Volume 3 / 2015 Cradle to Career Partnership Report acyi.org ACYI ’s M is s ion State me nt Connecting community partners to ensure our youth excel from cradle through career. C r ad le to Career Outcome s ACYI, in its role as a national StriveTogether partner, helps community organizations work to improve the lives of Adams County children and youth, from cradletocareer. This visual roadmap plants signposts at key indicators to point to areas that, with thoughtful and collaborative action, can support the improved outcomes that will make a significant and measurable difference in our students’ lives, throughout their entire lives. P ost-sec on da ry E n r ollmen t Th ird g ra de Re ading K in d e rgarte n R e adine s s 2 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Eighth gr ade M ath High school G r aduation P ost-sec on da ry D eg r ee c om plet i on Dear Community Leaders: Thank you for making 2015 a pivotal year! On behalf of the Adams County Youth Initiative, a cradletocareer partnership, we are pleased to present the third annual partnership report. We are proud of our collective work to date, and we’re excited to share it with you. This partnership report is a chronicle of your success as members of this collective impact partnership. It interprets a comprehensive collection of student outcome data, highlights the key focus areas from our partnership’s efforts, and presents snapshots of influence and impact that are the hallmarks of progress and the power of our collective efforts. We have learned a lot. And there is more to do. Yet, we are more optimistic than ever that we are poised to scale the success we witness every day. We are humbled and thankful to work with you and your students. Sincerely, Emma Pinter Board Chair / City Councilor, City of Westminster Matt Gray Vice Chair / Attorney, Butler Snow LLP Simone Jones Treasurer / 17th Judicial District Russ Van Houten Secretary / Former Chief of Police, City of Northglenn Table of Contents Cradle to Career Outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Letter from Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Strength in Partnership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Children and Youth Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Collective Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Continuous Improvement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Kindergarten Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Third-Grade Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Eighth-Grade Math. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Common Vision Scorecard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 School Safety and Community Engagement. . . . . 17 High School Graduation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-21 Post-Secondary Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23 Gratitude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Community Investment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 The Work Ahead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Contact Us and Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Adams County Annual Student Survey ACYI provides partner school districts with an annual survey administered to students in grades 6-12, and, new this year, to 3rd – 5th graders in five Adams County school districts: Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Adams County School District 14, Westminster Public Schools, Mapleton Public Schools, and School District 27J. This unique, census-level survey is one of the most comprehensive in the country – with nearly 27,000 students responding annually and an average 75 percent response rate. ACYI and its partners use the results to measure population level impact, monitor trends, and identify opportunities for investments that support student success. “ACYI’s annual Student Survey informs and supports our decision-making around goals that focus on climate and culture in our schools.” Leslie Vickers Positive Behavioral Support Coach School District 27J Adams County Youth Initiative 3 Strength in Partnership Connected. Empowered. No single organization or program can work in isolation and impact every child cradletocareer. The Adams County Youth Initiative provides the leadership and the infrastructure needed to connect and empower leaders and partners from over 75 organizations, including six school districts; eight law enforcement agencies; seven cities; two unincorporated communities; and a broad range of nonprofits, faith-based organizations, businesses, and philanthropists. This strategic alignment significantly increases coordination, reduces duplication, and supports better student outcomes. ACYI supports partners in order to focus on academic outcomes and utilize data to identify leverage points, so the partnership can share and scale its efforts effectively. Since the organization’s founding in 2005, ACYI has helped promote positive progress in overall indicators of child and youth success, and has been highly successful in building a system of deep collaboration and coordination among partners. ACYI is proud that its work is demonstrating positive changes in long-term indicators of youth success, including increased overall high school graduation rates for the last five years. ACYI Accountability Structure Who and Where are the Children We Serve? School District 27J Adams 12 Five Star Schools Infrastructure and Roles 4 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Mapleton Public Schools Adams 14 Westminster Public Schools The partnership’s efforts are supported by a dedicated backbone staff, a CEO-level community leaders board, a non-profit board of directors, an advisory board, and community partners and members serving on various action teams and committees to guide the work along the cradletocareer continuum. Westminster Public Schools Children and Youth Data E du cat i on 3 High School Graduation Rate:   Adams County: 72.4% Colorado: 77.3% Over al l Pop ul atio n Adams County population: 480,718 (8.8% increase since 2010 vs 6.3% increase for Colorado) Rac e/Ethn ic ity 1 White (Non-Hispanic/Latino): Adams County: 51.9% Colorado: 69.0% E c on om i c s Children Under 5 Receiving WIC Program vouchers2:   Adams County: 44.3% Colorado: 34.3% Age 1 Under age 5:   Adams County: 36,585 (7.6%) Colorado: (6.3%) Hispanic/Latino:   Adams County: 38.8% Colorado: 21.2% Children under 18 in Poverty2: Adams County: 17.5% Colorado: 16.8%   School Age Children in Poverty2: Adams County: 16.7% Colorado: 15.7% Free/Reduced Meal Rate3: Adams County: 50.2% Colorado: 42.2% School Age: Adams County: 101,431 (21.1%) Colorado: (17.0%) Under age 18: Adams County: 133,159 (27.7%) Colorado: (23.3%) He alth 2 Uninsured Children (0-18): Adams County:  9.6% Colorado: 7.