Transcript Moving School Improvement Policy and Practice Forward: Common

Moving School Improvement
Policy and Practice Forward:
Standards for a
Unified & Comprehensive System
of Learning Supports
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Implementing a set of curriculum standards is one thing . . .
Making such standards effective for All Students
is quite another matter!
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As standards for curriculum increasingly dominate the attention
of educators, greater concern for ensuring equity of opportunity
for all students has arisen.
Unless standards for curriculum are balanced by adoption of
formal standards for learning supports, it is likely that the gap
between educational haves and have-nots will widen.
With this in mind, a set of learning supports standards has been
developed.
These standards provide an essential guide for school
improvement efforts to unify student and learning supports and
then develop a comprehensive system at every school for
addressing barriers to learning and teaching and re-engaging
disconnected students.
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Standards Guide Development of a
Unified System to Address Barriers & Re-engage Students
Four Fundamental and Interrelated Concerns
Policy
Revision
Framing Interventions to Address
Barriers to Learning and Teaching
into a Unified & Comprehensive
System of Interventions
Developing Systemic
Change Mechanisms for
Effective Implementation,
Sustainability, &
Replication to Scale
Rethinking
Organizational &
Operational
Infrastructure
Also, counter the overemphasis on extrinsic reinforcers by reintroducing
a focus on intrinsic motivation.
Our work has focused on all four concerns and they are reflected in
the set of learning supports standards that have been developed.
Today , as context for the learning supports standards,
we highlight:
I. Why a Unified & Comprehensive System of Learning Supports is
Imperative for School Improvement Policy and for
Student and Teacher Well-Being?
and
II. Prototype Frameworks for New Directions for Student and
Learning Supports
In this context, we will delineate
>an expanded school improvement policy framework
>how to reframe student and learning supports for schools
and then we will present the outline of the common core
standards for a learning supports component.
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I. Why is a system of learning supports imperative
for school improvement policy?
Some Major Concerns
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High student dropout rates
High teacher turnover
Continuing achievement gap
So many schools designated as low performing
High stakes testing is taking its toll
Plateau effect
Teachers shouldn’t be expected to do it alone!
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When it comes to policy, the Carnegie Task Force
on Education has stressed:
School systems are not responsible for meeting
every need of their students.
But . . .
when the need directly affects learning,
the school must meet the challenge.
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The Challenge:
Addressing Barriers to Learning/Development/Parenting/Teaching
Range of Learners
Motivationally
ready and able
No barriers
Not very
motivated/
lacking
prerequisite
skills/
different rates
& styles/
minor
vulnerabilities
Traditional
Parenting &
Teaching
Desired
Outcomes
Barriers
to
Learning,
Development,
Parenting,
Teaching
Avoidant/
very deficient
in capabilities
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Stressing the Full Range of Barriers to
Learning/Development/Parenting/Teaching
For most youngsters, it’s more about
 Environmental Conditions
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Neighborhood
Family
School and Peers
than about
 Individual deficits
And, of course, a holistic approach emphasizes
>Protective Buffers (strengths, resiliency)
>Promoting Full Development
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What has been the long-standing
approach to student problems in
districts and schools?
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Current approach to addressing barriers at schools
Psychological
Testing
Clinic
After-School
Programs
Pupil Services
Violence &
Crime
Prevention
Special Education
HIV/Aids
Prevention
Physical
Education
Health
Education
Juvenile Court
Services
Community-Based
Organizations
Mental Health
Services
HIV/AIDS
Services
District
Child
Protective
Services
Pregnancy
Prevention
Nutrition
Education
School Lunch Program
Drug Prevention
Counseling
Social
Services
Health Services
Codes of
Discipline
Drug Services
Smoking Cessation
for Staff
Talk about fragmented!!!
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What this means for systemic change:
Current situation is that the efforts to provide supports to address
barriers are Marginalized in policy and practice.
This leads to
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Fragmentation
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Poor cost-effectiveness (up to 25% of a school budget used in
too limited and often redundant ways)
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Counterproductive competition for sparse resources (among
school support staff and with community-based professionals
who link with schools)
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Why the Marginalization?
A Policy Problem
Direct Facilitation of
Learning & Development
Safe schools &
Some Student & Family Assistance
Instructional /
Developmental
Component
Management
Component
Besides offering a small amount
of school-owned student
"support” services, schools
outreach to the community to
add a few school-based / linked
services.
Governance and Resource Management
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II. Expanding School Improvement Policy &
Reframing Student and Learning Supports
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Clearly, there are some student and learning supports;
