Program overview
Secondary school model designed to increase graduation rates: Diplomas Now is a school reform model that seeks to improve student graduation rates and college readiness by improving student attendance, behavior, and academic performance. Key elements of the approach include reforms to the school-day, a rigorous curriculum, professional development for teachers, and an extensive early warning indicator and intervention system.
Partnership between nonprofit organizations and middle and high schools: Diplomas Now is administered through a partnership between three national organizations: Talent Development Secondary, City Year, and Communities In Schools. These organizations worked directly with urban middle and high schools in communities experiencing poverty to implement the program model, focusing on the critical transition years of sixth and ninth grade.
Implementing structural reforms to the school-day: A key element of the Diplomas Now model are shifts in the way teachers are assigned to classes and schedules are organized. Diplomas Now assigns teachers to interdisciplinary teams of two to six teachers, with each team sharing the same group of students. In order to facilitate collaboration among these teachers, the school day is reorganized to provide each interdisciplinary team with shared planning time. In addition, class times are extended using a block scheduling model in which classes meet less frequently but for longer durations, allowing for more in-depth learning and fewer transitions during the day.
Providing curriculum and professional development opportunities: Diplomas Now provides schools with evidence-based curriculum materials that are aligned with college- and career-readiness standards, including materials for remediation courses for any struggling students. The Diplomas Now model also involves peer coaching for math and English Language Arts (ELA) teachers and access to a national collaborative network for principals, both of which are designed to allow educators to share their best practices with each other and learn from experts in their field.
Using early warning indicators and tiered student support services: The organizations administering Diplomas Now have identified three key early warning indicators that students may not graduate on time: less than 85% attendance, three or more days suspended or expelled, and failing grades in ELA or math. Teachers, administrators, and Diplomas Now staff meet regularly to identify students who may need additional supports. The model offers three tiers of student supports, each of increasing intensity. Tier one includes universal supports aimed at creating a strong learning environment; tier two includes group-based supports, like tutoring; and tier three includes more intensive case management services.
One study with a rigorous design provides some evidence for Diplomas Now as a strategy for improving academic, behavioral, and attendance outcomes for middle and high school students.
- A 2016 random assignment study found that the Diplomas Now model increased the percentage of students with no early warning indicators by 3.6 percentage points. Implementation of the model also increased participation in academically-focused after school programs by 7.8 percentage points.
- Integrate on-site staff support to fulfill additional functions: The Diplomas Now model relies on specialized programmatic staff embedded in schools to provide certain program services. These staff positions include a school transformation facilitator, a school-based site coordinator, instructional coaches, and City Year AmeriCorps members. These City Year members in particular provide crucial front-line support when working with students, including making phone calls after any absences, offering tutoring, and helping to provide incentives for positive behavior. These additional staff members ensure that teachers and administrators are able to maintain focus on their core responsibilities, instead of assuming full responsibility for the programmatic components of Diplomas Now.
Establish a strong relationship between school leaders and partners: Diplomas Now relies on strong collaboration between school leaders and the three lead organizations: Talent Development Secondary, City Year, and Communities In Schools. Representatives from school leadership and the Diplomas Now organizations should schedule regular meetings in order to effectively manage overlapping staff, discuss data collection and review procedures, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
Support the whole student: The Diplomas Now program recognizes that factors outside of the classroom affect a student’s academic success and behavior in school. As such, once students are identified as off-track to graduation through the early warning indicator system, case managers connect them to community resources if necessary such as counseling, health care, housing, or food in an effort to ensure that they are able to focus on their academic responsibilities.
Foster family and community involvement: Diplomas Now intentionally involves parents and families in the education process. School staff maintain regular communication with families and encourage their attendance at and participation in school events. In addition, as part of the Diplomas Now model, students are encouraged to participate in community service in order to strengthen connections between the student body and the local community.