Preventing Youth Preventing Youth DelinquencyDelinquency

Identifying School Risk & Identifying School Risk & Protective FactorsProtective Factors

Christine A. ChristleChristine A. Christle

20042004

School to Prison PipelineSchool to Prison Pipeline

SuspensionSuspension

School FailureSchool Failure

DropoutDropout

DelinquencyDelinquency

The CoThe Co$$t of Incarcerationt of Incarceration

Penn State or The State PenPenn State or The State Pen

It’s your money!It’s your money!

Risk Factors - DelinquencyRisk Factors - Delinquency

Life DomainsLife Domains IndividualIndividual Family Family School School CommunityCommunity Peer RelationsPeer Relations

SchoolSchool Weak academicsWeak academics Low school Low school

involvementinvolvement TruancyTruancy SuspensionSuspension ExpulsionExpulsion DropoutDropout

Weak Academics & PovertyWeak Academics & Poverty

Exposure to print material Exposure to print material Low SES - Low SES - 4040 hrs hrs High SES - High SES - 10001000 hrs hrs

Vocabulary skillsVocabulary skills Following directionsFollowing directions

Failure CycleFailure Cycle

Cognitive deficits lead to Cognitive deficits lead to poor academic poor academic performanceperformance

Poor academic Poor academic performance is a strong performance is a strong

risk factor for delinquencyrisk factor for delinquency

Weak Academics & BehaviorWeak Academics & Behavior

Low school achievement predicts Low school achievement predicts delinquencydelinquency

20% of students with EBD are 20% of students with EBD are arrested while in schoolarrested while in school

58% are arrested 5 years after 58% are arrested 5 years after schoolschool

70-87% of incarcerated youth have 70-87% of incarcerated youth have LD or EBDLD or EBD

School FactorsSchool Factors3 Studies in Kentucky3 Studies in Kentucky

747 Elementary Schools747 Elementary Schools 161 Middle Schools161 Middle Schools 196 High Schools196 High Schools

Elementary School StudyElementary School Study

Stage 1Stage 1 Correlation analysis of school Correlation analysis of school

characteristics & academic achievementcharacteristics & academic achievement Stage 2Stage 2

Regression analysisRegression analysis Stage 3Stage 3

Qualitative analysis of climate in 3 HPHA & Qualitative analysis of climate in 3 HPHA & 3 HPLA schools3 HPLA schools

Kentucky Elementary School Data - 2000/2001The Relationship Between Poverty and Achievement

-3.000

-2.000

-1.000

0.000

1.000

2.000

3.000

-4.000 -3.000 -2.000 -1.000 0.000 1.000 2.000 3.000 4.000

CTBS Z Scores

Free & Reduced Lunch Z Scores

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1.1. What specific school What specific school characteristics are related to characteristics are related to academic achievement?academic achievement?

2.2. What characteristics separate What characteristics separate HPHA schools from HPLA HPHA schools from HPLA schools?schools?

Results Stages 1 & 2Results Stages 1 & 2School Characteristics Related School Characteristics Related

to Academic Achievementto Academic Achievement

CorrelationCorrelation Poverty: % of students in FRLP Poverty: % of students in FRLP

- 34%- 34% Attendance rate: + 26%Attendance rate: + 26%

RegressionRegression Together (FRLP % & ATT) 42%Together (FRLP % & ATT) 42%

Results Stage 3Results Stage 3Case Studies - HPHA vs HPLACase Studies - HPHA vs HPLA Smaller schoolsSmaller schools Better building conditionsBetter building conditions More adult/student interactionsMore adult/student interactions More positive interactionsMore positive interactions Higher staff morale & collegialityHigher staff morale & collegiality Higher level of student task Higher level of student task

engagementengagement More money per studentMore money per student More family involvementMore family involvement

SuspensionSuspension Most common disciplinary Most common disciplinary

consequence in schoolsconsequence in schools Disproportionately used Disproportionately used

Ethnicity, SES, gender, academic Ethnicity, SES, gender, academic competence competence

Most at Middle School levelMost at Middle School level Poor academic skill - strong Poor academic skill - strong

predictor of school exclusionpredictor of school exclusion

SuspensionSuspension Rates increasingRates increasing

US: steady increase over last 25 US: steady increase over last 25 yearsyears

Kentucky: Kentucky: 00-0100-01 68,52368,52301-0201-02 74,05474,05402-0302-03 76,88676,886

Most are repeat offendersMost are repeat offenders

Middle School StudyMiddle School Study

Stage 1Stage 1 Correlation analysis of school Correlation analysis of school

characteristics & suspensioncharacteristics & suspension Stage 2Stage 2

Comparison analysis of 20 HSS & 20 Comparison analysis of 20 HSS & 20 LSSLSS

Stage 3Stage 3 Qualitative analysis of climate in 4 Qualitative analysis of climate in 4

HSS & 4 LSSHSS & 4 LSS

The Relationship Between Poverty and Achievement in KY Middle Schools for 2001-2002 (FRLP Percentages and CTBS Percentiles)

-3.00

-2.00

-1.00

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

-4.000 -3.000 -2.000 -1.000 0.000 1.000 2.000 3.000

CTBS z Scores

FRLP z Scores

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1.1. What specific school What specific school characteristics are related to characteristics are related to suspension rate?suspension rate?