what’s missing is a dedicated, unified, and comprehensive
component directly focused on:
(1) addressing barriers to learning and teaching
AND
(2) re-engaging students who have become
disconnected from classroom instruction
and schools
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The need is to move from the prevailing two-component policy
framework to a three-component framework to
develop a unified and comprehensive system of supports
Direct Facilitation of Learning
(Instructional Component)
Addressing Barriers to Learning/Teaching
(Enabling or Learning Supports Component)
Examples of Initiatives, programs and services
at schools that belong under the umbrella
>positive behavioral supports
>programs for safe and drug free schools
>bi-lingual, cultural, and other diversity programs
>compensatory education programs
>family engagement programs
Governance and Resource Management
(Management Component)
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>special education programs
>mandates stemming from the No Child Left
Behind Act & other federal programs
Building a Learning Supports System
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Learning Supports are defined as the resources, strategies,
and practices that support physical, social, emotional and
intellectual development and well-being to enable all students
to have an equal opportunity for success at school.
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To enable effective use of learning supports, school and community
resources are unified in a learning supports component and fully
integrated with instructional efforts and interventions and
professional development.
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A learning supports component is deployed in classrooms and
school-wide to address barriers to learning and teaching and
re-engage disconnected students.
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Prototype for a Unified & Comprehensive
System of Interventions
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A Unifying Concept for Student & Learning Supports
Range of Learners
Motivationally
ready and able
Instructional
Component
No barriers
Not very
motivated/
lacking
prerequisite
skills/
different rates
& styles/
minor
vulnerabilities
Avoidant/
very deficient
in capabilities
Barriers
To
Learning,
Development,
Teaching
Enabling
Component
(1) Addressing
Interfering
Factors
Classroom
Teaching
+
Enrichment
Activity
Desired
Outcomes
(High Expectations
& Accountability)
(High Standards)
(2) Re-engaging
Students in
Classroom
Instruction
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A Comprehensive & Systemic
Learning Supports Component is
Standards-Based and Accountability-Driven
The intervention framework consists of
a full continuum of interventions
&
An Organized Set of Content Arenas
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Prototype for Clarifying Levels of Intervention Continuum:
Interconnected Subsystems for Meeting the Needs of All Students
One key Facet of a Learning Supports Component
School Resources
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
Community Resources
Systems for Promoting
Healthy Development &
Preventing Problems
primary prevention – includes
universal interventions
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
(low end need/low cost
per individual programs)
See examples
See examples
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Prototype for Clarifying Levels of Intervention Continuum:
Interconnected Subsystems for Meeting the Needs of All Students
One key Facet of a Learning Supports Component
School Resources
Community Resources
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
See examples
See examples
Systems of Early Intervention
early-after-onset – includes
selective & indicated interventions
(moderate need, moderate
cost per individual)
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Prototype for Clarifying Levels of Intervention Continuum:
Interconnected Subsystems for Meeting the Needs of All Students
One key Facet of a Learning Supports Component
School Resources
Community Resources
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
See examples
See examples
Systems of Care
treatment/indicated
interventions for severe and
chronic problems
(High end need/high cost
per individual programs)
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Levels of Intervention Continuum:
Interconnected Subsystems for
Meeting the Needs of All Students
School Resources
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
Community Resources
Systems for Promoting
Healthy Development &
Preventing Problems
primary prevention – includes
universal interventions
(facilities, stakeholders,
programs, services)
(low end need/low cost
per individual programs)
See examples
See examples
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)
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Classroom-Based
Approaches to
Enable Learning
Crisis
Assistance &
Prevention
Student &
Family
Assistance
Support
for
Transitions
Community
Support
Home Involvement /
Engagement in Schooling
See Examples & Surveys
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Classroom-Based
Approaches to
Enable Learning
See Examples & Surveys
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Support
for
Transitions
See Examples & Surveys
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Home Involvement /
Engagement in Schooling
See Examples & Surveys
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Community
Support
See Examples & Surveys
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Crisis
Assistance &
Prevention
See Examples & Surveys
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Prototype Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Student &
Family
Assistance
See Examples & Surveys
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Categories of Basic Content Arenas for
