Increasing Graduation Rates for Students with Disabilities: Success Stories from West Virginia

Julia WilkinsNational Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities

Karen Ruddle and Sheila PaitselWest Virginia Department of Education

Kelly DuffieldClay County Board of Education

Amy MinchWheeling Park High School

Craig HessonMason County Schools

Sherry BakerMonroe County Schools

Sara Harper and R. Lanai JenningsWest Virginia Department of Education

AbstractIn 2010, the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) partnered with the West Virginia Department of Education Office of Special Programs to provide intensive technical assistance to 12 school districts to help them design and implement evidence-based programs to increase the graduation rates of students with disabilities. In this article, we describe the initiative and interventions implemented in five districts that successfully decreased dropout and increased graduation among students with disabilities. We provide graduation data from the 2008-2009 school year along with graduation data from 2012-2013 to demonstrate the gains made in these rural school districts. All names of districts and schools have been changed.

Keywords: dropout prevention, school completion, students with disabilities, rural schools

High school dropout is a serious social and economic problem in the United States and is particularly concerning giv­en the disproportionate rates at which racial/ethnic minorities and students with disabilities drop out. Although researchers have brought attention to the dropout epidemic among urban and minority youth (e.g., Balfanz &. Legters, 2004; Ekstrom, Goertz, Pollack, & Rock, 1986), less attention has been given to rural schools serving predominantly Caucasian youth. In this article, we describe several initiatives implemented in West Virginia schools that led to increased graduation rates among students with disabilities. West Virginia is a mostly rural state in which 94% of the population is White (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012) and over half (52%) of the students in rural counties live in poverty. In addition, 17% of rural students in West Virginia qualify for special education, compared to the national average of 12% (Strange, Johnson, Showalter, & Klein, 2012).

Researchers have demonstrated that students with dis­abilities have a greater likelihood of graduating when they have mentors in school (Thurlow, Christenson, Sinclair, Evelo, &. Thornton, 1995). In fact, even informal relationships with caring adults can increase the likelihood that students with dis­abilities will graduate from school (Ahrens, DuBois, Lozano, &

Richardson, 2010; Dunn, Chambers, & Rabren, 2004; Murray &. Naranjo, 2008). In addition to providing emotional, social, and instructional support, mentors can monitor students’ at­tendance to ensure students attend school regularly. Participat­ing in school activities provides students an important sense of belonging in school (Finn & Rock, 1997; Voelkl, 1997; We- hlage, Rutter, Smith, Lesko, & Fernandez, 1989) and provides friendship networks that can help connect students to school and motivate them to attend (Goodenow & Grady, 1993; Ream &. Rumberger, 2008). Mentors can help in this area by encouraging students’ participation in school clubs.

Many students who are at risk of dropping out also benefit from behavioral interventions. School clubs focused on devel­oping interpersonal skills can help to engage students with their peers and can help students develop important emotional and behavioral skills (Bierman Sc Furman, 1984; Goodenow &. Grady, 1993; Ream & Rumberger, 2008; Sinclair, Chris­tenson, Evelo, & Hurley, 1998). Providing students with ad­ditional services, such as counseling and mental health, is also critical in addressing problems that may prevent students from graduating (Lever et al., 2004; Sinclair, Christenson, &. Thur­low, 2005).

Authors’ NoteAddress all correspondence to Julia Wilkins (wilkin6@clemson.edu).

Rural Special Education Quarterly ♦ Volume 33, No. 3—pages 3-13 ♦ © 2014 American Council on Rural Special Education Reprints and Permission: Copyright Clearance Center at 978-750-8400 or www.copyright.com mmR ural Special Education Q uarterly 2014 Volume 33, Number 3 3

Making academic work relevant through career-oriented programs is also an effective way of engaging students in school (Kemple & Snipes, 2000; Plank, 2001). In addition, a broad range of students benefit from supplementary class time provided through after-school and summer classes (Cooper, Charlton, Valentine, Muhlenbruck, & Borman, 2000). It is im­portant to provide students with a variety of academic options to ensure they remain on track to graduate. Make-up periods, after-school tutoring, online credit recovery, and Saturday classes are all effective supplements to traditional classroom in­struction to ensure that students remain on track (Allensworth &. Easton, 2005; Cooper et ak, 2000; Fashola & Slavin, 1998).

