La Vega Independent School District
Center Final Report
Cycle 7
July 31, 2014
La Vega High SchoolCenter # 4
- Executive Summary
La Vega High Schoolin La Vega ISD is Center Number 4in La Vega ISD’s (LVISD) 21st CCLC Cycle 7 Grant. La Vega ISD is part of the Waco Metropolitan area in McLennanCounty outside Waco. The La Vega High School ACE Program serves 9-12thgrade andis a Title 1 school. La Vega ISD has an enrollment district-wide of 2,875 and 90.2% of the students in LVISD have been identified as Economically Disadvantaged, 23.4% African American, 52.8%Hispanic, and 21.9% White. 2.6% of the students are English Language Learners (ELL) and 56.9% of the students are at risk for not graduating high school. La Vega High School(LVHS) campushas an enrollment of approximately 734students. The ACE Center was required to serve 75 regular students and 15 adults in grades 9-12. The goal was exceeded because 97 Regular students and 143 Non-Regular students were served during the 2013-14 school year. Almost one-third (32.6%) of the students at the campus attended the ACE Program as either a regular student or non-regular student.
Overview of the Evaluation - Key Findings:
La Vega High School ACE ProgramAcademic Support:
1.An average of 143 students in the fall and 177 students in the spring enrolled in the ACE program. On Friday an average of 2 students attend the morning program.
2.The average daily attendance for all ACE students in the regular day was 15%.
3.30 ACE students (30.9%) increased their attendance from fall to spring.
4.81% of ACE students passed the ELA/reading STAAR test and 96% passed the mathematics. STAAR test. These scores included first-time testers as well as students who were taking the STAAR test for the 2nd or 3rd time.
5.48.5% of the Regular ACE students showed an increase or maintenance in grades (GPA) from fall to spring. In 2013, 55% of ACE students improved or maintained their GPA in all core courses.
6.100% of the students were promoted to the next grade level.
7.The Academic Program makes up 45% of the total ACE Program.
8.The ACE Academic Program is aligned to the Regular School Day Program at 100%.
Enrichment:
- The ACE Enrichment Program is 50% aligned to the Regular School Day Program
- The ACE Enrichment Program makes up 13% of the ACE Program
- The Enrichment Component of the ACE Program includesa variety of programs aimed at providing students at the high school level with interesting topics as well as some college and career readiness activities.
College and Career Readiness:
- The ACE College and Career Readiness is 10% aligned with the Regular School Day
- The ACE College and Career Readiness Program is 42% of the total ACE Program
- College and career awareness are embedded into the activities in the ACE Program and are also provided by Communities in Schools (CIS) staff.
Parent and Family Support:
- The ACE Parent and Family Support Program is 10% aligned with the Regular School Day
Intermediate Outcomes
Increased Attendance
- Attendance in the regular school day increasedfrom (93.8% in 2013 to 94.2% in 2014)
- 30 students (30.9%) increased their attendance from fall to spring.
- The average daily attendance for all ACE students in the regular day is 68%.
- 87.9% of ACE students attended the ACE Program for 1-49 days; 12% attended the ACE Program from 50 to 99 days and 1 ACE student attended the ACE Program from 100-149 days.
Increased Academic Performance
See Academic Support page 1 of this report
Decreased Behavior Problems
- Criminal behaviors decreased from 3 in 2012-13 school year for ACE students to 0 in 2012-14
- Discretionary removals for ACE students increased from 23 in 2012-13to 33 in 2014
Increased Graduation Rates
24 (100%) of ACE students graduated from high school in 2014.
Increased Family Participation
20more adults than required were served in the ACE Program.
Level of Funding: The level of funding for the ACE Programwas $1,481 per student.
Assessment of implementation fidelity:
Fidelity of implementation occurs when the components of the program are implemented at high levels. The La Vega High School ACE Program has implemented the following program components at the levels noted:
Increased Academic Performance (GPA) / 48.5% of Regular ACE students improved or maintained their GPA from fall to spring in all core courses. More students had declining science grades than the other subjects. In 2013, 55% of ACE students improved or maintained their GPA in all core courses.STAAR (academic achievement) / 81% of Regular ACE students passed the ELA/Reading STAAR test and 96% of Regular ACE students passed the mathematics STAAR. These scores do include students who have re-tested.
