The Performance Learning Center

1
The Performance Learning Center
CIS Small Schools Model Promoting Graduation and
College Readiness
Empowering Students for a Lifetime of Success
Rich Firth, Director, Performance Learning Center
Initiative Communities In Schools of Virginia
2
Our Mission

• To connect needed community resources with
  schools to help young people successfully learn,
  stay in school and prepare for life.

3
About Communities In Schools

• The nations leading community-based organization
  helping kids stay in school and prepare for life
• Works with 3,400 public schools through more than
  200 local affiliates, 15 state offices and 49,000
  volunteers who donate more than 2.8 million hours
  of service
• Impacts nearly 1.2 million students annually,
  with access to two million students

4
Our Formula for Success

• The Five CIS Basics
• Every child needs and deserves
• A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult
• A safe place to learn and grow
• A healthy start and a healthy future
• A marketable skill to use upon graduation
• A chance to give back to peers and community

5

• What We Do

6
The Communities In Schools Network
National Office
State Offices
2 Million Kids
The national, state and local CIS offices work
synergistically to serve children and families in
27 states and the District of Columbia.
Local Offices
7
Measurable Results
8
The Performance Learning Center
CIS Small Schools Model Promoting Graduation,
College Readiness, and Workforce Development
Empowering Students for a Lifetime of Success
9
Why the Performance Learning Center?
To serve students who are not succeeding in the
traditional high school setting, particularly
those students who

• Are chronically late or absent

• Have a lack of interest in school and
  learning

• Demonstrate poor academic achievement
• (with average or above average ability)

• Are unable to cope with structured school
  environment

• Are facing non-academic challenges to
  success
• (pregnancy, poverty, lack of health care,
  etc.)

• Are at high risk of dropping out of school

10
The Most At-Risk Youth

• Only 60 of low-income students can expect
• to graduate from high school
• Only 1 in 3 low-income students will enroll in
  college
• Only 1 in 7 low-income students will earn a
  bachelors degree
• Educational Policy Improvement Center, 2007

11
The Performance Learning Center meets students at
their current academic skill and social
development levels, as opposed to where they
should be. Through the development of healthy
relationships and a relevant and rigorous
instructional program, students develop
academically and socially and are prepared to
move to the next level educationally,
vocationally and as citizens.
12
PLC STUDENTS SUCCESS
Beyond Graduation Service Learning, Teamwork,
Critical Thinking Skills / Presentation, Project
Based Learning (PBL), Senior Project / Dual
Enrollment, Internships
How to THINK
How to GRADUATE
High School Graduation Credits, NovaNET,
End-of-Course Test, High School Graduation Tests
13
CIS Performance Learning Center Framework
Community Engagement
Post -Graduation Preparation
High Tech/ High Touch Curriculum
Positive School Climate
Self-Managed Performance Track
Professional Training Environment
Stay In School/Develop Marketable Skills/Graduate
14
An attractive, well-designed, orderly facility
that conveys respect for the individual, creates
student pride and stimulates performance

• Business like environment
• A clean, neat, well-organized facility
• Appropriate language
• Appropriate clothing
• Emphasis on productivity

Professional Training Environment
15
Student-staff partnership directed towards
achieving objectives

• Individual Development Plan (IDP)
• 80 Performance minimum level
• Performance standards on projects, service
• learning
• 95 attendance minimum
• Employability/Career Development
• Emphasize on college

Self-Managed Performance Track
16
An environment that generates self-confidence,
active participation and productive behavior

• Anger management, stress
• management, decision making,
• healthy habits and negotiating skills
• courses
• Self-image development
• Goal setting
• Values clarification
• Written and oral communication
• Teamwork

Positive School Climate
17
The integration of computer technology and
caring adults

• Self-paced computer curriculum, projects,
  service learning and internships
• Project based learning
• Student responsible for learning
• Technology skills
• Learning facilitators
• Student Advisement

