Student Supports

Engaging Students in the Liberal Arts & Sciences Best PracticesStudent Supports Bard High School Early College Folio 41







Engaging Students in the Liberal Arts & Sciences Best Practices: Student Supports Bard High School Early College Folio



ForewordPremised on the belief that many adolescents are ready andeager for challenges greater than those offered by tradi-tional high schools, Bard High School Early College seeksto provide bright, highly motivated, and diverse studentswith an intellectually engaging four-year academic pro-gram that includes a two-year college liberal arts degree.Students graduate prepared to take upper level collegecourses, earn a baccalaureate degree, develop successfulcareers, and contribute to society. First developed in 2001as a partnership between Bard College and the New YorkCity Department of Education, four BHSEC schools cur-rently operate: BHSEC Manhattan, BHSEC Queens (2008),BHSEC Newark (2011), developed by Bard College and theNewark Public Schools, and most recently, BHSEC Cleve-land, a partnership between Bard College and the Cleve-land Metropolitan School District (2014).The BHSEC schools immerse students in the traditions andpractices associated with a liberal arts education. Studentstake high school courses for two years, and then engage ina full college course of studies in the eleventh and twelfthgrade, graduating from high school with an Associate inArts degree from Bard College. With a faculty of highlyqualified scholars and artists who teach both high schooland college courses, BHSEC aspires to teach higher-level 7

thinking skills through analytic writing, focused discussion,and in-depth inquiry.After four years at BHSEC, the majority (90%) of studentsgraduates with a Bard College Associate in Arts degree inthe liberal arts and sciences and 60 transferrable collegecredits. Historically, 98-100% of BHSEC Manhattan andQueens students receive a New York State Regents highschool diploma. (BHSECs Newark and Cleveland are stilltoo new to have this historic data regarding either highschool or college graduation rates.) More than 97% ofBHSEC students continue their studies at a four-year col-lege and most complete their BA/BS degrees.To help others understand the design underlying the successof Bard High School Early College schools and students,the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schoolsand Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University un-dertook a study of several of BHSEC’s key practices. Thisseries of seven reports provides insights into how the keypractices are implemented as well as how they could bereplicated by others.For this folio, which examines student support services,researchers interviewed support staff and administratorsand conducted a focus group with counselors and faculty.They also analyzed key documents and reviewed relevantresearch literature. A detailed examination of these sup-ports follows. 8

About Student SupportsSchool is more than a strictly academic experience. Stu-dents are more likely to maintain their engagement witheducation if: 1) they feel that they fit into the culture andthe social environment of the school, and 2) they believethat they can handle the work (Tinto 1993). It is essentialfor schools to provide students with the academic and so-cial supports to facilitate this integration. Social support isdefined by Malecki and DeMaray (2002) as “an individ-ual’s perception of general support or specific supportivebehaviors (available or enacted upon) from people in theirsocial network, which enhances their functioning and/ormay buffer them from adverse outcomes” (p. 2).What makes BHSEC successful is students’ accessibility to many re-sources. Also, hard working/dedicated teachers that stay late for hourstutoring, as well as the writing center, math center, and college transferoffice, which all insure that every student is well on their way. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEStudents benefit from the feeling that the adults in their lifeare invested in their social and academic well-being. De-Maray et al. (2005) found a positive relationship betweenstudent adjustment to high school and perceived supportfrom teachers, parents, and classmates. Student support canalso affect student attendance. Looking at the differencesin attendance rates in middle school and high school, De-Wit, Karioja, and Rye (2010) found that the attendance of 9