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Adams County: 0.2% Colorado: 0.2% Two or More Races: Adams County: 2.9% Colorado: 2.9% Black or African American: Adams County: 3.7% Colorado: 4.5% American Indian or Alaska Native: Adams County: 2.1% Colorado: 1.6% Asian: Adams County: 4.1% Colorado: 3.1% (1) U.S. Census Bureau, 2014; (2) 2015 Kids Count Colorado Report; (3) Colorado Department of Education, 2014-15 National Cradle to Career Movement ACYI is a member of the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network, a national network of communities working to improve education success for every child through a data-driven, quality collective impact approach. Connected by their work on the ground, StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network members are committed to sharing knowledge, building upon what works and driving action to improve key outcomes along every child’s path to education success. ACYI is the first partnership in Colorado to become a member of the StriveTogether Network. “With each passing month I am encouraged to see new faces, to see new organizations represented , and to hear new voices contributing to the conversations. This diversity can only help ACYI be more impactful and effective .” Kevin West ACYI Board of Directors / Director of Intervention Services, School District 27J Adams County Youth Initiative 5 Collective Impact Drives Real Change ACYI is Guided by the Four Principles for Successful Collective Impact 1. Shared Community Vision All participants have a shared vision for change, as well as a common understanding of the problem and how we will work collectively to solve it. 2. Evidence-Based Decision Making Partnerships make decisions based on local data that show areas of need and promising practices that are already working for kids. 3. Collaborative Action Community partners come together to collectively move outcomes using continuous improvement practices. 4. Investment and Sustainability Partnerships initiate or redirect resources (time, talent, and treasure) toward data-based practices on an ongoing basis, and engage the community to ensure long-term sustainability. Collective Impact Diagram o l d/ c urre nt b e h avio r From Proving to Improving: Fundamentals of Continuous Improvement ACYI supports the partnership in tackling tough community problems using a continuous improvement framework. Put simply, this means we support flexible and responsive ways to try new strategies, and measure them against the cradletocareer indicators that define success for students. Aligning Efforts and Investing in What Works ACYI provides the infrastructure, coaching, and analytical expertise that is beyond many partner organizations’ resources. ACYI’s support empowers partners to remain focused on what works for student outcomes by: • Focusing on local data, helping to highlight the impact of small tests of change • Creating short- and long-term goals, framing and prioritizing strategies within a defined scope new behavior • Using real-time data monitoring, abbreviating the time required to finetune efforts • Shifting focus from programs to processes, and taking action based on results; optimizing partners’ success Confusion & Isolation 6 Alignment & Collective Impact Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Continuous Improvement in Action Action Teams are the “guts” of the Adams County Youth Initiative. Using the cradletocareer outcomes to guide their work, Action Teams focus on a specific indicator as a collective force, applying their efforts in a collaborative and constructive way. Data and Process: Cornerstones of Action Teams Ensuring Measurable Outcomes: The Discipline of Action Teams Using data to identify problems and gaps and set baselines, partners then define the scope of a problem and the team’s operating principles. Next, we train key stakeholders in the Continuous Improvement Model (“Plan. Do. Study. Act.”), which provides structure to the work. Partners develop a custom data dashboard including process and outcome indicators, to ensure alignment with shared strategies and goals. We know we can’t work on everything all at once, so Action Teams only work on experiments for one indicator at a time, measuring effectiveness in real time. The process allows partners to see WHY outcomes are changing. Opportunities and barriers are clearly illuminated and shared, so partners can act to advance progress toward positive outcomes in short cycles of time. Reporting: Action Teams Share Results Continuous Improvement Model Results are shared so that the successful strategies and interventions the teams develop can be shared and scaled across the partnership. PLAN DO PLAN STUDY Kickoff Action Team Meeting: • Implement Action Plan • Monitor experiments • Create data dashboard • Define roles • Brainstorm and prioritize strategies ACT STUDY DO • Develop Action Plan • Pass / Fail Action Plan Checklist ACT • Review monthly data at action team meetings • Make improvements to experiments • Repeat cycle Adams County Youth Initiative 7 Kindergarten Readiness Kindergarten readiness is a strong predictor of future academic achievement and life success. Too Many Children Start Behind Children’s essential early learning of language and how letters form words helps them develop the foundational knowledge that sets the stage for reading, counting, and social interactions. Letter and number recognition, verbal skills and language complexity, empathy, and cooperation are critical readiness skills needed to prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond. Adams County children are consistently below the state average in reading by the time they get to 3rd grade. ( f ig ure 1) 80 Preparedness for school relies on a wide range of factors including quality early learning, health, and well-being.