close alliances that
effective and lasting solutions can be realized.BAISCO, 2007
www.wested.org/chks
Sean Slade, M.Ed
Research Associate, WestEd
Health and Human Development Program
Oakland CA 94612
[email protected]
T 510.302.4202