students who perceived diminished support from classmatesand teachers during this transition declined. This trend wasstronger among male students.Adapting to the demands of an early college high schoolcan be a particular challenge for students whose parents didnot attend college. Many low-income and minority studentsmay be the first in their families attending college and there-fore may have few people who can help them succeed ina rigorous college curriculum (Born 2006). Minority andpoor students often need extensive supports to combat thedisadvantages of poverty, poor health care, and neighbor-hood instability (Ainsworth 2002, Gillock and Reyes 1999,Noguera 2001). In addition, recent immigrants may strug-gle with learning in a second language as well as adapting tothe norms of a new culture (Kao and Thompson 2003). Stu-dents with these kinds of challenges make up a substantialproportion of the student body at BHSEC, and they oftenrely primarily on school-based supports to help them navi-gate their educational experience.While disadvantaged subgroups experience additional dif-ficulties, all students require support to help them managetheir time effectively and adapt to the expectations of col-lege-level work (Born 2006). In a study of high school bestpractices, Wilcox (2011) found that high-achieving schoolscarve out specific times in a student’s schedule for them toreceive extra help. These schools also implement early warn-ing systems to alert staff at the first signs of struggle. Born(2006) found that open lines of communication among par-ents, students, and teachers facilitate student integration andimprove student achievement at early college high schools.Students at BHSEC generally believe that faculty and staff 10

members want them to succeed and are willing to help.Support services, however, do more than support; they arealso designed to facilitate the independence and intellec-tual maturity necessary for postsecondary education. 11



Transitioning to BHSECAlthough BHSEC freshmen were typically high achieversin middle school, many students arrive without the skillsneeded to master the rigorous BHSEC curriculum. In ad-dition to their regular classes, BHSEC students often havefour to six hours of homework nightly. Managing thisworkload requires discipline as well as time management.BHSEC students must develop effective scholarly habits, in-cluding organization, problem solving, and collaboration.They must also learn how to communicate with teachersand tutors to receive the help they need.By having a curriculum that causes us to be intellectually stimulated,such as English seminars or an Intro to Philosophy college course, orWriting and Thinking Workshop, we learn to always question and evalu-ate ideas so that we then develop our own ideas. Through this process,we become more than students. We begin to become scholars, leaders,innovators, and most importantly, we feel true joy because we learn howto think for ourselves and defend our ideals. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEIn addition to the work load, BHSEC’s emphasis on criti-cal thinking, deep reading, and analytic writing is new formany incoming students. Most middle schools have notprepared students to read and think at the sophisticated lev-el practiced at BHSEC. Before school starts, BHSEC hostsa Summer Bridge Program for all incoming 9th graders tohelp ease the transition from middle school to BHSEC. In- 13

coming 9th graders from specially targeted low-perform-ing middle schools are also invited to attend a three-weekintensive Summer Scholars program to introduce them toBHSEC classes in mathematics and humanities. Most sig-nificantly, all BHSEC students participate in a week-longWriting and Thinking Workshop during the first week ofschool each year. SUMMER BRIDGE AND SUMMER SCHOLARS PROGRAMSEach BHSEC sponsors a Summer Bridge Program for all in-coming ninth graders, although the length and focus of theprograms differ. At BHSEC Manhattan and BHSEC Queens,this program takes place for two to three days at the endof school in June, while BHSEC Newark offers a two-weeksession near the end of the summer. Because these programsare run by student ambassadors as well as faculty and staff,they offer a good opportunity for staff and students to be-gin building relationships. Activities are planned to easestudents’ anxieties about making new friends and tacklingearly college work. Students attend sample classes, learnstudy skills, and participate in team building activities.Thanks to funding from a special New York State Edu-cation Department “Smart Scholars” grant, BHSEC Man-hattan and BHSEC Queens have also been able to offer athree-week summer program to all incoming 9th gradersfrom targeted (underperforming) middle schools. Taughtby BHSEC faculty, students are provided with classes in thehumanities, mathematics, and the arts, along with specialscience programs. Approximately 50 or more students at-tend each summer. Among other activities, they take a tripto the Bard College Annandale Campus in upstate New 14