[1] When children start school already behind, they 80 have a lower likelihood of school success, and are at higher risk for dropping out, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and juvenile delinquent behaviors.[2] High Quality Care and Child Care Assistance In 2015, Colorado’s Governor Hickenlooper put forth a “Wildly Important Goal” for the Colorado Department of Human Services: to ensure that at least 40% of the children participating in the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) for low-income families are attending high-quality preschool/childcare. This directive recognizes research indicating that children living in poverty who attend high-quality early learning programs have better academic and social outcomes. Adams County is reporting increases in children (with CCCAP) enrolled in highquality preschool/childcare, as well as the number of childcare programs accepting childcare assistance. ( f i g ur e 2) F i g ur e 2 High-Quality Care and Childcare Assistance F i gur e 1 Third-Grade Reading Proficiency by Year 40% 73.9% 70Adams County 73.3% 71.6% 70 63.8 2012 % 2013 Colorado 2014 19% 21% 21% Total Programs Accepting CCCAP Source: Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County, 2015 August 60 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Children in High Quality Care 28% 64.0% 60 8 Goal for Children in High Quality Care 31% 28% Source: Colorado Dept. of Education, 2012-14 65.2% 40% 40% September October f i gure 3 F i g ur e 4 Change in Developmental Referral Follow-through Developmental Referral Follow-through by Year The Work in Action 3.08% 0 -8.27% ECPAC Pariticipating Providers 52% 58% 62% All Providers Source: Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County, 2012-14 2012 2013 2014 Source: Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County, 2015 The Work Ahead ECPAC is committed to making evidence-based decisions informed by data whenever possible, and are taking bold steps to monitor progress through all available measures. However, without standardized measurement of kindergarten readiness and literacy for students, it’s difficult to gain a foothold on improvements. “We appreciate the support ACYI provides our team. Training us in the Continuous Improvement model has helped us be certain , through data, that our community-based strategies are improving children’s readiness for school .” Lisa Jansen Thompson ACYI Community Leaders Board / Executive Director of the Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County (ECPAC) The Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County (ECPAC) is committed to ensuring that “every child enters school healthy and ready to succeed,” and is currently convening seven Action Teams who are working to address kindergarten readiness by: • Raising awareness and increased knowledge about young child wellness; • Analyzing Kindergarten through secondgrade literacy data, preschool assessments (TS GOLD), and parent survey results to inform strategies and efforts based on disparities; • Improving coordination and collaboration across the systems that serve young children and their families, and providing resources for parents/families and community partners; • Improving the referral and follow-through to evaluation process for early intervention (developmental service for children 0-3). Though the follow-through goal is to reach 70% by 2017, ECPAC is making impressive progress: from 52% to 62% in two years (Colorado’s average in 2012 was 69%); ( f i g ur es 3 & 4 ) • Providing greater access to high-quality childcare and evidence-based programs for young children and their families (Adams County saw increases in high-quality preschool/childcare enrollment, as well as the number of childcare programs accepting childcare assistance). Adams County Youth Initiative 9 Third-Grade Reading Reading at grade level is one of the strongest predictors of later success in school. Literacy, across the cradletocareer continuum, is critical to a child’s academic success. From Learning to Read to Reading to Learn Attendance is Critical to Success According to researchers, one longitudinal study found that students who do not read at grade level by third grade are four times less likely to graduate from high school on time compared to proficient readers.[3] In Adams County only 29.7% of 3rd grade students met or exceeded literacy standards on the 2015 PARCC assessment (8.5% lower than the state average). In addition, chronic absence is a critical factor in grade level reading. We compared reading proficiency scores in the 2014 TCAP assessment against chronic absences in 0-3 quarters preceding the assessment and found that students are drastically less likely to be proficient when they miss too much time in the classroom. ( F i g ur e 6 ) ( F ig u re 5) Partners are working to recognize and celebrate good or improved attendance, inform and engage students and parents, monitor data, provide personalized early outreach and develop programmatic response to barriers. ACYI is supporting school and district level teams and community partners to identify proven interventions and strategies to increase school attendance, including mentoring and afterschool / summer efforts. A New Yardstick to Measure Progress Last Spring, the Colorado Department of Education released the first year of testing results from the new state assessments in English language arts and math. Going forward, ACYI will use these findings (PARCC tests) as our baseline. ACYI will provide the tools, resources and professional learning opportunities needed so that our students’ performance will continually improve. 