Transforming High Schools through the Report Card Program

 

  • In communities all across the country, teen dating violence has escalated to epidemic proportions as studies conclude that 1 in 5 high school students will be a victim of teen dating violence and abuse.
  • Sadly, because this issue thrives in silence it has promulgated a firmly and widely held NIMBY myth (Not In My Backyard) that prevents many schools from adopting the types of policies and proven programs that can effectively educate, intervene and prevent these issues from continuing. (These issues are under-reported anywhere from 65-95% according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice).
  • Ironically, according to a number of studies, by more effectively addressing teen dating violence, high schools would be also addressing one of the leading causal factors for a number of the other important health and wellness issues facing teenagers today.

(Source: Jay Silverman PhD Harvard University)

  • At the ROSE Fund we empathize with high school principals and educators based on the many challenges they're faced with in educating students today. In addition to meeting the rising academic standards today's high school educators are tasked with educating their students on a wide range of important health and wellness issues (i.e. bullying, substance abuse, body image issues, eating disorders, anxiety/depression, suicide, sexuality etc.).
  • Striking the right balance between all of these competing interests with the limited time and resources they have is a difficult task. A task that is only made more difficult when they are often relying on anecdotal evidence to determine which issues receive what degree of attention, and the latest headlines can often change the priorities of the day in the eyes of the PTO, local government and state legislators. (i.e. the bullying issue in So. Hadley Ma. after the suicide of Phoebe Prince).
  • The ROSE Report Card program plays an important role in helping educators strike the right balance between these issues.
  • To us it's all about the data. We have a very quick and efficient method to gather the local data that can fully inform the Principal about the prevalence and severity of the teen dating abuse issue within their own high school. We believe that by using this local data the high school administration can best determine the appropriate level of attention to provide this issue.
  • Depending on the data and our findings we also provide the school with a set of simple, practical and actionable recommendations around how to improve their approach in addressing this issue.
    We also provide a comprehensive 'starter kit' that serves as an invaluable resource and helpful guide that enables them to more fully understand all of the various resources, sample policies and proven programs (i.e. training and awareness) that are available to them to improve their effectiveness.

TO LEARN MORE, DOWNLOAD A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE ROSE REPORT CARD PROGRAM

 

The ROSE Report Card Program-for High Schools

Objectives

  • To explode the NIMBY Myths (Not In My Backyard) associated with these issues of dating violence and fully expose the prevalence and severity of teen dating violence and abuse (TDVA) within local high schools and communities across New England
  • To significantly decrease, as a result of abusive relationships, the number of and teen aged students who are mentally abused, hit, kicked, punched, severely injured, hospitalized, raped, living in fear, suffering from depression, committing suicide and being murdered each year by those they know .
  • To inoculate the next generation with the basic knowledge around how to identify the early signs of an unhealthy relationship (i.e. how to perform self-exams on their dating relationships), in order to prevent them from ever having to suffer the consequences of an abusive relationship that has either life-altering and/or lethal consequences.
  • To determine, document and distribute, in an evidence-based approach, the most efficacious TDVA education and prevention programs .
    • Essentially, through this primary research, to conclude the most efficient and effective combination of programs and approaches most capable of drastically reducing the prevalence and severity of the TDVA issue.
  • To wake local communities up to these issues and energize small groups of committed citizens to rapidly drive profound change at the high school, college and community level, dramatically increasing the levels of awareness, and the adoption of effective TDVA intervention and prevention programs.

Approach

  • To fully expose this issue by localizing it.
  • To more fully measure and assess the issues on a local basis and use irrefutable local data to better characterize and quantify the adverse effects of teen dating violence and abuse within the local high school.
  • To use the local data as a compelling catalyst to drive change, and the adoption and implementation of best-practices, proven policies, and effective prevention programs on a school by school, community by community basis.

Guiding Principal

  • To ensure that our approach is efficient and that our recommendations are simple, practical, actionable and highly effective

The Report Card Product

  • An on-line survey for the students comprised of 25 questions
  • The responses are all anonymous
  • The survey questions are centered around their observations and experience in witnessing:data
    • Controlling behavior
    • Physical and Psychological Abuse
    • The Impact of these behaviors on their target (i.e. changes in personality, isolation, depression, performance in school and substance abuse)
    • Their perspective on the prevalence and the severity of the teen dating violence issue
    • Their perspective on the school’s current policies, programs and approach in addressing it
  • An evaluation of the school’s current policies, processes and programs (i.e. Awareness and Training Programs) against best-practices
  • Depending on our findings, a detailed set of recommendations and a roadmap
  • A Starter Kit-A practical and actionable guide book comprised of a comprehensive executive style summary of the effective approaches, resources, policies and programs