california department of education - ucla school mental health project
TRANSCRIPT
California Department of Education
Learning Support and Partnership Division
In the 1990s the California Department of Education pioneered a move toward creating anumbrella for the ldquocollection of school home and community resources strategies andpractices and environmental and cultural factors that gives every young person the physicalemotional and intellectual support heshe needs to learnrdquo To accomplish this they establisheda Learning Support and Partnership Division within their Child Youth and Family ServicesBranch Currently the division is housed within the Curriculum amp Instruction Branch
The Department defined learning support as ldquothe collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and cultural factors extending beyondthe regular classroom curriculum that together provide the physical emotional and intellectualsupport that every child and youth needs to achieve high quality learningrdquo Currently learningsupport at the state department encompasses a focus on
C A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and culture C Positive childyouth development C Effective family school community partnerships C Personalized assistance to students C Equitable access to learning support programs and services
In establishing this division the Department stated that ldquothere is a growing consensus amongresearchers policymakers and practitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by familiesschools and communities are essential to students success Tragically an increasingnumber of American children live in communities where caring relationships supportresources and a profamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learners Especially in thesecommunities a renewed partnership of schools families and community members must becreated to design and carry out system improvements to provide the learning support requiredby each student in order to succeedrdquo
Organization
State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Director ofEducation
Jack OConnell
Chief Deputy Superintendent Gavin Payne
Office of the State Superintendent(916) 319-0800
Executive Offices
Communications Office(916) 319-0818
Rick MillerDirector
Government Affairs Office(916) 319-0821B Teri Burns
Deputy Superintendent
Legal amp Audits(916) 319-0860
Marsha A BedwellGeneral Counsel
Waiver Office(916) 319-0824
Judy PinegarEducation Administrator I
Branch Offices
Assessment amp Accountability Branch
(916) 319-0812Geno Flores
Deputy Superintendent
Curriculum amp Instruction Branch
(916) 319-0806Sue Stickel
Deputy Superintendent
Finance Technology ampAdministration Branch
(916) 319-0815Susan Lange
Deputy Superintendent
School amp District Operations Branch
(916) 319-0797William J Ellerbee Jr Deputy Superintendent
Divisions Divisions Divisions Divisions
Data Management(916) 324-1214
Keric AshleyDirector
Child Development(916) 322-6233
Michael Jett Director
Fiscal amp Administrative Services(916) 445-0541 Gerry Shelton
Director
Charter Schools(916) 322-6029
Marta ReyesDirector
Policy amp Evaluation(916) 319-0869 William Padia
Director
Curriculum Frameworks ampInstructional Resources
(916) 319-0881 Tom Adams
Director
Personnel Services(916) 319-0882 William ONeill
Director
Nutrition Services(916) 445-0850 or(800) 952-5609
Phyllis Bramson-Paul Director
School amp District Accountability (916) 319-0926Camille Maben
Director
Learning Support amp Partnerships(916) 319-0911
Jan Mayer Director
School Fiscal Services(916) 322-3024Scott Hannan
Director
School Facilities Planning(916) 322-2470Kathleen Moore
Director
Standards amp Assessment(916) 445-9441Deborah Sigman
Director
Professional Development ampCurriculum Support
(916) 323-6440William Vasey
Director
Technology Services(916) 445-0774Kevin Matsuo
Director
State Special Schools amp Services
(916) 327-3850TTY (916) 445-4556
Ronald S KadishDirector
School Improvement(916) 319-0830Wendy Harris
Director
Secondary Postsecondary amp Adult Leadership(916) 445-2652
Patrick Ainsworth Director
Special Education(916) 445-4613Alice D Parker
Director
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Curriculum amp Instruction BranchThe Curriculum and Instruction Branch is composed of seven divisions that encompass the full continuum of educationand related services in the California public schools The work of these divisions impacts individuals from earlychildhood to older adulthood
Sue Stickel Deputy SuperintendentPhone (916) 319-0806 | Fax (916) 319-0103
Divisions
Child Development DivisionProvides leadership and support to contractors and the child development community ensuring high quality earlyeducation programs are provided to children ages birth to 13 years
Curriculum FrameworkInstructional Resources DivisionSupports the Curriculum Commission develops curriculum frameworks oversees the adoption of instructionalmaterials produces and distributes instructional materials in specialized media and produces and sells Departmentpublications
Learning Support amp Partnerships DivisionProvides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Professional Development amp Curriculum Support DivisionProvides leadership and resources to support educators to gain content knowledge and to increase their range ofeffective teaching and instructional support strategies in order to ensure high academic achievement for all students
School Improvement DivisionProvides fiscal resources and assistance to improve student achievement in Californiarsquos schools especially in highpriority (low-performing) schools
Secondary Postsecondary amp Adult Leadership DivisionProvides support and direction to Local Educational Agencies regarding Secondary Education Adult EducationPostsecondary Options Career Technical Education Educational Options Workforce Development and EducationalEquity
Special Education DivisionProvides information and resources to serve the unique needs of individuals with disabilities so that each person willmeet or exceed high standards of achievement in academic and non-academic skills
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
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Learning Support amp Partnerships Division
Provides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Jan Mayer Director
Phone (916) 319-0911 | Fax (916) 322-4884
Related Links
21st Century Community Learning CentersProviding funding for programs to focus on academic achievement enrichment and family literacy Eligible entitiesinclude districts cities counties community-based organizations and others
After School Education amp Safety ProgramProvides funds to schools and districts that collaborate with community partners to provide safe and educationallyenriching alternatives for children and youths during nonschool hours
American IndianProgram information for local educational agencies Indian tribes and organizations and other entities about meetingthe unique academic cultural and linguistic needs of American Indian students
CounselingStudent SupportProvides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to supportschools in planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
Foster Youth ServicesGrant programs for each county office of education and selected school districts to increase interagency support forfoster youth
HealthInformation and resources to improve student health school environment health education and prevention
Healthy StartState-funded school-community collaborative grants for integrating services to meet desired results and to supportacademic success for children youths and families
MigrantInternationalSupports supplemental programs designed to strengthen the school community and family experiences of childrenand their families
Safe SchoolsProvides training resources and technical assistance to establish a schoolcommunity environment which is physicallyand emotionally safe well disciplined and conducive to learning
Service-LearningInstructional strategy whereby students learn academic content standards by participating in organized service thataddresses community needs and fosters civic responsibility
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
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Contact the Program After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program
Phone (916) 319-0923 | Fax (916) 319-0221
Administration
Pat Rainey Administrator(916) 319-0923praineycdecagov
Vacant Staff Services Manager (916) 319-0729
Teresita Duarte Office Technician (916) 319-0731 tduartecdecagov
Karen Pacol Office Technician (916) 319-0922 kpacolcdecagov
Analysts
Margaret Burger - (916) 319-0264mburgercdecagov21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 9 10 and 11)
Marcie Gregory - (916) 319-0289 mgregorycdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 3 5 8 and 9)
Sally Lewis - (916) 319-0210 slewiscdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 12 3 4 and 5)
Delia Marmosh - (916) 319-0205 dmarmoshcdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 1 4 6 and 7) office andprogram budgets
Marc Riera - (916) 319-0203 mrieracdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 2 10 and 11) RegionalLeadership Grants
Paul Simpson-Jones - (916) 319-0211 pjonescdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal support for Regions 6 7 and 8) Web design
Consultants
Judi Brown - (916) 319-0206 jbrowncdecagov 21st CCLC for High Schools California After SchoolSafety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Region 9
Sandy Davis - (916) 322-2786 sadaviscdecagov ASES Program After school middle school programsCommunity Partnerships ASES and 21st CCLC Programofficer for Region 4
John Malloy - (916) 319-0215 jmalloycdecagov 21st CCLC Program Quantitative evaluation for 21stCCLC and ASES Programs ASES and 21st CCLCProgram officer for Regions 1 2 and 3
Doug McDougall - (916) 319-0208 dmcdougacdecagov ASES Program Recertification Regional Learning CenterLiaison After school policy amp issue analysis ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Regions 5 and 10
Norma Munroe - (916) 319-0290 nmunroecdecagov ASES Program Low performing schools Youthdevelopment Adolescent health After school policy ampissue analysis Programfiscal guidelines ASES and 21stCCLC Program officer for Regions 6 7 and 8