10 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Only 29.7% of 3rd grade students met or exceeded literacy standards f i gure 5 3rd Grade Reading Performance Adams County 29.7% 22.9% 22.1% Met or Exceeded 25.3% Approached 38.2 Colorado % 23.2 % 19 % 19.6 % Partially Met Did Not Yet Meet Source: Colorado Department of Education, 2014-15 PARCC F i gure 6 Reading Proficiency by Chronic Absence Three Quarters CA 41 % 40% 49 % Two Quarters CA 40% 36 % 37% 32% One Quarter CA 34% Never Chronic Absent 26% 23% Source: School District Attendance & TCAP, 2013-14 23% 19% The Work in Action Thornton Elementary School The Work Ahead In September, the team at Thornton Elementary hosted the community leaders and family school attendance awareness month breakfast where elected officials, community leaders, and parents gathered to commit to focusing on attendance. ACYI met with the school team to identify current strategies and interventions, monitor progress, and adjust efforts as needed. Our local Partnership is a member of the Grade Level Reading Campaign, which contends that schools cannot succeed alone and provides support and best practices to help remove barriers, expand opportunities, and assist parents in the success of their children. Along with supporting school attendance, the Partnership is committed to achieving 3rd grade reading proficiency for all students by aligning efforts from early childhood, addressing summer learning loss, and identifying parent engagement efforts that support reading success. The school administered a survey to parents in which they rated several causes of absence based on how much of a problem it was for their family. Illness and doctor appointments arose as the top causes of absence, followed by family emergencies and vacations, and transportation problems. Proficient / Advanced Partial Proficient Unsatisfactory We are gaining momentum and support from community partners by continually gathering data, supporting community efforts around these goals, and scaling the ideas that work. Adams County Youth Initiative 11 Eighth-Grade Math Eighth-grade math proficiency is an important milestone leading up to high school persistence, academic achievement, college attainment, and general preparedness for the workforce. Strong Predictor for College Enrollment Middle grade mathematics provide both a sense of mathematical and intellectual achievement, as there is a strong link between mathematics curriculum and college enrollment.[4] In Adams County, only 23.8% of eighth graders met or exceeded expectations on the 2015 PARCC math assessment (Colorado Department of Education). (f ig ure 7) A New Yardstick to Measure Progress Last spring, the Colorado Department of Education released the first year of testing results from the new state assessments in English language arts and math. As with third grade literacy, going forward ACYI will also use these findings (PARCC tests) as our new baseline for eighth grade math. ACYI will provide the tools, resources, and professional learning opportunities needed by our partners to continually improve our students’ performance. Relationships Matter When young people are encouraged and supported by positive adult role models, it has a huge impact on their self-esteem, motivation, and academic success. ACYI leads the Caring Adult Network Mentoring Action Team, which helps mentoring agencies increase their capacity to provide crucial adult support, knowing what a game-changer it can be for future academic persistence and career success. Additionally, significant efforts are being made to help partners collect and evaluate student-level data to measure the impact of this work as it relates to student outcomes including attendance and grades. Based on results from the Adams County Student Survey (f i g ur e 8 ) , students who report that they do not have a caring adult outside of home or school are much more likely to engage in risky/ problem behavior, while also less likely to report positive goals and social/emotional well-being. (Figu r es 8 & 9 ) 12 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 f i gure 7 Eighth-Grade Math Performance Adams County 23.8% Colorado 21.6% 18.9% 25.3% 27.6% 27% 29.8% 26% Met or Exceeded Approached Partially Met Did Not Yet Meet Source: Colorado Department of Education, 2014-15 f i gure 8 f i g ur e 9 Risk Behavior With / Without Caring Adults Positive Goals and Well-being With / Without Caring Adults The Work in Action 98% 28% 89% 89% 81% 21 80% % 66% 55% 54% 16% 15% 10% 10% 6% 3% Skipped or Cut School Used Alcohol Used Marijuana Does NOT have caring adult Belongs to a Gang Does have caring adult Source: 2014-15 Adams County Student Survey Graduating from HS is Important Keeps trying when they fail Knows how to be accepted in a group Does NOT have caring adult Believes they will succeed in all they do Does have caring adult Source: 2014-15 Adams County Student Survey The Work Ahead First, we need more mentors! To learn how to become a mentor within our partnership (serving the 17th Judical District – Adams and Broomfield Counties) visit www.acyi.org/mentoring to complete an online application and one of our quality mentoring programs will connect with you. Second, ACYI will be working with a new “Change Agent Team” of math teachers and leaders from School District 27J who are willing to take a deeper dive into Continuous Improvement to identify the practices and interventions that will have a positive impact on eighth-grade math proficiency. Save Our Youth Mentors Make a Difference Michele and Amber were matched two years ago through Save Our Youth. They enjoy spending time together working with horses, going to the park, and grabbing a snack. “A struggle I have faced was with making friends, because I’m extremely shy. My mentor, Michele, is very nice. She’s a lot of fun to be