Course Standards for Freshman Transition Classes
A Classroom-Based, Comprehensive Guidance and Career Exploration Course for 8th or 9th grade students
Why the Course Standards for Freshman Transition Classes were created
High School redesign has become an imperative, by not only the president and our governors, but by parents, mployers and students because we are grappling with some
of the realities of our education system that have harsh impacts on our workforce, economy and society:
- Soaring high school dropout rates
- More than 50% of students entering college do not earn a degree
- Only half of young people age 18 to 29 consider themselves financially independent
- Far too many college graduates move back home, delaying acceptance of adult responsibilities and/or entrance as productive members of our workforce
Nearly one of every three 8th grade students in America do not graduate from high school, and half of African-American and Hispanic students do not make it to graduation
day. Colleges and employers report that many of those who do graduate lack basic skills. Only a fraction of those who go on to postsecondary education succeed in earning a
degree. Half of those who enter two-year institutions, for example, never return for their second year.
The global economy has placed a higher premium on workers’ abilities to formulate new ideas and solve problems, rather than produce tangible goods. A solid education is
increasingly important for young people and the nation to maintain competitive in the job market. The high school reform movement is building momentum as nationwide
states and districts struggle to redesign America's high schools so all young people can receive the education they need to be successful.
However, to think that increased academic rigor alone will somehow right the wrongs in our school system is naïve at best and could be disastrous for too many of our
students.
Without a willing and motivated learners, all our best efforts will be wasted. As academic standards are increased and exit exams become mandatory,
failing students will continue to dropout.Until students understand the consequences of not getting a first class education (the goal of the comprehensive
guidance curriculum, such as the Course Standards outline), the dropout rate will continue to rise and apathetic young people will continue to flounder as they
enter a workforce that demands highly-skilled, self-motivated workers.
Enter the Freshman Transition course, a comprehensive guidance course for 8th or 9th grade students. Known over the years as Freshman Orientation (with various district
names) and now in the Smaller Learning Community movement as Freshman Academies, this critical course intervention, executed with rigorous guidelines, has been shown
to increase school retention, academic achievement and post-secondary matriculation. Well-designed courses have been integrated into the academic classroom, providing
the theme for teaching reading, writing, speaking and math.
How the
Course Standards for Freshman Transition Classes were created
We didn’t start from scratch. After a review of state standards we settled on the
Texas
TEKS for Career Connection and Career Investigation as the foundation. If you compare
the TEKS with the Freshman Transition Standards you’ll see the similarities. To include
the topics critical to a comprehensive guidance course, other standards were incorporated
from Tennessee, Maine, and Indiana. These were reviewed by some of the most renown
experts in the country and their suggestions were incorporated. They include:
Kenneth B. Hoyt, Ph.D. (1924 - 2008)
University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University
Director of the Office of Career Education, U.S. Department of Education - 1974 to 1982
Rebecca Dedmond, Ph.D
Director of School Counseling, George Washington University
Director of Career Guidance, Commonwealth of Virginia, 1986 to 1994
President, National Consortium of State Career Guidance Supervisors, 1993 - 1997
Mindy Bingham
Educational Activist
Author of 17 titles with over 2 million books in print
James R. Campbell D. Ed.
Executive Director of Delaware Tech Prep (1984-1999)
Parnell National Award For "Excellence In Education"
Pat Schwallie-Giddis, Ph.D.
Program Director, Counseling/Human and Organizational Studies, George Washington University
Director of Career Education for the state of Florida - 1983-1990
Board member for the National Career Development Association (NCDA)
Norm Gybers, Ph.D.
Professor with Distinction, Department of Education, School and Counseling Psychology,
University of Missouri-Columbia
Past President, National Career Development Assoication
Past President, American Counseling Association
A copy of the standards was sent to each governor and each state superintendent of
education just prior to the historic governor’s meeting about high school reform in
February 2005. Many states responded with enthusiasm for such a tool. At the national
Principal’s conference (NASSP) and Superintendents’ conference (AASA) that year,
copies were handed out for comment and the reviews were very positive.
Everyone who
saw them agreed that this was a missing link within the educational system.
Unfortunately, we’ve watched far too many schools struggle with defining and
then executing an effective, attitude-changing orientation course for freshmen.
The development of the enclosed document grew out of a well-documented
need because of our work with school districts across the country, in the area
of Freshman Transition courses. We’ve seen one initiative after another fail
(from school-base, to district, to state), because there were no clear course
guidelines laid out before hand. Teachers and administrators were motivated
to tackle the obvious challenge of jump-starting their freshman but we didn't
give them tools…or the vision of what was possible to do it. It would be like
sending a scout troop on a journey without a map. They knew where they
wanted to go, but just not how to get there.
Without rigorous course standards or guidelines, most teachers struggle with
a vision of what is possible. Far too many of these classes became little more
than glorified study halls, because instructors did not have the background for
what was required. For some, a freshman course is viewed by the school
staff as a form of purgatory and, therefore, the newest or least experienced
teachers are assigned to teach it, when in reality its imperatives cry out for the
most seasoned among us.
So with each new initiative, smaller learning communities being no exception
teachers continue to try to reinvent the wheel. They try to develop curriculum
(in all their spare time, right?) and, except in the case of a handful of
extraordinary individuals, the results are marginal and the student outcomes
are not what they could have been. In some instances districts put together
manuals with vague notions or direction of what is required to motivate the
least motivated students. It is no wonder that teachers, administrators,
students, parents and funders get frustrated.
Over the past few years, a lot of energy and resources have gone into the
development of standards for academic subjects (Math, English, History etc.)
These standards are now mainstream and educators have a clear outline of
what is expected to be taught in their academic classrooms.
The Course
Standards for Freshman Transition Classes is a grassroots effort to provide
the same tool for what we see as a critical course for all students…to provide
a resource that gives this course the same rigor and status as a traditional
academic course.
It is hoped that these standards:
- Provide policy makers with the vision of what is possible, as they
deliberate their high school reform strategies.
- Provide the roadmap for teachers so they can chose the
appropriate curriculum, and not be forced to invent their own.
- Help administrator upgrade their district’s or state standards for
freshman transition courses.
- Encourage professional curriculum developers and textbook/
software publishers to update or create appropriate commercial
resources for the classroom.
It is the intent to share these standards with the state, district and school administrators and planners and recommend that a mandated Freshman Transition course or academy
that tackle these standards is a viable strategy for addressing the rising dropout rates and increasing post secondary matriculation. Students armed with the insight and
information this type of course provides will understand why their education is important and realize high school is not a way station but a launching pad for their future. They will
then be ready to sit in the classroom and tune-in to content that is “newly-relevant”. Having developed a vision of a productive—and attainable—future, they will be motivated to
master the rigorous academic coursework required to “make it” in the 21st century. They will understand the benefits and the consequences to their life satisfaction and personal
happiness. Their motivation will be intrinsic (the very best kind) and, therefore, they will become lifelong learners.