York where, in addition to touring the campus and meetingwith Bard College admissions representatives, they partici-pate in a college science laboratory project. WRITING AND THINKING WORKSHOPThe annual Writing and Thinking Workshops, in which allstudents and faculty participate at the beginning of each ac-ademic year, provide a key opportunity integrate studentsinto the BHSEC culture. These sessions are modeled on TheLanguage and Thinking workshops that have been held atBard College for over 30 years for all incoming freshmen. Inthese intensive sessions, discussed in BHSEC Best Practices:Critical Thinking (Folio 3 in this series), students learn toread deeply, to interact with faculty, and to respond to theirpeers’ ideas effectively and respectfully. In addition, facultymembers have an initial opportunity to flag students whoare in need of academic or social support.One BHSEC experience [that is memorable] would be attending Work-shop at the beginning of each year. I think it has helped me open up topresenting my ideas as well as meeting more fellow students so we startoff the school year with a few companions already. I was also exposed tolearning writing techniques that could help later on as well. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEThe Writing and Thinking [Workshop] really set the tone and was helpfulin improving the way that I think. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATE 15



Excelling in the BHSEC Curriculum[After struggling with calculus] I became close with teachers, learnedhow to use the learning center, learned how to balance my time, learnedhow to balance the rest of my schoolwork, and learned how to be happythat I worked hard even if I could not get the grade that I wanted. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEBHSEC is committed to providing the supports that stu-dents need to succeed academically during their two highschool (Grades 9 and 10) and two college (Years 1 and 2)years. This is accomplished through faculty academic sup-port, peer tutoring, encouraging use of the Writing Centerand Learning Commons, and closely monitoring studentprogress. FACULTY ACADEMIC SUPPORTFaculty members are required to hold regular office hoursat least once a week, but many hold them every day. Inaddition, faculty members provide regular, voluntary tutor-ing sessions for students who want extra help. Faculty alsoprovide departmental study groups and recitation sectionsbefore and after school. Students are encouraged to takeadvantage of faculty office hours often, even if it is justto check in with their teachers. They are also encouragedto build relationships with their teachers and to be vocalabout their needs and concerns. 17

I think it is rare to find a school at 5pm filled with students who arebeing tutored, but that happens daily at BHSEC. The library consistentlyhas more people in it than the cafeteria. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATETutoring? Everyone goes 3:20 to 3:50 every day. It’s not mandated. It’sscheduled. Here you go to tutoring even if you aren’t having problems,even if you meet for 10 minutes a week just to make sure you’re ontrack. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, BHSEC MANHATTANFaculty members go above and beyond to support studentsand seek to be available to help them when needed. Stu-dents report that faculty members are always available andwilling to help. Faculty are able to meet students outside ofclass often because they have a relatively manageable loadof four classes and approximately 80 students.[A major benefit at BHSEC is] having PhD professors who so generouslyspend extra time to teach you in a personal tutoring session, and whospend so much time helping to improve students’ writing. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEProfessors are extremely approachable and address students as equals,as opposed to patronizingly. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEAs for the faculty, the teachers pay extremely close attention to theirstudents, always available to tutor students during or after school hoursto make sure they have all the resources to succeed in their classes. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEProfessors frequently offer tutoring, office hours, and oth-er support services to students who are not in their class-es. Students are encouraged to seek out adults within the 18

school community with whom they can talk and maintaina relationship. PEER TUTORINGAt BHSEC Queens and Manhattan, peer tutors devote oneperiod a week to tutoring. Tutors must be recommended bya teacher, have a B average, and be in their third or fourthyear. Peer tutors in the BHSEC Manhattan Writing Cen-ter receive a college credit in Grammar and Rhetoric thatreflects the learning that occurs when teaching others. Inaddition, serving as a peer tutor qualifies as a leadershiprole that can be included in college applications. A facul-ty member oversees this program and creates the tutoringschedule, which is posted prominently, but students workwith each other autonomously, usually in the library.It’s great—they don’t want to show an adult their writing…. The peer tu-tors are booked. For the most part, it’s used more by the older studentsand the higher achieving. The Year 1 and 2 [college level students] reallybuy in; the ninth graders take a while. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, BHSEC MANHATTANI like peer tutoring, because when I talk to teachers I am afraid ofsounding like I wasn’t paying attention. With peer tutoring I can ask thesame question over and over without feeling self-conscious. I want to bethat person for someone. YEAR-ONE LATIN TUTOR, BHSEC QUEENSPeer tutors are trained on how to make students feel com-fortable and how to provide assistance targeted to studentneeds. During our observation at BHSEC Queens, each tu-tor was working with a student and there were students 19

