CREDIT RECOVERY:  STAYING ON THE PATH                                            1

 

 

 

 

Credit Recovery: Staying on the Path to Graduation

Brad Harbers

La Grange High School

La Grange Independent School District

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Note

     Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Brad Harbers, U.S. History, Teacher, La Grange High School, PO Box 100, La Grange, TX 78945.  E-mail:  harbersb@lgisd.net.

 

 

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Needs Assessment

     As we looked at our credit recovery program, we wanted to ensure that our students were getting the best quality education that they could receive.  We have seen increasing numbers of students who were using the NovaNet program to recover credits that they had not gotten during their previous semesters in school.  We began to look at ways to improve the overall performance of the program.  In doing so, we analyzed data concerning the number of students in the program, the makeup of the students in the program, the number of credits recovered, and the courses offered in the program.  We then compared how the NovaNet curriculum  correlated to what the teachers were teaching in the classroom.  As we looked at the numbers and the curriculum data, we began to notice some shortcomings with our current system. We wanted to create a program that included some aspects of the traditional classroom.  This promted us to begin looking at changes to the current program or alternative programs to better meet the needs of our faculty and students.    

Objectives and Vision of the Action Research Project

     My vision for the action research is to find an online courseware that will offer a challenging curriculum, while at the same time provide students with an alternative plan to recover lost credits.  The hopes are to create an effective credit recovery program that we will keep students in school and on track for graduation.  As we looked at our current online courseware,

 

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we discovered some areas that needed improvement.  We began to develop a list of what we wanted the program to encompass.  Some of the areas we addressed concerned the visual appeal, user-friendliness, improved test review, increased rigor, and wider variety of courses.  We then began to research what programs were available that met our expectations and needs for the program.  The goal of the action research is to find a challenging, yet easy to use online  courseware that will help our students remain on track to graduate with their classmates.

Review of the Literature and Action Research Strategy

A committee was created that would research what courseware was available to us.  The committee was comprised of myself, the principal, assistant principal, technology coordinator,  and the credit recovery teacher.  As we looked into the different programs available to us, representatives from two different companies gave presentations on their credit recovery courseware.  We compared the information given to us with our goals and objectives for the program.  In reviewing the information that was provided to us, we decided that the Pearson GradPoint courseware met the criteria for our credit recovery program.  This courseware provided the necessary improvements that we needed to make with our current system.  This new system was more cost-effective and provided the rigor and flexibility needed to meet the expectations and needs of our students.

   **More literature needs to be reviewed on the benefits of a well-rounded credit recovery program.**

 

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Articulate the Vision

     I spoke with the principal and credit recovery instructor about my idea for the action research.  We discussed plans for how we were going to proceed and began to identify strengths and weaknesses with our current system. 

Manage the Organization

     We began our discussion on the action research project by identifying the goals and objectives.  I began by asking our credit recovery instructor to give me her opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of the NovaNet courseware.  She was also able to provide feedback on how the students felt about the current program.  Using this information, we began to formulate a needs assessment for our credit recover program.  I asked the technology coordinator to help identify what limitations we might have as we tried to change our current system or implement a new system.  The technology coordinator arranged for representatives from two companies to meet with us about their courseware.  The principal was responsible for looking at what funds were available to us and providing any other information that I might need.  As the process continued, we were focusing on creating a program that would give the students a challenging and supportive environment to complete their coursework.

Manage Operations

     Through this process, we have managed to identify our goals and objectives and develop a plan to create a program that will offer our students the opportunity to recover lost credits.  This will give them a chance to stay on target for graduation.  Together, as a team, we were able to

find a courseware that met the needs of our students and the expectations of the school.  The group was able to openly discuss support and concerns throughout the project.

Respond to Community Interest and Needs

     The revamped credit recovery program will offer the students the opportunity to stay on track for graduation.  The courseware can be customized to meet the individual needs of the student.  It has features that meet RTI requirements, supports Special Education students, and provides all students the ability to work in a safe and challenging work environment.  This program can be used for summer school to provide an alternative avenue to gain the credits that the students need.  The updated technology and user-friendliness should have a positive impact on our students.