Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching to Enhance

Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching to Enhance School Improvement UCLA

About this Resource This is part of a set of 3 power point sessions. There is also a related 7 session set online. For each session, there also a package of handouts (online in PDF) that cover the material. Many of these handouts provide additional details on a given topic.

Feel free to use the power point slides and the handouts as is or by adapting them to advance efforts to develop a comprehensive system of learning supports.

Outline for the Session III Next Steps A. Rework Infrastructure B. Assign Leadership and Developing a Learning Supports Resource Team C. Expand School Improvement Guidance and Planning to Focus on Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports D. Use of the Center’s Free Resources (e. g. , toolkit, distance coaching)

Rework Operational Infrastructure

Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports (an Enabling Component) involves reworking the organizational and operational infrastructure for >schools >feeder patterns >districts (and departments of education) >school-community collaboratives >state departments and USDOE In reworking infrastructure, it is essential to remember Structure Follows Function!

Key Mechanisms for a Component • Administrative Leader • Staff Lead for Component • Staff Workgroups

What the student support infrastructure look like at most schools Instructional Component Leadership for instruction (Various teams and Work groups focused on Improving instruction) School Improvement Team Management/Governance Component Management/ Governance/ Administrator (Various teams and Work groups focused on management & governance) moderate problems severe problems Case. Oriented Mechanisms

School Mechanisms for a Enabling or Learning Supports Component >Administrative Leader (e. g. , 50% FTE devoted to component) >Staff Lead for Component >Staff Workgroups A key infrastructure mechanism for ensuring continuous analysis, planning, development, evaluation and advocacy is a Learning Supports Resource Team

Example of an Integrated Infrastructure at the School Level Instructional Component Learning Supports or Enabling Component Leadership for instruction School Improvement Team Management/Governance Component Management/ Governance/ Administrator Leadership for Learning Supports Resource Team moderate problems severe problems Work Groups Resource. Oriented Mechanisms Case. Oriented Mechanisms

Leadership Beyond the School for Enhancing a System of Learning Supports For a family of schools (e. g. , feeder pattern) • 1 -2 representatives from each School-Based Resource Team • Facilitator for a Multi-site Resource Council At the district Level • 1 -2 representatives from each Complex Resource Council • High Level District Administrator • School Board Subcommittee Chair (Comparable leadership at county, state, and federal levels)

Enhancing a System of Learning Supports: Connecting Resources Across a Family of Schools, a District, and Community-Wide Learning Supports Resource Team High Schools Middle Schools Elementary Schools Learning Supports Resource Team Learning Supports Resource Team Learning Supports Resource Team Learning Supports Resource Council School District Resources, Management, & Governing Bodies Community Resources, Management, & Governing Bodies Learning Supports Resource Team

Assign Leadership and Develop a Learning Supports Resource Team

Who’s at a School? Often, schools have not generated a “map” of the staff who are trying to address barriers to learning and teaching. (1) Adapt the following list to fit a specific school and then fill in names, what they do, and when. (2) Share the final version with teachers, parents, and other concerned stakeholders. The staff listed are all potentially invaluable members of a school’s Learning Supports Resource Team

Learning Supports Staff at a School* >Administrative Leader for Learning Supports >Title I and Bilingual Coordinators >School Psychologist >Resource and Special Education Teachers >School Nurse Other important resources: >Pupil Services & Attendance Counselor >School-based Crisis Team Members >Social Worker >School Improvement Program Planners >Counselors >Dropout Prevention Program Coordinator >Community Resources *Such a list should include a brief description of programs and services and times available

A Learning Support Resource Team Schools say: “We already have a team” But is it Resource-oriented? What you probably have is a Case-Oriented Team What you also need is a a Resource-Oriented Team (Focused on specific individuals and discrete services) (Focused on all students and the resources, programs, and systems to address barriers to learning & promote healthy development)

A Case-oriented Team Sometimes called: A Resource-oriented Team Possibly called: >Child/Student Study Team >Resource Coordinating Team >Student Success Team >Resource Coordinating Council >Student Assistance Team >School Support Resource Team >Teacher Assistance Team >Learning Support Resource Team >IEP Team

A Case-oriented Team EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONS >triage >referral >case monitoring/management >case progress review >case reassessment A Resource-oriented Team EXAMPLES OF FUNCTIONS >aggregating data across students & from teachers to analyze school needs >mapping resources >analyzing resources >enhancing resources >program and system planning/development >redeploying resources >coordinating-integrating resources >social "marketing"

Expand School Improvement Guidance & Planning: Be a Catalyst for Systemic Change All school improvement planning (e. g. , current Title I guidelines) provide ample opportunity to expand school improvement guidance and planning to develop a comprehensive system of learning supports

Taking Action The Center has developed and continues to develop and evolve resources to support action. See for example: Steps and Tools to Guide Planning and Implementation of a Comprehensive System to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/pdfdocs/stepsandtoolstoguideplanning. pdf

Rebuilding Student Supports into a Comprehensive System for Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/summit 2002/resourceaids. htm Sustaining and Scale-up: It's About Systemic Change http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/pdfdocs/Newsletter/Fall 04. pdf Also see complete List of Resources & Publications http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/selection. html

To Recap: • Operational infrastructure at all levels needs to be reworked to effectively plan, develop, and implement a comprehensive system of learning supports • Current guidelines provide ample opportunity to expand school improvement planning to focus on development of a comprehensive system of learning supports • Planning means little if there is no dedicated leadership and workgroup mechanisms to carry out the work on a regular basis

Study Question What changes in current operational infrastructure would enhance efforts to develop a comprehensive system of learning supports?

Activity Looking at the schools you know – What Does the Operational Infrastructure Look Like? In thinking about this, see the tool entitled: “Infrastructure: Is What We Have What We Need? ” Online at http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/summit 2002/tool%20 infrastructure. pdf

Some Relevant References & Resources >Frameworks for Systemic Transformation of Student and Learning Supports http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/pdfdocs/systemic/frameworksforsystemic transformation. pdf >Infrastructure for Learning Supports at District, Regional, and State Offices http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/pdfdocs/studentsupport/toolkit/aidk. pdf >Developing Resource-Oriented Mechanisms to Enhance Learning Supports http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/pdfdocs/contedu/developing_resource_ori ented-mechanisms. pdf >The School Leader's Guide to Student Learning Supports: New Directions for Addressing Barriers to Learning – http: //www. corwinpress. com/book. aspx? pid=11343

We can help. . . and we want to. . . and there are no fees! Access the Center website at http: //smhp. psych. ucla. edu/ Contact info: Linda Taylor – Ltaylor@ucla. edu Howard Adelman – adelman@psych. ucla. edu

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