around, and she’s extremely funny sometimes. My favorite part of Save Our Youth is being able to get out and do fun stuff with my mentor each week.” Amber, Mentee, age 14 Adams County Youth Initiative 13 Common Vision Scorecard ACYI is committed to monitoring and reporting annual cradletocareer indicators at the population level: broken down by gender, race/ethnicity, and economic disadvantage. It’s our long-term goal to continually advocate for improved access to this critical information. This scorecard contains all currently available data breakdowns. Because the CMAS/PARCC assessment was new to Colorado in 2015, the Colorado Department of Education can only provide overall numbers for third-grade reading and eighth-grade math. Core Indicators INDICATOR MEASURE / DATA SOURCE Kindergarten Readiness BASELINE YEAR* YEAR ONE CURRENT REPORTING YEAR CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR The state of Colorado does not currently have a standardized measure for kindergarten readiness. Baseline will be established when data become available Percent of Students Meeting or Exceeding Expectation 2014-15* CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR 3rd Grade Reading CMAS/PARCC (CDE2014-15) N/A N/A 29.7% N/A TBA N/A 8th Grade Math CMAS/PARCC (CDE, 2014-15) N/A N/A 23.9% N/A TBA N/A 2013 2014 2015 CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR 69.6% 70.0% 71.7% +6.0% 59.8% +1.7% 2011 2012 2013 CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR Graduation Rate High School Graduation CDE, Class of 2015 Post-secondary Indicators Post-secondary Enrollment One-year Enrollment: (CDHE, Class of 2013) 45.6% 44.5% 43.4% -2.2% 37.3% -1.1% Post-secondary Completion Six-year Completion: (CDHE, Class of 2009) N/A N/A 21.1% N/A 16.0% N/A Data So urc e Ke y CDE CDHE Colorado Dept. of Education Colorado Dept. of Higher Education ACSS CBI Adams County Student Survey Colorado Bureau of Investigation *Denotes Baseline year for indicators that were set in Year One or Current Year 14 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 TBA N/A Indicator data not available for 2014-15 Reporing year Breakdown not available, or change from Baseline Not Applicable Monitored Indicators INDICATOR MEASURE / DATA SOURCE BASELINE YEAR* Percent of Students Absent 10% or More School Days CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR 2014* 2015 CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR N/A 19.9% 17.9% -2.0% N/A -2.0% Elementary School N/A 12.6% 13.4% +0.8% N/A +0.8% Middle School N/A 20.1% 19.2% -0.9% N/A -0.9% High School N/A 33.3% 31.5% -1.8% N/A -1.8% 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR 9th Grade: % With Caring Adult Outside of Home/School 75.1% 80.7% 79.2% +4.1% 77.3% -1.5% 11th Grade % Reporting Alcohol Use 44.2% 35.7% 34.9% -9.3% 36.0% -0.8% 11th Grade % Reporting Marijuana Use 29.8% 27.1% 25.6% -4.0% 28.4% -1.5% Juvenile Arrests (CBI, 2014) 4848 3979 3947 -901 N/A -32 District Filings (17th Judicial District, 2014-15) 589 528 569 -20 N/A +41 2012 2013 2014 CHANGE FROM BASELINE MINORITY STUDENTS (NON-WHITE) CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR 11th Grade Colorado ACT Composite (CDHE 2014) 18.4 18.3 18.6 +0.2 N/A +0.3 FAFSA Completion (CDHE, 2014-15) 43.4% 42.3% 43.8% +0.4% N/A +0.4% Postsecondary Remediation (CDHE, Class of 2013) 43.7% 44.3% 40.8% -2.9% N/A -2.9% Risk Factors and Protective Factors Substance Use (ACSS, 2014-15) CURRENT REPORTING YEAR Kindergarten Chronic Absentee Rates (School District Data, 2014-15) Adult Support (ACSS, 2014-15) YEAR ONE Juvenile Crime Post-secondary Readiness Post-secondary Readiness Adams County Youth Initiative 15 16 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 School Safety We continue to work together throughout all of our partnerships to ensure that students feel safe at school - as we know, students cannot learn if they are not safe. Community Engagement Starts with Families A crucial element embedded in the work of each partnership is to authentically engage the community - especially parents and family members. A Collaborative Approach to Family Engagement Safety is a Priority ACYI continues to convene with and support school districts, law enforcement, and community partners to maintain the Adams County School Emergency Plan, developed by key stakeholders in 2010. This comprehensive, countywide plan is the go-to resource for a unified emergency response model that is made up of preventing, preparing, planning, responding, and recovering. “The support of ACYI in the development of a system-wide emergency response plan was critical in bringing together a disjointed process which had created a severe gap in response protocols.” ACYI and ECPAC, with community partners, developed a collaborative approach to increase parent and family engagement across the partnership. Starting with identifying current efforts, ACYI conducted a partner scan of family classes and leadership opportunities so as to measure increased participation and engagement in the future. The partnership will continue to identify and address barriers to engagement and empowerment. The Work in Action ACYI supports The Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI), a family civics program where graduates spend more than 120 hours to develop skills needed to become effective leaders in their communities. Skills include personal and child development, leadership training, civic literacy, and civic participation skills. The curriculum focuses on the change process, developing relevant skills, understanding the tools of civic engagement, and creating a community project. A monolingual Spanish class was hosted by Adams County School District 14 in the 2015-2016 school year. Jon VanZandt Commander, Adams County Sheriff’s Office Adams County Youth Initiative 17 High School Graduation High school graduation is associated with higher earnings, college attendance and graduation, and other measures of personal and social welfare. The Critical Path to a Living Wage As college education increasingly becomes a necessity for upward mobility, graduating more students from high school is critical. Over a lifetime, high school graduates earn over half a million dollars more than their counterparts without a diploma. High school dropout rates also correlate strongly with poverty; high school dropouts are almost twice as likely to live in poverty as high school graduates.