Jefferson County School District 509J (JCSD) serves a multi-ethnic community, where 20.9% of the population lives below the poverty level and 83% of the school children qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The high-school completion rate is 77.48%, and college enrollment rates lag behind the state average. Every day, our students face the problems that attend the persistent poverty in the region, and many also face language barriers. This project will serve all targeted students with an emphasis on American Indian (AI) students.
Facing numerous in-school and out-of-school barriers, our AI students need powerful educational opportunities that engage and prepare them for a lifetime of academic success. It is imperative that our schools work with tribes, community partners, and families to minimize these barriers and increase student opportunities for academic success. Our AI student achievement scores – particularly in literacy and math – and high school graduation rates are far below their non-Native peers. As a result, many are not ready for college or careers.
While change has begun, AI youth outcomes in JCSD still lag significantly behind their non-AI peers’. In 2018-19, 58.8% of AI 9th graders were on track to graduate (compared to 76.8% of 9th graders in the district), 70.8% of our AI students graduated on time (77.3% district), and the AI student dropout rate was 7.43% (5.30% district). JCSD is working hard to adopt programs and practices to improve our AI students’ academic success.
The good news is that since the implementation of our Circle, Culture and Learning Youth & Family Program in 2016-17, and our extended school day and school year program in 2018-19, we have started to see improvements. Our four-year graduation rate for our AI students increased from 33% in 2016 to 70.8% in 2019, and our AI freshman-on-track rate grew from 55.6% in 2017 to 58.8% in 2019.
Facing numerous in-school and out-of-school barriers, our AI students need powerful educational opportunities that engage and prepare them for a lifetime of academic success. It is imperative that our schools work with tribes, community partners, and families to minimize these barriers and increase student opportunities for academic success. Our AI student achievement scores – particularly in literacy and math – and high school graduation rates are far below their non-Native peers. As a result, many are not ready for college or careers.
While change has begun, AI youth outcomes in JCSD still lag significantly behind their non-AI peers’. In 2018-19, 58.8% of AI 9th graders were on track to graduate (compared to 76.8% of 9th graders in the district), 70.8% of our AI students graduated on time (77.3% district), and the AI student dropout rate was 7.43% (5.30% district). JCSD is working hard to adopt programs and practices to improve our AI students’ academic success.
The good news is that since the implementation of our Circle, Culture and Learning Youth & Family Program in 2016-17, and our extended school day and school year program in 2018-19, we have started to see improvements. Our four-year graduation rate for our AI students increased from 33% in 2016 to 70.8% in 2019, and our AI freshman-on-track rate grew from 55.6% in 2017 to 58.8% in 2019.
2020-2024 Regional Health Improvement Plan Priority Area
Address Poverty and Enhance
Self-Sufficiency
Future State Measure
Increase graduation rates among youth experiencing economic disadvantage.
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- This project is funded through the 2020-2024 Regional Health Improvement Plan's Address Poverty and Enhance Self-Sufficiency workgroup.
- The project received $99,600 in funding and is implemented by Jefferson County School District (509J).
- Learn more about the importance of the measures from the Address Poverty and Enhance Self-Sufficiency priority area.
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This project will directly impact the RHIP future metric to increase the graduation rate for Jefferson County economically disadvantaged students by 3% to 83.4% by December 2024. The graduate rate for all our students was 77.3%, 70.8% for AI students, and 88.8% for Latino students in 2018-19.Using a combination of best practices, culture-strong programs, and partnerships that engage multi-generations of tribal members as mentors, and future-forward thinking to prepare students for post-secondary academic and work opportunities, JCSD aims to enhance student achievement, outcomes, and opportunities.Since the implementation of our Circle, Culture and Learning Youth & Family Program in 2016-17, and our extended school day and school year program in 2018-19, we have started to see improvements in our student's academic success. The four-year graduation rate for our AI students increased from 33% in 2016 to 70.8% in 2019.Research shows that providing graduation counselors improves graduation rates and student success. Services from our math and literacy intervention specialists and the trauma counselor will ensure that our students have support systems to improve their core competence in reading, language arts, math, and self-esteem. Warm Springs staff will help AI students navigate the opportunities for coaching and academic and career counseling. The specialists will coach teachers on methods of teaching and on assessing and improving the specific curricula. Their goal is to ensure that the students are able to master grade-level standards and curricula by instructing students who have not met state standards.Students will receive services through the futures centers at the two high schools. The graduation counselors will help the students be successful not only in finishing high school but in their preparation for college and career.
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Jefferson County School District 509J (JCSD) launched this program through a six-month ODE grant awarded in December 2020. This project is designed to improve graduation rates for our economically disadvantaged youth. Funding will support one FTE graduation counselor who will support or direct students to the appropriate community or school resources to keep students engaged in the appropriate programs and improve graduation rates.The graduation counselor has experience in assessing student and parent involvement and community education needs, and has specific training and coursework in family support, community development, parent outreach, and related fields. The counselor works on the leadership team dedicated to achieving the goals of this program. Other team members include trauma counselors, the Warm Springs Educational Department, and other referring community agencies.Bridges Career & Technical High School provides academic counseling, instruction, and resources for youth who do not fit into traditional learning environment. JCSD will continue to support professional development for our teachers including project-based learning and Edgenuity to ensure that our educators have everything they need to identify and support our targeted youth. Other professional development includes training in safety, content specific automotive and construction, career and technical education, RTI, AVID, and trauma, including historical/inter-generational trauma.Educational support through math and literacy intervention specialists and a trauma counselor are available to support the targeted students. Native language and cultural teachers will provide classes and programs for high school students. -
Between July 2021 and June 2023, JCSD will increase the number of 9th-grade students on track to graduate (6+ credits) by 5% to a total of 81.8%.
Between July 2021 and June 2023 to increase the overall student attendance rate for JCSD students by 3% to a total of 75.6%.
Increase opportunities for families, tribal members, and the community to participate in students' education.
Provide development opportunities for JCSD teachers to improve the students' educational opportunities and achievement.
A progress report for this project will be available in February 2022.
A final report for this project will be due August 2022.
Please check back under "What We're Learning" to see the outcomes of this project after the final report is submitted.