Business Department Program Evaluation Report

Grades 9-12

Prepared by: Michael Fackelman, Supervisor

Visual & Performing Arts, 21st Century Learning Skills

2014-2016 School Year

Committee Members

Fran Benitz (retired) Fran Calvaruso Theresa Emma

Heidi Fox Steve Kohut Dawn Piper

Program Scope and Highlights

The program evaluation began in the summer of 2014 and concluded in June 2016. The Business Department at Ridge High School lays a foundation for students to have a deep understanding of the functional areas of business and how they create value in a global context. This foundation prepares students to understand the business component of any chosen profession in our global economy. It produces students who are capable of critical thinking, problem solving and innovation, conducting their college and professional lives in a productive and ethical manner. Students will collaborate in a team environment using technology as a communication and problem solving tool. In preparing this report, the members of the Business Department focused on beginning the transformation of the existing program from a traditional 1970’s model, to one that is current with an eye on the 21st Century marketplace. New course development was explored which will expand the depth of understanding of business strategies, functions and opportunities to succeed, providing opportunities for students to explore core disciplines through the use of the latest technology enhancing communications, critical thinking skills and creating innovative ways to solve problems of the future. All Business Education courses are aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, specifically Standard 9, 21st Century Life and Careers:

The 12 Career Ready Practices 9.1 Personal Financial Literacy 9.2 Career Awareness, Exploration, and Preparation 9.3 Career and Technical Education

Program Mission Statement and Vision

Mission - Preparing students to understand the business component of any chosen profession, leading to future problem solvers and critical thinkers in our global economy.

Vision: The transformation of the traditional Business Department begins with a new name and a new attitude: 21st Century and Global Business Studies. In order to prepare the future business leaders of tomorrow, the updating and creation of new coursework is paramount and will provide knowledge and skills to more effectively compete in the 21st Century marketplace. Advanced courses will expand the depth of understanding of business strategies, functions and opportunities to succeed. Students will be able to further explore core disciplines through the use of the latest technology enhancing communications, critical thinking and creating innovative ways to solve problems of the future.

Analysis of Current Program

There are currently fourteen courses offered at Ridge High School that satisfy district and state graduation requirements, as well as offer students some variety in business course offerings. Beginning in 2010, the New Jersey State Board of Education adopted a State Standard requirement for personal financial literacy. In order to satisfy this requirement, a new course, Personal Finance, was implemented for all students beginning with the graduating class of 2014 (note: the name of this course was changed effective the 2016-17 Program of Studies to Financial Literacy). In 2013, Ridge High School joined in a partnership with Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) to provide qualified high school students the opportunity to enroll in challenging college courses as part of their high school day. Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) students earn academic credit that simultaneously fulfills high school and RVCC requirements. College credits earned can be applied toward RVCC degree programs or transferred to other college and universities across the nation in accordance with the receiving colleges’ transfer policies. The courses at RHS are Honors Personal Finance and Honors Accounting. Program offerings, in addition to those referenced previously include courses in law (2), Word Processing, and Internet and Web Design (3), Publications and Yearbook (2), Accounting (1) and Marketing and Distribution (1). A final course option that is available only to senior students is Business Education Practicum which is granted only with administrative approval.

Entrepreneurship is slated to begin in the fall of 2016. All courses have a battery of formative and summative assessments to gauge student understanding and attainment of content. Current classroom resources include:

Adobe Dreamweaver CS5, Complete. Course Technology, Cengage Learning, 2011.

Business and Personal Finance, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 2012

Century 21 Accounting, Thomson South-Western Corporation, 2006

Century 21 Keyboarding and Information Processing, South-Western Educational

Publishing Company, 1997

Discovering the Internet, Brief Concepts and Techniques, Third Edition. Course

Technology, Cengage Learning, 2010.

EduTyping keyboarding software. B. E. Publishing, 2015. License renewed annually

Financial Accounting, South-Western Cengage Learning, 2012

Understanding Business & Personal Law, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill Publishing Company,

2003

New Jersey Business/Technology Education Association, www.njbtea.org

National Business Education Association, www.NBEA.org

Perception of Program

Survey Analysis

The results of the surveys pointed out that most members of the Ridge High School community were satisfied with the current business program, though there is room for improvement, specifically the addition of newer, updated course offerings. The parent survey indicated a desire (by the parent) for students to take additional courses beyond the Ridge High School graduation requirement. The Business Department staff feels the need for students to have opportunities to take coursework in computer applications which was also supported in the student survey. In the areas of Personal Financial Literacy, there was a strong indication by students that they would be interested in taking an online course that directly related to the traditional Personal Financial Literacy course offered during the school year. Additionally, students suggested the best time to take Personal Financial Literacy was not in the freshman year.

Areas of Strength The Business Department at Ridge High School has many areas of significant strength. The staff is highly qualified with advanced degrees and a high level of content knowledge. They are outgoing and provide a great deal of assistance both in and out of the school day. Students have the opportunity to receive college credit for courses in accounting and personal finance, transferrable to a variety of colleges. Ridge High School offers a variety of courses in Business Education in comparison to the schools utilized in our study.

Areas Needing Improvement The department offers a variety of courses; however, there is need to continue to grow and expand upon these offerings in order to provide students with the knowledge needed to be true 21st Century Learners. A course in Entrepreneurship has been added to begin in the 2016-2017 school year with a high level of enrollment. The staff and their supervisor are continuing to explore the possibilities of developing an online personal finance course, as well as a Business Academy model for students who look toward this field of study in college.

