REVISED
The data we received from our bullying, report card check-in and senior orientation lessons will help our department adjust the content and delivery of these lessons for 2017-18. Overall, the data suggested our students understood what we presented in terms of expectations for behavior, academic and attendance outcomes, which tied in with our program goals for the 2016-17 school year.
Each of these lessons was delivered to students in the Future Ready Core course of study (not students in the Occupational Course of Study or Self-Contained course of study). Students’ attainment of knowledge was evaluated via post survey results (See uploaded data charts). Post-test results for the senior orientation lesson showed significant growth in correctly answered questions. We have greatly improved our use of perception data via pre/post surveys and use of data charts to help illustrate growth from pre to post tests. Data suggests we may need to review the information regarding questions 2 & 3 (regarding the minimum GPA for the UNC system schools and the elective concentration needed for graduation) in the orientation lesson to help increase understanding. The same questions were asked of 9th-graders on the pre/post-test for the report-card check-in lesson, and again the responses to both of these questions revealed fewer students understood the correct information than the response to question one (which asks students about the required number of credits for their respective grade).
In terms of the post-assessment for the bullying lesson, the significance of the data lies in the percentages: about 11% of 684 students said reporting bullying would make it worse. Although it is good that 89% did not believe reporting bullying to an adult would make it worse, the fact that even 11% believe this provides an implication for the department to pursue (challenging that belief) when presenting the lesson in the 2017-18 school year. This is important because of one of the stated behaviors for this lesson (SS 8) was for students to “demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary.” In order to do so, students at risk of being bullied have to believe there’s a value in reporting it. Our bullying lesson was given to our Health and Physical Education classes which is comprised mostly of 9th grade students, however, there are students from all grades levels represented. Our outcome data for bullying incidents is representative for the entire school during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years. It should also be noted that these reported incidents of bullying may not be accurate. In order for a bullying incident to be recorded to have such data, it is up to the Administrators to provide in the discipline system that bullying was one of the reported behaviors. We believe that there may be more cases of bullying but the actual indication of this number may not be recorded accurately by teachers submitted referrals and Administrators completing their necessary paperwork. Unfortunately, this documentation is out of our control.
For the senior orientation lesson, the data suggests seniors know most requirements for graduation (part of lesson behavior LS 7: identify long and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals). Even the question with the least amount of answers, number 3 which discussed the elective concentration requirement, was correctly answered by more than 78 percent of seniors. That data does suggest, though, that counselors and students would stand to benefit from discussing that requirement more thoroughly during the individual senior meetings counselors have in the first quarter.
For the report card check-in lesson, the pre-test and post-test data show a big jump in the percentage of 9th-graders who correctly reported the number of credits they need to graduate (pre-test, 54.3%, post-test, 82.8%). This is particularly important because the school’s transition to an A/B schedule meant 9th-graders need 4 more credits to graduate than the 12th-graders did, so the earlier they understand the requirement, the better. Still, the fact that about 18 percent of 9th-graders still did not know how many credits they needed suggests an area to emphasize both in this year’s 10th-grade sessions (for those who didn’t get it the first time) and this year’s 9th-grade sessions. Understanding these requirements could have an impact on lesson mindset M2 (self-confidence in ability to succeed).