Kingwood High School is a class 5A high school located in Kingwood, Texas, a suburb northeast of Houston.  Kingwood High School has 2,644 students enrolled in grades nine through twelve. 

Kingwood High School, like other schools, tracks their students’ grades throughout the year.  Administration and teachers have noticed there has been a greater percentage of freshman failures over the past couple of years.  After reviewing the data showing the number of freshman failures, we formed a Freshman Transition Team.  We were wondering why the percentage of freshman failures was higher than that of the sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  To develop a deeper understanding of this issue, The Freshman Transition team analyzed data showing the percentage of freshman failures per subject area for the 2012-2013 and 2011-2012 years, interviewed a member of the academic learning team, and interviewed the principal of one of the middle schools that feeds into our high school.  After further analyzing the data, self-reflection, and discussion, we began to wonder if freshman have the study and organizational skills necessary to be successful in high school.

We wish for all of our students to be successful in high school, as well as post graduation.  It is important that our students possess the skills necessary to be a contributing member of society.  Therefore, Kingwood High School is going to pilot one section of a College Readiness and Study Skills course for freshman in the spring of 2013.  The criteria involved in selecting the students to populate the class are currently being discussed.  Due to recent budgetary cuts to our school district by Texas State Representatives, we are able to populate only one section of College Readiness and Study Skills.  Our goal in implementing this class is to increase the success of freshman in high school by equipping them with the proper study and organizational skills.  At the end of the spring 2013 semester, all students receiving a passing grade in College Readiness and Study Skills will receive a one-half credit towards graduation.

One of our Freshman Transition Team members, Marilyn Scalia, will teach the class, College Readiness and Study Skills.  The students taking the course will “acquire techniques for learning from texts, including studying word meanings, identifying and relating key ideas, drawing and supporting inferences, and reviewing study strategies.”  (19 TAC Chapter 110, Subchapter C, 110.48 a1)  The students’ organizational skills will also be strengthened.  The Freshman Transition Team will monitor the students’ progress through next semester.  At the end of the 2012-2013 school year, the students’ first semester averages will be compared to their second semester averages.  If substantial improvement is noted, the College Readiness and Study Skills course will be offered to incoming freshman in the fall of 2013.

Since the research will not be completed until the end of the 2013 spring semester, I cannot describe what will be learned from the research, support this information with the data collected during the research, nor include concluding thoughts and recommendations.