HAWKINS COUNTY / NISWONGER FOUNDATION
 PARTNERSHIP

BACKGROUND

The Hawkins County School System is the 23rd largest school system in the state of Tennessee.  The seventeen schools in the system have a total enrollment of 7,490 students.  The system spends $7,090 per pupil compared to the state average of $7,469.  Approximately 64% of the student population participated in the free/reduced lunch program during the 2005-2006 school year.  The high school graduation rate is 75.2%.

NEED

Students in Hawkins County have made continuous, although gradual, improvements over the past few years in all academic areas.  However, the high school graduation rate is still a matter of great concern since federal legislation will soon mandate a graduation rate of 90%.

Because of the success of the credit recovery program developed in conjunction with the Niswonger Foundation during the 2004-2005 school year, fewer students are leaving school because of failing grades.   Still, far too many students are choosing to leave school before receiving their diplomas.  An in-depth study conducted by administrators and teachers of the three Hawkins County high schools was completed to determine the reasons why students with passing grades were continuing to drop out.  The study found that most students were leaving for three reasons: 1) boredom; 2) frustration with the educational process; 3) a disconnect with teachers, other students, and the school environment.   The result has been not only lower graduation rates but also an increased number of disciplinary referrals.  To date, 529 students have been suspended from school in Hawkins County’s three high schools.  The average suspension is 5 days.  This figure alone resulted in 2645 days of lost learning time.  A total of 18 students were expelled an entire year. 

GOALS

1. Create a school culture that facilitates effective learning for all students.  This climate will result in increased attendance and a decrease in lost instructional time due to office disciplinary referrals.
2. Increase the graduation rate from 75.2% to 90%

ACTION PLANS

The Hawkins County administrative team conducted in-depth research on available programs and training modules that have proven successful in achieving a school climate that supports positive teacher/student interactions and decreases the number of disciplinary referrals.  Their findings identified the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program as the program that would best meet the system’s needs.   The Foundation’s review of the data gathered by this team shows the PBIS program has a proven track record and represents a solid approach to solving the growing problem of students dropping out of school.

Because of the size of the Hawkins County School System, it was determined that a phased approach to implementation would be best.  During year one (2007-2008), , Joseph Rogers Primary, Hawking Elementary, Rogersville Middle, Church Hill Middle, Surgoinsville Middle,  Keplar Elementary, Pathways Alternative, and Cherokee High School would begin implementation of the PBIS model.  The remaining nine schools will implement this program in year two and three of the partnership.

Extensive professional development for all teachers and staff will be necessary to ensure successful implementation of the PBIS program.   Since this training will be held during the summer months, teachers will be given small stipends for attending. 

Because research shows that professional development without appropriate follow-up is ineffective, a system-wide mentor/coach will be hired to coordinate the implementation of the PBIS program.  This person’s primary responsibilities will be to ensure necessary follow-up activities and to provide support for teachers and administrators as they begin implementing the program.      

EVALUATION

Year 1 Benchmarks

Success indicators and bench marks will be identified for each phase of the project and a detailed evaluation will be conducted by Niswonger staff at the conclusion of each phase. 

1. Increase the graduation rate at Cherokee High from 75% to 85%.
2. Increase the attendance rate from 93% to 96%.
3. Decrease the number of suspensions and expulsions by 25%.

Year 2 and 3 Benchmarks

Benchmarks for years 2 and 3 will be determined pending results for the previous year’s evaluations.