Engaging Disengaged Youth: PBIS and Check and Connect

A Multi-Tiered Approach to Dropout Prevention

2010JoAnne M. Malloy, Project Director

Jonathon Drake, Project TrainerInstitute on Disability

University of New Hampshire

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Drop Outs

Characteristics: • Academic failure (Allensworth & Easton, 2005; Balfanz, &

Herzog, 2005), • Problem behavior (e.g. disruption, disrespect, etc.)

(Sweeten, 2006; Tobin & Sugai, 1999), • History of grade retention (Allensworth et al, 2005),• Poor teacher relationships (Barber & Olson, 1997)• Low attendance (Balfanz, & Herzog, 2005; Jerald, 2006;

Neild & Balfanz, 2006), and • Diagnosed with a disability (NTLS-2, ; Wagner, Newman,

Cameto, Levine, Garza, 2006).

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School Retention Literature

Students stay in school based upon:• Adult feedback or interaction (Croninger & Lee, 2001;

Dynarski, 2001; Fashola & Slavin, 1998; Hayward & Tallmadge, 1995; Kerr & Legters; Lee & Burkham, 2003; McPartland, 1994; Schargle & Smink, 2001; Sinclair, Christenson, Lehr, & Anderson, 2003)

• Increased home / school connection (Dynarski, 2001; Fashol & Slavin, 1998; Sinclair, Christenson, Lehr, & Anderson, 2003; Thurlow, Christenson, Sinclair, Evelo, & Thornton, 1995)

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School Retention Literature• Increased structure and predictability (Dynarski,

2000; Fashola and Slavin, 1998; Hayward and Tallmadge, 1995; Lee and Burkham, 2003; Sinclair, Christenson, Lehr, and Anderson, 2003)

• Both academic and social supports (Dynarski, 2001; Fashol & Slavin, 1998; Hayward & Tallmadge, 1995; Kemple, Herlihy, & Smith, 2005; McPartland, 1994; Schargle & Smink, 2001; Thurlow, Christenson, Sinclair, Evelo, & Thornton, 1995).

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Student engagement has emerged as the bottom line in preventing dropout

• Dropping out is a process of disengagement

• Keys to engaging students early on– Enter school ready to learn/early intervention

• Contextual keys to engaging students– Providing effective instruction – evidence based, best

practice– Creating cultural match/relevance – extend to include

strategies that are appropriate to student background and culture

(Alexander, Entwisle & Kabbani, 2001; Christenson, Sinclair, Lehr & Hurley, 2000; Cotton & Conklin, 2001; Cleary & Peacock, 1998; Finn, 1993; Payne, 2005)

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Relevance: Student Engagement

Relating school to personal goals, strengths and needs.

“Career development in its broadest perspective is defined as a lifelong process by which an individual defines and refines life and work roles. It includes awareness of individual interests, skills, attitudes, talents, and abilities, particularly as they change and develop during the educational experience.”

(K-12 Career Development Curriculum Framework, NH DOE, 2006, p. 4)

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High School Reform

• Rigor= Academics, Competencies

• Relevance= Career Development/Student Engagement

• Relationships = Social, Emotional (PBIS)

(Gates Foundation)

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School as a Risk FactorOsher, Dwyer, and Jackson (2004)

• Alienation• Academic Frustration• Chaotic Transitions • Negative Relationships with

Adults and Peers• Teasing, Bullying, Gangs• Segregation with Antisocial

Peers• School-driven Mobility• Harsh Discipline;

Suspension, Expulsion, Push Out/Drop Out

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School as a Protective Factor Osher, Dwyer, and Jackson (2004)

• Connection • Academic Success• Supported Transitions • Positive Relationships with Adults

and Peers• Caring Interactions• Interaction with Pro-social peers• Stability• Positive approaches to

disciplinary infractions9

PBIS is a comprehensive 3-tiered evidence-based systems approach to schoolwide discipline that can efficiently and effectively improve social, behavioral, and academic outcomes through the use positive, preventative, and function-based behavior support practices within the context of collaborative teaming and data-based decision-making.