[5] Risk Factors Influence Graduation Rates There are many academic and social-emotional factors that contribute to students’ likelihood of successfully completing high school. Positive outcomes are more likely when students feel supported by adults at home, at school, and outside of home/ school; when their social/emotional well-being is supported and they feel connected and safe at school; and when they feel that obtaining a high school degree is important. On the other hand, a series of risk factors can stand in the way of graduation – including substance use, crime and juvenile delinquency, truancy/poor attendance, and lack of adult support. 18 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Protective Factors Have Positive Impact Adams County high school students who report that it is NOT important to them to graduate from high school are much more likely to also report substance use and truancy, and less likely to report protective factors such as support of adults, belief in their ability to succeed, and engagement in after-school activities. (Figu r e 10 ) Graduation Rates Continue to Improve In 2015, Adams County saw a 1.7% increase in high school graduation (71.7% vs. 70.0% in 2014). While still below Colorado’s average, Adams County is closing the gap – improving in each of the past five years for a total change of 9.3% since 2010 (almost double the 4.9% statewide increase during the same timespan). (f igu r e 11) f i gure 1 0 Risk and Protective Factors / Graduation Goals R i s k fac to r s Pr otec ti v e fac to r s 83% 82% “Graduating from High School is Important to me” 74% “Graduating from High School is NOT Important to me” 55% Source: Adams County Student Survey, 2014-15 53% 49% 28% 36% 32% 30% 28% 27% 22% Skipped or Cut School 80 Used Alcohol 21% Used Marijuana Has a caring adult outside of home/school “I believe I will succed in all I do” Graduation Rates by Year 77.3% 75.4% 69.6% 72.4% 77.3% 71.7% 73.9% In 2015, Adams County saw a 1.7% increase in high school graduation 62.0% 2011 2012 Colorado 70 63.8% 2010 Adams County Source: Colorado Department of Education (CDE) 70.0% 65.7% 60 Participates in After School Activities 80 F i gure 1 1 76.9% 70 Has a parent who helps with schoolwork 2013 2014 2015 60 Adams County Youth Initiative 19 20 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 High School Graduation Continued Supporting Students In 2015, ACYI partnered with Community Reach Center (CRC) to launch a program providing prevention and early intervention services for middle and high school students who are exposed to, or beginning to engage in, risky behaviors that could cause serious disruptive consequences. The program supports student resiliency, substance use refusal skills, healthy decision-making skills, and academic achievement. School partners select from a variety of evidenced-based wellness classes that are tailored to fit adolescent needs. Individual coaching focuses on brief goal setting interventions that support youth success. One staff member shared, “I can see many of our students feeling more in control of their experiences and in their abilities to impact their own futures.” The Work Ahead As the culmination of the early childhood through secondary education pipeline, high school graduation is a marker of the success of our partnership’s efforts. ACYI will continue to support the partnership’s capacity to identify, share, and scale the strategies and interventions that improve outcomes across this spectrum. Specifically, ACYI will be working with two new Change Agent Teams at Horizon and Thornton High Schools who are willing to take a deeper dive into Continuous Improvement to positively impact high school graduation rates. The Work in Action Since ACYI’s beginning in 2005, we consider high school graduation rates the key outcome of measuring student and partnership success. Building on this history and focus, the work of the partnership continues to increase the support and connection students must feel to overcome risk factors and successfully graduate. Focusing on and monitoring ninth-grade attendance, risk and protective factors, juvenile crime, connectedness to adults/ mentoring (home, school, and community), and social and emotional well-being, our partnership continues to take a “whole student” approach to improving the likelihood of successfully completing high school. Adams County Youth Initiative 21 Post-secondary Enrollment Post-secondary enrollment marks one of the critical transitions in the cradletocareer pipeline; however, too few students reach this milestone. Critical for Success in the Knowledge Economy College attainment not only translates to higher income, but is also linked to improved health and longer lifespan, lower instances of child abuse, lower rates of criminal behavior, and fewer teen pregnancies among children of college-educated parents.[6] Post-secondary credentials are not limited to fouryear universities; two-year programs and technical certifications are also valuable. By 2018, over 60% of jobs will require some level of post-secondary education.