Forty years ago, 72% of all jobs required only a high school diploma and yet still provided a decent wage. Fast forward to present day, just 36% of jobs are open to those with a high school diploma, and only a mere 12% of those jobs are accessible to those without one. Not only are fewer jobs available for those without post-secondary education, those few jobs rarely position workers into the middle class. This reality is why schools must enhance what they do prepare students for graduation and post-secondary success.
Entering into the middle class and the possibility of moving beyond is a tougher challenge than ever before. Simply graduating from high school is no longer a predictor of future success. Research shows that you now must obtain technical certifications, complete a licensure program, or graduate college with a bachelor’s degree, or higher, to even enter the middle class.
The skills required for today’s graduate are much different than they were in the 1970’s when I graduated from Quenemo High School. Today’s high school graduate must possess the following:
- Academic Preparation-possess knowledge of concepts in a variety of content areas
- Cognitive Preparation-be able to formulate problems, conduct research, interpret and communicate information, and apply what they learn
- Technical skills-graduates must be able to complete specific tasks, hands-on-skills
- Employability Skills-managing time, communicating effectively through writing and speaking, and have interpersonal skills such as responsibility, flexibility, and initiative
- Civic Engagement-the ability to share their knowledge and to improve their communities, states, nation, and themselves
In today’s schools, we know the responsibility to graduate students does not begin and end at the high school level. It starts when a student enters our pre-school doors. Schools must be mindful of building meaningful relationships with their students and parents. It is crucial that we teach the “whole child” and personalize their education to meet their interests, learning styles, and individual needs. With the help of families and community members, Santa Fe Trail plans to transition our mission to meet these very needs.
It is vital for all stakeholders to understand some of the major barriers that affect a student's potential to graduate with the necessary skills for life after high school. Hopefully, this understanding will help everyone involved with fostering student success. The two most influential predictors of a student graduating can be found in attendance rates and academic success at the freshman level. With attendance, we know that for each week of a school semester that a student is absent, the probability of them graduating decreases 20%. Also during the Freshman year, a student who passes all of their classes is 80% more likely to graduate than a freshman student who fails one or more courses. These are two major statistics we must influence to change, and make a priority in our schools.
Today’s graduate must possess more skills than ever before to ensure they are prepared for our evolving world. We as educators have a responsibility not only to see that students graduate but teach them the skills they need to be successful in life. It will take a lot of time and effort by all those involved, but in the end, it is worth it.
*To learn more on Kansas Can-High School Graduation go to YouTube and search for KSDE Live Media Vision Training Modules. They are short 5- minutes videos that target each area of the new accreditation model.
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The third focus area of the Kansas Can Vision addresses Kindergarten Readiness. The goal of Kansas Kindergarten Readiness is to ensure that each student enters kindergarten at age 5 is socially, emotionally, and academically prepared for success. According to research, students prepared for Kindergarten are more likely to graduate, less likely to be identified for special education, and less likely to engage in delinquent behaviors.
One of the ways in which our district will assess the readiness of our students entering kindergarten is by using a tool called the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). This tool provides student data to help determine if they are socially, emotionally, and academically ready for kindergarten. The ASQ is not designed to keep students out of kindergarten, rather provide insight as to where they are and what needs they may have. This student data is essential information for staff working with Kindergarteners and will help them determine the resources they need to foster learning.
Students who are entering Santa Fe Trail’s Pre-school Program and Kindergarten will be assessed starting in the 2018-2019 school year. Currently, training is underway for those who will help administer and interpret the questionnaire results. Prior knowledge of student readiness allows teachers to be proactive in creating an environment for success.
If you want to learn more about Kindergarten Readiness or the 4 other focus areas of the Kansas Can Vision, visit the KSDE website at www.ksde.org or search YouTube for KSDE Live Media Vision Training Modules. The modules are short and to the point that addresses the new accreditation model.
Last week I introduced to you the Kansas Can Vision and new KESA model for accreditation.
As I mentioned before, there are 5 areas of emphasis that the state will be evaluating for evidence
based results. Individual Plans of Study (IPS) were defined in last week’s article. This week I will
explain the focus area on Social-Emotional Growth and how Kansas has made this an integral part of
their vision for Kansas schools.
Beginning in 2001, “No Child Left Behind” legislation accredited schools based on a single criteria...
academics. Student success was measured by the results of standardized testing in the areas of reading
and math. Though academic success is important, the people of Kansas communicated their concerns
that this was not enough data to determine the success of students. Policy makers listened to the
concerns of stakeholders in their communities and came to the conclusion that we must be teaching the
“whole child,” and bring more attention to the social and emotional needs of our students. Listed below
are the specifics communicated by the people of Kansas:
- Understand and manage emotions
- Set and achieve positive goals
- Feel and show empathy for others
- Establish and maintain positive relationships
- Make responsible decisions
Using statewide focus groups, KSDE transitioned their focus to meet these needs and developed the
Social Emotional Character Development Standards (SECD) of 2012. Kansas was the first state in the
nation to adopt standards in the area of SECD. These standards were then filtered into three different
pathways: character development, personal skills, and social skills. Though these pathways are
different, they are also interdependent of one another and in turn, make up the “whole child.” When
these skills are merged and developed along with academic performance, students are more likely to
experience post-secondary success.
As we move further into the accreditation process, we will continue to communicate our district’s steps,
actions, and evaluation of the SECD standards and state requirements. If you’re interested in learning
more about the KESA focus area of social and emotional growth, go to YouTube and search for KSDE
Live Media Vision Training Modules. They are short 5 minute videos that target each area of the new
As the Santa Fe Trail School District begins a new journey in the world of accreditation, I felt it
necessary to begin informing you about the new model set forth by the state. The new
accreditation model is called KESA (Kansas Education Systems Accreditation) and is part of the
Career and College Readiness standards and Kansas Can Vision. This model will focus on 5
areas of evidence-based results. Those areas include Social-Emotional Growth, Kindergarten
Readiness, Individual Plans of Study, High School Graduation, and Post-Secondary Success.
The first area I would like to introduce to you is IPS (Individual Plans of Study). The goal behind
an IPS is for students to define their own ideas of success and develop a plan to achieve their
goals. It is never too early to start career exploration. By the time students reach junior high,
they will start developing a more formal plan. This will then follow them into high school as they
choose their curricular pathways and goals for Post-Secondary success.
Why is it important for our students to begin thinking about their future? As with all goals, you
need to Begin with the End In Mind. What do you want to do, what does it take to accomplish
the goal and what is the plan to reach the goal?
There are many benefits to building an Individual Plan of Study. It allows students opportunities
for flexibility, growth, choice, and change as they progress through their education. With the
support of our schools, students can feel comfortable changing their goals, making new plans,
and rethinking their curricular needs. This, in turn, will help them define more individualized
career pathways for their future. Santa Fe Trail’s vision is to support individual students needs
for successful lifework. We believe an IPS is an essential tool for this goal.
The following research has created a sense of urgency to the development of our IPS plan:
■ By 2020 70% of the occupations in the state of Kansas will require a certification or a
■ Those students only attaining a high school diploma stand a strong risk of never making
it into the middle class
■ Without a clear vision for postsecondary education, students often drop out resulting in
■ We can not predict the jobs of the future we can only prepare for them
If you’re interested in learning more about this KESA focus area (IPS), go to YouTube and
search for KSDE Live Media Vision Training Modules. They are short 5 minutes videos that
target each area of the new accreditation model.