Increased Attendance / 30Regular ACE students (30.9%) increased their attendance from fall to spring. Attendance rate on the campus increased from 2013 to 2014.
Decreased Behavior / Criminal behavior decreased from 3 to 0 from 2013 to 2014; however, discretionary behavior Increased by 10 incidents from 2013 to 2014.
Increased Promotion Rates / All ACE students were promoted to the next grade level
Increased Family Engagement Activities / More adults were served in the ACE program than in previous years
Increased graduation rates / 100% of ACE students graduated from high school.
For the third year of implementation the LVHS ACE Program was implemented with a high level of fidelity.
Summary of any survey findings from stakeholders:
Surveys from stakeholders in the ACE Program (12regular teachers replied to the survey; 8 ACE teachers; 28 students) were done in the spring. 87%% of the ACE teachers reported that the quality of the curriculum instruction in the ACE Program was “Excellent or Adequate.” 75% of the teachers in the Regular Day Program and rated the quality of the curriculum and instruction in the program as “Excellent.” (See survey results atVI Stakeholder Perceptions).
Commentary about next steps:
The Site Coordinator recognizes that there are some changes that can be made for the upcoming 2014-15 school year.
- Increase activities for College and Career Readiness by including more awareness activities in all of the activities that lend itself to that topic
- Increase Parent Engagement activities and offer more activities that meet the needs of parents.
- Increase the amount of time that students who are enrolled in the program attend daily activities. Increase the student dosage of time in the activities.
- Provide follow-up training for ACE staff during the year.
- Introduction and Purpose of Program
Describe the ACE Program – Four Areas of Focus
The purpose of La Vega‘s 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) Program (known as ACE) is to provide high-quality extended learning opportunities before and after school to students in need of academic assistance. La Vega’s ACE program is designed based on a community, district, and campus needs assessment in conjunction with each campus’s improvement plans in a collaborative, comprehensive and coordinated approach. La Vega’s ACE Programhas used grant funds to build and expand a systemic infrastructure of extended learning opportunities. The approach is centered on a specific framework and foundation and included assurances for effective implementation and high quality programs for the attainment of TEA’s objectives. The strategies implemented also complement TEA’s overarching goals and critical success factors. The ACE Program is intended to improve the following outcomes for students in 1) Academic Performance; 2) Attendance; 3) Behavior; 4) Promotion Rates; and 5) Graduation Rates. LVHS is one of 4 campuses located in La VegaISD.
The following chart outlines the demographics of LVHS:
Total Campus Enrollment: 734Category / Number / Percentage / Category / Percentage
African American / 206 / 28.1% / Attendance rate / 93.8%
Hispanic / 371 / 50.5% / Annual dropout rate (Gr 9-12) / 0%
White / 146 / 19.9% / STAAR (students passing all tests) / 63%
2 or more races / 7 / 1% / TAKS commended 2013 performance, all tests (sum of all grades tested) / N/A
Economically disadvantaged / 601 / 81.8% / Students taking the ACT and/or SAT / N/A
Limited English proficient (LEP) / 66 / 9% / Average SAT score (number value, not a percentage) / N/A
Disciplinary placements / 33 / 3.9% / Average ACT score (number value, not a percentage) / N/A
According to the census there were 9,901 people, 3,513 households residing in the city of Bellmead. The racial makeup of the city is 42.5% White, 17.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race is 37.8% of the population. The average income for a household in the city was $43,523, and the median income for a family was $34,511. The per capita income for the city was $16,910. Within the population 65.7% have graduated from high school and nearly 11% of these people have completed a higher degree.
