|
|
Information on First Things First is available from the Institute for Research and Reform in Education (IRRE), which developed the intervention. Address: 308 Glendale Dr., Toms River, NJ 08753. Web: www.irre.org. Telephone: (732) 557-0200.
First Things First was first implemented in 1998 in the Kansas City, KS, school system. IRRE reports that, as of December 2007, 11 districts in seven states were operating schools using the First Things First model.
First Things First is a reform model designed to boost student achievement in schools serving a large number of economically disadvantaged students. The model’s goal is to help students acquire the skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education and the labor market. It has three main components.
Theme-based small learning communities. First Things First reorganizes high schools into small learning communities of up to 350 ninth to twelfth graders and their teachers, each with a guiding curricular theme (such as science and technology). Twelfth graders can participate in internships associated with the theme of their learning community. As students progress through high school, they remain in their learning communities, with the same peer group and teachers.
Family and student advocate system. Each student in a First Things First school is assigned an advocate, typically a teacher from the small learning community who serves as a mentor and a liaison between the school and the student’s family. Advocates work with about 15 students and meet with them weekly in groups and one-on-one. They also contact the student’s family regularly to discuss academic progress and any challenges facing the student in and out of school.
Instructional changes and supports. First Things First emphasizes a more rigorous and engaging curriculum closely aligned with state standards and assessments. The model calls for a careful review of all course offerings to ensure that they closely correspond to state curriculum standards. It also directs schools to develop and regularly administer common assessments that reflect these standards and that mirror the format and content of state tests. Student performance on these regular assessments is then used to guide and improve classroom instruction. First Things First also offers professional development and technical assistance to improve the rigor of course offerings and the ability of teachers to reach students of all learning styles.
According to IRRE, the additional annual cost of operating First Things First in the first two years of program implementation (above and beyond the cost of traditional high school) ranges from $150 to $275 per student. Beyond the initial start-up phase, annual per student costs are somewhat lower, ranging from $100 to $175. These costs include curriculum, materials, and ongoing technical assistance. IRRE reports that the per student cost of implementing First Things First varies depending on the size and number of the schools implementing the model, current staffing levels, and other factors.
|Institute of Education Sciences
Dropout