Diploma Project Offers New Hope for Keeping Students on Target to Graduate

If Superintendent Deasy meets his oft-stated goal of a 100 percent graduation rate for all students in the LAUSD, the Diploma Project can join in the victory lap.

Launched with a five-year, $11.6-million federal grant in February of this year, the Diploma Project targets students matriculating into middle school or high school – critical transition periods -- whose personal histories illustrate the complex circumstances of their lives that contribute to high absenteeism or to dropping out altogether.

Six high schools – Belmont, Dorsey, Fremont, Gardena, Huntington Park, and San Fernando – were selected to participate, along with their six feeder middle schools – Audubon, Bethune, Gage, Liechty, Pacoima, and Peary. The high schools were chosen on the basis of having annual dropout rates above the state average, 9th grade retention rates, and school attendance figures.

“The overarching goal for the middle school cohort is to improve attendance attitude and academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts and Math, “said Dana Edlis, Central Counselor with the Diploma Project, “so the identified students will be successful in high school and ultimately graduate.”

“The ultimate goal for the high school students is graduation,” added Edlis, who previously served as Interim Specialist with The Neglected, Delinquent, At-risk Youth Program. “The primary benchmark goal after their first year of high school is accrual of sufficient credits to promote to the 10th grade; the benchmark goal for each subsequent year is grade level promotion.”

“Our job is to increase the number of students who achieve academic success, which we know is imperative for their economic survival,” noted Tawnya Perry, Interim Project Director.

In seeking these outcomes, the Diploma Project has collaborated with a number of key partners, including United Way, City Year, and the City of Los Angeles at identified middle and high schools. According to Perry, the exchange of information enables the Diploma Project to better utilize existing resources and services that families might not otherwise access.

As an example, Perry said that at Leichty Middle School the staff from City Year has worked closely with Robert Madera, Graduation Promotion Counselor, to ensure that students receive continuity of care and a broader range of support services, including counseling and case management. At the same time, the LA City Community Development Division has programs that provide not only student employment opportunities, but alternative learning options for students to achieve academic success as well.

In 2009-10, the most recent year with available figures, the LAUSD’s drop-out rate was 25 percent, an improvement of four percentage points over 2008-09, but still far too high to satisfy District officials.

According to Edlis, the Diploma Project works with 50 at-risk students per school, who were identified through the MyData system. The goal is to add 50 new students each year, while continuing to monitor the progress of the earlier groups, who will presumably have absorbed many if not all of the recommendations necessary to improve their academic performance.

“As we work intensively with them,” explained Edlis, “their needs should go down.”

The Diploma Project has numerous plans and programs to assist at-risk students, including counseling to improve psycho-social or emotional functioning; addressing student motivational factors; referring students to appropriate alternative educational programs; working with identified student cohorts; conducting home visits, as needed; and working closely with school staff, the student, and his or her family to develop an individualized action plan.

Edlis said that with individual students, the Diploma Project uses benchmarks across three categories to determine which of them are in the greatest danger of dropping out. Regarding attendance, chronic absence is defined as missing 10 percent or more instructional days. In the category of attitude/behavior, the definition is two or more unsatisfactory marks in cooperation, or suspension. With achievement, receiving grades of “F” in ELA, math, or other subjects in an indication of potential problems. The same criteria apply to students entering middle or high school.

Edlis said the Diploma Project is research-based and data driven in order to determine the best method of getting students off of the dropout track.

Perry noted that there is particular excitement around the work of the Diploma Project’s Re-Entry Graduation Counselors, who are literally knocking on doors and telling students who have left school that the District wants them to come back.

In addition to providing guidance to students in danger of dropping out, the Project also aims to recover those at the six identified high schools who have already done so. The target population in this case is students who have left the school system for 60 or more days.

“Of the students who have dropped out,” noted Edlis, “our program’s expected goal is successful re-enrollment in an education program.”

Meanwhile, the members of the Diploma Project and their supporters are hopeful that additional funding will enable it to continue well beyond five years.

“The continuing viability of the grant is based on our ability to achieve our program outcomes and goals,” acknowledged Perry. “We know that we cannot do it alone, which is why we participate in district-wide events, such as Student Recovery Day, in which we collaborate not only with our community partners, but also with various LAUSD units, such as School Mental Health, Beyond the Bell, and Parent Support Services.”