Title: Strengthening School Improvement: Developing a Unified
1Strengthening School Improvement Developing a
Unified Comprehensive System of Learning
Supports to Address Barriers to Learning and
Teaching
2- Many schools are struggling to address
- barriers to learning and teaching and
- re-engage disconnected students.
- Resources currently exist within school
- districts to address barriers to learning and
- teaching, but they are most often oriented
- to discrete problems and specialized
- services for a small number of students.
3- Providing an equal opportunity for all students
to succeed at school and life requires a broader
approach -- - one that incorporates a comprehensive and
cohesive system of student and learning supports
into school improvement plans.
4- The American Association of School Administrators
(AASA), Scholastic, and the UCLA Center for
Mental Health in Schools have formed a unique
public/private collaboration aimed at expanding
leaders' knowledge, capacity, and implementation
of a comprehensive system of learning supports. - This effort supports AASA's flagship initiative,
Educating the Total Child, which is aimed at
advocating for an education approach designed to
effect real change by addressing key factors that
determine children's academic achievement.
5 About todays presentation by
Howard Adelman and Linda TaylorgtWhy do schools
need a comprehensive system of learning
supports?gtWhat is a comprehensive system of
learning supports? gtWhat are the implications
for school improvement?gtA note about
emphasizing intrinsic motivation in efforts to
engage and re-engage students in classroom
instruction Opportunities for Moving
Forward
6-
-
- We just missed the school bus.
- \ Dont worry. I heard the
principal say - \ no child will be left behind.
- /
7- Why is a system of learning supports imperative
for school success? - Redressing Key Problems
- Confronting Schools
- High student dropout rates
- High teacher dropout rates
- Continuing achievement gap
- So many schools designated as low performing
- Plateau effect
- Addressing barriers to learning teaching
- and re-engaging disconnected students
8How is the district/school addressing barriers to
learning?
Psychological Testing
Clinic
After-School Programs
HIV/Aids Prevention
Pupil Services
Health Services
Violence Crime Prevention
Physical Education
Special Education
Health Education
Nutrition Education
Juvenile Court Services
District
School Lunch Program
Community-Based Organizations
Drug Prevention
Counseling
Mental Health Services
Drug Services
Social Services
Pregnancy Prevention
Codes of Discipline
Smoking Cessation For Staff
HIV/AIDS Services
Child Protective Services
9What does this mean for the district and its
schools?
- Current Situation at All Levels in the
Educational System with Respect to
Student/Learning Supports - Marginalization
- Fragmentation
- Poor Cost-Effectiveness (up to 25 of a school
budget used in too limited and often redundant
ways) - Counterproductive Competition for Sparse
Resources (among school support staff and with
community-based professionals who link with
schools)
10Barriers to Learning and School Improvement
Range of Learners
Instructional Component Classroom Teaching Enri
chment Activity
I Motivationally ready and able Not
very motivated/ lacking prerequisite II
skills/ different rates styles/ minor vulner
abilities III Avoidant/ very deficient in
capabilities
No barriers
Desired Outcomes (High Expectations
Accountability)
(High Standards)
11Barriers to Learning and School Improvement
Range of Learners
Instructional Component Classroom Teaching Enri
chment Activity
I Motivationally ready and able Not
very motivated/ lacking prerequisite II
skills/ different rates styles/ minor vulner
abilities III Avoidant/ very deficient in
capabilities
No barriers
Desired Outcomes (High Expectations
Accountability)
Barriers To Learning, Development, Teaching
(High Standards)
12- Categories of
- Risk-Producing Conditions
- that Can be Barriers to Learning
- gtEnvironmental Conditions
- -neighborhood
- -Family
- -School and Peers
- gtIndividual
13-
-
- School Improvement Planning
- Whats Missing?
-
14School Improvement Whats Missing?
ASK HOW DOES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING
ADDRESS BARRIERS TO LEARNING TEACHNG?
Direct Facilitation of
Learning Development
Student Family Assistance
Besides offering a small amount of school-owned
student "support services, schools outreach to
the community to add a few school-based/linked
services.
Instructional/ Developmental Component
Management Component
Governance and Resource Management
15Moving from a Two- to a Three-component
Framework for School Improvement
Moving toward a Comprehensive System of Learning
Supports
Direct Facilitation of Learning Development
Addressing Barriers to Learning
Learning Supports Component
Instructional/ Developmental Component
Management Component
Governance and Resource Management
16School Improvement PlanningFilling the Gap
- A Comprehensive Focus on
- Addressing Barriers to Learning Teaching
- Re-engaging Disengaged Students in Classroom
Learning
17An Enabling or Learning Supports Component to
Address Barriers and Re-engage Students in
Classroom Instruction
Range of Learners
Instructional Component Classroom Teaching Enri
chment Activity
I Motivationally ready and able Not
very motivated/ lacking prerequisite II
skills/ different rates styles/ minor vulner
abilities III Avoidant/ very deficient in
capabilities
No barriers
Desired Outcomes (High Expectations
Accountability)
- Enabling
- Component
- Addressing
- Interfering
- Factors
- (2) Re-engaging
- Students in
- Classroom
- Instruction
Barriers To Learning, Development, Teaching
(High Standards)
18- About the key facets of
- the component . . .