Vacant Consultant- (916) 319-0200 21st CCLC Program for elementarymiddle schools 21stCCLC RFA Statewide System of Field Support 21st andASES Program officer for Region 11
Questions After School Partnerships Office | afterschoolcdecagov | 916-319-0923 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
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CounselingStudent Support
Provides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to support schoolsin planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
College amp Career PlanningProvides resources and strategies in collegecareer counseling to help students acquire the knowledge skills andattitudes needed to make a successful transition from school to work
Mental HealthProvides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedycrisis intervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Policies amp RegulationsProvides information about California State Board of Education policy the California Education Code and otherpolicies and regulations pertinent to counseling and student support services
Pregnant amp Parenting StudentsProvides services through California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) to improve academic achievementand parenting skills of expectant and parenting students and child development services
ResearchProvides information on school counseling and student support services program effectiveness in the academic careerand personnelsocial counseling program domains
ResourcesProvides Web site links and other resources on counseling and student support services and programs
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Monday January 12 2004
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Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
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Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
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Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
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Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
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Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
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teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
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Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
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Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
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The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
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Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
Organization
State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Director ofEducation
Jack OConnell
Chief Deputy Superintendent Gavin Payne
Office of the State Superintendent(916) 319-0800
Executive Offices
Communications Office(916) 319-0818
Rick MillerDirector
Government Affairs Office(916) 319-0821B Teri Burns
Deputy Superintendent
Legal amp Audits(916) 319-0860
Marsha A BedwellGeneral Counsel
Waiver Office(916) 319-0824
Judy PinegarEducation Administrator I
Branch Offices
Assessment amp Accountability Branch
(916) 319-0812Geno Flores
Deputy Superintendent
Curriculum amp Instruction Branch
(916) 319-0806Sue Stickel
Deputy Superintendent
Finance Technology ampAdministration Branch
(916) 319-0815Susan Lange
Deputy Superintendent
School amp District Operations Branch
(916) 319-0797William J Ellerbee Jr Deputy Superintendent
Divisions Divisions Divisions Divisions
Data Management(916) 324-1214
Keric AshleyDirector
Child Development(916) 322-6233
Michael Jett Director
Fiscal amp Administrative Services(916) 445-0541 Gerry Shelton
Director
Charter Schools(916) 322-6029
Marta ReyesDirector
Policy amp Evaluation(916) 319-0869 William Padia
Director
Curriculum Frameworks ampInstructional Resources
(916) 319-0881 Tom Adams
Director
Personnel Services(916) 319-0882 William ONeill
Director
Nutrition Services(916) 445-0850 or(800) 952-5609
Phyllis Bramson-Paul Director
School amp District Accountability (916) 319-0926Camille Maben
Director
Learning Support amp Partnerships(916) 319-0911
Jan Mayer Director
School Fiscal Services(916) 322-3024Scott Hannan
Director
School Facilities Planning(916) 322-2470Kathleen Moore
Director
Standards amp Assessment(916) 445-9441Deborah Sigman
Director
Professional Development ampCurriculum Support
(916) 323-6440William Vasey
Director
Technology Services(916) 445-0774Kevin Matsuo
Director
State Special Schools amp Services
(916) 327-3850TTY (916) 445-4556
Ronald S KadishDirector
School Improvement(916) 319-0830Wendy Harris
Director
Secondary Postsecondary amp Adult Leadership(916) 445-2652
Patrick Ainsworth Director
Special Education(916) 445-4613Alice D Parker
Director
C - 1 httpwwwcdecagovredior
Curriculum amp Instruction BranchThe Curriculum and Instruction Branch is composed of seven divisions that encompass the full continuum of educationand related services in the California public schools The work of these divisions impacts individuals from earlychildhood to older adulthood
Sue Stickel Deputy SuperintendentPhone (916) 319-0806 | Fax (916) 319-0103
Divisions
Child Development DivisionProvides leadership and support to contractors and the child development community ensuring high quality earlyeducation programs are provided to children ages birth to 13 years
Curriculum FrameworkInstructional Resources DivisionSupports the Curriculum Commission develops curriculum frameworks oversees the adoption of instructionalmaterials produces and distributes instructional materials in specialized media and produces and sells Departmentpublications
Learning Support amp Partnerships DivisionProvides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Professional Development amp Curriculum Support DivisionProvides leadership and resources to support educators to gain content knowledge and to increase their range ofeffective teaching and instructional support strategies in order to ensure high academic achievement for all students
School Improvement DivisionProvides fiscal resources and assistance to improve student achievement in Californiarsquos schools especially in highpriority (low-performing) schools
Secondary Postsecondary amp Adult Leadership DivisionProvides support and direction to Local Educational Agencies regarding Secondary Education Adult EducationPostsecondary Options Career Technical Education Educational Options Workforce Development and EducationalEquity
Special Education DivisionProvides information and resources to serve the unique needs of individuals with disabilities so that each person willmeet or exceed high standards of achievement in academic and non-academic skills
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 2 httpwwwcdecagovrediorbranchaspid=cib
Learning Support amp Partnerships Division
Provides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Jan Mayer Director
Phone (916) 319-0911 | Fax (916) 322-4884
Related Links
21st Century Community Learning CentersProviding funding for programs to focus on academic achievement enrichment and family literacy Eligible entitiesinclude districts cities counties community-based organizations and others
After School Education amp Safety ProgramProvides funds to schools and districts that collaborate with community partners to provide safe and educationallyenriching alternatives for children and youths during nonschool hours
American IndianProgram information for local educational agencies Indian tribes and organizations and other entities about meetingthe unique academic cultural and linguistic needs of American Indian students
CounselingStudent SupportProvides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to supportschools in planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
Foster Youth ServicesGrant programs for each county office of education and selected school districts to increase interagency support forfoster youth
HealthInformation and resources to improve student health school environment health education and prevention
Healthy StartState-funded school-community collaborative grants for integrating services to meet desired results and to supportacademic success for children youths and families
MigrantInternationalSupports supplemental programs designed to strengthen the school community and family experiences of childrenand their families
Safe SchoolsProvides training resources and technical assistance to establish a schoolcommunity environment which is physicallyand emotionally safe well disciplined and conducive to learning
Service-LearningInstructional strategy whereby students learn academic content standards by participating in organized service thataddresses community needs and fosters civic responsibility
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 3 httpwwwcdecagovrediordivisionaspid=LSPD
Contact the Program After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program
Phone (916) 319-0923 | Fax (916) 319-0221
Administration
Pat Rainey Administrator(916) 319-0923praineycdecagov
Vacant Staff Services Manager (916) 319-0729
Teresita Duarte Office Technician (916) 319-0731 tduartecdecagov
Karen Pacol Office Technician (916) 319-0922 kpacolcdecagov
Analysts
Margaret Burger - (916) 319-0264mburgercdecagov21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 9 10 and 11)
Marcie Gregory - (916) 319-0289 mgregorycdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 3 5 8 and 9)
Sally Lewis - (916) 319-0210 slewiscdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 12 3 4 and 5)
Delia Marmosh - (916) 319-0205 dmarmoshcdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 1 4 6 and 7) office andprogram budgets
Marc Riera - (916) 319-0203 mrieracdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 2 10 and 11) RegionalLeadership Grants
Paul Simpson-Jones - (916) 319-0211 pjonescdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal support for Regions 6 7 and 8) Web design
Consultants