High Tech/ High Touch Curriculum
18
Plans ready to activate upon graduation

• Career Development Curriculum
• Internships/ Job Shadowing
• College/ Technical School Preparation
• Post-Graduation Pursuits
• Continued education, full-time
• employment or military
• One year follow-up Aftercare
• Alumni responsibilities

Post-graduation Preparation
19
Community as a Resource

• City, county and community as
• classroom
• Health and human services
• connections
• Cultural, artistic and intellectual
• experiences
• Service learning and Internships
• opportunities
• Mentor connections

Community Engagement
20
PERFORMANCE LEARNING CENTER
Student Road Map to Success
Interview/Intake Process
College Readiness
Mentor Program
Scheduling
Graduation
S E R V I C E L E A R N I N G
Career/ College
Referral
L I F E S K I L L S
C H A R T I N G F O R S U C C E S S
Graduation
Individual Development Plan
Instructional Day
Capstone
21
PERFORMANCE LEARNING CENTER
LEA
CIS STATE ORGANIZATION
CIS LOCAL NETWORK AFFILIATE
ACADEMIC COORDINATOR
LEARNING FACILITATOR
LEARNING FACILITATOR
LEARNING FACILITATOR
LEARNING FACILITATOR
LEARNING FACILITATOR
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
SERVICES COORDINATOR
PARENTS VOLUNTEERS/MENTORS
COMMUNITY
22
PLC Curriculum
Comprehensive On-line Courseware
(NovaNet) Project-Based Learning Charting for
Success College Transitions Service Learning
Internships Dual Enrollment Test
Preparation Supplemental Curriculum (Curriculum
Pathways, USATest Prep, Rosetta Stone)
23
Results

• 91 of PLC students improved their academic
  average while in the program.
• Average Change On average, students came to PLC
  with an average in academic subjects of 68.3 in
  traditional schools. While at PLC, students
  averaged 82.5 in academic subjects, an average
  gain of 15.8 points.

24
PLC Results2006-2007
Discipline 89.7 of our students have a history
of disciplinary problems. Average change 7.4
suspensions per year prior to enrollment and 1.4
suspensions per year while at the
PLC. Attendance Improvement Prior Absences -
10.9 PLC Absences - 6.5 Reduction - 4.4
Academic Improvements Prior Academic Average -
68.3 PLC Academic Average - 82.5 Improvement -
14.2 points Graduation Since the inception
during the 2003 school year, 2050 students have
graduated from PLCs. 75 of PLC students
classified as seniors at the beginning of the
year graduated in 2007
25
PLC Expansion

• 2007-08
• 29 PLCs in GA
• 4 PLCs in NC
• 1 PLC in VA
• 1 PLC in WA
• 35 PLCs
• 3,600 students

• 2008-09 2009-10
• 30 PLCs in GA
• 8 PLCs in NC
• 3 PLCs in VA
• 2 PLCs in WA
• 3 PLCs in PA
• 1 PLC in NJ
• 47 PLCs
• 5,000 students

26
Alternative High School Initiative
What is AHSI?
Outcomes

• The Alternative High Schools Initiative (AHSI)
  represents a network of organizations and schools
  working with the most at-risk youth
• Over 200 AHSI schools as of September 2007
• All are unique, but share common design elements
  
• authentic learning, teaching performance
  assessment
• personalized school culture
• shared leadership responsibility
• supportive partnerships
• a focus on students futures

• CIS is one of the models in this network, and CIS
  learning communities have seen an increase in
  student school completion rates, a decrease in
  violence and disruptions, and an increase in
  attendance and academic achievement
• A handful of grantees in the networkincluding
  the Big Picture Company, Maya Angelou and
  Portland Community Collegehave schools that have
  sent more than 70 percent of their students to
  further learning after high school

27
The AHSI Network

• Big Picture Company
• Black Alliance for
• Educational Options
• Communities In Schools
• Diploma Plus
• EdVisions
• Gateway to College
• Good Shepherd Services
• National Association of
• Street Schools
• National League of Cities
• See Forever Maya Angelou
• YouthBuild USA

http//www.ahsi.info/index.htm