2.2. What characteristics separate What characteristics separate high-suspending schools from high-suspending schools from low-suspending schools?low-suspending schools?

Results Stage 1 & 2Results Stage 1 & 2 Characteristics Differentially RelatedCharacteristics Differentially Related

20 HSS20 HSS Number of board Number of board

violationsviolations Dropout rateDropout rate Low SESLow SES Law violationsLaw violations $tudent $tudent

$pending $pending

20 LSS20 LSS Attendance rateAttendance rate Academic test Academic test

scoresscores Ethnic Ethnic

background C/W background C/W

-

HSS and LSS Difference - SuspensionHSS and LSS Difference - SuspensionS

usp

ensi

on

R

ate

Su

spen

sio

n

Ra t

e

11

11

HSS and LSS Difference - Ethnicity HSS and LSS Difference - Ethnicity P

erce

nt

Cau

casi

an S

tud

ents

Per

cen

t C

auca

sian

Stu

den

ts

HSS and LSS Difference - Poverty HSS and LSS Difference - Poverty P

erce

nt

FR

LP

En

roll

men

tP

erce

nt

FR

LP

En

roll

men

t

-

11

Results Stage 3Results Stage 3 Case Studies - LSS vs HSSCase Studies - LSS vs HSS

Administrative LeadershipAdministrative Leadership More support for staffMore support for staff Proactive discipline Proactive discipline

philosophyphilosophy Teacher & Staff BehaviorsTeacher & Staff Behaviors

More positive interactionsMore positive interactions Active teaching styleActive teaching style

Results Stage 3Results Stage 3 Case Studies - LSS vs HSSCase Studies - LSS vs HSS

Student BehaviorsStudent Behaviors More positive interactionsMore positive interactions More engagement in classMore engagement in class

Structure & ProgrammingStructure & Programming Better building conditionBetter building condition More ambianceMore ambiance School-wide focusSchool-wide focus More school connectionsMore school connections

DropoutDropout

Low SES youth 2.4 X more likely Low SES youth 2.4 X more likely to drop outto drop out

Suspended youth 3 X more likely Suspended youth 3 X more likely to drop out & become delinquent to drop out & become delinquent

Over 80% of prison inmates are Over 80% of prison inmates are dropoutsdropouts

1/2 of heads of households on 1/2 of heads of households on welfare are dropoutswelfare are dropouts

High School StudyHigh School Study

Stage 1Stage 1 Correlation analysis of school Correlation analysis of school

characteristics & dropout characteristics & dropout Stage 2Stage 2

Comparison analysis of 20 HDOS & Comparison analysis of 20 HDOS & 20 LDOS20 LDOS

Stage 3Stage 3 Qualitative analysis of climate in 4 Qualitative analysis of climate in 4

HDOS & 4 LDOSHDOS & 4 LDOS

Dropout and Achievement

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00 90.00 100.00

CTBS NP Scores 01-02

Dropout Rate 01-02

Series1

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1.1. What specific school What specific school characteristics are related to characteristics are related to dropout rate?dropout rate?

2.2. What characteristics separate What characteristics separate high-dropout schools from low-high-dropout schools from low-dropout schools?dropout schools?

Current StudyCurrent StudySchool VariablesSchool Variables

EnrollmentEnrollment FRLP %FRLP % # Rule violations# Rule violations # Law violations# Law violations Suspension rateSuspension rate Retention rateRetention rate Expulsion rateExpulsion rate

Ethnic Ethnic backgroundbackground

Attendance rateAttendance rate Academic Academic

achievement achievement scoresscores

% of students % of students with disabilitieswith disabilities

Results: PendingResults: Pending

Lessons Learned Thus Far Lessons Learned Thus Far ResilienceResilience

Meaningful ParticipationMeaningful Participation Students help develop dress code, Students help develop dress code,

lunch menuslunch menus High ExpectationsHigh Expectations

All students & staff (PRIDE program)All students & staff (PRIDE program) Caring Adult RelationshipsCaring Adult Relationships

All staff involved with students in All staff involved with students in clubs, activitiesclubs, activities

BIG IDEA !BIG IDEA !

SCHOOL STAFF KNOWSCHOOL STAFF KNOW ProblemsProblems SolutionsSolutions

ASK THEM!ASK THEM!

DilemmaDilemma

How can we transform this How can we transform this research into practice? research into practice?

Thank YouThank You

Christine A. ChristleChristine A. Christle

University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky

The National Center on Education, The National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile JusticeDisability, and Juvenile Justice