Judi Brown - (916) 319-0206 jbrowncdecagov 21st CCLC for High Schools California After SchoolSafety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Region 9
Sandy Davis - (916) 322-2786 sadaviscdecagov ASES Program After school middle school programsCommunity Partnerships ASES and 21st CCLC Programofficer for Region 4
John Malloy - (916) 319-0215 jmalloycdecagov 21st CCLC Program Quantitative evaluation for 21stCCLC and ASES Programs ASES and 21st CCLCProgram officer for Regions 1 2 and 3
Doug McDougall - (916) 319-0208 dmcdougacdecagov ASES Program Recertification Regional Learning CenterLiaison After school policy amp issue analysis ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Regions 5 and 10
Norma Munroe - (916) 319-0290 nmunroecdecagov ASES Program Low performing schools Youthdevelopment Adolescent health After school policy ampissue analysis Programfiscal guidelines ASES and 21stCCLC Program officer for Regions 6 7 and 8
Vacant Consultant- (916) 319-0200 21st CCLC Program for elementarymiddle schools 21stCCLC RFA Statewide System of Field Support 21st andASES Program officer for Region 11
Questions After School Partnerships Office | afterschoolcdecagov | 916-319-0923 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 4 httpwwwcdecagovlsbaascontactasesasp
CounselingStudent Support
Provides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to support schoolsin planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
College amp Career PlanningProvides resources and strategies in collegecareer counseling to help students acquire the knowledge skills andattitudes needed to make a successful transition from school to work
Mental HealthProvides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedycrisis intervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Policies amp RegulationsProvides information about California State Board of Education policy the California Education Code and otherpolicies and regulations pertinent to counseling and student support services
Pregnant amp Parenting StudentsProvides services through California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) to improve academic achievementand parenting skills of expectant and parenting students and child development services
ResearchProvides information on school counseling and student support services program effectiveness in the academic careerand personnelsocial counseling program domains
ResourcesProvides Web site links and other resources on counseling and student support services and programs
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Monday January 12 2004
C - 5 httpwwwcdecagovlscg
Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
C - 6 httpwwwcdecagovlscgmh
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
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minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
Curriculum amp Instruction BranchThe Curriculum and Instruction Branch is composed of seven divisions that encompass the full continuum of educationand related services in the California public schools The work of these divisions impacts individuals from earlychildhood to older adulthood
Sue Stickel Deputy SuperintendentPhone (916) 319-0806 | Fax (916) 319-0103
Divisions
Child Development DivisionProvides leadership and support to contractors and the child development community ensuring high quality earlyeducation programs are provided to children ages birth to 13 years
Curriculum FrameworkInstructional Resources DivisionSupports the Curriculum Commission develops curriculum frameworks oversees the adoption of instructionalmaterials produces and distributes instructional materials in specialized media and produces and sells Departmentpublications
Learning Support amp Partnerships DivisionProvides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Professional Development amp Curriculum Support DivisionProvides leadership and resources to support educators to gain content knowledge and to increase their range ofeffective teaching and instructional support strategies in order to ensure high academic achievement for all students
School Improvement DivisionProvides fiscal resources and assistance to improve student achievement in Californiarsquos schools especially in highpriority (low-performing) schools
Secondary Postsecondary amp Adult Leadership DivisionProvides support and direction to Local Educational Agencies regarding Secondary Education Adult EducationPostsecondary Options Career Technical Education Educational Options Workforce Development and EducationalEquity
Special Education DivisionProvides information and resources to serve the unique needs of individuals with disabilities so that each person willmeet or exceed high standards of achievement in academic and non-academic skills
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 2 httpwwwcdecagovrediorbranchaspid=cib
Learning Support amp Partnerships Division
Provides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Jan Mayer Director
Phone (916) 319-0911 | Fax (916) 322-4884
Related Links
21st Century Community Learning CentersProviding funding for programs to focus on academic achievement enrichment and family literacy Eligible entitiesinclude districts cities counties community-based organizations and others
After School Education amp Safety ProgramProvides funds to schools and districts that collaborate with community partners to provide safe and educationallyenriching alternatives for children and youths during nonschool hours
American IndianProgram information for local educational agencies Indian tribes and organizations and other entities about meetingthe unique academic cultural and linguistic needs of American Indian students
CounselingStudent SupportProvides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to supportschools in planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
Foster Youth ServicesGrant programs for each county office of education and selected school districts to increase interagency support forfoster youth
HealthInformation and resources to improve student health school environment health education and prevention
Healthy StartState-funded school-community collaborative grants for integrating services to meet desired results and to supportacademic success for children youths and families
MigrantInternationalSupports supplemental programs designed to strengthen the school community and family experiences of childrenand their families
Safe SchoolsProvides training resources and technical assistance to establish a schoolcommunity environment which is physicallyand emotionally safe well disciplined and conducive to learning
Service-LearningInstructional strategy whereby students learn academic content standards by participating in organized service thataddresses community needs and fosters civic responsibility
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 3 httpwwwcdecagovrediordivisionaspid=LSPD
Contact the Program After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program
Phone (916) 319-0923 | Fax (916) 319-0221
Administration
Pat Rainey Administrator(916) 319-0923praineycdecagov
Vacant Staff Services Manager (916) 319-0729
Teresita Duarte Office Technician (916) 319-0731 tduartecdecagov
Karen Pacol Office Technician (916) 319-0922 kpacolcdecagov
Analysts
Margaret Burger - (916) 319-0264mburgercdecagov21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 9 10 and 11)
Marcie Gregory - (916) 319-0289 mgregorycdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 3 5 8 and 9)
Sally Lewis - (916) 319-0210 slewiscdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 12 3 4 and 5)
Delia Marmosh - (916) 319-0205 dmarmoshcdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 1 4 6 and 7) office andprogram budgets
Marc Riera - (916) 319-0203 mrieracdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 2 10 and 11) RegionalLeadership Grants
Paul Simpson-Jones - (916) 319-0211 pjonescdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal support for Regions 6 7 and 8) Web design
Consultants
Judi Brown - (916) 319-0206 jbrowncdecagov 21st CCLC for High Schools California After SchoolSafety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Region 9
Sandy Davis - (916) 322-2786 sadaviscdecagov ASES Program After school middle school programsCommunity Partnerships ASES and 21st CCLC Programofficer for Region 4
John Malloy - (916) 319-0215 jmalloycdecagov 21st CCLC Program Quantitative evaluation for 21stCCLC and ASES Programs ASES and 21st CCLCProgram officer for Regions 1 2 and 3
Doug McDougall - (916) 319-0208 dmcdougacdecagov ASES Program Recertification Regional Learning CenterLiaison After school policy amp issue analysis ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Regions 5 and 10
Norma Munroe - (916) 319-0290 nmunroecdecagov ASES Program Low performing schools Youthdevelopment Adolescent health After school policy ampissue analysis Programfiscal guidelines ASES and 21stCCLC Program officer for Regions 6 7 and 8
Vacant Consultant- (916) 319-0200 21st CCLC Program for elementarymiddle schools 21stCCLC RFA Statewide System of Field Support 21st andASES Program officer for Region 11
Questions After School Partnerships Office | afterschoolcdecagov | 916-319-0923 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 4 httpwwwcdecagovlsbaascontactasesasp
CounselingStudent Support
Provides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to support schoolsin planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
College amp Career PlanningProvides resources and strategies in collegecareer counseling to help students acquire the knowledge skills andattitudes needed to make a successful transition from school to work
Mental HealthProvides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedycrisis intervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Policies amp RegulationsProvides information about California State Board of Education policy the California Education Code and otherpolicies and regulations pertinent to counseling and student support services
Pregnant amp Parenting StudentsProvides services through California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) to improve academic achievementand parenting skills of expectant and parenting students and child development services
