Arkansas Department of Education Early Warning System Pilot

Arkansas Department of Education Early Warning System Pilot Presented by: Dr. Alice Barnes-Rose Assistant Commissioner, Division of Learning Services

Arkansas Department of Education College and Career Policy Readiness Institute In the July of 2008, Arkansas was accepted through a competitive process as one of eight states that were invited to participate in the College and Career Policy Readiness Institute (CCRPI). With the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, five organizations coordinated the CCRPI agenda. CCRPI: Notes from 4 -17 -09

Participating Organizations The five organizations include: • Achieve • Data Quality Campaign • Education Counsel • Jobs for the Future • The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices

Arkansas’ Challenge • “We live in a world where we compete not only with our neighboring states for the best jobs, but also with countries overseas. If we want to survive in the global marketplace, we must be fully prepared to fill the jobs of the 21 st century. ”(Governor Mike Beebe) CCRPI: Notes from 4 -17 -09

Goals & Policy Context • Adopt a definition of college and career readiness that stresses the link between college and career preparation, with 10 year stretch goals that reinforce that linkage. • Develop a plan that will make college and career readiness a core theme in communications with the public and local educators.

Supports & Interventions for Districts and Schools • Develop a plan to effectively and efficiently implement intervention models (as defined by the U. S. Department of Education) with Arkansas’s persistently low-performing schools • Develop a plan that will build on the work of Smart Accountability and use the results of the statewide system of support (SSOS) review (completed with the support of the Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center (MC 3) and the Center on Innovation and Improvement) to improve coordination of resources devoted to supports and interventions for districts and schools. • Build the capacity of the state and districts to do a deeper analysis of school problems and develop a system to address those problems.

Early Warning Systems • Develop an early warning system to identify students who are off track and need interventions to prepare for college and careers. This system would include a model for implementing necessary supports and interventions. • Work toward a better understanding between K-12, higher education and career education regarding the role, quality, and use of dual enrollment courses.

Early Warning System Work Group Established Resources reviewed: • National High School Center’s Early Warning System • Louisiana’s Early Warning System

Research and Development of The Arkansas Early Warning System • ADE and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to conduct a predictive study regarding early indicators which might be identified to prevent students from dropping out of high school. • JHU will be studying cohorts from both the 2009 and 2008 graduating classes starting with 4 th graders.

Pilot Districts • Following the identification of early warning “triggers”, early-adopter districts will pilot the system. The system will be piloted during the 2010 -2011 school year. • ADE will use the data to inform and evaluate a range of supports and interventions offered to students who are “off-track” for graduation and college and careers.

Legislative Support • During the 2009 Legislative Session, the Arkansas General Assembly enacted a law requiring the creation of The Arkansas Project Graduation Commission. • The Early Warning System Sub. Committee will provide information to the Arkansas Project Graduation Commission in meeting the purpose of the law.

The Value of the CCRPI Process • This process has helped Arkansas focus its reform efforts on a single track to ensure ALL students graduate high school college and career-ready, and that those same students are successful completers of higher education or technical education that leads to success in their lives.

Final Thoughts “Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have. ” Margaret Mead

Contact Information Dr. Alice Barnes-Rose Alice. Rose@arkansas. gov 501 -683 -4800