Students’ risk of dropping out also decreases if their fami­lies have “social capital,” that is, the information and skills they need to help their children succeed in school (Hill & Taylor, 2004). Parents who are aware of school expectations are in a better position to contribute to their children’s educational success. When the school environment is respectful and hospi­table, parents will perceive schools as inviting and safe, which, in turn, will increase their likelihood of becoming involved in school (Adams & Christenson, 2000; Griffith, 1998; Lareau & Horvat, 1999; Lawson, 2003). Involving parents in school also can improve parents’ trust of teachers and, in turn, lead to increased student attendance and academic performance (Adams &. Christenson, 2000; Epstein, 2001; Henderson & Mapp, 2002).

In this article, we focus on the stories of five school dis­tricts in West Virginia that successfully increased the gradua­tion rates of students with disabilities through a partnership with the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD). We compared 2012-2013 gradua­tion data with data from the 2008-2009 school year to demon­strate the gains made. The interventions implemented in the five school districts, along with the research support for those interventions, are listed in Table 1.

MethodPartnership Between West Virginia and N D P C -SD

To address the problem of high dropout rates among students with disabilities, in 2004, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) established the NDPC-SD at Clemson University. The goal of the NDPC-SD is to provide states with technical assistance (TA) to help them design and implement evidence-based, sus­tainable programs that will yield positive graduation outcomes for students with disabilities. In October 2010, the NDPC-SD solicited applications for intensive TA from the state education agencies (SEAs) of all 60 states and territories. The NDPC-SD selected five states with which to work, one of which was West Virginia.

The West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Special Programs (WVDEOSP) established the following goals in its application: (a) utilize relevant data to develop an early warning system to identify students at risk of dropping out, and (b) provide intensive training to develop dropout prevention initiatives in 12 local education agencies (LEAs). Key personnel from the WVDEOSP, including the executive director, assistant director, data manager, and coordinators for

adolescent education and instructional technology, formed a state-level team to support districts in the implementation of dropout prevention interventions in their schools.

Development o f an Early Warning SystemBased on an evaluation of evidence-based research, the

Institute of Education Sciences (IES) practice guide on drop­out prevention recommends the use of diagnostic processes for identifying student-level and schoolwide dropout problems (Dynarski et al., 2008). The data managers from the West Virginia Department of Education used the research on risk factors for dropout (see Neild, Balfanz, & Herzog, 2007) to de­velop an Early Warning System (EWS) that was integrated into the state’s longitudinal data system. The threshold settings and filters were designed to be flexible (see Figure 1) and could be filtered to show only students with disabilities. Attendance and behavior/discipline entries were updated nightly and course failures were updated at the end of each marking period. Data could be accessed at the student-, grade-, school-, or all-school- level that showed records from students’ previous schools. Students identified as being at risk appeared in a color-coded list indicating the severity of their risk level. The EWS (see Figure 1) provided LEA teams with indicators of students who might be at risk of dropping out and enabled them to target in­dividual students for particular interventions in a uniform and efficient manner.

Technical Assistance ProcessThe SEA team sent invitations for TA to districts with

high rates of dropout among students with disabilities. Inter­ested districts then received TA from NDPC-SD trainers using NDPC-SD’s two-tiered, evidence-based dropout prevention intervention framework (see Table 2). Execution of the frame­work at Tier One involves 6 days of interactive training on eight modules that reflect current research in dropout preven­tion. The modules include an overview of the research, analysis of relevant data, and evidence-based interventions related to alterable risk factors, including school climate, attendance, behavior and social competence, academic engagement, family engagement, and student engagement. Tier One culminates in the development of an action plan to guide the work of the LEA team. During Tier Two, targeted support for implementa­tion is provided to cohort schools via teleconferences, consulta­tions, coaching, and booster sessions. Continuous evaluation allows schools and their partner TA providers to examine the efficacy of selected interventions and to identify additional training needs.