ResearchProvides information on school counseling and student support services program effectiveness in the academic careerand personnelsocial counseling program domains
ResourcesProvides Web site links and other resources on counseling and student support services and programs
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Monday January 12 2004
C - 5 httpwwwcdecagovlscg
Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
C - 6 httpwwwcdecagovlscgmh
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
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minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
Learning Support amp Partnerships Division
Provides resources and instructional strategies that give students the physical social emotional and intellectualsupport needed to learn
Jan Mayer Director
Phone (916) 319-0911 | Fax (916) 322-4884
Related Links
21st Century Community Learning CentersProviding funding for programs to focus on academic achievement enrichment and family literacy Eligible entitiesinclude districts cities counties community-based organizations and others
After School Education amp Safety ProgramProvides funds to schools and districts that collaborate with community partners to provide safe and educationallyenriching alternatives for children and youths during nonschool hours
American IndianProgram information for local educational agencies Indian tribes and organizations and other entities about meetingthe unique academic cultural and linguistic needs of American Indian students
CounselingStudent SupportProvides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to supportschools in planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
Foster Youth ServicesGrant programs for each county office of education and selected school districts to increase interagency support forfoster youth
HealthInformation and resources to improve student health school environment health education and prevention
Healthy StartState-funded school-community collaborative grants for integrating services to meet desired results and to supportacademic success for children youths and families
MigrantInternationalSupports supplemental programs designed to strengthen the school community and family experiences of childrenand their families
Safe SchoolsProvides training resources and technical assistance to establish a schoolcommunity environment which is physicallyand emotionally safe well disciplined and conducive to learning
Service-LearningInstructional strategy whereby students learn academic content standards by participating in organized service thataddresses community needs and fosters civic responsibility
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education 1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 3 httpwwwcdecagovrediordivisionaspid=LSPD
Contact the Program After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program
Phone (916) 319-0923 | Fax (916) 319-0221
Administration
Pat Rainey Administrator(916) 319-0923praineycdecagov
Vacant Staff Services Manager (916) 319-0729
Teresita Duarte Office Technician (916) 319-0731 tduartecdecagov
Karen Pacol Office Technician (916) 319-0922 kpacolcdecagov
Analysts
Margaret Burger - (916) 319-0264mburgercdecagov21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 9 10 and 11)
Marcie Gregory - (916) 319-0289 mgregorycdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 3 5 8 and 9)
Sally Lewis - (916) 319-0210 slewiscdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 12 3 4 and 5)
Delia Marmosh - (916) 319-0205 dmarmoshcdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 1 4 6 and 7) office andprogram budgets
Marc Riera - (916) 319-0203 mrieracdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 2 10 and 11) RegionalLeadership Grants
Paul Simpson-Jones - (916) 319-0211 pjonescdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal support for Regions 6 7 and 8) Web design
Consultants
Judi Brown - (916) 319-0206 jbrowncdecagov 21st CCLC for High Schools California After SchoolSafety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Region 9
Sandy Davis - (916) 322-2786 sadaviscdecagov ASES Program After school middle school programsCommunity Partnerships ASES and 21st CCLC Programofficer for Region 4
John Malloy - (916) 319-0215 jmalloycdecagov 21st CCLC Program Quantitative evaluation for 21stCCLC and ASES Programs ASES and 21st CCLCProgram officer for Regions 1 2 and 3
Doug McDougall - (916) 319-0208 dmcdougacdecagov ASES Program Recertification Regional Learning CenterLiaison After school policy amp issue analysis ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Regions 5 and 10
Norma Munroe - (916) 319-0290 nmunroecdecagov ASES Program Low performing schools Youthdevelopment Adolescent health After school policy ampissue analysis Programfiscal guidelines ASES and 21stCCLC Program officer for Regions 6 7 and 8
Vacant Consultant- (916) 319-0200 21st CCLC Program for elementarymiddle schools 21stCCLC RFA Statewide System of Field Support 21st andASES Program officer for Region 11
Questions After School Partnerships Office | afterschoolcdecagov | 916-319-0923 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 4 httpwwwcdecagovlsbaascontactasesasp
CounselingStudent Support
Provides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to support schoolsin planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
College amp Career PlanningProvides resources and strategies in collegecareer counseling to help students acquire the knowledge skills andattitudes needed to make a successful transition from school to work
Mental HealthProvides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedycrisis intervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Policies amp RegulationsProvides information about California State Board of Education policy the California Education Code and otherpolicies and regulations pertinent to counseling and student support services
Pregnant amp Parenting StudentsProvides services through California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) to improve academic achievementand parenting skills of expectant and parenting students and child development services
ResearchProvides information on school counseling and student support services program effectiveness in the academic careerand personnelsocial counseling program domains
ResourcesProvides Web site links and other resources on counseling and student support services and programs
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Monday January 12 2004
C - 5 httpwwwcdecagovlscg
Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
C - 6 httpwwwcdecagovlscgmh
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
Contact the Program After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program
Phone (916) 319-0923 | Fax (916) 319-0221
Administration
Pat Rainey Administrator(916) 319-0923praineycdecagov
Vacant Staff Services Manager (916) 319-0729
Teresita Duarte Office Technician (916) 319-0731 tduartecdecagov
Karen Pacol Office Technician (916) 319-0922 kpacolcdecagov
Analysts
Margaret Burger - (916) 319-0264mburgercdecagov21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 9 10 and 11)
Marcie Gregory - (916) 319-0289 mgregorycdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 3 5 8 and 9)
Sally Lewis - (916) 319-0210 slewiscdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 12 3 4 and 5)
Delia Marmosh - (916) 319-0205 dmarmoshcdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 1 4 6 and 7) office andprogram budgets
Marc Riera - (916) 319-0203 mrieracdecagov ASES Program grants (fiscal assistance to Regions 2 10 and 11) RegionalLeadership Grants
Paul Simpson-Jones - (916) 319-0211 pjonescdecagov 21st CCLC Program grants (fiscal support for Regions 6 7 and 8) Web design
Consultants
Judi Brown - (916) 319-0206 jbrowncdecagov 21st CCLC for High Schools California After SchoolSafety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Region 9
Sandy Davis - (916) 322-2786 sadaviscdecagov ASES Program After school middle school programsCommunity Partnerships ASES and 21st CCLC Programofficer for Region 4
John Malloy - (916) 319-0215 jmalloycdecagov 21st CCLC Program Quantitative evaluation for 21stCCLC and ASES Programs ASES and 21st CCLCProgram officer for Regions 1 2 and 3
Doug McDougall - (916) 319-0208 dmcdougacdecagov ASES Program Recertification Regional Learning CenterLiaison After school policy amp issue analysis ASES and21st CCLC Program officer for Regions 5 and 10
Norma Munroe - (916) 319-0290 nmunroecdecagov ASES Program Low performing schools Youthdevelopment Adolescent health After school policy ampissue analysis Programfiscal guidelines ASES and 21stCCLC Program officer for Regions 6 7 and 8
Vacant Consultant- (916) 319-0200 21st CCLC Program for elementarymiddle schools 21stCCLC RFA Statewide System of Field Support 21st andASES Program officer for Region 11
Questions After School Partnerships Office | afterschoolcdecagov | 916-319-0923 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
C - 4 httpwwwcdecagovlsbaascontactasesasp
CounselingStudent Support
Provides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to support schoolsin planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
College amp Career PlanningProvides resources and strategies in collegecareer counseling to help students acquire the knowledge skills andattitudes needed to make a successful transition from school to work
Mental HealthProvides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedycrisis intervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Policies amp RegulationsProvides information about California State Board of Education policy the California Education Code and otherpolicies and regulations pertinent to counseling and student support services
Pregnant amp Parenting StudentsProvides services through California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) to improve academic achievementand parenting skills of expectant and parenting students and child development services
ResearchProvides information on school counseling and student support services program effectiveness in the academic careerand personnelsocial counseling program domains