waiting for help in some subjects. The students reportedfeeling very comfortable approaching their peers for helpand the tutors said that they find the experience rewarding. THE WRITING CENTERThe Writing Center at each school is open daily before,during and after school. At BHSEC Queens, the WritingCenter has an open door policy and many students like tohave their papers reviewed before handing them in. In ad-dition to the peer tutors, faculty members are available toread student work.In the Center, tutors focus on helping the writer developan outline, state a problem, and craft an argument. Writingcenter tutors are taught to use strategies such as reading outloud, creating outlines, and making diagrams as strategiesto improve writing skills.In our observation of a Writing Center located in a schoollibrary, we found it to be an excellent place to observe thehigh morale and strong collegiality that exists in the BHSECschools. The Center buzzed with quiet conversation, withtopics ranging from recent exams to advice on how to for-mat a college essay. Students worked on computers on theirown or were seated at tables participating in peer tutoringor in self-selected study groups. A librarian was present tohelp students find books or to guide them in using onlinedatabases to find scholarly articles. CLOSE MONITORING OF STUDENTSAll adults at BHSEC —administrators, faculty, college ad- 20

visors, learning specialists, tutors, and guidance and coun-seling staff—work together to monitor the progress of stu-dents. A group of adults meets regularly to discuss studentswho are having difficulties academically, emotionally, orotherwise. This group, which exists at each school, general-ly consists of a vice principal, guidance counselors, the headof the College Transfer Office, and graduate interns.I am often very moved in those meetings at how much care and thoughtgoes into supporting the students who could be doing better. BHSEC QUEENS FACULTY MEMBERParents receive progress reports at the end of each quarter,with final grades included at the end of each semester. Allfour of these reports contain narratives from each of thestudent’s teachers discussing the student’s strengths and ar-eas in need of improvement. Narratives have value beyonda simple letter grade. They serve as an important means forproviding students and parents with feedback and paths forimprovement.Faculty members or guidance staff are required to reachout to parents when any high school student misses or re-ceives an F or D on a major assignment or assessment, orhas an issue with repeated lateness or leaving class for anextended period of time. Guidance counselors meet withstudents who are on academic probation and with theirparents. Parents are also notified when any college studenthas not responded effectively to discussions about missedwork, low grades, or poor attendance that could lead tofailure. Parents are always notified when students missthree consecutive classes without notification from home.An automated service calls home when students are late fora first period class. Partly as a result of these efforts, atten- 21

dance rates at the three BHSEC schools are very high—gen-erally over 96%.While open communication with parents is encouraged, parents arediscouraged from stepping in to advocate on behalf of their childrenwhen it comes to questions about assignments, grades and academicissues so that their children will learn to advocate for themselves andgain a sense of responsibility, independence and efficacy. BHSEC DEAN OF ADMINISTRATIONWhile working closely with parents or caretakers, BHSECalso seeks to help students build independence over time,encouraging them to take responsibility for their own per-formance and behavior. SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTSEach BHSEC school provides additional help for studentswith special needs. The level of assistance offered varies bythe school and the needs of the students. At BHSEC Newark,learning specialists go into classes four to five times per weekto support the entire class and to make sure that the specialneeds students understand key concepts. These specialistsalso work with teachers to modify their teaching techniquesand tests to align with the learning requirements of specialneeds students. For example, a learning specialist may ob-tain an audio book, or a student may be allowed to finisha test in the specialist’s office if more time is needed. Thelearning specialist may also hold group classes for specialneeds students to bring them up to grade level. At BHSECManhattan and BHSEC Queens, staff members work withspecial needs students on a one-to-one basis as needed. 22