At the end of the 2011-2012 school year, LEA teams ana­lyzed their attendance, disciplinary, and course performance data and compared these to their baseline data. (See Figure 2 for dropout prevention team members). The teams then came together for a 2-day meeting to present their progress, share ef­fective interventions, and celebrate their successes. Based on their end of year data, teams made adjustments to their inter­vention practices and identified additional TA needs for the following school year.

ResultsIn the following section, we describe the dropout preven­

tion interventions that were implemented in five of the school

4 Volume 33, Number 3 2014 R u ra l S p ec ia l E d u catio n Q u a rte r ly

Table 1.

From Research to Practice: Interventions Implemented

Student Parental AcademicEngagement Attendance Involvement Performance Behavior

• One-on-one and group mentoring (Anderson, Christenson, Sinclair, & Lehr, 2004; Eby,Allen, Evans,Ng, & DuBois, 2008; McLearn, Colasanto& Schoen,1998; Sinclair, Christensen, & Thurlow, 2005)

• School clubs (Finn & Rock, 1997; Gerber, 1996).

• Academy approach with small classes (Elliott, Hanser,& Gilroy, 2002; Kemple & Rock, 1996; Kemple & Snipes, 2000)

• Career-oriented curriculum (Kemple & Snipes, 2000; Plank, 2001)

• Communitybased work programs (Corbett, Clark,& Blank, 2002; Malian & Love, 1998; Martin, Tobin, & Sugai, 2002).

• Daily monitoring (Garry, 1996). "

• Focus on adult and peer connections (e.g., mentoring, school clubs) (Anderson et al., 2004; Richman, Rosenfeld,& Bowen,1998; Sinclair, Christenson, Elevo, & Hurley, 1998; Sinclair et al., 2005; Voelkl, 1997).

• Incentives (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002; Sheldon, & Epstein, 2004).

• Truancy diversion officer

• Partnerships with juvenile courts (Sheldon & Epstein, 2004; Smink & Reimer, 2005).

• Brochures on school expectations (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002).

• Incentives for attending meetings (Smith, Wohlstetter, Kuzin, & De Pedro, 2011).

• Invitations to participate in school events (Adams & Christenson, 2000; Dauber & Epstein, 1993; Simon, 2004).

• Training for school staff on welcoming the public (Adams & Christenson, 1998; Griffith, 1998; Hoover- Dempsey et al., 2005).

• Career and technical education programs (Kemple & Snipes, 2000; Plank, 2001).

• Co-taught classes with general and special education teachers (Scruggs, Mastropieri,& McDuffie, 2007).

• Make-up periods to complete work

• After-school tutoring

• Online credit recovery

• Summer school credit recovery

• Saturday classes (Allensworth & Easton,2005; Cooper, Charlton, Valentine, Muhlenbruck,& Borman,2000; Fashola & Slavin, 1998).

• Referrals for counseling and/or peer mediation (Lever et al., 2004; Sinclair, Christenson, & Thurlow, 2005).

• Resource officer to support students on probation (Smink &Reimer, 2005).

• Mentoring (Grossman & Garry, 1997; Thurlow, Christenson, Sinclair, Evelo,& Thornton, 1995).

• Clubs focused on developing interpersonal skills (Bierman & Furman, 1984; Goodenow& Grady,1993; Ream & Rumberger, 2008; Sinclair et al., 1998).

Rural Special Education Quarterly 2014 Volume 33, Number 3 5

Table 2.

