Author

Alexis Hince

Date of Award

Summer 8-19-2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

Ninth grade, a pivotal transition year, identified as the grade with the highest failure rate than any other grade, directly affects high school graduation, dropout, and repetition rates. Administrators and teachers recognize the crisis that is occurring within the ninth grade but have been unable to address the myriad of variables that cause the failures. Some schools have found success by restructuring ninth grade into a small school academy, isolating the students from the main population in order to create a more nurturing environment. Other schools have utilized team teaching, where a group of teachers shares the same group of students. This allows the teachers to collaborate to assist any student who is having difficulty.

This study explores the variables that contribute to failures, whether the solutions are working, and whether these solutions can be implemented locally. We will look specifically at Alternative High School (AHS), a high school in the Twin Rivers School District, Sacramento, California. This school offers students the opportunity to make up credits at an accelerated pace from classes that were failed at a traditional high school. This is a “band-aid” and not a fix to the problems generated by ninth grade failures. We will also explore Traditional Joint Union High School (TJHS), a high school that is struggling from a significant rate of ninth grade failures.

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