The development and evaluation of a new student orientation program for a growing school district
Date
2017
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
In 2009, district data revealed that new students at Appoquinimink School District (ASD) were struggling academically and socially. Several specific steps were taken to improve the outcomes of these new students. First, an in-depth review of the relevant data regarding new students in the district was conducted. A white paper on relevant research about new students and successful strategies to support them was created to guide district efforts going forward. Based on these first two steps, goals were created and formalized in the district’s strategic plan to address new students’ needs. To achieve these goals, ASD adopted two key strategies: a beginning-of year data sheet and a New Student Orientation Handbook. The beginning-of-year data sheet provided school staff with valuable information on new students while the Handbook listed the supports that should be provided to new students. ☐ Based upon a “status check” conducted shortly after the New Student Orientation, improvement strategies were enacted. We concluded that the program was effective in increasing instructional staff awareness of who the new students were in their classes as well as their instructional needs. Additionally, there was evidence that some reduction in the discrepancy of discipline referrals between new and established students took place. ☐ An evaluation at the end of the school year examined both the fidelity of implementation of the orientation program and students’ and parents’ satisfaction with the program. An audit to determine whether student orientation procedures were followed revealed that many schools seemed to be inconsistently implementing key elements of the orientation program. Procedures were followed with more fidelity at the elementary level than at the secondary level. Although the majority of the schools provided welcome packets, completed the new student inventories, and provided the incoming students with at least some type of orientation to the school, the secondary schools often did not have their teachers or counselors provide a phone call home or create success plans for new students. Results of the student and parent surveys indicated that school staff were typically very welcoming to new students and opened to assisting them when they needed help. Additionally, the students and parents both reported relatively positive experiences and reported being largely satisfied with their new school. Analyses of academic achievement data suggested that both new and established students saw the same amount of within-year scale score growth, but new students started the school year significantly underperforming established students (in both ELA and Math) and also ended the year underperforming, too. ☐ Based upon these findings, three recommendations were made. First, we should focus our efforts on providing new students a formal orientation to the school and strengthening communication regarding their child’s progress to the parents of new students. Orientation activities promised to parents and students upon registration need to be provided. All students should be provided an orientation to the school itself, including being shown the layout of the buildings and location of classes. Parents should be contacted via email or phone to be given feedback on their child’s academic performance and adjustment to their new school. Next, we should understand that not all new students are coming to our district’s schools from similar circumstances and enter with a variety of strengths and weaknesses. It is important not to develop a “one-size-fits-all” approach to meeting their diverse needs. Doing so will result in time and resources being devoted to unwarranted circumstances and will decrease the effectiveness of efforts to assist new students. Instead, interventions and supports need to be tailored to meet each individual student’s needs. The final recommendation is that we should identify academic struggles early and provide additional support immediately. Our evidence indicates that new students enter the school district performing worse than their established peers and finish the school year behind these peers, too. Although new students are making the same amount of growth as established students and thus not falling further behind after entry in our schools, students who are in need of additional academic supports should receive these interventions in a timely manner in order to close the gap.
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Keywords
Education, New students, Orientation, Transient