NDPC-SD Dropout Prevention Intervention Framework

Phase 1: Develop State and Local Leadership Teams

• Establish leadership and design team• Identify cohort districts/schools• Identify core teams for training• Train teams in framework and modules 1-8• Train teams in rollout strategies

Phase 2: Analyze Data

• District/school demographics• District and school infrastructure• Current initiatives and partnerships• Student performance (attendance, graduation, dropout, course completion, discipline)• Assessment, curriculum, and instructional systems• Professional development (dropout prevention/intervention, recovery/reentry)• Relevant policies and procedures (attendance, discipline, promotion/retention,

graduation)

Phase 3: Identify Target Areas for Intervention

• School climate• Attendance and truancy prevention• Behavior (universal, classroom, targeted, tertiary management and support)• Academic content and instruction (reading, writing, math, science)• Family engagement• Student engagement

Phase 4: Develop Improvement Plan

• Select evidence-based practices related to attendance, school climate, parent and student engagement, academics, and behavior

• Determine level of intensity (universal, selected, target)• Contextualize to setting• Establish timelines• Draft action plan

Phase 5: Implement, Monitor, and Evaluate

• Conduct baseline measures• Train additional staff for rollout• Implement strategies, on-site coaching, consultation & feedback, progress monitoring,

fidelity checks• Measure results• Evaluate outcomes• Celebrate success!• Disseminate

6 Volume 33, Number 3 2014 Rural Special Education Quarterly

districts that participated in the partnership with the NDPC- SD. We also provide evidence of their effectiveness through graduation data and anecdotal accounts. The graduation rates of students with disabilities over a 5-year period, starting with the 2008-2009 school year, are shown in Table 3.

Daniel County SchoolsDaniel County has three high schools and a pre-K-12 pop­

ulation of approximately 4,530 students. Over 98% of students in the county are White, and almost 18% of students receive special education. The dropout prevention team included two graduation coaches who had been hired the previous year as part of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimu­lus project. When the team analyzed their school data, they no­ticed that many students were not participating in any school activities, and they, therefore, decided to focus their interven­tions on student engagement.

The principal of Drake High School asked every teacher in the school to create a student club based on one of their skills or interests. Thirty-eight new clubs were formed as a result (see Figure 3 for examples). All students in the school signed up for a club, and one period a month was allocated to “club day.” Offering the club during regular school hours enabled the par­ticipation of students with disabilities who were often unable to participate in after-school activities due to transportation issues. Some clubs were particularly beneficial for students with dis­abilities; in the Partners Club, for example, general and special education students developed friendships as they worked to­gether on arts and crafts activities. A special education student who joined the Bullying Prevention Club stated that he particu­larly benefited from “talk[ing] about situations where bullying may take place and how to keep it from happening.” Many students signed up for the same club 2 years in a row, which allowed teachers to form long-term relationships with students they may not otherwise have encountered.

Along with this initiative at Drake High School, the gradu­ation coach at Tecumseh High School spearheaded an event to increase both student and parent engagement. With decora­tions and seating still intact from the high school graduation

Table 3.

ceremony, the upcoming ninth grade class participated in a mock graduation ceremony at the high school. Students walked across the stage in caps and gowns, listened to motivational speeches, and signed “Commitment to Graduate” pledges. This event provided students with first hand exposure to an impor­tant rite of passage in school completion, which was particularly meaningful for students with disabilities who are often excluded from valued school activities, such as football, cheerleading, and proms. Invitations also were sent to parents/guardians, and approximately 80% of students’ parents or guardians attended. Having family members at this event served to unify the school and home around expectations for graduation.