ResourcesProvides Web site links and other resources on counseling and student support services and programs
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Monday January 12 2004
C - 5 httpwwwcdecagovlscg
Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
C - 6 httpwwwcdecagovlscgmh
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
CounselingStudent Support
Provides resources funds strategies and training in school counseling and psychological and social services to support schoolsin planning implementing and monitoring comprehensive student support programs
College amp Career PlanningProvides resources and strategies in collegecareer counseling to help students acquire the knowledge skills andattitudes needed to make a successful transition from school to work
Mental HealthProvides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedycrisis intervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Policies amp RegulationsProvides information about California State Board of Education policy the California Education Code and otherpolicies and regulations pertinent to counseling and student support services
Pregnant amp Parenting StudentsProvides services through California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) to improve academic achievementand parenting skills of expectant and parenting students and child development services
ResearchProvides information on school counseling and student support services program effectiveness in the academic careerand personnelsocial counseling program domains
ResourcesProvides Web site links and other resources on counseling and student support services and programs
Tenth-Grade CounselingProvides general guidelines and technical support including Education Code sections answers to common questionsand a district program checklist for use of tenth grade counseling funds
California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Monday January 12 2004
C - 5 httpwwwcdecagovlscg
Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
C - 6 httpwwwcdecagovlscgmh
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
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Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
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teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
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Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
Mental Health
Provides strategies resources and training in psychological and mental health issues including coping with tragedy crisisintervention and prevention school psychology and suicide prevention
Psychological and Mental Health Services in schools apply learning theory for individuals and groups to improveinstruction and coordinate and evaluate plans to meet unique individual needs for learning or behavior problemsSchool psychologists also use research to design prevention and intervention programs and provide crisis interventionsuicide prevention and other mental health strategies as part of a student support services team
California Adolescent Health Collaborative ResourcesThe California Adolescent Health Collaborative is a public-private partnership to promote investment in Californiasyouth
Coping Strategies for Adolescents After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to dealing with trauma for middle school and senior high school teachers and others who workwith adolescents It is also intended to help teachers and school staff provide guidance and support to parents so thatthey can aid their adolescents in recovery from disaster
Helping Children After a DisasterThis brochure is a guide to understanding a childs potential reactions to disaster at each developmental stagepreschool early childhood preadolescent and adolescent
Youth Suicide PreventionA listing of resources to assist school districts with the concerns about youth suicide prevention intervention andpostvention
Other Resources
California Healthy Kids
Investing in Adolescent Health - Executive Summary
Building Infrastructure for Coordinated School Health Californias Blueprint
School Health Connections
School Mental Health ProjectCenter for Mental Health in Schools - UCLA
Questions Counseling Student Support and Service-Learning Office | (916) 323-2183 California Department of Education1430 N StreetSacramento CA 95814
Last Modified Wednesday October 27 2004
C - 6 httpwwwcdecagovlscgmh
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
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Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
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teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 7
Californias Goal for Learning Support Systems
GOAL 5 - LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Establish and foster systems of school home and community resources that provide thephysical emotional and intellectual support that each student needs to succeed
Objectives for Goal 5
51 Support the creation of a master plan for childhood education and seek increasedresources for such programs
52 Provide resources and guidance to ensure that all students attend safe drugfreehealthy and educationally appropriate schools
53 Increase the number of local education agencies organizing and implementingeffective learning support strategies including Cal-SAFE Healthy Startfamilyschool-community partnership programs after school programs Saturdayprograms and summer school opportunities to improve academic achievement of allchildren
54 Develop and support a plan for implementing comprehensive learning supportprograms including additional resources and staff for health nutrition counselingguidance and psychological services
55 Infuse Youth Development--an approach that helps youth build strong relationshipswith others learn new skills and knowledge and participate in giving back to theirfamilies and communities into existing education programs
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 8
Learning Support and PartnershipsDivision
Offices
Healthy Start After SchoolPartnerships Office(916) 319-0923
Safe and HealthyKids Program(916) 319-0920
School HealthConnections Office(916) 319-0914
Youth EducationPartnerships Office(916) 319-0917
Learning support is the collection of school home and communityresources strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors that gives every young person the physical emotional andintellectual support heshe needs to learn Learning support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective family school community partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to studentsminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
Programs
minus After School Education and Safety Programminus Californias 21st Century Community Learning Centers Programminus California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE)minus Californias Healthy Startminus CalServe Californias Service-Learning Initiativeminus Coordinated School Healthminus Health Educationminus Health Servicesminus HIVSTD Prevention Programminus Intergenerational Education Programminus Physical Educationminus School Safetyminus Tobacco Use Prevention Education Programminus Title IV-Safe and Drug-Free Schools amp Communitiesminus Violence Prevention
Contact the Directors Office at
1430 N Street Suite 6408Sacramento CA 95814(916) 319-0911Fax (916) 322-4884
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 9
Learning Support
There is a growing consensus among researchers policymakers andpractitioners that stronger collaborative efforts by families schools andcommunities are essential to students success Schools need to dependon families to see that children come to school every day ready to learnfamilies and the community depend on schools to take the primary rolein ensuring that students achieve high educational standards and providea safe and healthy school environment families and schools depend oncommunity partners to provide opportunities and accessible supports andservices to meet students basic needs and to foster their growth anddevelopment Tragically an increasing number of American children livein communities where caring relationships support resources and aprofamily system of education and human services do not exist to protectchildren and prepare them to be healthy successful resilient learnersEspecially in these communities a renewed partnership of schoolsfamilies and community members must be created to design and carryout system improvements to provide the learning support required byeach student in order to succeed
Learning support is the collection of resources (school homecommunity) strategies and practices and environmental and culturalfactors extending beyond the regular classroom curriculum that togetherprovide the physical emotional and intellectual support that every childand youth needs to achieve high quality learning A school that has anexemplary learning support system employs all the internal and externalsupports and services needed to help students to become good parentsgood neighbors good workers and good citizens of the world Theoverriding philosophy is that educational success physical healthemotional support and family and community strength are inseparableBecause learning support is an integral part of the educational programthe Program Quality Review teams (including students parents schoolstaff and community members) need to assess learning support providedto students and are encouraged to include specific learning supportobjectives in the improvement plan Learning support generallyaddresses the areas of learning environment and school culturepartnerships and personalized assistance
All stakeholders at aschool must work togetherto ensure the success of allstudents Schoolscommitted to the success ofall students must create acaring environment build asense of community andhave an array of activitydesigned to support learningby addressing barriers tolearning and enhancinghealthy development Thestaff at such schools musthave strong leadership forplanning implementingand evaluating efforts toenhance such activity andstaff development related tosuch activity must be wellsupported
