MassGrad Implementation Awards
Background:
The purpose of the Massachusetts High School Graduation Initiative project (“MassGrad”) led by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) is to work towards reducing the statewide dropout rate by embracing the local-control elements of the education system in Massachusetts, while also implementing state-level support that adds considerable value to the local activities to substantially increase the number of students who earn a high school diploma.
The MassGrad Implementation Awards are multi-year contract awards to develop dropout prevention, intervention, and recovery strategies. In addition to work within their own district, these MassGrad awardees meet regularly throughout the year as a learning community to exchange best practices and strategize responses to challenges.
Each Implementation Award recipient can focus on up to three strategies from the following menu of research-based practices:
1. Alternative Pathways to meet a range of student needs
2. Adult advocates for student support
3. Positive school climate and socio-emotional systems of support
4. Service-learning and work-based learning models specifically targeting students most likely to not graduate
5. Credit recovery, credit acceleration, and distance learning expansion
6. Expansion of the school year/ structured learning time and summer transition programs
7. Programs and systems specifically designed to serve transient students, including migrant students, ELL student, refugees, immigrants, and other newcomers
The table below provides an overview of each of the Implementation Award recipients (districts and high schools), their selected strategy areas, and a brief description of their activities.
District and School / Selected Strategies and Activities Overview /Attleboro
Attleboro High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Positive School Climate, Work-based Learning
Activities: Attleboro created a “School-Within-a-School” (SWS) alternative pathway at the high school to serve primarily at-risk grade 9 students. The pathway includes wrap-around services from school and/or community partners. Students attend classes in a separate wing but have opportunities to spend time with other grade 9 students during the day, primarily at lunch. The expectation for these students is a return to the traditional school in Grade 10. The wrap –around services and small student/staff ratio (12:1) supports a positive school climate. Students are required to participate in CTE exploratory options.
Boston Public Schools:
Boston Adult Technical Academy (BATA)
Community Academy of Science and Health (CASH)
Charlestown High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Adult Advocates, Service/Work-based Learning, ELL Services
BATA serves young adults 19 – 22 years old who have been unsuccessful in completing high school. The Graduation Coaches (Adult Advocates) provide academic advising and support especially in regards to attendance, referrals to community resources, and connections to career development opportunities. A contract with Youth and Family Services provides CNA training leading to certification. An Evening Program (Ed Options) allows students to attend to family/personal business during the day while completing their education at night. The evening program includes tutoring options that support ELL students to complete high school.
Selected Strategy Areas: Adult Advocates, Credit Recovery, Positive School Climate
At CASH, the Student Support Team identifies and assigns at-risk students to a graduation coach. The coach works with the student to identify challenges and the supports/interventions necessary to overcome barriers. The coach monitors the student progress and communicates with the family including home visits as needed. An attendance coach has added to the personal connections between school and home.
Credit recovery may be a needed intervention and referral to the credit recovery lab may be done by the support team, teachers or coaches. The efforts of teachers, coaches, administrators and support teams combine to create a positive school climate.
Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Service or Work-Based Learning, Expansion of the School Year
Charlestown High School’s Alternative Pathway follows the guidelines for the nationally recognized Diploma Plus Program. The student-centered program combines competency-based education, social-emotional supports, and flexibility in structure to give over-age and under-credit youth a chance to succeed. The Work-Based learning program provides students year-long internships supported by classroom discussion and instruction to ensure students gain necessary work=place readiness skills for success on job. And the grade 9 & 10 teams offer academic support after-school four days a week for extended learning.
Boston Day and Evening Academy
(BDEA) / Selected strategies: Credit Recovery, Expansion of the School Year
BDEA is a competency-based alternative public charter school. It serves over-age under-credit at-risk youth. For credit recovery they created Personalized Online Learning (POLL) modules so students can work independently but in a designated Lab with access to teacher support. There are two parts of the Expansion of the School Year – one is Summer Bridges which allows students to earn credits through enrichment activities such as a gardening project - where they plant and harvest produce and then work with a local restaurant where the produce is used. This year Enrichment Activities were expanded to include offerings on Fridays and includes activities student might otherwise not have exposure to such as health and wellness activities, sports, theater and music.
