Promising Practices for Helping Pregnant and Parenting Students Succeed

Lara S. Kaufmann, National Women’s Law CenterChristy Challender, The Teen Parent Program at New Horizon High School in Pasco, WA Elizabeth Link, Project Opportunity at Bryant Alternative High School in Fairfax County, VA

November 12, 2008

Speakers for this Session

Lara S. Kaufmann Christy ChallenderNational Women’s Law Center, Moderator lkaufmann@nwlc.org

The Teen Parent Program at New Horizon High School, PresenterCChallender@psd1.org

Elizabeth Link

Project Opportunity at Bryant Alternative High School, Presenter Elizabeth.Link@fcps.edu

Introduction

I. Lara Kaufmann: The Dropout Crisis, Title IX and Pregnant and Parenting Students

II. Christy Challender: The Teen Parent Program at New Horizon High School in Pasco, WA

III. Liz Link: Project Opportunity at Bryant Alternative High School in Fairfax County, VA

Dropout Crisis: Pregnant and Parenting Students

• Significant dropout risk factor for many females. One- third of female dropouts say that becoming a parent was a major factor in their decision to leave school.

• School efforts likely to improve graduation rates. Those who left school to care for a family member or child were “most likely to say they would have worked harder if their schools had demanded more of them and provided the necessary support.”

Source: Gates Foundation Dropouts Survey, September/October 2005

Title IX Addresses Pregnancy/Parenting

Title IX contains basic non-discrimination principles:• Schools cannot discriminate on the basis of

pregnancy.• Schools must treat pregnancy and all related

conditions like any other temporary disability.

Title IX also creates some requirements specific to pregnant and parenting students.

Title IX Requirements• Equal access to school and extracurricular activities. • Special programs or schools for pregnant and parenting

students must be voluntary.• Doctor’s note can be required for school activities only if

required from all students with conditions that require medical care.

• Absences due to pregnancy or childbirth must be excused for as long as is deemed medically necessary by the student’s doctor.

• Special services for temporarily disabled students must be provided for pregnant students

Violations of Title IX – Examples

• Students who have been pregnant cannot participate in certain extracurricular activities

• Students must return to school within one week of giving birth

• Absences following childbirth are not excused

• Pregnant or postpartum students not eligible for homebound instruction

Christy ChallenderChristy Challender is the Principal of New Horizon High

School and Discovery Middle School in Pasco, Washington, where the district Teen Parent Program is an integral part of campus life. She works towards building and fostering community partnerships to further support students, staff and parents. She is a devoted educational leader who is committed to students’ success.

Previously, she served as an elementary principal, a middle school dean of students and taught at an international school as an English language instructor.

Christy Challender passionately believes in the innovative programs and practices that she fosters at this non-traditional high school. This school represents the epitome of success in education.

– Heritage University: Principal’s Credentials– Heritage University: Master of Education, emphasis in

Educational Administration– Eastern Washington University: Bachelor of Arts in

Education, emphasis in reading and math– Central Washington University: Bachelor of Science,

Administrative Office Management

Pasco School DistrictTeen Parent Program

Our Children are our Legacy1998-2008

Difficulties exist to be surmounted. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Program Goals

•High school completion

•Reduce subsequent pregnancies.

•Prepare young parents for self-sufficiency.

Program Benefits

• Onsite childcare• Transportation for parents and babies• Bilingual Para Educator• Flexible schedule—coordinated with Pasco

High School• Students gain work skills• Children in childcare center benefit from

targeted early learning

Grads Curriculum Graduation Reality and Dual Role Skills

• Parenting• Child Development• Self-Formation• Safe and Healthy

Environment• Employability• Economic Independence• Process Skills• Pregnancy and Wellness

Work Experience Component

• Students work in the childcare center for one period a day

• Stars Basic 20 course is part of the curriculum.

Students receive two college credits

• Articulation agreement with Columbia Basin College in place.

Program Highlights

• Since beginning (September 1998) – 95 teen parents have graduated from high school

• Over 175 healthy babies have been born• Boys and Girls Club are partners in running the

child care center.• Current enrollment:

– Pregnant and parenting teens –30– Children enrolled in childcare –27

What’s next…• Adding a pre-school program to our campus.• Continuing to partner with community

organizations.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can…begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Goethe

Elizabeth LinkElizabeth Link founded Project Opportunity in 1987; the

program provides educational opportunities to pregnant and parenting students at Bryant School. She has served as director/counselor for 22 years. Approximately 2,800 young women have enrolled. She directs services through grants, partnerships, volunteer and professional affiliations. Since 1997 the program has had a “Jobs for America’s Graduates” (JVG) component.

