After-School Adventures 2017 – School Board of Polk County, FL
Laurel Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle
5.1 Project Abstract or Summary After-School Adventures promotes school improvement by serving 300 students in Kindergarten through 8th grade at Laurel Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle. The program serves “at-risk” students in Poinciana, Polk County. All students receive academic-focused activities designed to be interactive, engaging, and creative using the project-based learning model. Enrichment lessons teach pro-social behaviors, reasoning, and health and nutrition for students and families via Skillstreaming combined with “Growth Mindset,” Take 10!, creative arts, and Lyrics2Learn. Program goals are to (1) improve academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas; (2) promote positive youth development and personal growth to help enhance motivation, dedication, and behavior; and (3) enhance parenting skills and literacy to promote parental involvement. The adult family members receive various Parent Activities throughout the year to strengthen parenting skills.
5.2 Needs Assessment Staff collaborated with several agencies and internal departments during a needs assessment in order to determine after-school sites likely to impact school improvement. A committee was formed to analyze student achievement, attendance, and principal interest in extended learning opportunities. This information helped the committee to better identify appropriate school sites. The Public School Eligibility Survey, FDOE School Accountability Report, School Grades 2016, and other relevant data from Florida Department of Education helped identify our sites. A planning committee of several district employeesalso looked at the following data: poverty rates, English Language Learner status, reading and math scores, education levels, and demographics. The students to be served need more experiences and background information than their parents can provide. After-School Adventures will extend learning to help these children overcome low academic achievement, lack of positive youth development and personal growth, and lack of parent involvement.
Poverty Rates An overriding need throughout Polk schools is combatting poverty. Poverty is 15.5% in the United States, 23.8% in Florida, and 28.4% in Polk County. The poverty rate of Poinciana is 38.2%.[1] The economic stresses of poverty impact families in many ways. They tend to lack the resiliency to keep small problems from becoming large problems. Lack of transportation and child care adds to the stress. All three targeted sites are schoolwide Title I schools. The percent of children from low income families as reported on the Public Schools Eligibility Survey are: Laurel 76.74%, Palmetto 75.46%, and Lake Marion Creek 73.28%. All three schools are CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) Schools which means each school offers free breakfast and lunch to all students based on the level of community participation in public assistance programs.[2]After-School Adventures can impact these families quickly and with appreciable impact by helping to relieve some of these stresses.
English Language LearnersLaurel, Palmetto, and Lake Marion Creek all occupy far northeastern Polk County, which stretches into the Green Swamp west of Orlando. Compared to 11% for the district, Laurel has 21% ELL,Palmettohas 23%, and Lake Marion Creek Middle School has 13%. The number of ELL students scoring proficient on the ELA test at Laurel is 26%, Palmetto 23%, and Lake Marion Creek is 17%.
Reading and math scoresThe percentages of students across all grades producing satisfactory reading and math scores in 2016 at the targeted schools all are well below their non-charter peers. In reading, schoolwide proficiency at Laurel (38%), Palmetto (34%), and Lake Marion Creek (34%) – are all significantly below Polk County (45%) and the State (57%). In math, schoolwide proficiency at Laurel (44%), Palmetto (39%), and Lake Marion Creek (28%) – are again well below Polk County (48%) and the State (57%).These schools are ideal candidates for the 21st CCLC Grant and progress would begin immediately because extended learning has shown a positive impact on student achievement.
School Name / E/LA Achievement / E/LA Learning Gains / E/LA Learning Gains Lowest 25% / Math Achievement / Math Learning Gains / Math Learning Gains Lowest 25%LAUREL / 38 / 36 / 39 / 44 / 23 / 11
PALMETTO / 34 / 39 / 41 / 39 / 31 / 26
LAKE MARION / 34 / 50 / 51 / 28 / 43 / 45
Educational levelsThe Poinciana area encompasses a small part of Polk County. While 13.1% of adults ages 25+ lack high school diplomas in Florida, the rate of Polk County is 16.5%.[3] The most disturbing trend is the Population of adults 18-24 lacking a high school diploma in Florida 16.4%, in Polk County 21.9%, and in Poinciana 24.5%. The Poinciana area experiences a considerably lower education level and all three schools would benefit from an After-School program that improves academic achievement and helps parents become more involved in their children’s education.