Brockton Public Schools:
Edison Academy
Champion High School
B.B. Russell Alternative School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Adult Advocates, Expansion of the School Year, Service or Work-Based Learning
Edison Academy is an alternative high school operating in the afternoon and evening for students who have dropped out or are at-risk of dropping out of Brockton High School. In addition, the Academy has a job developer on staff who helps place students in paid and unpaid internships. The school will be closed for only 2-3 weeks at the end of August so it offers an expanded school year. At an alternate site but enrolled through Edison, students may be part of the Pathways Center which provides Engagement Specialists who help students identify their goals and objectives. Personalized Learning Plans are created at the Pathways Center as well.
Champion High School houses an alternative program for incoming 9th grade students who have been identified by middle school counselors and the district’s early warning system as being at high risk to not graduate. Champion also offers work-based learning opportunities through a T Shirt printing business run on-site. Finally, Champion offers summer programming to expand the school year.
The B.B. Russell is an alternative school for students who can no longer attend other district schools due to behavior issues. Adult advocates are an important strategy at this school to help students access the academic, social and emotional supports as needed.
Chelsea Public Schools:
Chelsea High School / Selected Strategies: Adult Advocates, Credit Recovery, Expansion of the School Year
Chelsea provides identified students in grades 9, 10, 11 with graduation coaches who provide or coordinate the supports necessary for success. Credit recovery is a content-specific, teacher-led after-school option for students who fail a course. Peer tutoring is also offered during the school day to prevent student failure. There are two programs available to students including during the summer. REACH targets rising at-risk 8th graders as identified by the middle school and focuses on reading and writing while incorporating arts, field trips and swimming. The REMEDY Program offers student ELA and Math support, goal-setting and career exploration, and Outward Bound experience.
Fall River Public Schools:
B.M.C. Durfee High School
Resiliency Preparatory School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Credit Recovery
Durfee High School focuses on credit recovery through school day and after school opportunities. Several teachers have been trained in course creation so the school has online competency-based and traditional recovery options.
Resiliency Preparatory School is an alternative high school for Fall River students at high risk of dropping out. The school offers a more traditional school day program as well as a Credit Recovery program for students who are behind in credits and in need of an alternative schedule. As an alternative pathway there are intensive supports available to meet the needs of all students.
Holyoke Public Schools:
Dean Technical Vocational High School
Holyoke High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Adult Advocates, Credit Recovery, Expansion of the School Year
Both high schools in Holyoke employ the three strategies in similar ways. Each school has 15 graduation coaches who each work with 10 or less students providing or coordinating supports for academic and social emotional needs, family engagement, and advocacy with teachers.
PLATO is used for credit recovery in both schools. Each school also offers the Jump Start Academy in the summer as an expansion of the school year. The academies offer academic support, career exploration, community building activities along with parent/family engagement.
Lawrence Public Schools:
High School Learning Center
Business Management and Finance H.S.
International H.S. / Selected Strategy Areas: Positive School Climate, Credit Recovery, Expansion of the School Year, ELL programs and services
In Lawrence, all three targeted schools have now implemented the “Graduation Academy” which is an after-school credit recovery program at each site.
The High School Learning Center is an alternative high school program for Lawrence Public Schools. The student population is over-age and under-credit. The program employs the Diploma Plus program to assist students in reaching the goal of graduation. This competency-based program provides students a different way to credit attainment.
Expansion of the school year is implemented at both Business Management and Finance H.S. and International H.S. The summer programming includes a grade 8 to 9 Transition Program as well as credit recovery for students enrolled in any of the high schools.
Positive School Climate is a strategy for both Business Management and Finance H.S. and International H.S. which utilizes implementation of the Positive Behaviors Intervention and Support (PBIS) Program.
The Newcomers Program that was previously housed at the Learning Center was moved to the International H. S. so ELL students can have access to more services and supports that are available on the Lawrence High School campus. In addition, the Summer Program for English Language Learners (SPELL) ensures continued supports for the ELL population.
Lowell:
Lowell High School
United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Adult Advocates, Positive School Climate
Lowell Public Schools partners with United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) to provide identified students the Alternative Diploma Program (ADP). This is located at the newly renovated UTEC building. The program includes project-based learning within a trimester schedule. All students have wraparound services available through Transitional Coaches and Advisors. In addition, the school climate is supported by a daily opening called Fresh Inspirations which includes team building activities and/or an inspiring question of the day. There are also three weekly, focused gatherings: 1) Talking Circle where ADP students share their stories and build relationships with other students and staff. dent can share and support one another; 2) Leadership Circle where student voice is encouraged in discussion of school and/or community issues; and 3) Community Council which is a student-led group that provides input on program expectations, field trip opportunities, course creation, and service opportunities.