Academic Support (Interim Report 2 Workbook & Activity Average Daily Attendance Report)
Activity / Students Enrolled / Days Attended / Student ADAMathematics Assistance / 127 / 49 / 5
Science / 125 / 36 / 2
Social Studies / 125 / 38 / 7
Sunrise Study Lounge / 246 / 70 / 5
Homework Help / 126 / 27 / 4
Computer Lab / 127 / 49 / 5
Debate/Speech / 226 / 27 / 3
Description: The Sunrise Study Lounge begins each day at 7:15 AM and is in session Monday through Friday. Afternoon Math, Science and Social Studies Assistance are held every day for students who need additional assistance (from teacher referral). Both the morning program and the Academic Assistance are 100% aligned with the regular school day. This is evidenced by the fact that regular classroom teacher lesson plans and the ACE teacher lesson plans are coordinated at a high level. Skills that are being taught in the classroom are transferred to the ACE Program in a diligent manner. Rosters of students, the skills they are lacking, and the skills that they have mastered are available in the SC’s office. The first hour of the afternoon program is devoted to Homework and core subject area assistance Monday through Thursday. All of the instructors for core subject area assistance on are certified teachers on the campus. One Saturday Academy was held to provide additional assistance with students prior to the STAAR test. Students are referred to the program by a teachers or campus administrators. Teacher-assigned homework as well as project-work makes up most of the instruction in the program. Plato Lab is used for problem solving and for students who need to make up course credits. Small group interventions are held for students who are in need of additional and intense one-on-one instruction (identified through teacher referrals and STAAR benchmark assessments). During the fall semester students attended a total of 482total hours of Academic Assistance (Interim Report # 2).Academic Enrichment is 45% of the total ACE Program.
Enrichment Activities (Interim Report 2 Workbook)
Activity (Fall) / Students Enrolled / Days Attended / Student ADAArt Club / 124 / 29 / 5
Choir / 123 / 11 / 3
Young Achievers / 123 / 26 / 5
Icing on the Cake / 27 / 44 / 11
Communities in Schools (CIS) Pirates / 17 / 14 / 3
Scrapbooking / 11 / 9 / 2
Theatre Arts / 17 / 23 / 3
Water Robotics / 20 / 26 / 2
Y Achievers / 20 / 44 / 6
YMCA Leadership / 12 / 62 / 6
Dance / 175 / 26 / 2
Games Corner / 226 / 55 / 5
Girls Talk / 127 / 49 / 5
Media Exploration / 17 / 62 / 6
Creative Minds at Work / 25 / 62 / 7
Description: Portions of theACE Enrichment Program are provided through the YMCA and Communities in Schools (CIS) Programs in Waco, Texas. The ACE Program offers a variety of enrichment activities for high school students and is held Monday through Thursday. Student Voice and Choice is an important part of the enrichment activities that are offered to students and although the overall theme of the activity does not change, the activities within are scheduled based on student interest. Alignment with the regular school day is approximately 50%. Every attempt is made strategically to tie an academic skill that is being taught in the regular school day to the Enrichment Program. Lesson plans from classroom teachers and the ACE staff are coordinated so that the skills being taught during the regular school day are transferred to the after noon program at a high rate. The Enrichment portion of the ACE Programs makes up 13% of the total program.
College and Career(Interim Report 2 Workbook)
Activity (Fall) / Students Enrolled / Days Attended / Student ADAAVID: ACT/SAT Prep / 125 / 49 / 3
Icing on the Cake / 27 / 44 / 11
Water Robotics / 20 / 26 / 2
Description: On the Interim Report # 2 seven activities were listed as College and Career (ACT/SAT; Debate/Speaking; Icing on the Cake; ESL/GED; Parent Events; Jay’s Boot Camp. Howeverthe evaluator concluded that three of these activities are parent involvement activities (ESL/GED; Parents Events; Jay’s Boot Camp). Debate/Speaking is an enrichment activity. This leaves ACT/SAT Prep and Icing on the Cake (already listed in Enrichment). Although lesson plans for the ACE activities do occasionally embed college and career awareness activities into the activities as they are presented to the students, this does not meet the intent of the ACE programming for College and Career Readiness. The Interim Report # 2 states that College and Career composes 10% of the ACE Program and is aligned to the regular school day at <1%.
Family and Parental Support –
Parent Involvement Activities / # Of Parents AttendingGED Classes / 3 adults were enrolled; offered 28 times; 3 adults attended
ESL Classes / 3 adults were enrolled; offered 28 times; 3 adults attended
Jay’s Boot Camp / 1 adult was enrolled; offered 53 times; 1 adults attended
Parent Events/Activities / 21 adults enrolled; held 1 times; 21 parents attended
Description: 35adults (parents and community members) have been served through the ACE program. The Family Engagement Specialist (FES) schedules and supervises the adult ESL and GED Programs and Jay’s Boot Camp. Site Coordinators are responsible for offering parent workshops and sessions that relate to the specific Center. It is estimated that Family Support composes approximately 5% of the ACE program and is 10% aligned with the school day. This is documented through Leadership Meeting Minutes and Logs that show the ACE SC meetings frequently with grade level teams and the campus team to discuss family involvement programs that are going to be held and what teachers are working on in their classrooms to encourage parent involvement.
