The Baltimore Talent Development High School New Kid On The Block

1
The Baltimore Talent Development
High School New Kid On The Block

• Presenters
• Jeffrey M. Robinson, Principal
• John H. Snoddy, School Counselor
• Gwendolyn Y. Statham, Organizational
  Facilitator

2
Question For Contemplation

• What are 3 critical factors which impede student
  academic achievement in urban high schools?

3
NBC Nightly News Report

• What issues in education are addressed in this
  video clip?
• Does the scenario relate to your experiences in
  educational settings?

4
Profile of Baltimore City

• Population -631,366 (2006 Estimate, US Census
  Bureau)
• Percentage of Persons under 18 years of age
  -25.3 (Adjusted 2005, US Census Bureau)
• Percentage of High School Graduates above age 25-
  68.4
• Median Household Income- 29,792 (Adjusted 2004,
  US Census Bureau)
• Percentage of Persons 25 Earning A Bachelors
  Degree or Higher- 19.1
• Data based upon 2000 US Census Bureau
  Report

5
Framing the Problem

• In Baltimore, as in urban centers across the
  nation, traditional comprehensive high schools
  are struggling with poor attendance, depressed
  climates, low achievement, low promoting power,
  and high dropout rates.
• On average, a quarter or more of the student body
  is absent on any given day.
• Nearly half of the students attending
  non-selective high schools live in poverty and
  most live in impoverished neighborhoods.

6
Framing The Problem Continued

• The majority of Baltimores ninth grade students
  enter neighborhood high schools two or more years
  below grade level in reading, lacking the
  comprehension skills necessary for high standards
  academic work.
• On average, the systems large zoned high schools
  lose nearly 60 of their freshmen class four
  years later.
• The largest attrition takes place between the 9th
  and 10th grades, making the 9th grade a critical
  period for students on the verge of dropping out.
  

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Where Did The Freshmen Go??
8
Profile of Baltimore City Public Schools
Comparison of Races, 2006 Maryland Report Card
Total Enrollment 85,468
9
Profile of Maryland Public Schools Comparison
of Races, 2006 Maryland Report Card 860,020
Total Enrollment
10
Comparison of Graduation Rates Source 2007
Maryland Report Card
11
Comparison of Dropout Rate Grades 9-12Source
2007 Maryland Report Card
12
Comparison of Attendance RatesSource 2007
Maryland Report Card
13
Talent Development Model of Education

• The Talent Development High Schools (TDHS) was
  initiated in 1994 through a partnership with The
  Johns Hopkins University Center for Research on
  the Education of Students Placed at Risk
  (CRESPAR) and Patterson High School in Baltimore.
• TDHS has now expanded to high schools in nearly
  forty districts across the country.
• TDHS is a division of the Universitys Center
  for Social Organization of Schools.

14
Researched Based High School
Reform

• Model was designed to address the issues
  typically associated with large urban public
  schools
• -Low Attendance Rates
• - Retention Rates
• -High Rate of Repeaters
• -High Drop-Out Rates
• -Negative School Climates

15
Organizational, Structural, and Pedagogy
Implementation

• Ninth Grade Success Academy
• Career Academies for the Upper Grades
• Academy Specific Locations
• Four-Period Day
• Common Core Curriculum
• Professional Development
• Curricular and Instructional Innovations
• Extra Help

16
Talent Development Model Assumptions

• All students are at-promise rather than at-risk.
• All students have gifts and talents.
• Given adequate resources and supportive learning
  environments, all students can learn and achieve
  at high levels.

17
Birth of BTDHS
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The BTDHS Vision

• A school purposefully designed to forge strong
  personal relationships among adults and students.
• Students will receive the help they need to
  realize their unique gifts and talents.

