RD215 - Final Report on Project WORD (Winning Options in Responding to Discipline)


Executive Summary:
Norfolk Public Schools certainly appreciates the General Assembly and the Board of Education's support for Project WORD. The two-pronged initiative focused on increasing student attendance and improving academic performance while reducing the dropout rate and disciplinary incidents through the Truancy Assessment Center (TAC) and the RALLY Program. Some of the results are based on preliminary data, but the initial reports are very promising. We remain excited about the possibilities for continued success during the 2008-2009 school year.

Although Project WORD did not meet all the program objectives, it did post some significant achievements which in the future may be modeled throughout the state. High school and middle school attendance rates increased. Disciplinary incidents across the district decreased by 1,173. Middle school disciplinary incidents declined by 3,777 and elementary disciplinary incidents were reduced by 53.