Student/Learning Supports Intervention
Classroom-Based
Approaches to
Enable Learning
Crisis
Assistance &
Prevention
Support
for
Transitions
Leadership
Infrastructure
For
Learning Supports
Student &
Family
Assistance
Community
Support
Home Involvement /
Engagement in Schooling
See Examples & Surveys
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Combined Continuum and Content Arenas
Provides the Framework for a Unified & Comprehensive System of Supports
Levels of Intervention
Systems for Promoting Systems for Early
Healthy Development & Intervention (Early
Preventing Problems
after problem onset)
Systems of
Care
ClassroomFocused
Enabling
Content
Arenas
Crisis
Assistance
&
Prevention
Support for
Transitions
Home
Engagement
in Schooling
Community
Support
Student &
Family
Assistance
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About Standards for a
Learning Supports Component
Based on innovative work across the country, our Center has facilitated development of
standards that expand school improvement policy and practice from a two to a
three-component approach and that can guide schools in developing a unified and
comprehensive system of learning supports.
Adopting a set of standards for learning supports represents a major way
to balance what is happening by systematically enhancing how schools
address barriers to learning and teaching.
The set provides:
(a) a tool for leaders and policy makers at every level to assess how
well schools are doing with respect to addressing factors interfering with
learning and teaching (including re-engaging disconnected students)
and
(b) a guide for developing a unified and comprehensive system of
learning supports.
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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
The following standards are formulated around five areas of
concern that confront schools developing a unified and
comprehensive system of learning supports:
(1) Framing and Delineating Intervention Functions,
(2) Reworking Operational Infrastructure,
(3) Enhancing Resource Use,
(4) Continuous Capacity Building, and
(5) Continuous Evaluation and Appropriate Accountability.
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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
Area -- Framing and Delineating Intervention Functions
Standard 1 addendum: Specific standards for the content arenas of
a learning supports component
>Standard 1a. Continuous enhancement of regular
classroom strategies to enable learning (e.g., personalizing
learning for students with mild-moderate learning and
behavior problems and to re-engage those who have become
disengaged from learning at school; providing special
individual learning accommodations and supports as
necessary)
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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
Area -- Framing and Delineating Intervention Functions
Standard 1 addendum: Specific standards for the content arenas of
a learning supports component
>Standard 1b. Continuous enhancement of programs and
systems for a full range of transition supports (e.g., assisting
students and families as they negotiate hurdles to
enrollment, school and grade changes, daily transitions,
program transitions, etc.)
>Standard 1c. Continuous enhancement of programs and
systems to increase and strengthen home and school
connections
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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
Area -- Framing and Delineating Intervention Functions
Standard 1 addendum: Specific standards for the content arenas of
a learning supports component
>Standard 1d. Continuous enhancement of programs and
systems for responding to, and where feasible, preventing
school and personal crises (including creating a caring and
safe learning environment)
>Standard 1e. Continuous enhancement of programs and
systems to increase and strengthen community involvement
and support (e.g., outreach to develop greater community
involvement and support, including enhanced use of volunteers)
>Standard 1f. Continuous enhancement of programs and
systems to facilitate student and family access to effective
services and special assistance as needed.
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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
Area -- Reworking Operational Infrastructure
Standard 2 : Establishment of an integrated operational
infrastructure for a comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive
component for addressing barriers to learning and teaching and
re-engaging disconnected students.
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What the student support infrastructure looks like
at most schools now
Instructional
Component
Leadership
for
instruction
(Various teams and
Work groups focused on
Improving instruction)
School
Improvement
Team
Management/Governance
Component
Management/
Governance
Leadership
(Various teams and
Work groups focused on
management & governance)
ModerateSevere problems
Disability
concerns
CaseOriented
Mechanisms
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What the standards for learning supports stress:
An Integrated Infrastructure at the School Level
(Should be paralleled at the District Level)
Instructional
Component
Learning Supports or
Enabling Component
Leadership
for
Instruction
School
Improvement
Team
Management/Governance
Component
Management/
Governance
Leadership
Leadership
for
Learning
Supports
Learning
Supports
Resource
Team
moderate
problems
severe
problems
Work Groups
ResourceOriented
Mechanisms
CaseOriented
Mechanisms
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About a Learning Supports Component
Leadership Team
What you probably have is
a Team Focused on
Specific Individuals &
Discrete Services
What you also need is a
Leadership Team to Develop
a Unified & Comprehensive
System of Learning Supports
Sometimes called:
Possibly called:

Child/Student Study Team

Learning Supports Resource Team

Student Success Team

Learning Supports Component
Leadership Team
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Student Assistance Team

Learning Supports Component
Development Team
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Teacher Assistance Team

IEP Team
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Team Focused on
Specific Individuals &
Discrete Services
Core Team for Developing a Unified
& Comprehensive System of
Learning Supports
EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONS
triage
 referral
 case monitoring/management
 case progress review
 case reassessment

aggregating data across students and
from teachers to analyze school
needs
 mapping resources
 analyzing resources
 enhancing resources
 program and system
planning/development
 redeploying resources
 coordinating-integrating resources
 social "marketing"

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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
Area -- Enhancing Resource Use
Standard 3 : Appropriate resource use and allocation for
developing, maintaining, and evolving the component.
Area -- Continuous Capacity Building
Standard 4 : Capacity building for developing, maintaining,
and evolving the component.
Area -- Continuous Evaluation and Appropriate Accountability.
Standard 5 : Formative and summative evaluation and
accountability are fully integrated into all planning and
implementation of the component.
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Standards for a Learning Supports Component
For details, see:
>General Information -- http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/comcorannounce.pdf
>the full document – http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/commcore.pdf
Also see Blogs at:
>Huffington Post -- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elaine-weiss/commoncore_b_2427484.html
>Hunt Institute -- http://www.huntintersection.com/2012/09/26/common-core-standardsfor-learning-supports-looking-for-feedback-from-all-concerned-about-equity-ofopportunity/
>Education Week -- http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-indialogue/2012/08/learning_supports_the_missing_.html
>Another on ASCD -- http://www.wholechildeducation.org/blog/whole-child-and-allchildren-expanding-the-common-core-standards-movement
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How do we get from here to there?
Systemic Change!
Is this your systemic change process?
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What are the phases for developing the system?
Creating Readiness & Commitment
•
Starting Up & Phasing In
•
Institutionalizing
•
•
Creatively Renewing
Strategically plan each phase with
scale-up & replication in mind!
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At this point, I hope you are ready
to unify the learning supports system.
Well, it makes sense, BUT
my job is bullying prevention!
Well, it sounds good, BUT
my grant is for dropout prevention!
It seems like it should be done, BUT
I’m responsible for Title I …
Readiness involves more than presenting new ideas;
it involves escaping old ones!
“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
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UCLA Web site

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The Center at UCLA has extensive resources which
are free and readily accessible online. These include:
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Resources to help meet daily needs related to student
learning, behavior, and emotional concerns
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Policy and practice analyses to help rethink current student
and learning supports
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A toolkit to help design and implement a unified &
comprehensive learning supports system, and more . . .
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/
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Online Technical Assistance

The Center at UCLA provides regular responses to all relevant
technical assistance inquiries.

This powerpoint presentation is available to you on request.*

Contact: [email protected]
*More extensive powerpoint presentations are available at
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/materials/trainingpresentation.htm#slide
A one hour webinar is online at https://scholastic.webex.com/scholastic/
lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=TC&rID=48915112&rKey=09f14db0881f5159&act=pb
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