Transcript Setting the Record Straight:

Supporting At-Risk Youth
in the Development of
Programs of Study
The Facts About ALS’ Dropout
Prevention and Recovery
Programs
Jan Spivak
Director of Student Services &
College and Career Readiness
Accelerated Learning Solutions
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Partners in Education
ALS schools are located in underserved
and low-income areas. 81% of our
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students live in neighborhoods with average
household incomes below the state average.
82% of the students are eligible for “free and
reduced lunches”, an indicator of low family
income.
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2013-14 - 21 schools in 7 Florida counties.
2014-15 – 23 schools in Florida, 1 school in North
Carolina
www.yourdiplomayourway.com
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Partners in Education
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Only serve students who have already
dropped out of school or are at-risk of
dropping out. Only 8% of charter schools in
the southeastern US serve this population of
students.
Partner with the public schools to address
the needs of these at-risk students. As a
result, ALS charter schools have positive, not
adversarial relationships with local school
districts.
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Partners in Education
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Our students’ performance is attributed
directly to our schools, not back to the
students’ “home” high school. There is no
negative impact on their high school’s A++
school grade or FCAT scores.
ALS is the only SACS accredited school
management company addressing dropout
prevention in the state of Florida. Only 23%
of Florida charter high schools are SACS
accredited.
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Programs of Study
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Secondary to postsecondary transition.
Helping students define and pursue career
options through counseling and curricula.
Exploring all possibilities, and establishing
specific transition activities for students
prior to graduating.
Maintaining a strong level of support with
all students after graduation.
Addressing all factors that can be barriers
to successful transitioning.
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Enrollment and Referrals
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At enrollment, the typical student is:
17 years old with 12 or less high school credits
previously earned
 Reading at or below the 8th grade level
 Three years behind their 9th grade cohort – 90%+
are over-age for expected grade
 Academically unsuccessful – 80+% are at FCAT
(Florida) Level 1 or 2
 Requiring special services – 10-20% need special
education accommodations, 12-20% are English
language learners and 8-12% are parenting,
pregnant or caring for other children
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Enrollment and Referrals
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Students enrolling in the dropout
prevention/recovery program have already
dropped out or have been identified by their
sending school as being at-risk of dropping out
80+% of students are referred by school
principals and counselors because they had been
identified as being at-risk of dropping out.
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Instruction and Assessment
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All classroom teachers are state certified and
highly qualified in their subject area or are
assigned an out of field waiver per No Child
Left Behind requirements. Many have multiple
certifications.
The instructional program is rigorous and
aligned to Florida standards.
All graduates pass the FCAT (or earn
concordant score on ACT or SAT) and earn a
standard Florida diploma that is accepted by
universities, colleges, training programs and
the military services.
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Accountability
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Our contracts with sponsoring school districts
provide for various levels of accountability.
School district authorizers hold the charter board
and the management company to the academic
and financial performance criteria stated in the
charter application.
Our partners include secondary, postsecondary,
military, and industry leaders and
representatives.
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Accountability
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We guarantee to sponsoring districts that our
students will complete courses and earn credits
faster than these same students progressed at
their previous schools.
In Broward County student’s credit earning rate
per semester at their prior school was 0.93. In
the 2012-13 school year, ALS Broward schools
averaged 2.9 credits per semester.
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Accountability
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The Florida Department of Education
evaluates our performance.
Each of our schools participates in the state
accountability system that compares Learning
Gains among our enrolled students to the
Learning Gains that these same students
achieved at their prior schools.
 We participate in the state’s extensive
standardized testing program.
 We are also required to submit annual reports to
the state Auditor General that demonstrate our
fiscal soundness.
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Student Achievement
Achieving academic standards,
graduating students from high school
and securing postsecondary options for
them.
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The credit earning rate in ALS schools is typically
twice what these same students achieved in their
prior schools (50% increase).
70.5% of ALS students in 2012 graduated or are
continuing their enrollment.
60+% of graduates in 2012 went on to attend a
two/four-year college, trade or technical school.
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Student Achievement
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ALS schools graduated over 2,200
students in the last 4 years. Most of these
students would not have graduated
without enrolling in this program.
In the graduating class of 2012, over 76%
of graduates from all schools indicated
intention to enroll in a 2 or 4 year college
or university.
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Programs of Study
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All students create an electronic portfolio
that includes career inventories (interest,
ability, aptitude, work skills) and
postsecondary Plans of Study utilizing
Florida CHOICES and School Connect, in
relation to their college and career
searches and plans.
All students graduate with a complete
postsecondary transition plan.
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Career Coach
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Each school has a Career Coach who:
 Works closely with students to teach resume writing,
develop job skills and search for employment
 Facilitates Executive Internship and Personal, Career
and School Development Skills courses
 Assists students in completing employment, college,
and financial aid applications
 Schedules visits to postsecondary institutions for
students and parents
 Coordinates college and career speakers and fairs
 Completes a Postsecondary Transition Plan with all
students regardless of grade level
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Addressing Barriers to
Postsecondary Success
 ALS schools provide extensive social
services support and postsecondary
coaching to students.
Each school delivers extensive communitybased support services to a minimum of 300
students per school annually to address the
obstacles that prevent academic success.
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Wrap-Around Student Services
 ALS schools provide services under 9
primary service categories:
Individual/Family/Group Counseling
Crisis Intervention
Case Management
Child care
Health and Medical
Postsecondary Preparation
Employment Assistance/Training/Career
Development & Planning
 Job Opportunities, Internships & Apprenticeships
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 Mentoring
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Additional Services
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Graduating Seniors
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EXIT Interview
Postsecondary Transition Plan
Academic Interventions
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Individual/group support
State assessment preparation
Other services
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Student Services Department
A Family Support Specialist coordinates social
services, conducts an initial assessment of
each student and ensures that students
receive the services that are needed to
remove barriers to success.
A Career Coach advises students on postsecondary options and how to achieve their
preferred choice after graduation.
Community Agencies & Providers
University Bachelor and Graduate Level
Interns in Social Work, Mental Health
Counseling, or Teacher Education Programs.
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It’s Working!
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The contracts for the three schools in
Broward, one school in Hillsborough, two
schools in Lee and three schools in
Orange Counties were due to expire at
the end of the 2012-13 school year. All
of the schools were renewed for terms
from 5 to 15 years, and each school
district board unanimously voted to
renew the contracts.
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Our Alumni
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ALS schools continue to serve students
after graduation.
Alumni provide additional support and
facilitate presentations to current
students.
Program of Study development and school
support is ongoing for all ALS students.
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THANK YOU for your
PARTNERSHIP!
Jan Spivak
Director of Student Services & College
and Career Readiness
Accelerated Learning Solutions
[email protected]
786-510-3691
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