| Initiatives | Goal | Means of Achieving | Outcome | Methods of Assessment | Results | Result Use |
| Access | 75% or higher of Talent Search participants will enroll in an institution of higher education by the fall term immediately following high school graduation. | Talent Search advisors work with Seniors (approximately 100 total) at the local high schools (Ben Lomond and Ogden)to assist students with admissions, placement testing, scholarships, financial aid application/process, and enrollment. Verification is used with a hard copy of the student's schedule; Talent Search tracks progress with verified data. | N/A | Hard copies of schedules are used to verify enrollment into a post-secondary institution. | As of 6/22/15 enrollment rate into post-secondary education for Talent Search Senior participants is at 62%. Our goal/grant objective is 75% and we anticipate meeting this goal by August. | New program strategies and Advisor performance created a 21% increase in this objective. We consider this to be very successful. |
| Learning | 90% of seniors served will graduate during the project year with a regular secondary school diploma within the standard number of years. | Goal will be implemented by securing copies of final transcripts after 4th quarter grades have posted for seniors. | Learning outcomes are based on the various courses each student takes while in high school. The Talent Search program had approximately 60% online with rigor at the beginning of the year; in addition to working on graduation, we also work with students to graduate with rigor coursework as determined by the grant requirements. | Using final transcripts, determine which seniors were able to graduate from high school with a standard diploma within the standard number of years. | 98% of senior Talent Search participants graduated in May, 2015. | This is a strong percentage for graduation, however our goal is always 100%. We will work closely with School Counselors to ensure any student not online to graduate is making up any lost credit. |
| Access | 30% or higher of participants in the Talent Search program will complete a rigorous secondary school program of study. | Workshops are implemented by the Advisor at the junior high level (grades 8 & 9) focusing on teaching the definition of rigor and how to attain it in high school.
At the high school level, workshops are implemented by Advisors in addition to individual advisement with schedules. Incentives are provided to Seniors who graduate with rigor (priority for tuition waiver, certificate of completion, Rigor pin). | There are four (4) documented pathways students can achieve this through the Talent Search grant. Students who achieve this goal will have a greater knowledge base in core classes that will contribute to their college success.
Learning outcomes for grades 8 and 9: Do you know the meaning of rigor coursework? Do you know how to achieve completing rigor in high school?
Learning outcomes for grades 10,11, and 12: Do you know the meaning of rigor coursework, as well as the benefits to completing a pathway in high school? Are you adjusting your schedule to meet the rigor requirements? | Hard copies of transcripts after high school graduation, AP scores, verification of Regents scholarships, AP test scores.
For knowledge base regarding rigor, tailored questions on end of year surveys/assessment. | Results as of 6/22/15 is at 35% of high school Seniors in the Talent Search program completed and graduated with a rigorous classes (with no average for any class below a C). This is the first year we have met the rigor goal (exceeding the 30%). We anticipate the number may go up 1-2% points, but not below 35%. | When beginning the last two program years, Seniors on target to meet this objective are between 50-60%. Due to a decline in grades that is common for Seniors in their last semester/trimester, on average those students meeting this requirement have been half of those on target. Each year we have gone up 5-6% for this objective. A strategy will be to have Advisors reach out to those Seniors online to accomplish rigor, and discuss reasons to keep grades up through all of the school year. |
| Diversity | Increase the number of Talent Search participants who are underrepresented, focusing specifically on the following: African American, Native American, Pacific Islander, Asian.
| Targeted recruitment for underrepresented populations in the Ogden District junior highs and high schools for enrolling in the Talent Search program, to be completed by the Advisors working within the schools. | N/A | Comparing data for this year (listed under Unit Goal) during end of July, to program data based on ethnicity for next year (end of July). | Program year 2013-2014 (517 participants) compared to 2014-2015 (511 participants):
American Indian or Alaska Native: -1
Asian: +1
Black or African American: +1
Hispanic or Latino: -18
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: +1
no response: same
White: +10 | Our results were surprising to us since the Advisors did attempt to intentionally find underrepresented students. Part of the problem is that we do have to work hard to get to our overall goal of 510 participants by January. This means we enroll any student who meets the qualifications. This year we struggled with the junior high recruiting, but our Advisor works hard and calls out students multiple times to attempt enrollment.
We are hoping to get lists from the schools this next year with a break out of ethnicity and names (if possible) to do very specific outreach to those students. |