-Howard Adelman PhDProfessor of PsychologyUniversity of California
Los Angeles
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 10
Resilient children arethose who thoughexposed to significantstress in their livesmanage to work wellplay well love welland expect well
-Enuny Wernerresiliencyresearcher
Learning Environment and School CultureThe learning environment and school culture make up the climate of theschool A newcomers or visitors quick survey of the personal dynamicsand physical surroundings often provides a fairly accurate indication ofwhether the school overall is committed to promoting learning Apositive learning environment and a safe supportive school culture arefoundation blocks for the healthful growth and development of childrenand youths Some elements of the learning environment and schoolculture that have a considerable impact on student success include theexpectations for learning and development issues of diversity transitionsbetween grades schools and programs safety and health A discussionof these elements follows
High standards high expectations There is a known correlationbetween collective high expectations for young people and their healthresiliency and success in learning Furthermore there is a greaterlikelihood of success when each student is supported in performingproductive work and making meaningful contributions Such supportincludes acting in advisory advocacy and decision-making roles asappropriate Students do better when
Learning Environmentand School Culture
HealthyResilient
SuccessfulLearner
Partnerships PersonalizedAssistance
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
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The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
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Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 11
teaching and learning are personalized to meet their needs as individualswho have varying educational cultural physical and emotional needsThey do better when they have the opportunity to develop a caringrelationship with an adult
Positive child and youth development Karen Johnson Pittman arespected researcher in child and youth development is Director of USPrograms for the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore Shedescribes the two components of youth development as needs andcompetencies According to Pittman young people need
minus A stable safe placeminus Basic care and servicesminus High quality instruction and trainingminus Sustained caring relationshipsminus Social and strategic networksminus Challenging experiencesminus Opportunities for real participation
A child and youth development approach to education emphasizes theachievement of competency not only in academics but in all the areasin which students need to be prepared to live healthful and productivelives Developing competency may be contrasted to a deficit or medicalmodel in which resources are ditucted toward intervention remediationor removing perceived problems Pittman points out that the goal of adeficit based approach is to make students problem-free but problemfree does not equal being fully prepared A more productive method is tofocus on students attainment of skills and competencies that we all wantstudents to have Opportunities that foster child and youth developmentand competency building include
minus Participation in the arts and sportsminus Chances to play meaningful leadership roles in the classroom and the
larger school communityminus Service-learning which simultaneously addresses intellectual civic
and cultural competencyminus Activities that bring students together as equals across racial ethnic
class gender and achievement linesminus Solid skill-building in problem-solving decision-making
interpersonal relationships conflict resolution and familycommunication
Competencies
minus Intellectual andvocational
minus Civic and ethicalminus Culturalminus Emotionalminus Physical
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 12
minus Opportunities to build lasting friendships and to contribute to the communityminus Discussions with and guidance from adults
A considerable base of research suggests that these activities andsupports are central to the educational mission The challenge is to buildand communicate the vision that defines these opportunities as criticalto student success and to find and value the partners that will help keepthem there
Diversity and recognition A hallmark of a supportive school culture is thatthe cultural heritages of the student population are acknowledged andrespected among students teachers and other staff members and parentsand other adults on campus This support is demonstrated byincorporating cultural awareness and recognition into the schoolscurriculum and enrichment activities Teachers can encourage studentsto respect their own views and those of others by promoting open-endedinquiry and thoughtful evaluation rather than always seeking a singleright answer Cooperative work in large and small mixed-gendergroups of students with diverse ages cultures languages skills andtalents affords students the opportunity to experience firsthand thedemocratic values of justice equity and fairness
SMART IDEA
MentorsThe Hawthorne year-round school in the Oakland Unified School Districthas developed a two-pronged mentor program to support its K-6 studentsThe Academic Mentor Program funded partly by Title I and Title VII ofthe Improving Americas Schools Act pays parents to work withindividual students to help them improve their reading and math skillsParents provide learning support in two or three classrooms to thosestudents who need one-onone assistance Other students identified byHawthornes integrated learning team (including teachers from all gradelevels and staff of the Senate Bill 65 dropout-prevention program andHealthy Start program) receive individual and group assistance fromparents college students and the East Bay Conservation Corps andAmeriCorps These volunteers are recruited and trained through theOakland Volunteers in Public Schools program
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
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Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
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minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 13
Transitions In a supportive learning environment careful attention isgiven to smooth transitions between home and preschool preschool andelementary school elementary and middle school middle school andhigh school high school and institutions of higher education and tocareers Appropriate support for transitions results in reduced levels ofalienation more positive attitudes toward school and studentsinvolvement in a range of learning activities Transitions supportincludes counseling and articulation programs for grade-to-gradeprogram-to-program and school-to-school transitions before- and afterschooland intersession programs to enrich learning and providerecreation in a safe environment a welcoming and socially supportivecommunity in which special attention is afforded to newcomers andeducation about transitions for stakeholders
SMART IDEA
Positive Transitions to Elementary School
Research conducted in the last ten years shows that children especially thoseat risk of school failure who experience continuity as they enter elementaryschool are more likely to sustain their earlier gains than those who do notexperience continuity Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions toElementary School (Sacramento California Department of Education 1997)contains a detailed description of the necessary components of goodtransitions programs examples of successful transitions programs around thestate research tips for parents and books to read with children One exampleis from Valley Oaks Elementary School in Galt where parents of soon-to-bekindergartners attended a parent orientation meeting conducted in Englishand Spanish They received snacks babysitting services (if needed) and akindergarten kit (containing crayons pencils scissors manuscript samplepaper and blank paper) so that the children would be familiar with some ofthe materials that they would use in the fall Parents viewed a videotapeproduced by the kindergarten teachers featuring typical classroom activitiesand routines Then in August incoming students and their parents wereinvited to meet the assigned teachers and become familiar with the newroom classmates and the playground Parents provided information toteachers about their childs development The highlight for many childrenwas the practice school bus ride with their parents to prepare for the first dayof school
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 14
Safety Safe schools are orderly and purposeful places in which staff andstudents are free to teach and learn without the threat of physical orpsychological harm Such schools have developed a strong sense ofcommunity A visitor to a safe school will see signs of student affiliationand bonding within the school and an attitude of sensitivity and respectfor all persons including those of other cultural and ethnic backgroundsAt safe schools there is a universal commitment to nonviolence clearbehavioral expectations and disciplinary policies that are consistentlyand fairly administered Safe schools have established policies forproactive security procedures emergency response plans and timelymaintenance of the campus and classrooms to ensure cleanliness and anattractive appearance that tells students they are valued
SMART IDEA
Build a Comprehensive Strategy for Safe Schools
The Modesto city schools have been developing a comprehensive partnerhipapproach to their safety concerns for the past several years The maincomponents of their strategy include the following
1 Every school site has a safety committee which is composed of interagencyteam The sites must send an updated version of their safety plan to the schooldistrict office each year