Florida / Polk / PoincianaPopulation ages 18-24 with no diploma / 16.4% / 21.9% / 24.5%
Population ages 25+ with no diploma / 13.1% / 16.5% / 15.3%
Discipline Data Due to the high rate of discipline incidents, there is a need for positive prosocial skills training. This aligns with our need to improve interpersonal behaviors.
School Name / 15/16 OSS Days / 16/17 OSS Days / 15/16 ISS Days / 16/17 ISS Days / 15/16 # of incidents / 16/17 # of incidentsLaurel Elementary / 154 / 349 / 67 / 20 / 361 / 306
Palmetto Elementary / 187 / 112 / 8 / 1 / 132 / 80
Lake Marion Creek / 1337 / 1339 / 443 / 753 / 2131 / 2701
Demographics – The three sites determined most likely to benefit from the 21st CCLC program are Laurel Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle. All three siteshave an incredibly high rate of poverty as determined on the Public School Eligibility Survey submitted to the DOE.[4] All three school sites are geographically isolated. The community ofPoinciana is comprised of an association of villages located along the Polk-Osceola county line and is considered one of the fastest growing areas of central Florida. There is a lack of basic conveniences, and residents must travel into the adjacent county to access most services.There is also a lack of low-cost after-school programs to accommodate the children and youth of the area. All three schools have low academic achievement, poor interpersonal behaviors resulting in discipline issues, and after-school safety concerns and family issues.
Table 2: Demographics [5]
School / Enrolled / Black / Hispanic / White / ESE / ELL / % Free Meals[6]Laurel Elem. / 842 / 27.0% / 58.9% / 11.9% / 16% / 21% / 100%
Palmetto Elem. / 658 / 17.6% / 71.1% / 7.6% / 13% / 23% / 100%
Lake Marion / 961 / 23.7% / 63.8% / 9.2% / 16% / 13% / 100%
Risk Factors – The three schools chosen for a new After-School Adventures Grant:
- have been designated by the state as Focus Schools according to the Final Differentiated Accountability (DA) Support List 2016-17[7]
- received a letter grade of D for 2016[8]
- Laurel and Palmetto were both listed among Florida's 300 lowest performing elementary schools in 2015-2016.[9]
- have a high rate of EL learners – Laurel 21%, Palmetto 23%, and Lake Marion Creek 13%.
- have a high rate of Economically Disadvantaged–Laurel 76.74%, Palmetto 75.46%, andLake Marion Creek 73.28%[10]
- have a high rate of local adults residing in the geographic area that did not graduate from high school or earn GED [11]
- have a low rate of Parent Involvement according to the PCSB Climate Survey.
- have a low rate of Parent Involvement according to the PCSB Climate Survey. Completion rates of the parent survey were: Laurel 8%, Palmetto 4%, and Lake Marion Creek 5%
Planning Data – District staff met with the principals from Laurel Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle School who were briefed on the program expectations, requirements, and obligations of the 21st CCLC Program. The needs conveyed by the principals at all three schools are: low academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas, lack of positive youth development which leads to discipline issues, and lack of parental involvement.The committee reviewed grant requirements and the following data: Recent standardized test scores, school grades, trends, and existing improvement projects; Trends in reading and math; Parent interest and school plans to focus on school improvement.
