Re-Thinking “Seat Time”: Offering High School Credit Through

Expanded Learning Opportunities Paul Leather, Deputy Commissioner of Education,

New Hampshire Department of Education December 7, 2012

One Student’s Story ~

• Civics – City Project Focus

• Social Studies HQT

• City Hall Social Services Department

Community Partner

• Research needed maternal health and wellness supports within community that will lead to student success despite numerous at-risk indicators

• Create a report and present to the City Council and to the school

Goals

• Student earned partial Civics credit, discovered how difficult and yet rewarding Public Service can be in her Community

Result

NH Senate Bill 18 Raised Compulsory School Attendance Age from 16 to 18 Effective July 1, 2009

NH School Approval Standards Flexible use of time and place ~ Established Mastery of course competencies, rather than seat time, to attain HS credit. Effective July 1, 2005

NH Policy Context ~ A Perfect Storm!

Compulsory Education Law In NH

• A parent of any child at least 6 years of age and under 18 years of age shall cause such child to attend the public school to which the child is assigned in the child’s resident district. Such child shall attend full time when such school is in session unless:…

• The pupil obtains a waiver from the superintendent, which shall only be granted upon proof that the pupil is 16 years of age or older and has an alternative learning plan for obtaining either a high school diploma or its equivalent.

(1) Alternative learning plans shall include age-appropriate academic rigor and the flexibility to incorporate the pupil’s interests and manner of learning. These plans may include, but are not limited to, such components or combination of components of extended learning opportunities as independent study, private instruction, performing groups, internships, community service, apprenticeships, and on-line courses….

Current NH Competency language

• The local school board shall require that a high school credit can be earned by demonstrating mastery of required competencies for the course, as approved by certified school personnel.

• The local school board shall require that a high school have in place competency assessments for all courses offered through the high school.

• Each high school shall determine the number of credits to be awarded for successful demonstration of competencies following completion of a classroom course, independent study, distance learning course, or extended learning opportunity.

• One credit shall equate to the level of rigor and achievement necessary to master

competencies that have been designed to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to progress toward college level and career work.

• Determination of the weight of each course competency on which credit is

based, as well as the degree of mastery on which credit will be granted, shall be a local decision.

Adopted 12-14-2011

Current NH Definition of “Extended Learning”

“Extended learning” means the primary acquisition of knowledge and skills through instruction or study outside of the traditional classroom methodology, including, but not limited, to:

(1) Independent study; (2) Private instruction; (3) Performing groups; (4) Internships; (5) Community service; (6) Apprenticeships; and (7) Online courses.

New Day for

Learning

Increasing Drop Out Rates

Demand for Differently

Skilled Labor Force

Student Needs

Choice and Relevance

• "Students are most interested when the curriculum applies to more than just the textbook. The book is there -- we can read a book. If we're given projects that expand into other subjects and make us think, it'll help us understand the information."

• "Giving students choices helps us use our strengths and gives us freedom to make a project the way we want it to. When we do something we like, we're more focused and enjoy school more."

How the demand for skills has changed Economy-wide measures of routine and non-routine task

input (US)

40

45

50

55

60

65

1960 1970 1980 1990 2002

Routine manual

Nonroutine manual

Routine cognitive

Nonroutine analytic

Nonroutine interactive

Levy and Murnane

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Defining College and Career Readiness

Knowledge – refers to mastery of rigorous

content knowledge across multiple disciplines

(including but not limited to reading/language arts and mathematics) that

serve as a foundation for all learning.

Skills – refer to the higher-order skills that students need in order to extend

and apply rigorous content knowledge in the ways that

evidence indicates are necessary for success in

college and career.

Dispositions – Socio-emotional skills or

behaviors (sometimes referred to as habits of

mind) that associate with success in both college

and career.

• NH has adopted the CCSS in ELA and Math and has developed an implementation framework to drive state and local work (hardcopy provided).

• We have expanded our definition of CCR to include knowledge, skills and

dispositions. This will inform our desired assessment and accountability system.

Vision of NH ELO Initiative

Expand traditional high school classroom options

Create rigorous, relevant and personalized learning experiences – Real World for all students

Grant credit based on demonstration of mastery of course competencies

STUDENT

Credit- Bearing

Extended Learning

Opportunities

Alternative Schedule

Day/Evening Pathways

Personalized Learning

Plans Non-School

Setting

Hybrid Community

ELO & Virtual Learning

Hybrid ELO & Classroom

Blended Classroom &

Virtual Classes

Personalized Approaches To Learning

Anytime Everywhere Learning

R² = 0.8399

R² = 0.903

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Dro

po

ut

Rate

Year

Combined Schools Dropout Rate WITH ELO Initiative State Trend WITH Initiative State Trend

Although the trend line indicates a 0% dropout rate in 2013, the R squared value would indicate that a later date.

Comparison of Dropout Rates Between ELO Initiative Schools and the State of NH

What Have We Learned?

Wholly different approach requires modeling, extensive professional development and expertise

New ways of looking at curriculum, instruction, assessment, and program design

Beyond the edges of ESEA and USED Initiatives

Strong visionary leadership and structural redesign to support personalization and instructional improvement

Take your education wherever you go. Expand your education with VLACS courses for part-time, full-time, anytime, anywhere

Outcomes ~

NHELO Evaluation Report, May, 2011

Outcomes ~

NHELO Evaluation Report, May, 2011

Cardiac Surgery ELO MANCHESTER CENTRAL SENIOR

ELO FOCUS

Causes and treatment of congestive heart failure

TEACHER Biology teacher

GOALS

1. cite implications of biotechnology of the medical fields

2. connect basic anatomy of related physical systems for cardiac surgery

3. explore career path, including financial needs, aptitudes and education requirements

RESULT

½ biology credit and deepened passion to pursue medical career in cardiac surgery