[7] Leaks in the “Pipeline” Beginning long before they step onto a college campus, helping students understand the hurdles they’ll face - and how to overcome them - requires guidance and support. In examining Adams County Districts’ 2009 graduates (from entering ninth grade, through six years post-high school), we find that 68.1% of students graduated from high school, 41.8% enrolled in postsecondary education, and only 14.4% of all students obtained a credential or degree (21.1% of those who did graduate from high school). Of the 5,349 students in the cohort, only 518 Bachelor’s degrees and 12 Master’s degrees were attained. (f igu r e 12) 22 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Readiness, Access, and Persistence In each year between 2012 and 2014, Adams County students have scored below the state average on the ACT assessment, (f igu r e 13 ) and have also remained below the state average rate of on-time high school graduation (70% vs. 77% in 2014). In addition, only 43.8% of seniors completed a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). ( f i g ur e 1 4 ) The Work Ahead The partnership is committed to making evidence based decisions informed by data whenever possible, and is taking bold steps to identify these effective strategies. In order to address the leaking pipeline, we are exploring increased capacity for interventions such as mentoring, transition plans, family engagement efforts, and summer melt programs. By 2018, over 60% of jobs will require some level of postsecondary education F i gure 1 2 The Post-secondary Pipeline C l as s o f 2 00 9 : 5 ,34 9 stud en ts High School Graduates 3,6 4 3 Stud en ts 68.1% Enrolled in Post-secondary Completed Credential / Degree 14.4% 0 7 6 9 St ud en ts 10 126 Credential The Work in Action 2 ,2 35 Stud en ts 41.8% 20 30 40 50 113 60 70 80 12 518 Associate Degree Bachelor’s Degree Key partners like the Adams County Education Consortium (ACEC) agree that while there are a multitude of resources, programs, and options available to students in high schools related to post-secondary enrollment, many students fail to utilize them. The partnership is working to better align the network to help close this attainment gap. Master’s Degree Source: Colorado Dept. of Education; Colorado Dept. of Higher Education f i gure 1 3 f i g ur e 14 ACT Composite Scores by Year Financial Aid, Enrollment, and Remediation 20.1 20.0 18.4 2012 Adams County 18.3 2013 20.3 43.4% 43.8% 45.6% 43.4% 40.8% 18.6 2014 FAFSA Completion Post-secondary Enrollment Colorado Source: Colorado Dept. of Higher Education 43.7% Class of 2013 Class of 2014 Source: Colorado Dept. of Higher Education Post-secondary Remediation Adams County Education Consortium’s 8th Grade Career Expo The ACEC Career Expo is a one-of-a-kind career fair designed to get eighth-grade youth thinking about their future education and career goals. This annual event provides more than 5,000 Adams County students access to more than 100 professionals in their industries of interest. The event not only opens students’ minds to the possibilities of their future and the classes needed now to prepare for that future, but helps them learn critical, soft skills that will help them in their future job searches. Adams County Youth Initiative 23 Many Hands Make Light Work We all play important roles in improved outcomes for children and youth. We extend our warmest thanks to those who have so generously given their time and talent towards our common goal. Board of Directors* Role: Lead Governance and Finance Don Cassata, Community Member Ron Gallardo, Education Consultant Matt Gray, Attorney, Butler Snow LLP, Vice Chair Jan James, Adams County Human Services Simone Jones, Courts, 17th Judicial District, Treasurer Matthew La Crue, L&B Strategies, LLC Tamara Player, Community Reach Center Emma Pinter, City of Westminster, Chair Randy Roberts, Triple Peak Ventures Russ Van Houten, Community Member, Secretary Kevin West, School District 27J Community Leader’s Board* Randy McCall, Key Bank Michael McIntosh, Adams County Sheriff’s Office Jenifer Morgen, 17th Judicial District Kyle Mullica, City of Northglenn Randy Nelson, City of Thornton Tim O’Brien, North Suburban Medical Center Don Quick, 17th Judicial District Tawnya Russell, City of Brighton Louis Salazar, ConocoPhillips Pam Sandlian-Smith, Anythink Libraries Kim Skattum, Crossroads Church Troy Smith, City of Commerce City Kandy Steel, Adams County School District 14 Paul Targoff, Senate Bill 94 Chaz Tedesco, Adams County Government Kristin Todd, The Daniels Fund Karl Wilmes, City of Federal Heights Dave Young, 17th Judicial District Role: Advance Vision and Policy Frankie Angulo-Olaiz, Mile High United Way Therese Brown, Front Range Community College Gina Casias, CenturyLink Kelly Corbett, School District 27J Mike Crawford, Mapleton Public Schools Gary Creager, City of Broomfield John Douglas, Tri-County Health Department James Duffy, Westminster Public Schools Chris Gdowski, Adams 12 Five Star Schools Jane Goff, Colorado State Board of Education Chuck Gross, Adams County Education Consortium Lisa Jansen-Thompson, Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Journey Institute Valorie Ladwig, The Link Janet Lopez, Rose Community Foundation Jim May, City of Northglenn Action Team Chairs / Leads Role: Execute Continuous Improvement Programs Advisory Board* Caring Adult Network / Mentoring Partners Role: Alignment and Implementation Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver CASA of Adams and Broomfield Counties Juvenile Justice Ministry Metro Partners Save Our Youth Mentoring Senior Hub - SWAT Young Life of Broomfield and Adams County Family Leadership Training Institute: Chris Duran & Celia Reyes-Martinez, Adams County School District 14 I’m Going Places - Starting Line: Beckah Terlouw, Stephanie John, and Aaron Cordova, Community Reach Center Host Agency: Kindergarten Readiness: Adams 12 Five Star Schools Rebecca Wilson, Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County Communication and Marketing Support: Family Engagement: Jami Fassett, Brittany Hass, Chad Scroggins, Anne Tengler, Up & Up Creative Rachel Hubbard & Rebeca Snowden, Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County Strategic Planning: School Attendance: Jennifer Schroeder and Lane Volpe, The Implementation Group Julie Small, School District 27J; Tony Streno, Westminster Public Schools; Connie Salas and Desiree Quintanilla, Adams 12 Five Star Schools; Donna Clifford, Mapleton Public Schools; and Melba Velazquez, Adams County District 14. Darcy Brown, School