Positive

by Choice!

The POPS Program has produced dramatic results in schools of varying demographics al across the country. Positive changes have been realized in many areas: personal growth; achievement; participation in extracurricular activities; vandalism; drug abuse; morale; suspensions; employee grievances; and school climate.

Following are some statistical and evaluative comments regarding the impact of the POPS Program:

Sumter, South Carolina, District II – The Beginning

•For the first time in history, the district-wide mean in the reading for first grade children was above the national average.

•The Title 1 reading and mathematics programs were selected by the State Department as exemplary on the basis of achievement.

•During the first year alone, student attendance increased 2.3 percent to 94.3 percent, an all time high for the district.

•Suspensions were reduced from an average of more than 440 a month to less than 70. Moreover, there were significantly fewer disciplinary cases and far fewer drug-related incidents.

•Prior to the program’s inauguration, vandalism had cost the district $30,000 dollars in glass breakage alone. After two years, the figure was reduced to zero!

•Athletic teams within the district, with long histories of losing seasons, began to win. Coaches of teams that won regional and state championships attributed the success to the elevated self-esteem and attitudes of their players.

•Enrollment in student activities increased dramatically. For example, chorus membership rose from 45 to 135 in one year.

Allegany County, Maryland – Building the POPS Program

Attendance

•The state average was 91%. In 1984, Allegany County’s pupil attendance average of 94.5% was the highest in the state.

Suspensions

•Student suspensions dropped from 501 in 1981 to 410 in 1984.

•The rate of suspension in Allegany County was 6% compared to 26% in the state as a whole.

Dropout Rate

•The annual dropout rate was only 1.3% compared to a statewide rate of 4.1%.

Parental Involvement

•Parental involvement (as volunteers) increased from 1,181 in 1982-83 to 3,940 in 1983-84.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

•From 1982 to 1984, with over 1500 employees in the school system, only 17 grievances were filed – the lowest number ever in any previous two-year period. Of the 17 grievances filed, only 7 went to arbitration.

Contract Negotiations

•From 1982 through 1986, every teacher contract was signed without having to go to impasse, as had been the case in previous years.

POPS in all fifty states

•“The failure rate for both junior high and high school is down from the same period a year ago, 33.5% to 23.91% at the 7th & 8th grade levels; and 30.82% to 27.2% at the 9-12th grade levels. Also, discipline referrals to the office have been reduced from 130 to 107 and teacher absences were reduced from 97 to 66.5 days.” McKinney I.S.D., McKinney, Texas

•“The Whitfield County schools have been named one of the top 10 school systems in the same state by the State Department of Education. There is no doubt that our POPS Program was one of the major contributing factors…” Whitfield County Schools, Whitfield, Georgia

•“Went from lowest ranked of 23 Tempe schools on achievement test scores to the top 5-10 schools in the district. Received Principal’s Award for Excellence, presented by the Freedoms Foundation to the Top School in the Country.’” Elementary School, Tempe, Arizona

•“The school did not score above the 25th percentile in any potion of the California Assessment Program for three consecutive years. Two years after POPS was introduced, they had a composite score of the 39th percentile with all subtests scoring above the 25th percentile.” High School, Ontario, California

•“Playground fights were reduced from an incredible 6-10 per day, to just 1 or 2 per month. Graffiti which once covered our walls is no longer there.” Elementary School, Colorado Springs, Colorado (78% minority impacted)

•“The most significant change is the attitude of the students, staff and community. The attitude is one of care, respect and trust for one another and this positive climate is immediately felt when entering the halls of our school.” Elementary School, Sunnyside, Utah

•“The implementation of the POPS Program has resulted in increased motivation on everyone’s part to reach for excellence.” High School, Wilmington, Delaware

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