Social and Emotional SupportsStudents may experience social, emotional, or family-re-lated issues that can impede their learning. Some studentshave responsibilities at home that prevent them from tak-ing full advantage of the supports available at BHSEC. Car-ing for a sibling or loved one may take priority over comingearly to school, staying for after school tutoring sessions, orattending faculty office hours. Some students also strugglewith long commutes or lack of computer access at home.Others may find that being at home is not conducive totheir studies.In Seminar, they are examining texts and thinking a lot about differentthings. Also they may be the first in the family to be that well educated;parents may be threatened, especially in immigrant families. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, BHSEC QUEENSIn addition, because BHSEC schools serve large immigrantpopulations, some students need assistance with learningEnglish and some parents may need help with understand-ing the school’s expectations. Some immigrant studentssuffer from pressures at home to pursue STEM-related orhighly paid careers. Interviewees observed that BHSEC’sliberal arts and sciences focus and/or its emphasis on criti-cal thinking sometimes clashes with the traditional beliefsof some immigrant and first-generation families. 23

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Support for College TransitionBHSEC students typically graduate with an Associate’s de-gree from Bard College and are often able to transfer allof their college credits to their second college. Students aregenerally encouraged to apply as freshmen so that they areeligible for more financial aid and more student housingoptions. Whether they apply as freshmen or as transfer stu-dents, their admissions process is more complex than thatof students from traditional high schools because they needadvice on making the most of their A.A. degree. Studentsgenerally need help selecting the right college, filling outtransfer admissions forms, and completing financial aid ap-plications; those students who are first generation collegegoers are particularly in need of guidance. BHSEC’s CollegeTransfer Office (CTO) provides extensive supports to helpstudents through this process.The college counselor is amazing. There hasn’t been a question yet thatshe cannot answer. I don’t know what we would do without her. YEAR-ONE LATIN TUTOR, BHSEC QUEENSThe CTO also makes BHSEC special. I have talked to friends in other highschools and none of them have had such a calm, cool, and collectedcollege application process. The CTO is such a valuable resource and Iwould tell students come to BHSEC just for the college advising program. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATE 31

Beginning in the spring of their third year (Year 1 of thecollege program) through the fall of their last year, all stu-dents are assigned to a college advisory, which meets fora 50-minute period each week to focus on skills neededfor college and career as well as on the college applicationprocess. College advisories are led by trained guidancestaff, administrators and faculty members, and each advi-sory group consists of approximately 20 students. Studentsmake a list of colleges that they may wish to apply to, at-tend college fairs as a group, consider whether to apply forearly admission, and work on financial aid applications. Afaculty committee reviews students’ college essays and oth-er application materials. In addition, guidance and facultymembers take Year 1 students on a tour of colleges in orderto give them a chance to learn about and consider schoolsthat they might not have heard of.The Bard College Trip last year really showed me that I’ve grown up andmade college seem more realistic and closer. It helped me match whatwe talked about in advisory to reality. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEThe BHSEC experience that has had the biggest impact on my life so faris probably the Simon’s Rock [college visiting] trip. It opened my eyes tothe different kinds of colleges, and built more of a community betweenthe [Year 2s]. CLASS OF 2013 GRADUATEA full-time College Transfer Office Director in each schooloversees the curriculum of the advisory and also organiz-es college fairs and college recruiting visits. Students usethe computer software program Naviance to complete acollege-matching questionnaire, to research colleges, and towrite application letters. 32