Malden Public Schools:
Malden High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Adult Advocates, Positive School Climate, Service and Work-Based Learning, Credit Recovery
Malden High School includes The Pathways Program for at-risk students. The students have small class size, 1:1 instruction, counseling services and behavioral health support. In addition, the Pathways Program offers the students opportunities for service or work-based learning. The creation of the GPS Program (Graduation, Promotion, Success) provides students in the traditional high school a “Navigator” who provides individual counseling, group counseling and collaborative case management. In addition, the use of teacher mentors as adult advocates expands the number of students served. For students who fail courses during the school year, summer school offers PLATO course recovery.
North Adams
Drury High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Adult Advocates, Credit Recovery
Drury High School has created several pathways within the high school to assist at-risk students to meet their graduation goal. The pathways include modified schedules, blended classroom and supported services, credit recovery lab, internships, dual enrollment opportunities at Berkshire Community College, and an offsite academy focused on competency-based education as well as skills necessary for high school graduation. Also within the high school are graduation coaches who can assist students with academic and socio- emotional issues. The credit recovery lab allows students access to online courses with adult guidance.
Phoenix Charter Academy / Selected Strategy Area: Adult Advocates, Positive School Climate
Phoenix Academy Charter School utilizes Americorps Fellows to provide student support through facilitated small group gatherings and one-to-one tutoring. In addition an Attendance Transformation Team (ATT) supports all students. The wrap-around supports of the advocates as well as a Retention and Intervention Specialist and a social worker ensure the positive school climate.
Pittsfield Public Schools:
Pittsfield High School
Taconic High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Credit Recovery, Service or Work-Based Learning
The Bershire Works One Stop Career Center is the location of the alternative pathway for Pittsfield Public Schools. Both high schools refer students. The flexibility of the program (later start time) and intensive case management allows students to access credit recovery to meet academic requirements while continuing their vocational or work-based learning opportunity and participate in job readiness and career exploratory workshops.
Both high schools offer credit recovery on-site to all students who have failed a course during the school year through PLATO online system.
Pittsfield also offers an offsite high school program - POP (Positive Options Program) - at Berkshire Community College.
Quabbin Regional School District:
Quabbin Regional High School / Selected Strategy Area: Alternative Pathways, Adult Advocate, Service and Work Based Learning
Quabbin’s Alternative Pathway is content-specific teachers working as a team (PLC) with a cohort of at-risk grade 9 students in a small learning community. The school has one graduation coach who connects credit recovery options for students when they fail a course as well as engages in outreach activities with students who have dropped out. Students who need to recover credits also have an option of participating in a service-learning project.
Somerville Public Schools:
Somerville High School / Selected Strategy areas: Alternative Pathways, Credit Recovery, ELL programs and services
Somerville’s alternative pathway is an Evening School with no fees and schedule flexibility. The use of E2020, an online credit recovery program, along with teacher support allows students to self-pace for completion. Students may take up to four courses in the Evening School. Credit recovery is also offered during the school
day as well as in summer school. Work with ELL students happens at several locations in Somerville so ELL students can access supports as needed.
Springfield Public Schools:
High School of Commerce
High School of Science and Technology
Roger L. Putnam Technical Academy / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways, Adult Advocates, Credit Recovery
All three schools identify either Career Choices or Strategies For Success as their alternative pathway. This is a strategy to assist grade 9 students with the transition to high school. The course is designed to support all grade 9 students in the personal/social, education, and career/life skills domains.
Graduation coaches are employed at High School of Commerce and Roger L. Putnam Technical Academy. In both schools they provide targeted assistance to those students identified at-risk for failing. They coordinate supports, work with guidance counselors to prevent dropouts, broker conversations with teachers and students, and ensure use of credit recovery when applicable.
Each high school offers a credit recovery lab and the opportunity for students to attend during designated times. In addition, there is a pilot program for students who have dropped out to return to school utilizing the credit recovery lab rather than be placed in classes with much younger students.
Whitman Hanson Regional School District:
Whitman Hanson Regional High School / Selected Strategy Areas: Alternative Pathways
Whitman Hanson created a school-within-a-school model for their at-risk population focused on supports and flexibility in scheduling to engage students. In addition, they are serving students in a Community Evening School as well as in an after-school diploma granting program. All programs provide flexibility and supports for student success.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Updated May 7, 2013