31
Gathering Student Feedback About What's Working and What's Not

Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Gathering Student Feedback About What's Working and What's Not

Page 2: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Goals For Today

» Provide an Overview of the YouthTruth Project

» Case Study: One School’s Experience

» Question & Answer

2

Page 3: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

3

Page 4: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

4

Audiences Served by YouthTruth

School Networks and Districts

High Schools

Philanthropic Funders

Page 5: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

MONTANA

WYOMING

IDAHO

WASHINGTON

OREGON

NEVADA

UTAH

CALIFORNIA

ARIZONA

NORTH DAKOTA

SOUTH DAKOTA

NEBRASKA

COLORADO

NEW MEXICO

TEXAS

OKLAHOMA

KANSAS

ARKANSAS

LOUISIANA

MISSOURI

IOWA

MINNESOTA

WISCONSIN

ILLINOISINDIANA

KENTUCKY

TENNESSEE

MISS

ALABAMAGEORGIA

FLORIDA

SOUTHCAROLINA

NORTH CAROLINA

VIRGINIA

WV

OHIO

MICHIGANNEW YORK

PENN

MARYLAND

DELAWARE

NEWJERSEY

CONNRI

MASS

MAINE

VTNH

WASHINGTON, DC

Breadth of Schools Served to Date

States with participating YouthTruth

Schools

Over 20,000 students from 86 schools have taken the

YouthTruth survey. A mix of charter, themed, early college,

alternative, and traditional schools from twelve unique

networks and districts across the country have participated.

5

Page 6: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

6

Detailed comparative data

Differentiated Aspects of YouthTruth

A focus on school leaders and students

Actionable feedback that drives change

Page 7: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

7

Detailed Comparative DataI Will Have Increased Options When I Graduate Because of What This School Has Done for Me

1-5

Sca

le

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

50th percentile(median)

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0Top of range

25th percentile

75th percentile

Bottom of range

District Y Schools Grade Level

School X

Median District Y SchoolRange of District Y Schools

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

Sch

ool X

G

rade

Lev

el1=Strongly Disagree

Page 8: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

8

A Focus on School Leaders and Students

Page 9: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

9

Actionable Feedback that Drives Change

Page 10: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

10

Priorities for the Next Three Years

1. Increase the number of schools using YouthTruth data to drive change

2. Expand the audiences for YouthTruth data

• Networks and districts

• Education funders

3. Explore relationship between student perceptions and student and school academic outcomes

• Expand matched dataset

• Longitudinal analysis

Page 11: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

11

YouthTruth Video

Page 12: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

12

Case Study

»Miami Beach Senior High School

• Dr. Rosann Sidener, Principal

Page 13: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

13

MBSH Demographics

10%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

18%

8%

72%

Racial Breakdown of MBSH Students

Other

Hispanic

Black/ African Amer-ican

White/ Caucasian

Series10%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%69%

11%18%

Student Characteristics

FRPL Disabled ELL

Page 14: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

14

MBSH – Since 2007

» Raised school performance grade 104 points

» Increased AP participation from 625 to 1364 students

» Accepted as an IB World School

» Applied for Federal Magnet Assistance Program Grant

» Implemented AVID

» Completed construction of a new facility

» Redesigned into three schools-within-a-school

• Approximately 25% of MBSH students currently attend academies

» Maintained successful NAF academies

Page 15: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

MBSH All Academy Structure

15

Academy of Marine and Environmental Science

Scholars Academy (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme)

School of Liberal Arts

Academy of Visual and Performing Arts

Academy of Communication and Digital Media

Academy of Hospitality and Tourism

Academy of Information Technology

School of Creative Arts

School of Technical Arts

Page 16: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Nagging Issues

16

»Miami Beach High School

• Poor Graduation Rate (64%)

• Lack of engagement among students not in established academies

• Attendance (92%)

• High class failure rates in 9th grade, ESL and SPED

Page 17: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Why Another Survey?

» Perceptual data to complement other achievement data

» Moving from Technical Change to Adaptive Change

» A powerful tool for advancing the vision

» What ARE they thinking?

17

Page 18: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

18

The YouthTruth Survey

Student Engagement with School

Relationships with Adults in School

Rigor of Classes and Instruction

School Culture and Attitudes

Future Goals and Aspirations

Life Outside of High School

Page 19: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Future Goals and Aspirations

Survey Questions Included in Summary Measure

In the past year, how often have you talked to an adult at your school about how to decide what you want to do after you graduate?

In the past year, how often have you talked to an adult at your school about what classes you need to graduate?

Goals and Aspirations Summary Measure

Moregoal-oriented

1=Less goal-oriented

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Note: Scale ends at 2.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Top of range

75th percentile

25th percentile

Bottom of range

50th percentile(median)

Mia

mi B

each

G

rade

Lev

el

Miami Beach

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

Page 20: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Future Goals and Aspirations

Items Included in

Summary Measure

Average Rating

1= Never, 2=Rarely, 3=Sometimes, 4=Frequently, 5=Very frequently

In the past year, how often have you talked to an adult at school about how to decide what you want to do after you graduate?

In the past year, how often have you talked to an adult at school about what classes you need to graduate?

Other Related Item Not Included in Summary Measure

In the past year, how often have you talked with your friends about college?

Note: Scales end at 2.0

2.0 4.0 5.03.0

Average Rating

1=Never, 2=Rarely, 3 =Sometimes, 4= Frequently, 5= Very frequently

Full range of school avg.

ratings

Middle fifty percent of school avg.

ratings

Median school

Miami Beach Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors

Page 21: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Future Goals and Aspirations

No

Do you want to go to college?