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Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

DefinedMuscott & Mann (2006)

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New Hampshire’s APEX Dropout Prevention Model

• To address school-based systems/climate issues:– Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

(PBIS) (Bohanon, et. al., 2004; Sugai & Horner, 1999)– Student Leadership Development

• To address issues for students most at-risk:– Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural

supports, Education and Work (RENEW) (Eber, Nelson & Miles, 1997; Cheney, Malloy & Hagner, 1998; Bullis & Cheney, 1999)

– 8th to 9th grade transition system and practices

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Primary Prevention:School-/Classroom-Wide Systems for

All Students,Staff, & Settings

Secondary Prevention:Specialized Group

Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior

Tertiary Prevention:RENEW Intervention

~80% of Students

~15%

~5%

APEX PBIS MODEL

APEX II Dropout Rates

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Tier 3 (Tertiary, or Intensive Services) in High Schools:

The RENEW Model

Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Natural supports, Education

and Work (RENEW), an intensive individualized school-

to- career service for the most at risk students• Created in NH in 1996, has been provided to over 500

youth with emotional or behavioral disorders in NH

• Primary Tier 3 or Intensive level intervention for high school students

• Positive results for youth who typically have very poor post-school outcomes (Eber, Nelson & Miles, 1997; Cheney, Malloy & Hagner, 1998; Malloy, Drake, Abate & Cormier, 2010)

• “manualized” intervention with tools and fidelity instrument 15

RENEW Mentor/Teacher:

“we try to help or assist other people we would have helped ourselves, so that’s probably one my biggest things …the growth that I have achieved …what I could be doing as… a better teacher”

“…now I realize that even though it’s a reading lesson …actually (it) would be a brick you add to this wall or to this building --- that’s a that’s a very nice feeling you know ---  small things- you know do (make) a big difference”

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Check & Connect is a…

• Model of student engagement that falls within the

mentoring strategy area• Targeted or selected intervention typically used with

youth who are showing signs of disengaging from school

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Origins of Check & Connect

• Partnership between the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Public Schools

• OSEP funded grant to develop and field test dropout prevention strategies for middle school youth with disabilities

• Research and Development Team: S. Christenson, D. Evelo, C. Hurley, C. Kaibel, C. Lehr, M. Sinclair, M. Thurlow

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Conceptual Underpinnings

• A focus on influencing alterable variables associated with early school withdrawal

• McPartland’s (1994) analysis of key components to increase the holding power of schools and engage students

• Research on resilience

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Program Description

Check & Connect Components• Check – to systematically assess students’

connections to school – Tardiness– Absenteeism– Behavior– Out-of school suspension– Academic performance

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Program Description

Role of the “Mentor” or “Monitor”• Neutral person responsible for helping

student stay connected in school

• Cross between a mentor, advocate and case manager

• Primary goal is to keep education a salient issue for the students, family members, and their teachers

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Program Description

• Key Features of the Program– Relationship building– Routine monitoring of alterable variables– Individualized and timely interventions– Long-term commitment– Persistence Plus– Problem solving and capacity building– Affiliation with school and learning

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Evidence: Experimental Studies with Secondary Level Students

• Original Study: Middle School and Transition to High School (1992-1995)

• 7th grade urban high school youth with learning and emotional behavioral disabilities (n = 94 treatment and control). Intervention occurred in grades 7-9.

• Students who received C&C were– More likely to be enrolled in school – More likely to persist in school each year– More likely to be on track to graduate (e.g.,

credit accrual)

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Evidence: Experimental Studies with Secondary Level Students

• Persistence Plus (1996-2001)• Two cohorts of 9th grade urban high school youth (LD

and/or EBD). Intervention occurred in grades 9-12 for students in 7 high schools (n = 150 treatment and control).

• Students who received C&C were– Less likely to drop out – More likely to persist in school each year– More likely to be on track to graduate (credit accrual)– More likely to have an IEP written during high school,

transition goals, parents attend, and their preferences reflected in the IEP

– More likely to have completed at the end of five years 24

Additional Evidence & Replications• School Success (1996-2002) truancy prevention

initiative/chronically truant youth/ ages 11 –16, across 10 districts/ referred through the judicial system /over 360 students served

• Project ELSE (1999-2002) preventive intervention for kindergarten children at-risk for reading disabilities (C&C with literacy support)

• Early Truancy Prevention (1997 to 2002) metro-ring school districts (30-40% participation in free/reduced lunch)/served children who are absent and/or tardy to school on average 12% or more prior to referral/over 360 students grades K-6 referred

• Scaling Up for Success (2002 –present) foundation grant for dropout prevention with C&C component. Referrals primarily based on attendance

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“Resiliency does not come from some rare or special qualities, but from everyday magic of ordinary … human resources in … children, in their families and relationships, and in their communities.” (Masten, 2001, p. 235)

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Contact Information

McKenzie Harrington

Consultant, NH Department of

Education and

Director, APEX III

mharrington@ed.state.nh.us

http://iod.unh.edu

JoAnne M. Malloy, MSW

Project Director

Institute on Disability, UCED

University of New Hampshire

JoAnne.Malloy@unh.edu

Jonathon Drake, Project Trainer

Institute on Disability, UCED

University of New Hampshire

Jonathon.Drake@unh.edu

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