Rethinking School Safety: Schools and Communities Working Together Briefing, Rayburn House Office Building December 11, 2013 David Osher, Ph.D.

Key Components of Safe & Successful Schools  Academic Focus  Support For Students And Faculty To Meet High Academic And Behavioral Standards  Strong Conditions For Learning And Teaching  Sense Of Efficacy & Accountability For All Students  Effective Collaboration & Coordination Between And Among All Stakeholders  Continuous Quality Improvement (A “Problem Solving Approach”)  3-level Approach To Promotion, Prevention And Intervention

Schools as Risk & Protective Factors in the Lives of Students

School as a Risk Factor  Alienation  Academic Frustration  Chaotic Transitions  Negative Relationships With Adults And Peers  Teasing, Bullying, Gangs  Poor Adult Role Modeling  Segregation With Antisocial Peers  School-driven Mobility &  Harsh Discipline, Suspension, Expulsion, Push Out/Drop Out

School as a Protective Factor and as a Resilient Context  Connection  Academic Success  Supported Transitions  Positive Relationships With Adults And Peers  Caring Interactions  Social Emotional Learning  Positive Interactions With Pro- social (Not, Anti-social) Peers  Stability  Positive Approaches To Disciplinary Infractions &  Services And Supports

Social Emotional Conditions for Learning Students are supported Meaningful connection to adults Strong bonds to school Positive peer relationships Effective and available support Students are supported Meaningful connection to adults Strong bonds to school Positive peer relationships Effective and available support Students are socially capable Emotionally intelligent and culturally competent Responsible and persistent Cooperative team players Contribute to school and community Students are socially capable Emotionally intelligent and culturally competent Responsible and persistent Cooperative team players Contribute to school and community Students are safe Physically safe Emotionally and socially safe Treated fairly and equitably Avoid risky behaviors School is safe and orderly Students are safe Physically safe Emotionally and socially safe Treated fairly and equitably Avoid risky behaviors School is safe and orderly Students are challenged High expectations Strong personal motivation School is connected to life goals Rigorous academic opportunities Students are challenged High expectations Strong personal motivation School is connected to life goals Rigorous academic opportunities

 Connection  Attachment  Trust  Care  Respect  Inclusion  Connection  Attachment  Trust  Care  Respect  Inclusion Social Emotional Learning & Support Social Emotional Learning & Support Positive Behavioral Approaches & Learning Supports Positive Behavioral Approaches & Learning Supports Academic Support  Effective Pedagogy  Engagement  Motivation Academic Support  Effective Pedagogy  Engagement  Motivation Supporting Conditions for Learning 7

Community School Family Teachers Friends Classroom Student Where to Intervene?

How to Intervene Provide Individualized Intensive Supports Provide coordinated, intensive, sustained, culturally competent, individualized, child- and family- driven and focused services and supports that address needs while building assets. Intervene Early & Provide Focused Youth Development Activities Implement strategies and provide supports that address risk factors and build protective factors for students at risk for severe academic or behavioral difficulties. Build a Schoolwide Foundation Universal prevention and youth development approaches, caring school climate, positive and proactive approach to discipline, personalized instruction, cultural competence, and strong family involvement.

Example of on District Cleveland  Response to a shooting: “Human Ware” not just Hardware – “safe from the inside out” (Nelba Marquez Greene) – Audit to Drive Systemic Change – Use of Conditions for Learning Survey for Planning, monitoring, and accountability – Universal Social Emotional Learning, K-5 – “to teach resilience” (Nelba Marquez Greene) – Replace In School Suspension with Planning Centers that focus on academic and social emotional learning – Train Security Staff – Student Support Teams – Coordinate District and School Mental Health Supports

Changes in Cleveland’s Attendance & Behavior: 2008–09 to 2010–11  Attendance rate districtwide  1.5 percentage points  Suspendable behavioral incidents per school  from 233 to 132 – Disobedient/disruptive behavior (  132 to 74) – Fighting/violence (  55 to 36) – Harassment/intimidation (  13 to 6) – Serious bodily injury (  13 to 6)  Out-of-school suspensions  59%

Changes in Cleveland’s Conditions for Learning: 2008–09 to 2010–11 Overall improvement across the district Schools improving or declining by at least 5 percentage points  Academic Challenge: 26%  vs. 15%   Peer Social-Emotional Climate: 33%  vs. 28%   Safe and Respectful Climate: 44%  vs. 23%   Student Support: 59%  vs. 9% 

Relationships between Conditions for Learning & Ohio Performance Index, Cleveland Elementary Schools 45% of the variability in the Performance Index Attendance increases prediction to more than 50%. Middle Schools 60% of the variability in the Performance Index. Attendance increases prediction to 67% High Schools 65% of the variability in the Performance Index. Attendance increases prediction to more than 70%.

Where to Look  Safe Schools/ Healthy Students Grants (Ed/HHS/DOJ) – E.g., Austin  Safe and Supportive Schools Grantees (Ed) – E.g., Maryland  Private and District Initiatives – E.g., Collaborating Districts Initiative (NOVO Foundation)  E.g.., Oakland