19Intervention Continuum Content
20Continuum -- Interconnected Systems for
Meeting the Needs of All Students One key Facet
of a Learning Supports Component
School Resources (facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
Community Resources (facilities,
stakeholders, programs, services)
Systems for Promoting Healthy Development
Preventing Problems primary prevention
includes universal interventions (low end
need/low cost per individual programs)
Systems of Early Intervention early-after-onset
includes selective indicated
interventions (moderate need, moderate cost per
individual)
Systems of Care treatment/indicated
interventions for severe and chronic
problems (High end need/high cost per individual
programs)
21Categories of Basic Content Arenas for Learning
Supports Intervention
Classroom-Based Approaches to Enable Learning
Crisis/ Assistance Prevention
Student Family Intervention
Infrastructure gtleadership gtresource-
oriented mechanisms
Support for Transitions
Community Support
Family Engagement in Schooling
22- Combined Continuum and Content Arenas
- Levels of Intervention
Systems for Promoting Healthy
Development
Preventing Problems
Systems for Early Intervention (Early after
problem onset
Systems of Care
Classroom-Focused Enabling
Crisis Assistance Prevention
Support for transitions
Content Arenas
Home Engagement in Schooling
Community Support
Student Family Intervention
23What the student support infrastructure looks
like at most schools
Instructional Component
Leadership for
instruction
School Improvement Team
(Various teams and Work groups focused
on Improving instruction)
moderate problems
Management/Governance
Component
severe problems
Management/ Governance/ Administrator
Case- Oriented Mechanisms
(Various teams and Work groups focused
on management governance)
24Assign Leadership and Develop a Learning Supports
Resource Team
25Learning Supports Staff at a School
gtAdministrative Leader for Learning
Supports gtSchool Psychologist gtSchool
Nurse gtPupil Services Attendance Counselor
gtSocial Worker gtCounselors gtDropout
Prevention Program Coordinator
gtTitle I and Bilingual Coordinators gtResource
and Special Education Teachers Other
important resources gtSchool-based Crisis
Team Members gtSchool Improvement Program
Planners gtCommunity Resources
Such a list should include a brief description
of programs and services and times available
26A Learning Support Resource Team Schools say
We already have a team But is it
Resource-oriented?
What you also need is a a
Resource-Oriented Team (Focused
on all students and the resources, programs, and
systems to address barriers to learning promote
healthy development)
What you probably have is a
Case-Oriented Team (Focused on
specific individuals and discrete
services)
27A Resource-oriented Team
A Case-oriented Team
Possibly called gtResource
Coordinating Team gtResource Coordinating
Council gtSchool Support Resource Team gtLearning
Support Resource Team
Sometimes called gtChild/Student Study
Team gtStudent Success Team gtStudent Assistance
Team gtTeacher Assistance Team gtIEP Team
28A Resource-oriented Team
A Case-oriented Team
EXAMPLES OF
FUNCTIONS gtaggregating data across students
from teachers to analyze school
needs gtmapping resources gtanalyzing resources
gtenhancing resources gtprogram and system
planning/development gtredeploying resources
gtcoordinating-integrating resources gtsocial
"marketing"
EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONS gttriage gtre
ferral gtcase monitoring/management gtcase progress
review gtcase reassessment
29Example of an Integrated Infrastructure at the
School Level
Instructional Component
Learning Supports or Enabling Component
Leadership for Learning Supports
Leadership for instruction
School Improvement Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
moderate problems
Management/Governance
Component
Management/ Governance Administrator
severe problems
Work Groups
Case- Oriented Mechanisms
Resource- Oriented Mechanisms
30- Enhancing a System of Learning Supports
- Connecting Resources Across a Family of Schools,
- a District, and Community-Wide
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
High Schools
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Middle Schools
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Elementary Schools
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Team
Learning Supports Resource Council
Learning Supports Resource Council
School District Resources, Management,
Governing Bodies
Community Resources, Management, Governing
Bodies
31Prototype for an Integrated Infrastructure at the
District Level with Mechanisms for Learning
Supports That Are Comparable to Those for
Instruction
Board of Education
Superintendent
Subcommittees
Superintendents Cabinet
Leader for Learning Supports Component (e.g.,
assoc.sup.)
Leader for Instructional Component (e.g.,
assoc.sup.)
Schools Improving Planning Team
Learning supports Cabinet (e.g., component leader
and leads for all six content arenas)
Instructional Component Cabinet (e.g., component
leader and leads for all content areas
Leader for Management Governance Component (e.g.,
Assoc. Sup.)
Leads for Content Arenas Content Arena Work
Groups
Leads for Content Arenas2 Content Arena Work
Groups
Leads, Teams, and Work Groups Focused on
Governance/Management
32Summing up . . . Toward a Comprehensive,
Multifaceted, Cohesive Approach for Addressing
Barriers to Learning It requires working to
restructure, transform, enhance, and connect
school-owned programs
and services and community resources
33In doing so, the emphasis needs to be on
all relevant school resources (e.g.,
compensatory education, special education,
general funds, community resources)
all relevant community resources (e.g.,
public and private agencies, families,
businesses services, programs, facilities,
volunteers, professionals-in-training)
34 weaving resources together in ways
that evolve a comprehensive, integrated
approach that can enhance effectiveness in
addressing barriers to learning at a school
enhancing the role schools play in
strengthening students, families, schools,
neighborhoods
35- Finally, a note about emphasizing
- intrinsic motivation in efforts to
- engage and re-engage students
- in classroom instruction
36 What the best and wisest parent wants for his
or her own child, that must the community want
for all of its children. Any other ideal for our
schools is narrow and unlovely acted upon, it
destroys our democracy. John Dewey
37 Opportunities for Moving Ahead