Needs to be Addressed – Our identified needs are low academic achievement, poor interpersonal behaviors resulting in discipline issues, and after-school safety and family issues. All three sites are geographically isolated from amenities and services. None of the schools offer facilities nearby that offer low-cost programs. Our goals and objectives will focus on 1) improving academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas; 2) promoting positive youth development and personal growth to help enhance motivation, dedication, and academic performance; and 3) enhancing parenting skills and literacy to promoteparentalinvolvement. The issues above address school needs, family wishes, and community support which will allow for immediate benefits. Parents are also in need of affordable after-school child care that can provide technology-rich academic support. Additionally, students have no access to organized sports, such as soccer, basketball, cheer squads, or the martial arts to enhance physical fitness and self-discipline. There is a great need for access to other performing arts such as drama, dance, color guard, and strings for all ages. The school also lacks other extracurricular activities such as chess, robotics, computer science, and television production to expose students to a variety of hobbies, interests, and possible career paths. Because of the low socio-economic status of the school community, students lack real-life experiences to connect to their learning, and academic support at home is limited by the parents' own limited education or lack of skills to help their children succeed.
Community Planning –The School Board Strategic Plan echoes Polk Vision, a diverse civic coalition that has conducted widespread public discussion and formed action groups to sponsor activities and monitor community-wide progress.[12] District staff members solicited advice from the private schools listed in the areas to be served. We discussed our intent to apply at the annual private school meeting on Equitable Servicing. The schools were asked to submit an “intent to participate” form. We analyzed the locations of the private schools in the neighboring areas. There were no Private School in the neighboring area of Poinciana.
Availability and Accessibility of Out-of-School Services – After-School Adventures gathered data and information regarding after school service opportunities from the surrounding areas near the proposed school sites. There are no nearby centers for students to attend after school. The schools are all geographically isolated and economically challenged. There are no programs to extend learning making these schools an ideal candidate for the 21st CCLC Grant opportunity.
5.3 Program Evaluation
5.3.a Evaluation Plan - Independent Evaluator Identification and Qualifications: Identification of an independent evaluator took place through research and recommendations. When identifying an independent evaluator, the organization considered important evaluation items that were relevant to the proposed 21st CCLC program and that also met the 21st CCLC RFP requirements. The required qualifications for the evaluator included 21st CCLC grant evaluation experience, positive client testimonials, capacity to develop and carry out detailed evaluation plans with timelines, personnel availability, report writing experience and data collection storage capacity. EduMatrix is a recommended and an experienced company in 21st CCLC program evaluation and has been identified to serve as the independent evaluator for this project. They specialize in 21st CCLC grant evaluation specifically, and currently evaluate other 21st CCLC programs in the state of Florida. The evaluation team have relevant experience which makes them highly qualified to perform the 21st CCLC program evaluation duties. This evaluation team was chosen because they promised to match or beat any price on evaluation services. They were very responsive to Polk’s needs.
Evaluation Activities and Proposed Timeline: Conducting evaluation activities in a systematic way using a timeline will help to inform the program and stakeholders about the program progress being made toward meeting grant goals and objectives throughout the year in a timely manner. These activities include data collection, data analysis, and reporting.
Evaluation Activity #1 - Data Collection: Data will be collected in a way that does not interfere with program activities. Evaluation activities will be discussed and coordinated with the Program Director to ensure that they are delivered in a non-intrusive way. Each evaluation activity will be coordinated with program stakeholders to increase effectiveness and minimize distraction. The following will be collected or conducted by the evaluator for analysis in September 2017 (baseline data), January 2018 (mid-year data) and May 2018 (end-of-year data): *Program student data (quantitative) including demographics, enrollment, attendance, participation, assessment scores, report card grades and other relevant data. *Program documents (qualitative and quantitative) including student files, assessments, data collection tools, meeting minutes and scoring rubrics. *Interviews (qualitative) with the Program Director, Site Coordinators, Teachers and Program Staff. *Program observations and site visits (qualitative) including evaluator field notes, assessing student and staff performance, personal and academic enrichment activities*Stakeholder surveys (qualitative) completed by an adult family member of the student, school day teachers of students, and students participating in the program will also be collected in May 2018 by the evaluator for analysis.