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Per

cen

t o

f R

esp

on

den

ts

Yes

Maybe;I’m not sure

Miami Beach Average of All Schools

Page 22: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

22

Feedback on Prep for the Future

“As much as I don’t like coming to school it gets me where I need to be. …I have the satisfaction of knowing that there are people here to help me in life and in my future career wise. They keep me on track.”

“The school almost does nothing for you. You are the one who has to make your own goals and take care of your things. You are the one who has to stand up and say, ‘I’m going to change and do my best…’ If you graduate, it’s not because of school, it's because the student initiates the action and can succeed.”

“This school has helped me in a lot of ways, this school also opened up a lot of doors for me in life regarding my personal life and my education.”

“The options are good, but only if you are a student who is in Scholar’s, joining IB.”

Selected Comments – Future Goals and Aspirations

Page 23: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Rigor of Classes and Instruction

More rigorous

1=Less rigorous

3.0

4.0

5.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

Rigorous Instruction Summary Measure

Survey Questions Included in Summary Measure

In order to receive a good grade, I have to work hard in my classes.

The work that I do for my classes makes me really think.

Teachers understand the subjects that they are teaching.

Teachers assign homework that helps students to better understand the subject.

Note: Ranges based on the averages for 17 schools

Note: Scale ends at 3.0

Top of range

75th percentile

25th percentileBottom of range

50th percentile(median)

Seniors overlaps Freshmen.

Mia

mi B

each

G

rade

Lev

el

Miami Beach

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

Page 24: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Rigor of Classes and Instruction

Items Included in

Summary Measure

Average Rating

1=Strongly disagree, 2=Somewhat disagree, 3=Neither agree nor disagree, 4=Somewhat agree, 5=Strongly agree

In order to receive a good grade, I have to work hard in my classes.

The work that I do for my classes makes me really think.

Teachers understand the subjects that they are teaching.

Teachers assign homework that helps students to better understand the subject.

2.0 4.0 5.03.0

Note: Scales end at 2.0. Ranges based on the averages for 17 schools.

Full range of school avg.

ratings

Middle fifty percent of school avg.

ratings

Median school

Miami Beach Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors

Page 25: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Time Spent on Homework Outside of Class for All Classes

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Per

cent

of R

espo

nden

ts

None

Less than30 minutes

30 minutes-1 hour

1 hour-1.5 hours

1.5 hours-2 hours

2 hours-3 hours

More than3 hours

Miami Beach Average of All Schools

Page 26: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Per

cen

t o

f R

esp

on

den

ts

Types of Classes Taken by Respondents

Miami BeachMedian School

General/Regular Honors/Courses for college credit (including AP/IB)

ESL/ELL/Bilingual Career/Vocational Special education Don’t know

59%

12%

5%

67%

24%

9%7%

3%

11%

3%

5%

34%

0%

20%

40%

60%

Page 27: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

27

Feedback on Rigor

“My teachers are not only extremely qualified to teach college level classes but also believe in the students and push us to do beyond what we feel is our best.”

“The normal classes are way too easy! Colleges look for students that have good grades but not in normal classes but in challenging classes! My classes are way too easy and boring. What I’m learning in 9th grade, I’ve learned it before.”

“Most of my teachers apply themselves with an enthusiasm about their subject which is contagious, and this really helps me as a student to gain interest and do well in the subject they teach.”

“In my school they provide us with AP classes which are college level courses which prepares me for college. And because of this I feel like I'm already a college student and not in high school.”

“Having more challenging classes will help me challenge myself in the future and help me understand what I'm against in a career.”

Selected Comments – Rigor of Classes and Instruction

Page 28: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

28

1. Based on your understanding of the Youth Truth data, how do you think it informs the “nagging issues” Dr. Sidener and her staff have identified?  • What are possible relationships between the nagging

issues and students’ perceptions?  • How might the YouthTruth data be used to help design

solutions to the issues?

2. What challenges are you facing at your own school in these two areas?• Helping all students plan for life after high school• Increasing the rigor of curriculum and instruction

3. What next steps should Dr. Sidener take to respond to MBSH’s YouthTruth data? How could she work with her staff to address the issues raised?

Questions for Small Group Discussions

Page 29: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

How MBSH Is Responding to YouthTruth Data

1.Shared data with leadership: administrators, counselors, Curriculum Council, student leaders

29

February March April May August-2011June

2.Discussed with CEP staff in a group conference call

3.Discussed it within the school. Went through stages of loss (denial, anger, acceptance, action)

4.Analyzed it against a research - based framework

8.We will repeat the process for continuous improvement

5.Completed a gap analysis and narrowed school improvement focus to four areas

6.Developed an action plan

7.We will implement our plan

Page 30: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

Four Areas Identified for Improvement at MBSH

30

YouthTruth Data Revealed

MBSH Response

Low Ratings on Future Goals and Aspirations

Use of “Passport” in advisory

Inconsistent levels of rigor and focus

Expanded school-wide instructional focus calendar

Grade level differences (9th grade)

Revise 9th grade orientation course to be academy specific with common key units

Weaker Student Adult Relationships

Personalization – Advisory period and content

Page 31: Youth truth, valerie threlfall

31

For Additional Information: YouthTruth Website, www.youthtruthsurvey.org

Valerie Threlfall, Director, YouthTruth Project [email protected](415) 391-3070 ext. 136

Rosann Sidener, Principal, Miami Beach Senior High [email protected]

Questions?