Ms. Link currently serves on Board of Directors of JVG and the Martin Luther King Cultural Foundation and served on Healthy Teen Network Board (formerly NOAPPP). Project Opportunity received PEPNet recognition from the National Youth Employment Coalition in 1999 and 2003. She actively participates in committees of NYEC, HTN, and other national and local organizations. Ms. Link and program have received many awards and been cited in national publications. She has worked with the Virginia legislature to secure funding for youth.

She feels that the greatest reward for these 22 years has been seeing the teen Moms become successful women!

Project Opportunity at Bryant Alternative High School is a high school completion program for pregnant and parenting young women in Fairfax County. The program presently serves 120 to 150 middle

and high school students.

What Project Opportunity Is

• Program Mission & Purpose

• Background & History

• Specialized National Component*Jobs for Virginia Graduates

• Relationship between Project Opportunity & Bryant Adult Alternative High School/FCPS

• Stakeholders & Program Mission Communication

What Project Opportunity IsJob’s for America’s Graduates (JAG) / Job’s for Virginia’s

Graduates (JVG)• JVG, a Project Opportunity program, assists senior and multi-year

students to stay in school, graduate, and successfully transition from school to career

JVG provides:• Positive support to facilitate high school graduation• Individualized career and personal counseling• Instruction in career planning, employability skills, and self-development• Preparation for career-oriented jobs and education• Post-graduation transition assistance for 12 months

Initiative Snapshot~ What Project Opportunity Is

• Population Served

Who is served

How many are served annually

Length of participation

Youth characteristics

Enrollment procedures

Initiative Snapshot~ What Project Opportunity Is

• Program ServicesGroup and individual counseling Parenting classes Job Readiness & Life Skills Training Mentoring Services Transportation Child Care Assistance

Initiative Snapshot~ What Project Opportunity Is

Partnering Organizations• National Women’s Law Center• Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)• Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural Foundation• United Community Ministries (UCM) /

Bryant Early Learning Center (BEL)• Fairfax County Department of Family

Services• South County Government Center Services• New Hope Church• Fairfax County Health Department• Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic

Relations Court• Wolf Trap (National Center for the

Performing Arts)

• INOVA Hospitals• Northern Virginia Family Services• Healthy Families • Fairfax County and Alexandria City

Resource Mothers• The Many Hats Institute for Yoga Program• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)• The Washington Ballet• Fairfax County Commission for Women• Research on Women & Education SIG of

American Educational Research Association

Initiative Snapshot~ What Project Opportunity Is

Membership Organizations• Staff members have been involved with multiple state, local, and national

organizations that deal with youth, teen pregnancy, and workforce development since the program began. They attend conferences, give presentations, and serve on committees and boards. – The newest organization staff has joined is Research on Women in Education.

• Elizabeth Link (Founder/Director/Counselor) has served on the Board of Directors of: – Jobs for Virginia Graduates– Healthy Teen Network (formerly NOAPPP)– Martin Luther King Cultural Foundation– Also active on committees of NYEC and other organizations.

Initiative Snapshot~ What Project Opportunity Is

Service Providing Partners• Job’s for America’s Graduates (JAG) /

Job’s for Virginia’s Graduates (JVG)• Fairfax County Health Department• Women, Infants and Children (WIC)• Office for Children• Head Start Program• Juvenile and Domestic Relations

Court• Wolf Trap (National Center for

Performing Arts)*ARTSPLAY

• ACT Parents Raising Safe Kids Program, Against Violence Initiative

• First Books• Infant Massage USA• Bank of America• GRANTS Program• Nicole Lynn Lewis-Author of Glori

Initiative Snapshot~ What Project Opportunity Is

• Recognitions– Since its inception in 1987, the program has received much

recognition on a national, state, local, and organizational level. The program has also been the subject of many articles.

– In 1999 and again in 2003 the program was a PEPNet Awardee from NYEC; one of only two teen parent programs to receive this award.

– Latest award: the Activist Program Award from the Research on Women and Education SIG Award received at the RWE Conference on November 6, 2008.

Special Events• Parenting Education Day - One of many

special events throughout the year.

Future Direction & Planning• Issues to Address

– Serious concerns about funding and staffing– Increase in second pregnancies– Increase in young women who leave school when they learn that

they are pregnant (these are hidden dropouts). • Changing demographics in Fairfax County.• Agencies (school system, health department, and hospitals) try to

make certain they are in school and receiving services, but the number not in school and unknown to the system is increasing.

PROPOSAL:A grant or funding must be found to hire staff to coordinate services

between these agencies on a formal basis and that staff must continue to work with and follow up with the clients to insure that they stay in school, graduate, move on to other training or education, and that their children receive medical and educational services.

For more information about dropout prevention:

Visit www.nwlc.org/dropout where you can download our report:

- When Girls Don't Graduate, We All Fail: A Call to Improve High School Graduation Rates for Girls