In another initiative, a truancy diversion officer (TDO) was hired in collaboration with the Supreme Court of West Virgin­ia. In order to reduce the number of court system referrals, she worked proactively with students and families to address barri­ers to school attendance. Research supports involving court sys­tems as a last resort for truant students. Effective interventions for increasing student attendance include connecting parents with a school contact person and making home visits (Epstein &. Sheldon, 2002). The TDO explained how the mother of a student with a disability contacted her when she could not get her daughter out of bed in the mornings and she would “go by her home to give her a pep talk and make sure that she gets to school as quickly as possible.” A vicious cycle is created when students miss school and then feel they are too far behind with work to return. The TDO helps students break this cycle, as one special education student explained: “When 1 was having trouble in my classes, she got me signed up for after-school tu­toring.” In addition to academic support, students also may be referred for counseling or wraparound services. Together with changes to juvenile court, which is now held at the high school, the program has yielded positive results, with a three percent increase in high school attendance since its inception.

A resource officer also was employed at Tecumseh High School to conduct classroom talks and address negative be­haviors associated with dropping out. In addition to his law enforcement role, the officer served as a resource for teachers and an informal mentor for students. One special education

Graduation Rates (Percentage) for Students With Disabilities Over 5 Years

County 2008-09 2009-10a 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Daniel 55.2 69.1 68.4 61 66.2

Potter 51.6 55.2 75 78 60.9

Stone 48.4 50 65.6 65.3 73

James 56.1 62.1 54.1 64.3 80

Cleveland 48.2 58.9 55.3 56.5 78.3

Note, dra in ing year.

Rural Special Education Q uarterly 2014 Volume 33, Number 3 7

Figure 1.

Early warning system

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Figure 2.

Dropout prevention team members

District-Level School-Level

Special education director

Attendance director

Coordinator of special education

Principal

Special education department chair

General education teachers

Special education teachers

Counselor/psychologist

student shared: “He has talked to me and helped me with a lot of things and kept me from making bad decisions.” He also makes sure students on probation get the counseling they need. In a 2-year period covering the time in which the resource offi­cer was hired, there was a 29% reduction in students receiving

out-of-school suspensions for fights, bullying, and illegal drugs.The success of the initiatives implemented in Daniel

County high schools is reflected in the graduation rates of students with disabilities, which increased from 55.2% in the 2008-2009 school year to 66.2% in the 2012-2013 school year,

8 Volume 33, Number 3 2014 Rural Special Education Quarterly

an increase of 11%. Reflecting on the initiatives implemented ting to the real heart of the problem and empowering studentsin Daniel County Schools, the special education coordinator and parents to see how high school graduation is an attainablestated: “I believe this is the beginning of a long-term shift in get- goal.”

Figure 3._______________________________

Club day brochure

Drake High School Club Day

Career Exploration: Students will explore various career paths that will assist them in deciding on a future career. Emphasis will be placed on vocational/technical paths as well as 2-4 year college degree paths. (204, 206, 208)

Geography Club: A Jr. Jeopardy Quiz bowl format that will reinforce Geography concepts through games, trivia, and activities. (227)

Fantasy Sports Club: Participate and discuss all things in the world of Fantasy Sports! From football to the baseball season, we will break down matchups that will make any Drake High student a fantasy guru. (202)

Scrapbooking: Students will bring in pictures and some supplies to create scrapbook pages. (212)

Outdoor Activities Club: Students will explore outdoor activities such as all types of hunting and fishing, etc. (220)

Board Games: Tired of all those electronic gadgets and contraptions? Join us for some classic board games! (121)

Drama Club: This is a club for those who are interested in any aspect of the theater: audience member, actor, or crew member. (209)

Humane Society of Drake High School:Dogs and cats and squirrels, OH MY! This is your chance to make a difference in the lives of our furry (or not so furry) friends.This club will focus on what positive contribution we can make to animals as we strive to make the world a more humane place for them. (221)

Childs’ Dance Studio: Come join Ms.Childs for an exciting upbeat dance class.In this club you will dance your booty off with different dance styles while having a blast! You will have to be willing to let loose and shake your tail feather! (Mini-gym)

Be the Change Club: Students will work with charity organizations to hold benefit events, raise awareness and funds, and to help be the change you want to see in the world. (226)