2 Through a contract with the city police department two full-time officers areassigned to the school district Officers briefed at a Monday staff meeting priorto the opening of school inform the school district of any community situationsthat have the potential of ldquoSpilling overrdquo to the schools Because of the closerelationship with the police department the school district also has access to allunits of the department such as gang suppression
3 The school district has a similar contractual arrangement and information-sharingrelationship with the Stanislaus County Probation Department
4 The school district has a full-time gang-prevention officer who visits eachcampus daily
5 The Project YES (Yes to Education and Skills) gang-violence- and drugprevention curriculum has been used for three years
6 ldquoOperation Stay in Schoolrdquo has been extremely successful In a recent case theofficer picking up a suspected truant found the student armed with asemiautomatic weapon
C - 15
Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
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Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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Health The idea that health is an essential ingredient of an effectiveschool basic to the process of learning has gained growing acceptanceand support By promoting the health and well-being of children thehealthful school also helps to prevent serious and potentially costlyproblems such as substance abuse and other negative self-destructivebehaviors that might occur later in a childs life A health-consciousschool enhances not only childrens learning but also childrens potentialto live healthy and productive lives as adults
A healthful school is a place where each person feels safe and valued andhas a sense of belonging It is a place where students and adults can learnabout and practice healthful behaviors such as participating in physicaleducation eating nutritious and appealing meals and snacks andobtaining with family approval health and counseling services Theschool has developed prevention and intervention strategies to addressdrug-abuse prevention suicide prevention and child-abuse preventionThe school maintains respect for cultural traditions and practices relatedto health and works with families to ensure that students receiveappropriate services
SMART IDEA
7 According to school district officials the close relationships with community police and family service agencies allow the district to respond more quickly to potential crises Instead of being in a 911 response mode the school districts law enforcement partners are often the first to discover potential problems8 Through a Healthy Startrdquo grant the school district was able to place full service family health centers on two campuses The centers offer full-time doctors dentists and mental health professionals through agreements with community partners At one school the center is across from the housing authority and low-income family housing as a result many other family services are offered on that campus including preschool and day care The community feels proud of its school which serves as a community center and helps ensure community safety9 An extensive Police Activities League program serves more than 1000 children in the districts K-8 schools Volunteer police officers work with the youngsters to build self-esteem and rapport with officers
- Modesto city elementary and high school districts telephone (209) 576-4041
From Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 Edition
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 16
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)promotes the concept of a comprehensive school health program orsystem as a means to protect children and youths from the major causesof disease and injury The CDC and the Health Framework for CaliforniaPublic Schools (Sacramento California Department of Education 1994)define comprehensive school health systems as having eight majorcomponents that are integrally related
Health education Students receive continuous health instruction inkindergarten through grade twelve that focuses on physical emotionaland social health and promotes the development of long-term healthrelatedbehaviors
Physical education Students have opportunities every day to be active tolearn basic movement skills and to participate in physical fitnessactivities games rhythm and dance and sports
Health services Students receive assistance in identifying obtaining carefor and managing illness injuries and long-term health conditions
Counseling services Students receive support and assistance in makinghealth-conscious decisions managing emotions coping with crises andsetting short- and long-term goals
Nutrition services Students are offered nutritionally balanced appealingand varied meals and snacks in settings that promote social interactionand relaxation
A safe and positive school environment Students and staff feel supportedand are free to learn and teach without the threat of emotional orphysical harm
Health promotion All staff are offered wellness programs healthassessments and assistance in promoting positive healthful attitudes andbehaviors
Parent and community involvement Parents are supported and included aspartners in the social development and education of their children Inaddition the school addresses the health of children and families byworking collaboratively with agencies community groups andbusinesses
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
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the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
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SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 17
Partnerships
Throughout any community there is a range of individuals who can andshould contribute to helping students succeed at school It is one thing fora school to advocate partnerships it is another thing to create conditionsthat allow for effective participation Thus a key facet in fosteringeffective partnerships is to establish opportunities and proceduresspecifically to welcome and engage partners in the educational programAnother essential facet is to provide stakeholder development programsfor school staff families and community members so that they have theskills to participate meaningfully in and promote collaborativepartnerships
School partners include school staff students parents and families childand family-serving agencies neighborhood and volunteer serviceorganizations businesses colleges and universities and otherparticipants whose involvement is important to students healthfulgrowth development and academic results The partnership is formedwhen these individuals involved in a collaborative ongoing and equalworking relationship assume joint responsibility for meeting the needsof the whole child and improving student results They receive andprovide training on education and learning support issues and clearlyunderstand their roles and responsibilities in the education sphere Theyare typically the most qualified spokespersons to maintaincommunication and advocacy linkages with other members of the schoolcommunity At both the formal and the informal levels
SMART IDEA
Nutrition
Students eat more and behave better in class at Orangewood School (gradesK-5) in the West Covina Unified School District The credit goes to a ldquoflip-floprdquo lunch schedule Students play before lunch Then they spend a full 20minutes in the cafeteria at lunch until the bell rings for the next classStudents realize they donrsquot have to hurry to eat lunch And plate waste hasdropped Teachers note that studentsrsquo behavior is much better than it wasunder the previous tradiational schedule under which they would play afterlunch
C - 18
These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
C - 19
with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
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minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
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block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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These partners come together to interact and share their common purposeof providing the best education for all students
Several types of partnerships necessary to learning support strategies aredescribed below
School staff collaboration Schools and categorical programs areparticularly sensitive to changes introduced in the political arena Newresearch and social trends also have an impact on education Changes infunding streams new grant opportunities budget cuts and organizationalchanges occur resulting in a flurry of activity to implement each changeFor a school to maintain its focus and consistently support students inmaking progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and developingcompetency it is critical that school staff are involved in master planningand that resources are effectively directed toward achieving a common setof goals School staff includes administrators teachers and othercredentialed personnel classified personnel and volunteers in thepreschool regular school and after-school programs It includes childnutrition personnel bus drivers custodians and psychologists and nurseswho are critical to student success but are sometimes mistakenlyconsidered ancillary to the schools main mission Frequentcommunication and collaboration will prevent staff from working at crosspurposes or doing duplicative work
Another important role of the collective school staff is to ensure thatevery student has a sense of belonging and feels connected to adults andother students Some large schools accomplish this by organizing aschool within a school which allows a smaller group of studentsteachers and other staff to work together in a pod or home over anextended period of time Some schools go as far as designating a staffmember to specific students to provide individual support and guidanceBoth strategies result in more continuity and stronger teacher-student andstudent-student relationships
Family-school partnerships Research over three decades confirms thebenefits of shared responsibility among the home school andcommunity in childrens learning and development A prerequisite toeffective partnerships with families is that all adults at the school valueparents roles in student learning and in the broad educational programIt is important that school staff respect families as the primary caregiversand teachers of children recognize parents shared interests and work
