Rob DeBlois is principal of the Urban Collaborative Accelerated Program, or UCAP, an independent public middle school for students who are dropout risks. UCAP gets these students – who may have health challenges, who may have parents in jail, who may have repeated a grade – caught up and back to the classroom. DeBlois was the inaugural recipient of the Murray Family Prize for Community Enrichment at the Rhode Island Foundation this fall.
PBN: What are some of the risk factors that would make it more likely for a child not to graduate?
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DEBLOIS: The most direct predictor of whether a student will not graduate is failure of essential subjects in school, starting with sixth grade. Repeating a grade is also a very high predictor. … The same is true of students who miss school, especially those who miss more than 18 days. Students from homes where English is not spoken face additional barriers and are more likely to have difficulty, especially if they never learned to read in their first language.
Students in poor health also face greater challenges. … The list of problems can continue to include students in special education, students with behavioral problems and students who just don’t fit. Students who are questioning their sexual identity … students without positive guidance by a loving adult … students from homes where a parent has been incarcerated are also at serious risk. All of these problems are exasperated by financial hardship and a lack of resources. At the same time, students are remarkably resilient.
PBN: We hear a lot these days about STEAM subjects, and there being a talent gap in some industries, such as advanced manufacturing. How does UCAP incorporate this kind of education into its programming?
DEBLOIS: STEAM refers to curriculum and instruction that adds the arts to STEM [science, technology, engineering and math]. There are substantial efforts being made by business, education and the government to prepare young people for careers in the hard sciences. I can’t speak to the talent gap that might exist in some industries such as advanced manufacturing.
However, I might suggest that the essential qualities that are necessary for prospective employees in manufacturing – or just about anything else – are those qualities that define a responsible worker: punctuality, dependability, an ability to work on teams, an ability to work with minimum supervision and an ability to ask for help. I have heard employers say that if a young person has these critical habits of work, they can teach the technical aspects.
PBN: Your last annual report talks about “personalized learning” and UCAP’s culture of personalization. What are some examples of this, and is it especially important to at-risk students?
DEBLOIS: Personalized learning generally refers to the attitude and practice in a school that allows students to make decisions and choices about their own learning. For instance, a class may be studying the Constitution, and students may be expected to find an example of a law or practice in their community that is controversial, and may not be constitutional. Students … can choose to go deeply into a certain topic that interests them. We try to have a school community where each child feels welcome.
Also, students call the adults by their first names, something that can make a subtle difference in the relationship. All of this is done in an effort to make students feel like UCAP is a place where they belong.
PBN: UCAP has seen some changes in how it is funded. What has that been like?
DEBLOIS: UCAP had been funded completely by tuitions paid by the participating districts [Providence, Cranston and Central Falls]. It was clear that this method of funding was an increasing burden … the districts asked the General Assembly to fund UCAP in the same manner that charter schools were funded. This change allowed the school to make plans for the future. In doing so, the Fund for UCAP completed a capital campaign for the UCAP Annex that is now at the corner of Carpenter Street and Partington Way. The Fund for UCAP … can focus on fundraising for program needs and capital improvements.
PBN: What kinds of results can you share in terms of kids graduating and perhaps going on to college?
DEBLOIS: UCAP students are succeeding when they enter high school. It is very difficult to keep track of our students who are highly mobile, but all evidence indicates that they are doing well. Without the intervention provided by UCAP, at least 80 percent would drop out, based upon demographics and risk factors. However, a research and evaluation report by UCAP indicates that about 80 percent complete high school. In addition, when students return to their high schools, they have better grades, increased attendance and fewer behavior problems.
We have had students who completed Brown University, and several who have gone to jail. At least six students have died, some through violence. I think this makes a compelling case for continued and increased support. … We can pay now, or pay much more later on.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributor.