Healthy Hearts: This club is for those who realize they need to make changes in their physical activity, their diet, and their attitude towards health. (Cafeteria)

Weight Lifting/Fitness: Learn the importance and benefits of weight lifting while demonstrating the proper procedures and safety techniques. (Weight Room)

Young Democrats: Are you interested in political issues in America today? Would you like to become more involved? Join us in Young Democrats Club to get started! (120)

Comedy Club: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to Mr. Harden’s Comedy Club! Join him in his efforts to make the world a funnier place! (211)

Rural Special Education Quarterly 2014 Volume 33, Number 3 9

Potter County SchoolsPotter County is a small, rural county with a population

of approximately 9,300. The educational level of residents in Potter County is lower than the West Virginia average, and the level of poverty is well above the U.S. average-27.7% vs. 14.3%, respectively (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). There is one high school in the county that is attended by almost 600 students, 15% of whom qualify for special education services.

When the Potter County dropout prevention team ana­lyzed their baseline data, they noticed that students with dis­abilities were passing career and technical education (CTE) courses but were not doing so well in core academic courses. The team decided to implement an academy approach involv­ing the integration of the CTE electricity program and general education classes, with classes co-taught by special education and content area teachers. According to Plank, DeLuca, and Estacion (2005), students have a reason to stay in school when they can take CTE classes related to career paths in which they are interested. This was confirmed by the special educa­tion teacher who noted, “The biggest difference I have seen in students in the electrical academy is that their attitudes and confidence have greatly improved, and they approach learning with enthusiasm.” She also noted that, “Students in the acad­emy become like family and are so willing to help each other.” This family-like atmosphere, typical of small schools, has long been associated with students’ increased sense of belonging in school and improved academic performance (e.g., Cotton, 1996; Oxley & McCabe, 1990; Raywid, 1998).

In another initiative, Agricultural Science and Biology II were integrated and co-taught by content area teachers in both subjects. Students with disabilities who had previously failed core courses demonstrated great success in this co-taught class. The agricultural teacher explained: “Much of what we do in the course is hands-on, and we use those types of projects and activities to help kids apply the concepts that are being taught.” For students who do not learn from traditional teacher-directed instruction, such interactive, hands-on approaches to learning are critical (Wenglinsky, 2000; Wilkins, 2011).

The team’s analysis of data also revealed that students with disabilities had high rates of absenteeism. Improving the quality of courses is an effective way to increase student atten­dance, but truancy interventions are most effective when they include multiple strategies (Chang & Romero, 2008; Epstein & Sheldon, 2002); therefore, a partnership was developed with the Potter County Bank to provide incentives for school attendance. The bank donated free tickets for Friday night football games to students who had perfect attendance during the week.

The school’s advisory program was also enhanced for students with disabilities so that, in addition to meeting with advisors four times per week, students would remain with the same advisor until they graduated from high school. Mentor­ing relationships are particularly important for students who benefit from teacher relationships characteristic of elementary and middle school. Many students do not adjust well to the decreased level of teacher support in high school and end up struggling through ninth grade. Students who fail their fresh­man year are at an increased risk of dropping out; however, a satisfactory transition from eighth to ninth grade can increase students’ likelihood of graduating (Neild, Stoner-Eby, & Furst-

enberg, 2008). In light of this situation, a Freshman Orienta­tion Day was held for eighth grade students so they could tour the high school, meet their future advisors, and learn about the various course options, academic clubs, and extracurricular activities offered at the high school.

Another change that typically accompanies students’ transition to high school is a decrease in the level of parental involvement. Parents’ contact with high school often becomes limited to disciplinary matters-a situation that contributes to adversarial family-school relationships. To increase parental involvement, informational meetings on dropout prevention, drug awareness, and school safety procedures were held in conjunction with parent-teacher conferences, and parents were offered incentives, such as a free family portrait, for attending. When parents get invitations to participate in school events, it sends the message that their involvement is wanted and valued, which increases the likelihood that they will attend.

