The Urban Education Task Force recommends implementing a number of steps to create multiple pathways to graduation and postsecondary success for young people, such as partnerships with adult education programs, access to AP courses, and courses offered at nontraditional times.

SAMPLE ACTION STEPS Develop a protocol in which RIDE can support districts in implementing early warning systems and monitor their success.

Support cross-district and regional conversations about increasing access to alternative middle-level models for urban students in Rhode Island.

Investigate private foundation and grant funding and investment to support a Multiple Pathways for Student Success initiative at RIDE and the work of the districts in implementing these alternatives.

• Support districts in creating early warning systems that can be used to identify middle school and high school students at risk of dropping out. Provide tailored supports to students identified using the early warning system and track these students to ensure that they get back on track for graduation within a reasonable amount of time.
  
  
• Develop more alternatives to the traditional middle school and junior high school models so that all children have reasonable access to schools that are built around the needs of students who are “exceptions to the rule” and are struggling in their schools.
  
  
• Develop a Multiple Pathways to Student Success Initiative at RIDE, housed jointly in the Office of Adult and Career and Technical Education and the Office of Middle and High School Reform, in consultation with the Office for Diverse Learners, the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education, and the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. The initiative should build on the new Basic Education Program elements that address multiple pathways and will be responsible for supporting, coordinating, and monitoring state and district efforts to develop key alternative high school opportunities for Rhode Island’s urban students who are struggling in the traditional high school system. The initiative will also be responsible for developing a research-based “on track to graduation” measure that can be applied to each district and monitored annually.
  
  
• Create a statewide college access working group which would include, at minimum: RIDE, the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education, representatives from school districts, educators, public and private higher-education institutions, the Rhode Island School Counselors Association, college access programs, college disability support services programs, community organizations working on college access issues, and students and their families to develop and coordinate a post-secondary access agenda for the state.
  
  

Downloads

• Multiple Pathways Recommendations and Action Steps [PDF: 8 pages]
  Introduction, promising work under way in Rhode Island, recommendations, short- and long-term action steps
  
  
• Multiple Pathways Supplements [PDF: 2 pages]
  Supporting data, information about the recommendation
  
  
• Executive Summary [PDF: 16 pages]
  Introduction, outline of the recommendations
  
  

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