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Getting Started

• -Collaboration between JHU operators
• -Determination of location, budget,
  accountability
• -Staff Recruitment
• -Recruitment of Students
• -Community Awareness
• -Professional Development for Staff

20
Organizational Structure

• Administrative Staff
• JHU Support Staff
• Teacher Teams
• Academy Leadership
• Separate Academies
• 4x41 Schedule

21
Funding

• Local and State Funding BCPSS annual
  per-student allotment for high schools.
• 21st Century Community Centers Grant
• TDHS yearly in-kind and direct support
• No Title I even though 90 of students qualify
  for free lunch.
• Funding support through the BCPS Innovation High
  Schools Program

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Instructional ModelJHU Designed Curriculum

• 9th Grade
• Strategic Reading
• Freshman Seminar
• Transition to Advanced Mathematics
• 10th Grade
• Reading and Writing In Your Career
• Cognitive Tutor-Support for Algebra I
• Courses are supplemental to State Requirements
  for Graduation

• 11th Grade
• College Prep English
• Career Academy Electives
• SAT Preparation
• 12th Grade
• Advance Placement
• College Early Enrollment Program
• Intern and Externships

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Advancing Student Learning

• Alta/Alfa Labs
• Report Card Conferences
• Credit Recovery
• Promotion Conferences
• Credit Evaluations

24
Program Enhancement

• Arts and Expression
• Career and Exploration
• College Preparation and Experience
• Extra Curricular Activities

25
Indicators of Success

• Retention
• Promotion
• Attendance
• State Tests
• Climate

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BTDHS Attendance VS. BCPSS
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Climate Matters

28
Climate Matters
29
Climate Based upon TDHS National 2007 School
Climate Survey

• Percentage of students who feel that the schools
  environment is not conducive to academic
  learning 7 Compared to 44 Nationally
• Percentage of students who feel that fighting is
  a serious problem 0 Compared
  to 30 Nationally

30

Climate Continued

• Percentage of students who feel that the lack of
  interest in learning is a serious problem in the
  school 12 Compared to 29 Nationally
• Percentage of students that feel that their
  classmates attendance is a serious problem 7
  Compared to 57 Nationally

31
I Feel Safe At This SchoolJenay Brown, BTDHS
Junior

• Due to the relative non-existence of student
  altercations, BTDHS students are free to learn
  without the typical peer pressures and
  distractions.

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School As Family

• Event with the Principal
• Caught You Doing Something Good
• Team Competitions and Awards
• 5 Core Values
• Academic Awards Ceremonies
• Family Reunion

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At BTDHS Teaching Is
Just The Beginning

• School should serve as a community resource that
  promotes services to students and parents.
• School provides numerous opportunities for
  social interactions with students and their
  families.

34
School As Anchor For The Community

• Mayors Office
• Department of Social Services
• Parks and Recreation
• YMCA
• MD Mentoring Partnership

35
Lessons Learned

• Teaming is key to teacher empowerment and student
  success.
• Combine a research based comprehensive whole
  school reform model, with an empowered principal,
  freed of at least some of the bureaucratic
  burdens.
• Allow teachers to be selected who support the
  mission of the school.
• Keep the school a manageable size.
• Be prepared to do innovative things.

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Lessons Learned Continued

• High poverty students need constant attention to
  stay on track, e.g nagging and nurturing on
  attendance , course performance, and good
  behavior.
• When teachers are given a calm, focused, and
  supportive teaching and learning environment,
  they exhibit abundant energy to do all the things
  that students really value, such as debate,
  archeology, newspaper,etc.

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Advice To Others

• Seek University Partnerships
• to support academic program.
• Provide extended periods of instruction to allow
  
• students opportunities to remedy academic
• deficiencies.
• Work with community partners who often have
  access to grants and funding that can provide the
  extras for the non-academic needs of students.
• Allow teachers numerous opportunities
• to be involved in major decisions related to
  the school.

38
Whats Next For BTDHS?

• Expansion into 12th Grade
• Extension of career related networks
• Adjustment to school facilitys new configuration
  
• Continuation of successful implementation of the
  TDHS Model