Summary of Academic, Enrichment, College and Career Readiness and Family Engagement Activities:
The Academic and Enrichment activities are targeted to the students needs and are well implemented. The alignment to the school day and the amount of time scheduled for the Academic and Enrichment activities are appropriate and meet the needs of students (STAAR scores; GPA; attendance). Although a large number of students enroll in these activities, the quartile dosage of student attendance needs to be increased. For example, during the fall semester 15 Academic and Enrichment activities were offered to students; however, none of the activities had students attending in the 3rd or 4th quartile of the time the activities were offered. In the spring 0 out of 18 scheduled activities had students attending in the 3rd or 4th quartile. The charts below Illustrates that the quartile dosage of attendance is low.
0-25% / 25-50% / 50-75% / 75-100%Computer Lab – 73 students enrolled / 70 / 3 / 0 / 0
Math Extra! 55 students enrolled / 51 / 3 / 1 / 0
Sunrise Study Lounge– 44 enrolled / 41 / 2 / 0 / 0
Water Robotics - 10 enrolled / 7 / 2 / 0 / 1
*Activity Attendance Percentage Chart
Although the Activity Attendance Percentage Chart details the low numbers of students attending for extended periods of time, there have been some modifications made to better align activities. Some of the lowest attending activities were dropped after the fall semester. College and Career Readiness Activities are virtually non-existent in the program and will be a recommendation for improvement. The Family Engagement component of the program needs to be more clearly aligned between the Family Engagement Specialist and the Site Coordinator. Although the Site Coordinator did host some parent and family activities, the Family Engagement Specialist will need to assist in individualizing the activities for the LVHS Center. This will also be a recommendation.
Three of the highest attending activities were(Interim Report # 2):
- Icing on the Cake –Enrichment & College & Career Activity
- Art Club – Enrichment Activity
- Computer Lab – Academic Activity
The three lowest attending activities were: (Interim Report # 2)
- Science Extra! – Academic Activity
- Health/Career Exploration – Academic Activity
- ACT/SAT Prep – College & Career Activity
Activities Offered Fall Only; Spring Only; Both Fall & Spring
Academic Activity / Fall Only / Spring Only / Both Fall & SpringMathematics Assistance / X
Science / X
Social Studies / X
Sunrise Study Lounge / X
Homework Help / X
Computer Lab / X
Debate/Speech / X
Enrichment Activity / Fall Only / Spring Only / Both Fall & Spring
Art Club / X
Choir / X
Young Achievers / X
Icing on the Cake / X
Communities in Schools (CIS) Pirates / X
Scrapbooking / X
Theatre Arts / X
Water Robotics / X
Y Achievers / X
YMCA Leadership / X
Dance / X
Games Corner / X
Girls Talk / X
Media Exploration / X
Creative Minds at Work / X
College and Career Activity / Fall Only / Spring Only / Both Fall & Spring
AVID: ACT/SAT Prep / X
Icing on the Cake / X
Water Robotics / X
Family Engagement Activity / Fall Only / Spring Only / Both Fall & Spring
GED Classes / X
ESL Classes / X
Jay’s Boot Camp / X
Parent Events/Activities / X
Overall Goals (Intermediate Outcomes)
The La VegaACE Community Task Force understands that the critical success factors reflect behavioral changes that must be demonstrated by students and families enrolled in the program or by the adults working on their behalf. These critical success factors are essential for the ACE Program to succeed in meeting the objectives for student success. The Community Task Force agrees that the following critical success factors for the ACE program are:
- Students’ and families active participation and engagement in learning
- Students’ and families increased sense of involvement in school
- Use of assessment data to revise/evaluate student services
- Implementation of strategies learned through training
The Intermediate Outcomes that LVHS ACE Program has outlined are:
1. / Increase attendance
2. / Increase academic performance
3. / Decrease problem behavior
4. / Increase promotion rates
5. / Increase graduation rates
6. / Increase family participation
Program Theory of Action