At BHSEC Newark, Year 1 students take a full year “Col-lege Experience” class that meets twice a week. In additionto college advising functions, the College Experience classassists students in developing skills in studying, time man-agement, research and communication. BHSEC Clevelandis replicating this class. ADVISORYAdvisory serves as the touchstone for student support ateach grade level. Advisories are generally structured as aregular, formal meeting time intended to strengthen stu-dent-adult relations in the school and provide studentsupports (Imbibo, Brown, Dunphy, and Knopf 2009). Thetime spent in advisory varies across BHSEC schools: atBHSEC Newark, it is held for 10–15 minutes every day,while at BHSEC Queens and Manhattan, advisory occursduring one period per week. The primary goal of advisoryat BHSEC is to provide a safe space for students to buildrelationships with an adult and with each other. Almost allteachers serve as advisors.I ask students to identify a high or low [point in their day], in order to buildcommunity, let off steam, and to celebrate successes. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, BHSEC NEWARKThe advisor facilitates group discussions and activities thatfocus on character building and student interaction. He orshe listens to students’ achievements or worries, dissemi-nates information, and seeks to learn more about the stu-dents’ lives. Advisory helps students feel socially integratedby giving them a voice and showing them that the adultsat BHSEC care. 33

The advisory is the pulse of the school. The [BHSEC model wouldn’t]be as effective without the support. It’s an early college model but atthe end of the day, we’re still working with adolescents. … This buildsrapport between teacher and student. It’s the best form of classroommanagement, and the best way to help students learn content. FACULTY MEMBERStudents generally have the same advisory in 9th and 10thgrades and during the first semester of Year 1 and final se-mester of Year 2. The same advisors meet with studentsindividually throughout their time at BHSEC to monitorand discuss their academic performance. (During the sec-ond semester of Year 1 and first semester of Year 2, studentsparticipate in a college advisory, discussed above.) Theremay be a monthly extended advisory period that focus ontopics like drugs, alcohol, or bullying. Advisors work froman outline on a focal topic provided by the professionalguidance staff and the session is planned purposefully toincrease students’ engagement with the issue at hand. COUNSELING AND MENTORINGIn 9th grade, all students are assigned to a guidance coun-selor who will follow them throughout their experience atBHSEC. Each counselor has a relatively small number ofstudents in order to insure that each student has access tohelp when needed. At all the BHSEC schools, counseling isprovided on an as-needed basis; some students participatein weekly sessions, some receive family counseling, manymeet with their counselors less formally. BHSEC Newarkhas licensed social workers, while guidance counselors pro-vide the counseling at the other two BHSEC schools. Eachguidance counselor typically works with counseling internswho provide additional support. When necessary, guidance 34

staff members make referrals to and collaborate with men-tal health professionals.The BHSECs have also developed support services for spe-cific groups of students who may need additional attention.BHSEC Queens, for example, provides mentoring servicesfor black males who, interviewees noted, struggle to main-tain a tough and masculine identity in the face of academicand emotional issues. The school’s vice principal matchesselected young men with male faculty and staff members inorder for them to build trusting relationships.There was a young man whose grades were declining, and he seemed tobe lonely. I discussed his performance with other teachers and learnedthat his mother was newly married and expecting a baby. We paired himwith a staff member from the computer lab for regular meetings andmentoring, and I saw a big improvement in his grades. FACULTY MEMBERBHSEC faculty typically have PhDs and are deeply knowl-edgeable about their fields of study; however, not all are im-mediately comfortable with their role in providing studentsupports. The counselors proactively, but gently, provideassistance to faculty on how to best run their advisoriesand how to reach certain students.It could be a simple tweak that can change the dynamic of the class-room... .We are advocates and buffers for our students. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR 35

