Initiatives

Each School in Marion County selected from the nationally researched, best practice initiatives.

INTERNSHIPS

Provide students with the meaningful opportunity to learn about careers, while making the instruction students receive in the classroom more relevant in the real world. Internships may be paid or unpaid, and the length of the internship may vary depending upon the needs of the host employer. Common Goal has partnered with Indiana INTERNnet to provide twenty-five students with meaningful internships for the summer of 2008, with plans to expand in upcoming summers.

ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL MODELS

Alternative high schools provide a rigorous alternative for over-aged and under-credited students who have previously failed in high school or whose middle school experience suggests a likelihood of high school failure or dropping out. Models such as Diploma Plus and Gateway to College serve racial and linguistic minorities and those eligible for free and reduced lunch. Students not only earn their high school diploma, but also enroll in at least one college course, participate in a high-quality internship, are matched with an adult mentor, and develop a community action project. Diploma Plus students demonstrate strong graduation rates (in New York City, Diploma Plus schools boasted a 90% graduation rate compared to 59% in overall district), college-going rates, gains in literacy and math, retention rates and student attendance rates. Five Diploma Plus schools will open in four school districts in the 2008-2009 school year, creating a regional office and the largest network of Diploma Plus schools in the nation outside of New York City.

Total Cost of 5 Diploma Plus schools = $1,800,000
Total Cost of 1 Gateway to College at Ivy Tech school = $265,000

CREDIT RECOVERY

Credit recovery programs, including NovaNET and PLATO, provide computer-based, flexible, targeted instruction to meet the individual needs ot students who may not experience success in traditional classroom settings. Schools use credit recovery programs as comprehensive, standards-based online curriculum to facilitate dropout prevention. These programs are used for remediation and to allow students to recover course credits for classes they have failed at their own pace, with the same academic rigor in place, and graduate on time. Credit recovery programs will be expanded in one school district and implemented in two school districts in the 2008-2009 school year.

Total Cost of Credit Recovery Programs over 4 years = $425,000

GRADUATION COACH

Full-time Graduation Coaches act as advocates for a targeted cohort of identified students at risk of dropping out, working closely with students, school faculty and staff, parents and guardians, and social service providers. Based on a state-funded Georgia model which demonstrated a dramatic decrease in the number of high school dropouts, Graduation Coaches provide assistance to students by: analyzing data to identify students or subgroups with potential graduation problems; planning, implementing, and tracking individual graduation plans; identifying and resolving barriers to graduation; and facilitating career choices and planning. Graduation Coaches require $50,000 for each year of service (Common Goal is responsible for 100% of costs for initial two years, with support gradually decreasing). Seven Graduation Coaches will be in place for the 2008-2009 school year in five school districts, and three more will be added by the 2009-2010 school year.

Total Cost of 9 Graduation Coaches over 4 years = $1,500,000

MENTORS

Volunteer mentors are partnered with high school students, in group and one-on-one settings, to discuss a variety of life skills- from communication and conflict resolution to goal setting and purposeful actions. Training, oversight, and background checks are provided by ESC Mentor Program of Junior Achievement, a program with an impressive track record: 100% of the students in ESC mentoring programs have graduated high school. Mentors commit to two monthly one-hour meetings with their mentees during school hours, in addition to optional college visits and cultural outings. For the 2008-2009 school year, 1,000 mentors will be recruited from the business community to mentor in eight high schools.

Total Need over 4 years = 2,000 mentors

READ 180

READ 180 is an intensive reading intervention program designed to meet the needs of students who are below proficient in reading achievement, currently in use in more than 6,500 classrooms nationwide. The program directly addresses individual needs through adaptive and instructional software, high-interest lexile-leveled literature, and direct instruction in reading and writing skills. Students rotate through three stations (reading, computer and group work stations), with various daily assessments constantly adjusting the instruction students receive in each station. On average, students grow as much as 2.5 grade levels in only one year in reading proficiency and lexile scores.

Total Cost of READ 180 programs over 4 years= $2,100,000