Pomona High School -

School Counseling Program

Core Curriculum: 9th Grade Classroom Lesson
H.S. Graduation and A – G Requirements

By Jonathan Flores
ASCA Domains
Academic Domain

Category 1: Mindset Standards

● School counselors encourage the following mindsets

for all students.

Category 2: Behavior Standards

● Students will demonstrate the following standards

through classroom lessons, activities and/or
individual/small-group counseling.
Mindsets & Behavior Standard
B-LS 7.

Identify long- and short-term academic, career and

social/emotional goals

B-SMS 1.

Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility

B-SS 8.

Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self,

when necessary
What Did Students Receive?
Core curriculum class lesson with pre/post
assessment
● 9th grade
● September 2017
● All 9th grade English Classes (220 students)
● Lessons contained the following topics:
○ High School Graduation Requirements
○ Credit Recovery
○ A – G requirements
○ Post secondary career options
○ UC, CSU, Private Univ information
○ Vocational/Trade school information
There is a need…..

● Pomona High School (PHS) has continued to increase their graduation

rates. In 2015 - 16, 88.7% of PHS seniors graduated. While PHS has made
significant growth in their graduation rates, there is room for
improvement.
● Local district schools, Village High School (VHS) and Diamond Ranch High
School (DRHS), have higher graduation rates (VHS - 96%, DRHS - 95%)
● Our neighboring school, Montclair High School, had a 90.7% graduation
rate in 2015 - 16.
● Therefore, we must continue to work collaboratively to increase our grad.
rates
Why Are We Teaching HS Grad. and A - G?
● Teachers at PHS reported that 9th grade students did not
understand high school credits and graduation
requirements.
● “The differences, both academically and socially, between
middle school and high school make the transition difficult.
High school is the first time students earn credit for
graduation. Unfortunately, some 9th-graders do not realize
the importance of passing core courses. When asked,
students who fail one or more classes during 9th grade
say they wish they better understood the importance
of their freshman year on graduation.” (McCallumore &
Sparapani, 2010)
 What Do Students Believe?
N 220

4.48%
Great Increase
Results!

*The percent change

formula was used to
calculate this data.
 What Do Students Know?
N 220
13.43%
Increase

47.59%
Increase

*The percent change

formula was used to
calculate this data.
 What Do Students Know?
13.34% N 220
Increase

Slight
Increase

*The percent change

formula was used to
calculate this data.
 What skill did students learn?
N 220

Tremendous
Growth!

*The percent change

formula was used to
calculate this data.
Results Report - Impact Over Time
Academic (Class of 2021)

Increase in...
● % of student graduation
● % of 4yr college eligible students
● % of students taking the SAT/ACT test

Career (Class of 2021)

Increase in…
● % of student with interest inventories on file
(CCGI)
Our Vision - Achievement Data Increase in
student
achievement:
96% grad. rate
in 2021

Resulting in
Increase in study Leading higher GPA’s
2015 - 16
skills, time to better and class
88.7%
management, and grades passage rates
grad. rate
4yr planning
In Summary…
● Students received important information about
H.S. graduation and A - G requirements.

● Students gained a better understanding about

post secondary academic and career options.

● Students acquired the attitudes, knowledge, and

skills needed be academically successful.
○ Attendance
○ Credits and A - G eligible grades
○ Credit recovery
Limitations and Lessons Learned
● Revise Pre-Post Test, wording confused some
students

● Conduct Post Test a week after the lesson to

make sure that students understood the
information

● Follow - up with students who were absent

● Some students did not participate in the data

collection activity (Plickers)
Next Steps
● We plan on presenting similar information to
the class of 2021 during their 10th and 11th
grade year

● We are currently working with 9th grade

students who are failing 1 or more classes

● We will report the impact of that intervention

Thank you for your
support of the PHS
school counseling
program.