How can we improve the passing rate of freshman their first semester on campus?

Action Planning Template
Goal: The goal of the researcher is to identify strategies that lead to a reduction of the failure rate in core classes and foreign language for ninth grade students.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Create a tutoring program designed for ninth graders to address their academic needs	Administrators, 9th grade Teachers, Counselors	March 2012-December 2012	Survey questions for students Develop consent forms for students Access to the 2011 first semester grades of 9th graders to determine those students who have failed core content classes   Classroom space and tutors for before and after-school tutoring Teacher professional development	Use data-collection methods of survey determine which strategies were the most helpful to the 9th graders who became successful Monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives: Use Failure reports report cards, and progress reports to monitor the student’s progress.
Develop a transition program for incoming ninth graders. Intended to implement strategies to help make them successful in core classes.	Administrators, 9th grade Teachers, Counselors	August  2012-December 2012	Survey questions for students Develop consent forms for students Access to the 2011 first semester grades of 9th graders to determine those students who have failed core content classes   Classroom space and tutors for before and after-school tutoring Teacher professional development	Use data-collection methods of survey determine which strategies were the most helpful to the 9th graders who became successful Monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives: Use Failure reports report cards, and progress reports to monitor the student’s progress.

This week in class we were to think about possible action research projects.  I am thinking about trying to do an action research project on the high failure rate first semester of freshmen.  I think this would benefit kids, parents and the school as well. 

Action research is an inquiry into a problem done by the people who work everyday with this problem.  It is not research done by an outside firm, or some outside group with no background knowledge on education.  This elimanates the unrealistic ideas and solutions that outside groups or parties might come up with.  Action research is led by a campus principal, this campus principal knows what issues they are having and knows specifically what the problems are.  This allows the proincipal to focus directly on issues that ocur on campus.  Also it allows the principal to have control over what is being researched, and also allows them to see first hand what options are available to the campus.  This does not put the power in the hands of some specialist that does not know the school, or the educational profession.  I would use action research as a major tool to help diagnos problems on my campus, and also place the responsibility on me, as to whether or not I come up with a solution to the schools problems.  This places more responsibility on the campus principal to know what the problems on campus are, and consequently, how are they going to be fixed.  This takes away any excuse a principal could have, cant blame it on outside firm, or the people in central office.  This allows a campus principal to take ownership of their campus.  The campus principal should know what issues their school is having, this allows them to focus on their schools problems, nothing else. 

I think educational leaders can use a blog as a way to put out and recieve information/feedback.  This is a great, simple way to open up the lines of communication between educators and the community.  Communication is very important in any profession, so any tool that can increase the amout of information being sent and recieved is a good idea.