falcon academy of sustainable technologies. red card/yellow card a student-centered approach to...

FALCON ACADEMY of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES

Red Red Card/Yellow Card/Yellow

CardCardA Student-A Student-Centered Centered Approach Approach

to to Improving Improving Academic Academic SuccessSuccess


Megan AndrewsMegan AndrewsFAST Academy Academic CoordinatorFAST Academy Academic Coordinator

Chris AndrewsChris AndrewsFAST English TeacherFAST English Teacher

Jerome HarrisJerome HarrisFAST Math TeacherFAST Math Teacher


Palmdale High Palmdale High SchoolSchool

• Total enrollment:Total enrollment: 3,285 3,285• Demographics:Demographics:– Latino 68%Latino 68%– African American 18%African American 18%– White 11%White 11%– Other 3%Other 3%– Socioeconomically Disadvantaged 37%Socioeconomically Disadvantaged 37%– English Learners 24%English Learners 24%


FAST AcademyFAST Academy• Three-pathway green academyThree-pathway green academy– Automotive TechnologyAutomotive Technology– Construction TechnologyConstruction Technology– Video Game DesignVideo Game Design

• 343 students in 9343 students in 9thth through 12th through 12th gradesgrades


The ProblemThe Problem• Academy teachers noticed high Academy teachers noticed high

failure rates amongst the failure rates amongst the academy classesacademy classes

• Research showed that the Research showed that the problem was largely localized to problem was largely localized to core academic classescore academic classes


The ProblemThe Problem• Of the 343 students, 192 were Of the 343 students, 192 were

failing at least one classfailing at least one class

• 354 total sections flagged as 354 total sections flagged as failingfailing


The SolutionThe Solution• Develop a notification system that

requires students to reflect on the problem and enact a solution

• Teachers become mentors who check on weekly progress

• Parents are included in the planning stagesFALCON ACADEMY of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES

The SolutionThe Solution• Create a culture of expectations in Create a culture of expectations in

the academythe academy– Full academy assembly at the beginning Full academy assembly at the beginning

of the year to teach them the programof the year to teach them the program– Regular grade checks and accountabilityRegular grade checks and accountability– Built-in behavior monitoring (yellow cards)Built-in behavior monitoring (yellow cards)– Emphasizes the positive and improvementEmphasizes the positive and improvement– Natural consequences for lack of Natural consequences for lack of

improvementimprovementFALCON ACADEMY of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES

Red CardRed Card• Issued by the academic coordinatorsIssued by the academic coordinators• Serves as a WAKE-UP call: The Serves as a WAKE-UP call: The

student is at risk of being removed student is at risk of being removed from the academy.from the academy.– Seriously falling gradesSeriously falling grades– Failing gradesFailing grades

• Student chooses from a few Student chooses from a few corrective choices.corrective choices.


Red CardRed Card• Parents sign and return BEFORE Parents sign and return BEFORE

corrective actions are takencorrective actions are taken• May require teacher authorizationMay require teacher authorization• Tracked by the academic Tracked by the academic

coordinatorscoordinators• Remains in place (students continue Remains in place (students continue

corrective actions) until grades have corrective actions) until grades have been brought up to standards.been brought up to standards.


Blue CardBlue Card• Student has successfully improved Student has successfully improved

his or her grades and is no longer on his or her grades and is no longer on a Red Card.a Red Card.


The ResultsThe Results• Of 343 students, 192 students Of 343 students, 192 students

received red cards (56% of academy received red cards (56% of academy population)population)

• A grand total of 354 sections were A grand total of 354 sections were flagged as failing flagged as failing

• Of the sections that were flagged, Of the sections that were flagged, 101 ended up passing (28.5%) 101 ended up passing (28.5%)


The ResultsThe Results• Those students failing only one class had a Those students failing only one class had a

60% improvement rate60% improvement rate• Students failing two classes had a 37% Students failing two classes had a 37%

improvement rateimprovement rate• Students failing three classes had a 40% Students failing three classes had a 40%

improvement rateimprovement rate• Students failing four classes had a 36% Students failing four classes had a 36%

improvement rateimprovement rate• Students failing five classes had a 33% Students failing five classes had a 33%

improvement rateimprovement rate• Students failing six classes did not finish Students failing six classes did not finish

the semester or left the school at the end of the semester or left the school at the end of the semesterthe semesterFALCON ACADEMY of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES

falcon academy of sustainable technologies. red card/yellow card a student-centered approach to...

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