MacArthur Middle School

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PURPOSE: MacArthur Middle School has been targeted by AACPS because it has missed all it's goals in the last school year. One major concern was the disproportionate referrals and suspension for African American and Hispanic boys.

QUESTION: Could a Strength based leadership group for African American and Hispanic boys who received 3 or more suspensions last school year impact result in a measurable change in behavior and affect the overall school climate?

SMART GOAL: Identify African American and Hispanic boys that possess leadership qualities and facilitate a strengths based leadership group that results in increased self-effiacy and decreased negative behaviors.

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Collaboratively with the 8th Grade AP and school counselor 10 boys were selected to be interviewed for the Strengths Based Leadership Group.

7 of the 10 boys were selected and 5 accepted.

Group Overview

The boys who accepted the group invitation showed interest in being asked to be part of a positive focused group

Parents were extremely supportive and all were surprised to be receiving contact about a positive leadership opportunity.

First session all boys expressed interest in being leaders. Though they all had doubts that they could become positive leaders.

OUTCOME DATA: Student's Suspensions and Referrals will be compared between 1st Semester 2013 and 1st Semester 2014 to determine if the strengths based group resulted in decreased negative behaviors

OUTCOME DATA: Student's Suspensions and Referrals will be compared between 1st Semester 2013 and 1st Semester 2014 to determine if the strengths based group resulted in decreased negative behaviors

OUTCOME DATA: Student's evaluated their progress throughout the group using a self-created goal attainment scale.

PERCEPTION DATA: Students rate the likelihood of becoming positive leaders after the intervention and the interventions will be evaluated for it's effectiveness in changing internal self-concepts.

T

The group ran for 8 weeks. Attendance to the group was not consistent for any one of the participants. One member stopped attending due to extenuating personal circumstances.

The boys responded to a 5 point likert-type scaling question in the first session asking them to rate the likelihood that they would be positive leaders in the school.

Likelihood to become positive leaders

Interpret Results

• Their scores were very low
• Strong doubts
• Disbeliefs in any leadership

Likelihood to become positive leaders 2nd

Interpret Results

• Follow up scores higher
• Future orientated

In the 4th session the boys created a Goal Attainment Scale where they charted their personal growth in either an Academic or Personal/Social Domain

Outcome Data

Interpret Results

• Goal attainment was split
• All saw growth at some point
• Data only collected 3 weeks

Suspension Comparison

Referrals Comparison

All boys who attended MMS last school year have had a 100% decrease in suspensions and a 90% in referrals.

The boy who attended the alternative school has still received 4 referrals and 1 suspension. But considering that last year he was in a more contained environment and is returning from being dismissed his behavior may still be viewed as progress.

General Highlights

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Students were 200% more likely to believe in their ability to be positive leaders

50% of at-risk boys who participated in a positive strengths based leadership attained positive academic and personal social goals. None regressed below the starting point.

Total Suspensions dropped 100% for returning students when compared to the first semester of the previous year. And 80% for group as a whole.

Recommendations

• Begin Goal Attainment Scale Day 1
• Test for similar outcomes with girls
• Run a control problem focused group