Evaluation Activity #2 and #3 – Data Analysis and Reporting: EduMatrix will analyze all of the data collected by both the evaluator and the program to create a comprehensive analysis that details a variety of sources. Baseline data will be analyzed in September 2017 and December 2017 for completeness and level of student performance. The results of both baseline data analyses will be provided to the program so that they know which areas to target and focus on. Mid-year data will be analyzed in January 2018. The results will be included in the Mid-Year Data Report and will show whether the students have made gains between the baseline and mid-year time points for each grant objective. The evaluator will meet with the Program Director to discuss the results of the Mid-Year Data Report and will note any changes needed in the areas of data collection and programming. These changes will be included in the Formative Summary Evaluation Report that will be completed in March 2018 on behalf of the program. End-of-year data will be analyzed in June 2018 and those results will be reflected in the Summative Evaluation Report that will be completed in July 2018. This report will reflect the program’s overall annual performance, recommendations for program improvement, and reporting outcomes.
Processes for Accurate Data Collection, Maintenance, and Reporting: EduMatrix will meet with the Program Director to discuss what data will need to be collected that aligns with the grant objectives, as well as how the data will be collected and who will be collecting it. There will be a student survey/testing schedule, parent survey/testing schedule, report card grade collection schedule and a data entry schedule created so that the program stays on track with data collection, entry and maintenance. EduMatrix will create internal deadlines for the program so that they will have the correct data prepared for each reporting time point. Accurate data collection will be verified by the evaluator by comparing the grant objectives to the data that was collected, as well as using the data collection tools (assessments and/or surveys) as a guide when analyzing the data. If any discrepancies are found, the evaluator will immediately contact the Program Director with data reliability concerns.
Coordination of Evaluation Activities: EduMatrix will coordinate evaluation activities with the Program Director to ensure that the evaluation activities do not interfere with the normal flow of day-to-day program operations. Indicators of student achievement and behavior appear in report cards four times each school year. The district captures these in electronic student records. We will send data files containing these and all other elements requested by the evaluator at the intervals specified in the approved evaluation plan. The plan follows individual student progress, academic and behavior progress of subgroups, and peers. The evaluator will create statistically valid comparison groups based on socioeconomic, ELL and ESE status, promotion/retention, and the prior year's standardized testing results. We will monitor activity and fidelity by observations at three levels. The site coordinators will compile student sign-in sheets daily and record the information on spread sheets. The Program Coordinator will keep parent sign-in sheets, teacher professional development sign-in sheets, and all other documents for monthly deliverables. We will also utilize our Grant Technician to oversee data analysis.
Examination of Program Impact: The evaluation design will allow for the measurement of progress made towards meeting each grant objective as described above. The measurement tools that will be used to evaluate program impact include program participant data, analysis of student English Language Arts, Math and Science assessment data and report card grades, program observations, and the analysis of lesson plans and program schedules. Interviews with program staff, results of site visit reports, analysis of student data and grades, academic enrichment data, personal enrichment data, review of the curriculum used, adult family member participant and performance data, College and Career Readiness data (if needed), and Dropout Prevention data (if needed) will also be used as program impact measurement tools. These tools will help to answer specific program impact questions through data analysis including the following: (1) Did the program efforts to address each core subject area result in positive outcomes for program participants? (2) Did the program efforts to address College and Career Readiness (if needed), Dropout Prevention (if needed) and personal enrichment activities result in positive outcomes for program participants? (3) Did the program efforts to address academic enrichment and supplementing the school day curriculum in innovative ways result in positive outcomes for program participants? (4) Did the program efforts to address adult family members result in positive outcomes for those family members that participated? Using the aforementioned measurement tools to answer these program impact questions through evaluation will help stakeholders to understand whether the program had any substantial impact in a variety of areas. The results will be used to help inform the program for future years. Use of Evaluation Results and Sharing Results with Community: Sharing evaluation results helps improve the program and its impact. Evaluation results will be shared at each Advisory Board meeting, program leadership meetings, adult family member events, and with the Principals of each target school. Data results, program operations and evaluator recommendations for program improvement will be covered in these meetings so that the community is aware of the program and student-level performance. Feedback based on evaluation data is encouraged from the community and stakeholders for program improvement.