The combined effects of these initiatives resulted in the graduation rate for students with disabilities increasing from 51.6% in the 2008-2009 school year to 61% in the 2012-2013 school year, an increase of 9.4%. The district also achieved the second highest attendance rate in the state.

Stone County SchoolsThere are three high schools in Stone County, attended

by approximately 1,870 students, whose demographics reflect those of the county. Ninety-eight percent of Stone County residents are White and almost 18% live below the federal pov­erty level (United Census Bureau, 2012). When the dropout prevention team analyzed their school data, they saw a need for interventions in the areas of (a) academic performance and (b) student and parent engagement.

To address academic performance, the number of classes co-taught between special and general education teachers was increased and co-teaching coaches worked with teachers to model best practices. In a previous meta-synthesis of 32 studies of co-teaching, students with disabilities experienced more academic and behavioral success in co-taught inclusive classrooms than they did in self-contained classes with just a special education teacher (Scruggs, Mastropieri, &. McDuffie, 2007). In Stone County, it was additionally found that the loss of stigma associated with a separate classroom setting, along with higher expectations for students in the general education classroom, contributed to increased academic performance among students with disabilities. Students with disabilities also could take the online On Target program, which was co-taught by a special education teacher in the physical classroom and a general education teacher online. Two other initiatives aimed at increasing the academic performance of students with dis­abilities included the ZAP (“zeros are not permitted”) Program in which students made up missing assignments during the school day and the PATCH program in which students worked on academics in a fun, interactive learning environment after school.

In addition to these academic interventions, the county developed a facility maintenance program in which students with disabilities participated in job shadowing with school custodial staff and got hands-on experience in basic cleaning and upkeep. Students who complete this program are eligible for employment as substitute county custodians when they

10 Volume 33, Number 3 2014 R u ra l S pec ia l E d u catio n Q u a rte r ly

graduate from school. Students are more likely to stay in school when they are engaged in meaningful learning experiences with real-life applications (Wilkins, 2011). Another initiative to increase student engagement involved special education case managers assuming additional roles as mentors for students with disabilities.

To boost family engagement, staff members received train­ing on greeting the public and making parents feel welcome when they came into the school. In addition, information about school activities was shared through different media, and attendance and dropout prevention brochures were distributed to increase parents’ awareness of their importance.

The combined effects of the initiatives implemented in Stone County resulted in a 24.7% increase in graduation rates for students with disabilities, from 48.4% in the 2008-2009 school year to 73% in the 2012-2013 school year.

Cleveland CountyCleveland County has approximately 5,370 students,

about 1,650 who attend the county’s only high school. The education level of county residents is similar to the U.S. aver­age; however, the median household income is much lower ($40,652 vs. $53,046; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). From an analysis of their data, the dropout prevention team identified a need for interventions in the areas of attendance, behavior, and academic performance. Attendance for students who had 3 days of unexcused absences or previous truancy issues was monitored daily using an attendance watch list. The list was maintained on Google Drive, enabling multiple users to update information on home visits, contact made via phone, email, and mail, as well as student referrals to the Juvenile Mediation Program. The Juvenile Mediation Program involved putting students on probation and working with families to ad­dress students’ truancy prior to court proceedings. To address student behavior, students who had received discipline referrals or were otherwise identified by staff as being in need of behav­ioral interventions, were referred for counseling and/or peer mediation. Peer mediators attended trainings on mediating with classmates in issues involving bullying and harassment.

A mentoring program was also established for special edu­cation students to facilitate closer student-teacher relationships. All special education teachers were relieved of homeroom du­ties so they could meet with students on a daily basis to moni­tor their performance and identify areas in which they needed additional support. The school was also restructured to provide looping for grade level principals, which involves the principal of an incoming ninth grade cohort remaining with the stu­dents until they graduate. This system enables principals to get to know students on a more personal level. Administrators were also assigned academic departments, which provides for another layer of attention to students who are failing courses.