CLUBS AND STUDENT GOVERNMENTEach of the BHSECs offers a range of clubs, identity groups,and support groups that address student needs and provideleadership opportunities. In keeping with the collegiateculture, the clubs are largely student driven, developed bystudents in response to student needs. Each club must enlista faculty advisor to be recognized as a formal student club.Students report that faculty members are very approach-able and willing to oversee any club that they propose—if they can find the time. Time is an issue because thesegroups can often only meet for a limited time after school,or during lunchtime. Clubs may change from year to yearas the student body and student interests change.I am a part of two groups. One is for first-generation college students.My parents can’t help me with college and it is not their fault, but I needto talk about this stressful process with someone. I am also a member ofa group for girls only called g-chat. It is a group where we come togetherto discuss academic, social, and emotional issues. It is a safe space. YEAR 1 STUDENT, BHSEC QUEENSStudents at the BHSECs have also formed support andidentity groups such as a gay-straight alliance, Muslimfaith group, and a multicultural group, among others.These groups help to support social development by bring-ing students together around their common issues. Studentsare encouraged to join at least one group despite their busyschedules because participation can promote social integra-tion and different kinds of learning. These groups also helpto minimize conflicts between students and encourage col-laboration and collegiality.

A lot of students were talking about being Black in their environment.One of the counselors, a professor and an administrator, got togetherwith students to form a Black Student Association. GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, BHSEC MANHATTANAt BHSEC Queens, there is a community council in whichstudents, teachers, teacher union representatives, faculty ad-visors, and the principal all meet to discuss issues studentsare facing. The meeting agenda is set by the student govern-ment and the meetings offer a chance for students to talkto and hear from administrators. A student moderates themeeting. Some of the topics that have been discussed in thepast include gender-neutral bathrooms, a battle of the bandsevent, and the need for a silent study room near the library. THE IMPACT OF STUDENT SUPPORTSBy offering clubs, support groups, and student government,BHSEC makes every effort to insure that students can de-velop healthy relationships with each other and form a sup-portive community. In the cases where students do not feelcomfortable talking to faculty members, there are manyopportunities for students to interact with each other andobtain emotional, academic and social peer support.The academic achievement of BHSEC students testifies tothe effectiveness of BHSEC student supports. BHSEC servesa diverse population in terms of demographics and ability,yet approximately 90% of its students are able to progressthrough their rigorous curriculum and earn an Associate’sdegree by the time they graduate from high school. Studentswho enter school with lower 8th grade math proficiency areonly slightly less likely to earn 60 or more college creditsby the time they graduate than their more proficient peers. 37

Additionally, there are minimal socioeconomic, racial, andfirst-generation status gaps between students who earn 60or more college credits and those who do not. Over half ofgraduating seniors report that they will receive financial ormerit aid at their next college. 61% of economically disad-vantaged students report financial and merit aid offers, and50% of non-disadvantaged students do so.1Further evidence of the value of BHSEC’s student supportscomes from the students themselves. In annual surveys ofrecent graduates, many former students praise the strongculture of support at BHSEC. Students express their beliefthat their BHSEC faculty and other staff are personally in-vested in their achievement and will help them.BHSEC is not just a school; it is a family. BHSEC QUEENS ALUMNA[The] teachers at BHSEC have had the greatest impact on me. I’m notgoing to name them, but I have had 10 teachers who taught me thingsI couldn’t even believe and supported me as a thinker and a writer… . Idon’t think that I would be who I am today without some of the teachersI have had and the things they helped me discover. BHSEC MANHATTAN ALUMNAThe faculty and the administrators have open ears. They understand ourgoals and make every effort to help us achieve them. BHSEC QUEENS ALUMNAData also indicate the effectiveness of individual supportsprovided. By keeping track of students who make use ofsupports, a BHSEC data specialist found that students whoused the Writing Center and/or the Summer Bridge Pro-grams had higher GPAs than those who did not; those whoused the Writing Center most frequently earned at least one38

letter grade higher than those who used it least frequently.Faculty interviewees noted that students who attend tutor-ing and ask for help are more likely to do better. Severalstated that they view improvements in the grades and as-signments of struggling students as a major indicator thatsupports are working. 39