District 27J Ruben Chacon, Adams County School District 14 Ellen Duran, North Suburban Medical Center Keith Evans, City of Thornton Michele Gerbrandt, Crossroads Church Fran Gomez, City of Commerce City Dee Dee Green, Adams County Human Services Joanne Holden, Tri-County Health Department Rachel Hubbard, Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County Levon Hupfer, 17th Judicial District Stephanie John, Community Reach Center Ashley Maloney, Front Range Community College Lonnie Metz, The Link Jenni Murphy, City of Northglenn Andrea Nelson, The Daniels Fund Julie Small, School District 27J Johnny Terrell, Adams 12 Five Star Schools Sue-Lin Toussaint, Mapleton Public Schools Don Vallero, City of Federal Heights Jon Van Zandt, Adams County Sheriff’s Office Rebecca Wilson, Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County Grant Writing Support: Lisa O’Dell Davis, LOD Consulting *Updated as of February 2016 24 Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 Community Investment, Shared Vision We thank the 2015 investors who share and support our vision — every child cradletocareer. Foundations / Grants Anschutz Foundation Adams County Community & Neighborhood Resources Human Services Agency Partner Contributions Adams 12 Five Star Schools Adams County School District 14 Adams County Sheriff’s Office City of Brighton City of Commerce City City of Federal Heights City of Northglenn City of Thornton City of Westminster Crossroads Church Front Range Community College Mapleton Public Schools School District 27J Tina Jachett Janis James Simone Jones Matt La Crue Valorie Ladwig Mary Litwiler Harold Nylander Timothy O’Brien Emma Pinter Todd & Tamara Player Kathy Plomer Mark Poshak Kenneth Robinson Kim Snetzinger Kristin Todd Russ Van Houten Janet Lopez Vilsack Susan Waldman Kevin West Individuals/Family Thomas Butts David Canfield Gina Casias Don Cassata Lisa O’Dell Davis Vicki Esposito Chris & Carolyn Gdowski Jane Goff Matt Gray Roger & Shirley Gudenklauf “We love the collaborative nature of your work and the strong leadership from many community partners.” Kristin Todd ACYI Community Leaders Board Member / Vice President, Daniels Fund Adams County Youth Initiative 25 The Work Ahead Plan. Do. Study. Act. Plan: Lay the Groundwork for Change Study: Understand Why Outcomes Change, in Real Time ACYI is proud to work with over 75 organizations who share the Community Vision of supporting “EVERY child cradletocareer.” ACYI is committed to eliminating disparities in achievement for all students, and we have deliberately included equity as a guiding principle in all we do. Disaggregating data for students living in poverty or students of color is a start - we are working to promote and model these courageous conversations to ensure that our partnership is moving outcomes. Until all kids are obtaining cradletocareer success, we have a responsibility to remain curious about what works for student success, to continue to ask ourselves better questions, and to be a community of action. We heard you – SEEING the fruits of our labor, and SHARING the power of quality collective impact will help us all sustain momentum. Do: Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement ACYI supports the partnership in its efforts to fully embrace the Continuous Improvement framework. We have learned that we need to be mindful of increasing the readiness and capacity of individual partners and organizations, whom we call Change Agents, who are willing, interested, and motivated to act within the Continuous Improvement framework. Act: It Takes Patience and Impatience Systems-level change takes time. Measuring student-level outcomes in shorter spans of time is needed to build momentum. We have learned there is a healthy tension in remaining both patient and impatient in all that we do, yet keeping our eye on student success. Continuous Improvement Model PLAN STUDY Kickoff Action Team Meeting: • Implement Action Plan • Monitor experiments • Create data dashboard • Define roles • Brainstorm and prioritize strategies DO • Develop Action Plan • Pass / Fail Action Plan Checklist 26 PLAN Cradle to Career Partnership 2015 Report // Volume 3 DO ACT • Review monthly data at action team meetings • Make improvements to experiments • Repeat cycle ACT STUDY Thank You!! Citations Thank you for continuing to be at the table, for your curiosity, for asking the right questions, for your willingness to have crucial conversations, and for staying focused on ALL kids cradletocareer. [1] Maryland State Department of Education. 2010. Getting Ready: The 2010-2011 Maryland School Readiness Report. Annapolis, Maryland: Department of Education. [2] Getting Ready: Findings from the National School Readiness Indicators Initiative-A 17 State Partnership, 2005. [3] Hernandez, Donald. 2011. Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. New York: Foundation for Child Development and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Becky Hoffman Executive Director, Adams County Youth Initiative [4] Strive Partnership. (2006). Welcome to the Roadmap to Success. [5] U.S. Census Bureau. (2010), http:// www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/ tables/12s0232.pdf [6] Riddell, W. Craig. 2006. The Impact of Education on Economic and Social Outcomes: An Overview of Recent Advances in Economics. Vancouver: University of British Columbia. [7] Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Contact Us We want to hear from you. Visit www.acyi.org or call 720-972-3876. Heather Coulter Research and Evaluation Director Becky Hoffman Executive Director Lauren Croucher Continuous Improvement Facilitator Amy Wojtowicz Partner Engagement & Communications Assistant “I am very passionate about helping children/youth become their best selves. To me , ACYI is all about that!” Tamara Player ACYI Board Member / COO of Community Reach Center Mailing address: 1500 E. 128th Ave., Thornton, CO 80241 Adams County Youth Initiative 27 1500 E. 128th Ave Thornton, CO 80241 720-972-3876 acyi.org