To address students’ academic performance, counselors and administrators conducted ongoing credit checks and referred students who were failing courses to one of the many high school options for struggling students: an after-school tutoring program that provided dinner and transportation home; the Saturday Scholars program that provided tutoring, credit recovery, and test preparation; and summer credit recov­ery classes that could be taken not only in core content areas, but also in physical education, health, and music appreciation.

Students could also participate in the READ 180 program, which has been found to “have potentially positive effects on comprehension and general literacy achievement for adolescent learners” (U.S. Department of Education, 2009, p. 1). In addi­tion, the number of job sites was increased for students with disabilities in order to better prepare them for the workforce. Students now work in a variety of stores and restaurants, as well as a hotel, t-shirt print shop, and an organization that provides assistance to individuals who are elderly and disabled.

In the 2008-2009 school year, the graduation rate for stu­dents with disabilities in Cleveland County was 48.2%. In the 2012-2013 school year, the graduation rate for students with disabilities had increased by 30% to 78.3%.

James CountyJames County is a small, rural county with four schools:

one elementary, one middle, one elementary/middle com­bination, and one high school that also houses a vocational technical center with 516 students. More than 97% of county residents are White and only 12% of residents have a bach­elor’s degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). In order to address dropout prevention in a comprehensive manner, the county obtained a legislative waiver to raise the dropout age to 18 years and revised the dropout prevention policy to include a four-step process for students with disabilities. Students now have to meet with a counselor, principal, special educa­tion director, and central office staff and comply with their recommendations and interventions prior to being allowed to withdraw from school. In addition, students are afforded the opportunity to enroll in after-school tutoring or online credit recovery to assist with academic distress.

To address students’ academic performance, the high school expanded its credit recovery offerings for students who are off-track for on-time graduation. Students with disabilities who are not able to meet diploma requirements can enroll in the GED Options program and graduate with a GED. The county addressed student engagement through a mentoring program for students identified as being at risk. An additional grant was obtained to hire three part-time AmeriCorps mem­bers to serve as mentors alongside school staff, central office staff, and community volunteers. In addition to strengthening relationships between adults and students through mentoring, the county also attended to peer relationships by establishing Finish Line Clubs focused on interactive, team-building activi­ties for students not involved in other school clubs.

Finally, a partnership was established with local law en­forcement and the juvenile court system to encourage students with five or more unexcused absences to attend school on a regular basis, incurring no additional unexcused absences in order to avoid legal prosecution for truancy. In 2008-2009, the graduation rate in James County was 56% for students with disabilities. In 2012-2013, the graduation rate for students with disabilities had increased by 24% to 80%.

ConclusionThe increased graduation rates among students with dis­

abilities in these five West Virginia school districts demonstrate that, by using data to identify student needs and by implement­ing evidence-based practices and interventions within a con­textual fit, dropout prevention and increased graduation rates

Rural Special Education Q uarte rly 2014 Volume 33, Number 3 11

can be a reality. The initiatives implemented reflect several ex­cellent research practices with regard to fostering positive peer relationships, strengthening student-teacher relationships, and increasing students’ sense of belonging in school. At the same time, students received rigorous, relevant instruction along with additional academic and support services. The existing re­search also highlights the importance of engaging families, and the strategies implemented clearly reflect this emphasis on fam­ily involvement. The accomplishments of these rural West Vir­ginia school districts indicate that, with targeted supports and services, students with disabilities who are at risk of dropping out can obtain a high school diploma and, thereby, increase their chances of achieving successful post-school outcomes.

Implications for PracticeIt is important to remember that the implementation of

interventions depends on the use of data systems that help to identify individual students at risk of dropping out. Dropout prevention interventions must include multiple components, with efforts to increase student engagement at their core. In addressing the school completion of students with disabilities, administrators of rural schools should consider:

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