Identifying "at-risk" kids

At our monthly faculty meeting yesterday afternoon, we spent the majority of our time examining data on students who we’ve identified as needing additional support regarding attendance, academics and/or behavior. First we heard from teachers from the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) group, who reviewed current disciplinary data trends such as the number of kids who have three or more disciplinary referrals (38 students), the types of disciplinary infraction which are most prevalent (cutting class) and the time of day when most disciplinary infractions occur (during the last hour of the school day). The group encouraged teachers to not only submit to the office what we identify as major infractions (for instance insubordination, abusive language, cutting classes) but minor ones as well (for instance, first time non-compliance incident, first time dress code violations). The PBIS group has provided the faculty specific set of examples detailing the differences between minor and major infractions. Most teachers are not used to submitting paperwork on issues that they address within the bounds of their classroom but the more information we can compile on student behavior, the more accurate and timely our interventions can be regarding both individual students and school-wide trends. The PBIS group promised to provide data to teachers on a monthly basis.

We spent the last 15 minutes reviewing a spreadsheet which included any student who had five or more absences or tardies combined, and/or two or more failing grades on their most recent progress report and/or three or more disciplinary referrals. The list at this time includes roughly 15% of our population. I provided the data to give teachers both a micro and macro perspective on our “at-risk” students. This information will be provided every five weeks for teachers so that they can start to make some connections with some of their students regarding how they might be performing in other classes. Unlike elementary and middle schools, there are few mechanisms in place for teachers to avail themselves of student performance outside the walls of their classroom. Hopefully, this type of data will cause some conversations to occur between teachers and students, and teachers and parents that may not have been able to take place in the past.

I was in the halls in between classes yesterday and I saw one of the students on the list I was providing to faculty later that day. I asked him what was going on and that I knew that despite decent attendance, he was in danger of failing multiple classes. I asked him if I could expect an improvement and he told me, in an exasperating tone, that he was “on it” and that I was the eighth person to talk to him about his academic performance that day. I hope that we see more of that: multiple adults approaching and encouraging students who are struggling. It is an indicator that we are moving closer towards a community that is truly supportive of all students.