ReplicationThe BHSEC model for student support can be replicatedwith the participation of dedicated, hardworking, and flexi-ble adults. It requires staff members who focus primarily onstudent supports, such as guidance counselors and learningspecialists, as well as many others who regularly take timeto guide and nurture students. It also requires small classsizes and moderate teaching and counseling loads. TheBHSECs have made it a priority to find and commit theresources needed to offer student supports at a high level;fundraising to support this is part of the ongoing work ofBHSEC and Bard College leadership at the schools.The consensus from interviews was that BHSECs’ studentsupport system is flexible, yet also firmly committed tostudents’ personal and academic success. BHSEC has de-veloped strategies and programs that are clearly useful tostudents and relatively uncommon in other schools. Theseinclude BHSEC’s Writing and Thinking Workshops andSummer Bridge Programs, the work of the College TransferOffice including the college advisory structure, and peer tu-toring. Each of these could be replicated, individually or asa package, with guidance from BHSEC practitioners. 41

The BHSEC folio series is a publication of BHSEC, incollaboration with the National Center for the Restructuringof Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST), a researchcenter at Teachers College, Columbia University. The seriesincludes information on seven exemplary practices associatedwith the four BHSEC schools. Each publication in the seriesis based on qualitative research conducted by NCREST.The development of these folios has been undertaken withsupport from the Booth Ferris Foundation and Bard College.For more information on the BHSEC model and this series,contact: Stephen Tremaine at [email protected] East Houston Street, New York, New York 10002+1 212 982 5024http://www.bard.edu/earlycollege/30 Campus Road, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York 12504+1 845 758 6822http://www.bard.edu

End Notes1. This data refers only to BHSEC Manhattan andBHSEC Queens, as BHSEC Newark and BHSECCleveland have not yet graduated their first cohort ofstudents who entered in 9th grade.References Malecki, Christine Kerres & Demaray, Michelle Kilpatrick (2002). “Measuring Perceived Social Support:Ainsworth, James W. (2002). “Why Does It Take a Development of the Child and Adolescent Social SupportVillage? The Mediation of Neighborhood Effects on Scale (CASSS).” Psychology in the Schools 39(1): 1-20.Educational Attainment.” Social Forces 81(1): 117-152. Malecki, Christine Kerres, Demaray, Michelle Kilpatrick,Born, Terry (2006). “Middle and Early College High Davidson, Lisa M., Hodgson, Kelly K., & Rebus, P.Schools-Providing Multilevel Support and Accelerated Jacob (2005). “The Relationship Between Social SupportLearning.” New Directions for Community Colleges 135 and Student Adjustment: A Longitudinal Analysis.”(Fall): 49-59. Psychology in the Schools 42(7): 691-706.De Wit, David J, Karioja, Kim & Rye, B.J. (2010). Noguera, P.A. (2001). “The Elusive Quest for Equity and“Student perceptions of diminished teacher and Excellence.” Education and Urban Society, Vol. 34, No. 1classmate support following the transition to high November, pp. 18-41.school: are they related to declining attendance?” SchoolEffectiveness and School Improvement: An International Tinto, Vincent (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking theJournal of Research, Policy and Practice 21(4): 451-472. Causes and Cures of Student Attrition (2nd Edition). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.Gillock, Karen L. & Reyes, Olga (1998). “Stress,Support, and Academic Performance of Urban, Low- Wilcox, Kristen Campbell & Angelis, Janet Ives (2011).Income, Mexican Adolescents.” Journal of Youth and “High School Best Practices: Results from Cross-CaseAdolescence 28(2): 259-282. Comparisons” The High School Journal 94(4): 138-153.Imbibo, Josephine, Morgan, Samuel & Plaza, Eileen(2009). Center for School Success Promising PracticeSeries: Student Advisory. New Visions for PublicSchools: New York, NY.Kao, Grace & Thompson, Jennifer S. (2003).“Racial and Ethnic Stratification in EducationalAchievement and Attainment.” Annual Review ofSociology 29:417-442.



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