1 Moving School Improvement Policy and Practice Forward: Context for Common Core Standards for a Unified, Comprehensive, & Systemic Learning Supports Component

Developing a System to Address Barriers & Re-engage Students Four Fundamental and Interrelated Concerns Framing Interventions to Address Policy Barriers to Learning and Teaching into Revision a Comprehensive System of Interventions Rethinking Developing SystemicOrganizational & Change Mechanisms for Operational Effective Implementation, Infrastructure Sustainability, & Replication to Scale Also, counter the overemphasis on extrinsic reinforcers by reintroducing a focus on intrinsic motivation.

3 Research has focused on all four concerns. For our purposes here we will just highlight: I. Why a Unified & Comprehensive System of Learning Supports is Imperative for School Improvement Policy and Student and Teacher Well-Being II. Frameworks and standards for a learning supports component

4 Some Major Concerns  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! I.Why is a system of learning supports imperative for school improvement policy?

UCLA 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.

6 The Challenge: Barriers to Learning/Development/Parenting/Teaching Range of Learners Motivationally ready and able Not very motivated/ lacking prerequisite skills/ different rates & styles/ minor vulnerabilities Avoidant/ very deficient in capabilities No barriers Barriers to Learning, Development, Parenting, Teaching Traditional Parenting & Teaching Desired Outcomes

7 For most youngsters, it’s more about  Environmental Conditions  Neighborhood  Family  School and Peers than about  Individual deficits And, of course, a holistic approach emphasizes >Protective Buffers (strengths, resiliency) >Promoting Full Development Stressing the Full Range of Barriers to Learning/Development/Parenting/Teaching

What has been the long-standing approach to student problems in districts and schools? 8

9 Current approach to addressing barriers at schools Talk about fragmented!!! Psychological Testing Violence & Crime Prevention Special Education After-School Programs HIV/Aids Prevention Pupil Services District Juvenile Court Services Community-Based Organizations Mental Health Services Social Services HIV/AIDS Services Child Protective Services Pregnancy Prevention Counseling Codes of Discipline Physical Education Health Education Clinic Health Services Nutrition Education School Lunch Program Drug Prevention Drug Services Smoking Cessation for Staff

10 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  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)

11 Why the Marginalization? A Policy Problem Direct Facilitation of Learning & Development Instructional / Developmental Component Management Component Governance and Resource Management Safe schools & Some 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.

II. Reframing School Improvement Policy Clearly, schools have some student and learning supports. What’s missing is a dedicated, unified, comprehensive, and systemic 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 12

UCLA Governance and Resource Management (Management Component) 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 Addressing Barriers to Learning/Teaching (Enabling or Learning Supports Component) Direct Facilitation of Learning (Instructional 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 >special education programs >mandates stemming from the No Child Left Behind Act & other federal programs

Toward a Unified & Comprehensive System of Learning Supports 14

15 A Unifying Concept for Working with Schools Range of Learners No barriers Barriers To Learning, Development, Teaching Instructional Component Classroom Teaching + Enrichment Activity Desired Outcomes (High Expectations & Accountability) (High Standards) Motivationally ready and able Not very motivated/ lacking prerequisite skills/ different rates & styles/ minor vulnerabilities Avoidant/ very deficient in capabilities Learning Supports Component (1)Addressing Interfering Factors (2) Re-engaging Students in Classroom Instruction

A Comprehensive Intervention Framework for Learning Supports consists of a full continuum of interventions & An Organized Set of Content Arenas 16

17 Levels of Intervention Continuum: Interconnected Subsystems for Meeting the Needs of All Students 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) School Resources (facilities, stakeholders, programs, services) Community Resources (facilities, stakeholders, programs, services) See examples

18 Categories of Basic Content Arenas for Student/Learning Supports Intervention Classroom-Based Approaches to Enable Learning Crisis Assistance & Prevention Support for Transitions Home Involvement / Engagement in Schooling Student & Family Assistance Community Support Infrastructure Leadership resource- oriented mechanisms See Examples & Surveys

19 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 Content Arenas Classroom- Focused Enabling Crisis Assistance & Prevention Support for Transitions Home Engagement in Schooling Community Support Student & Family Assistance Activity: Mapping & Analyzing Learning Supports

20 Common Core 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.

21 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 1. Framing and Delineating Intervention Functions Standard 1. Establishment of an overall unifying intervention framework for a comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive component for addressing barriers to learning and teaching and re-engaging disconnected students.

22 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 1. 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)

23 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 1. 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

24 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 1. 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 AND TRAUMA (including creating a caring and safe learning environment and countering the impact of out-of-school traumatic events) >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 from a wide range of entities, including enhanced use of volunteers and agency collaborations)

25 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 1. Framing and Delineating Intervention Functions Standard 1 addendum: Specific standards for the content arenas of a learning supports component >Standard 1f. Continuous enhancement of programs and systems to facilitate student and family access to effective services and SPECIAL ASSISTANCE on campus and in the community as needed.

26 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 2. Standard 2. Establishment of an integrated operational infrastructure for the ongoing planning and development of the learning supports component. Reworking Operational Infrastructure Area 3: Enhancing Resource Use Standard 3. Appropriate resource use and allocation for developing, maintaining, and evolving the component.

27 Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component Area 4: Continuous Capacity Building Standard 4. Capacity building for developing, maintaining, and evolving the component. Area 5: Continuous Evaluation And Appropriate Accountability Standard 5. Formative and summative evaluation and accountability are fully integrated into all planning and implementation of the component. A document outlining the rationale and providing the complete set of updated standards and related quality indicators is online at:

28 “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

29 UCLA Web site  The Center at UCLA has extensive resources which are free and readily accessible online. These include:  Resources to help meet daily needs related to student learning, behavior, and emotional concerns  Policy and practice analyses to help rethink current student and learning supports  A toolkit to help design and implement a unified & comprehensive learning supports system, and more...

30 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: *More extensive powerpoint presentations are available at A one hour webinar is online at lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=TC&rID= &rKey=09f14db0881f5159&act=pb