Prior Goals and Progress

Goal #1: Continue to place emphasis on keyboarding instruction (district-wide) Progress: Courses in Word Processing are offered at Ridge High School, with typing skills provided at the elementary level beginning in grade 3 (“Type to Learn” software). The annual keyboarding skills test taken in 8th grade was eliminated during the 2013-2014 school year. Goal #2: Purchase current Microsoft Office for business classes Progress: All classes utilize Microsoft Office 2010. Goal #3: Consistent access to websites from all workstations Progress: All classes have the ability to connect via an ethernet connection (desktop) as well as through a wireless connection. Goal #4: Replace color laser printers in Business Department classrooms Progress: All classrooms have updated laser printers, in some cases color laser printers. This equipment was acquired through the normal budgeting process. Goal #5: Replace Chalkboard with white board in room 207 Progress: A whiteboard was installed during the 2013-2014 school year through the normal budget process. Goal #6: Financial support should be provided for professional workshops and conferences Progress: Some financial assistance has been able to be provided for staff to attend workshops and conferences.

Goals/Recommendations

Goal #1: Develop course offerings to enhance the business education experience for the students of Ridge High School. Problem statement: Ridge High School has a traditional Business Education program. The addition of Entrepreneurship (fall 2016) is the first of some new offerings to be added over the next few years. Proposed solution: Develop a Business Academy model that includes new courses that may include International Business and Finance, an honors level of Marketing, culminating with a capstone project, perhaps an internship with a cooperating business in the Bernards Township community. Goal #2: Develop coursework in Computer Applications, a required course for all students entering Ridge High School. Problem statement: The increase of technology application in our lives is ever increasing and so too should our knowledge base. Every class a student takes at Ridge High School includes some use of computer application in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Classroom and Google Docs, with more applications being developed each year. Proposed solution: Develop an online course, Computer Applications for the 21st Century, that students will be required to take as an incoming freshman. The course could be taken over the summer months, with the student being required to complete the course modules by the end of the first semester of their freshman year. In addition, students can be offered the opportunity to earn Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification. MOS certification is the leading IT certification in the world. More than 1 million MOS exams are taken every year in over 140 countries. It should be noted there are numerous studies that speak to the success of online courses in regard to retention rates. The staff and supervisor will explore this issue before continuing with this proposal. Goal #3: Rebrand the Business Education Department Problem statement: The current Business Education program is one that is reminiscent of a traditional program. Though there have been adjustments to course offerings over the recent years, the program is much more than Business Education. Proposed solution: Change the name to something that is more descriptive of what the program offers. Name change possibilities include “21st Business and Information Technology,” the other “21st Century and Global Business Studies.” Future course offerings would dictate the new name.

Goal #4: Revise “Business Ed Practicum” course to become an application-based internship. Problem statement: The current course is based on a model from over three-decades ago. Students have varied experiences with the current course and may or may not receive training to meet satisfy the graduation requirement.

Proposed solution: Transform the current course into an internship program where the student applies to be a part of the program. The student would solicit an internship with a local business, spending a portion of their school day “on the job.” Students would prepare a report that will be presented at the end of the course cycle to a panel to be determined. A staff member would be charged with visiting the student and their cooperating business throughout the semester to evaluate and work with both the student and the business. An additional staff should be employed who could have teaching responsibilities in addition to working with the internship students. Proposed timeline: 2017-2018 school year.

Resources

American School Counselor Association, A. S. (2004). ASCA National Standards for Students (Competencies and Indicators). Alexandria, VA. Career Readiness Partner Council. (2014). What it Means to be Career Ready?http://www.careerreadynow.org/docs/CRPC_4pager.pdf Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work. (2014, June) The Common Career Technical Core. https://www.careertech.org/cctc Folkers, D. R. (2011, October). Setting a New Standard with a Common Career Technical Core.Techniques. Partnership for 21st Century Skills. http://www.p21.org/

Appendix

Program Comparisons and Best Practices Programs of Studies were reviewed from the following school districts: Chatham, Livingston,

Millburn, Montgomery, Northern Valley Regional, Westfield and West Morris Mendham High

School. Our course offerings compare favorably to the other school districts, both in breadth

and depth. Of those schools, Ridge High School offers a variety of courses that are single

semester courses, the exception being Publications II which is a full year offering. Those areas

that are not addressed in our Program of Studies, but are offered in some of the other schools

is included Business Management, Computer Applications and Sports & Entertainment

Marketing.

FY = Full Year S = Semester RHS Course

Chatham Livingston Millburn Montgomery North Valley Regional

Westfield West Morris Mendham

Ridge

Accounting I F S F F S S

Accounting II

F

S S

Accounting (Honors)

S

Business Ed Practicum

S

Business Fundamentals

Business Law

F S S S S

S

Business Law Seminar

F

S

Business Organization & Management

F S F

Computer Applications

F

F S S

Entrepreneurship S

S

S S

Marketing S F S

F

F S

Personal Financial Literacy S S

S

S S

Personal Finance Literacy (Honors)

S

Publications I

F

F S

Publications II

F

F F

Sports & Entertainment Marketing

S S

Web Design

S

S

S

S

Word Processing

S

Student Survey At the conclusion of each semester during the 2014-2015 school year, students were surveyed

in their business classes using a Google form (685 responses).

Parent Survey

Survey was distributed to parents via an issue of a Curriculum Department Newsletter describing the

program evaluation process (140 responses).