Individuals outside of theclassroom also providelearning support tostudents Among peopleto consider are
After-school and preschool personnelBilingual specialistsComputer specialistsCounselorsCustodiansDriversEducational technology specialistsFood services personnelGifted program specialistsHealth aidesInternsJuvenile justice partnersKindergarten aidesLibrariansMusic specialistsNursesOfficers on campusParentsPhysical educationspecialistsPrincipalsPsychologistsQuality review teammembersResource specialistsSecretariesSpeech therapistsTobacco prevention coordinatorsUniversity mentorsVolunteer coordinatorsWelfare workersCrossing guards
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with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
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minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
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School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
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The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
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(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
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the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
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Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
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SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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with parents to create better opportunities for every child to succeed inschool and in later life
The research indicates that there are six key roles in which parentsteachers and school staff can support student achievement These rolesare fulfilled when
1 Parents and educators learn how to support a childs growth anddevelopment and academic success in school through participation inparenting education classes and through increased opportunities forinteraction with families
2 Parents and educators participate continually in two-waycommunication between the home and the school regarding thestudents academic progress the school curriculum and schoolprograms
3 Parents volunteer in the school or community in activities that extendand support students learning and educators learn how to usevolunteers effectively to support teaching and learning
4 Parents work with children at home to support the curriculum of theschool including the supervision of homework and teachers supportand help parents with ideas on how to work with their children athome in specific subject areas
5 Parents and educators cooperate in decision making about a schoolsoverall educational program and services
6 Parents and educators collaborate with members of the community tosecure needed services for families and school programs
Strong family-school partnerships are in evidence when
minus Parents and family members feel welcome at the school and arecomfortable communicating their questions concerns andimpressions regarding their childs learning and development tofaculty and support staff members
minus Parents are welcomed into the classroom and are providedopportunities to help students
The benefits of familiesand schools workingtogether ndash
For studentsminus Higher grades and test
scoresminus Better attendanceminus Completion of more
homeworkminus Higher graduation ratesminus More positive attitudes
and behaviorminus Preparation for work
and careersminus Higher enrollments in
postsecondary education
For familiesminus More confidence in
schoolsminus More self-confidence in
the familyminus A commitment to
lifelong learningminus Improved advocacy for
the child
For schoolsminus Higher student
achievementminus More support from
families and thecommunity
minus Better reputation of theschools
minus Improved teachermorale
minus Safer schoolenvironment
C - 20
minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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minus Parents are mobilized as problem solvers when their child has special needsThey are also viewed as a resource for other students and families
minus There is a family community center or similar designated area at the school
minus Parents who speak only languages other than English are linked with others ofsimilar language and cultural backgrounds to assist with school programs
minus A variety of adult classes and support groups are available for parents toacquire knowledge and skills in useful areas of study
minus Family members are involved in support roles at school act as advisers andadvocates and are decision makers in the school governance process Theyreceive training related to these various roles
minus Obstacles to parent involvement such as scheduling issues transportation andchild care are minimized
minus An active outreach program for hard-to-involve students and families is inplace
In general effective efforts to involve families are long-lastingwell-planned and comprehensive in that they offer families avariety of ways to be involved in their childrens education asmentioned above See the Resources section and the article byJoyce Epstein School Family Community Partnerships Caring for the Children We Share for specific activities to supportthe six roles described in this section
SMART IDEA
Resource Family-school compactsFamily-school compacts are an effective tool for promoting close workingpartnerships between families and schools Compacts are agreementsbetween the families and schools that identify how parents students andschool staff will work together to ensure a students success in school IASArequires all schools that receive Title I monies to adopt family-schoolcompacts The Family-School Compacts Challenge ToolKit answers basicquestions about compacts provides sample compacts includes abibliography of relevant research and suggests a collaborative process fordeveloping implementing and assessing the effectiveness of compacts
C - 21
School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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School-community partnerships Productive school-communitypartnerships evolve from an understanding of the mutual benefits of sucha relationship Positive outcomes might include
minus Opportunities for students in service-learning and school-to-work experiencesrecreational and cultural activities and mentoring
minus A safer campus resulting from partnerships between law enforcement andadults on campus
minus An influx of volunteer support and other resources when businesses andorganizations adopt a school
minus Comprehensive health and social services for students and their familiesminus High-quality preschool and school-age extended day programs
Positive community outcomes include
minus Competent students who have the skills and personal characteristics tocontribute to the community
minus Reduced costs from intensive interventions when the school is able toameliorate problems early in a students career
minus Use of the school site as a community centerminus Student volunteers for community eventsminus Qualified education personnel who serve on community policy boards
Steps that schools can take to stimulate and sustain schoolcommunity partnerships include the creation of programs to stimulatecommunity involvement and support development of a system to trainscreen and maintain volunteers to provide direct help for staff andspecially-targeted students sponsorship of events to enhance school communitylinkages and a sense of community and regular communication with stakeholdersin the community such as the school board county board of supervisors citycouncil advocacy groups and professional and social organizations
Californias Healthy Start initiative and Title XI of the Improving AmericasSchools Act (IASA) promote school-community partnerships for implementingcoordinated services for students and their families Healthy Start is one of thelargest efforts nation wide to improve results for children and families by restruc--turing service systems to provide comprehensive and integrated services linked toschools Less than three years after implemen-
C - 22
The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
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SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
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block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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The Coordinated ServicesProject of the Los AngelesUnified School District isaligned with its majoreducation reform initiativeLEARN (Los AngelesEducation Alliance forRestructuring Now)The district model focuseson student achievementattained with the combinedsupport of representativesin curriculum andinstruction governmentand management andlearning support andcoordinated servicesThe goal is to move fromsingle sites and smallclusters to fullscalecoordinated services andsupports for all schools inthe district Existingschool-based health clinicsHealthy Start sites andfamily centers provide thefoundation for theinitiative Los AngelesUnified School Districtorganizes around regionalhigh school complexesthat cluster togetherelementary middle andhigh school families TheCoordinated ServicesProjectTitle XI is linkedwith other relatedinitiatives such as the Cityof Los Angeles plan fora $9-$11 million expansionof family resource centers
tation Healthy Start operational sites report the followingschoolwide results
bull Improved standardized test scores for grades one through threeimproved parent participation and a reduction in student mobilitybull Decreased school violence suspension rates unexcused absences andgrade retentions
Results for intensively served children and families include
bull Improvements in meeting families basic needs such as food clothinghealth and dental care child care and transportationbull Employment increases of up to 7 percent for high school-age and olderyouthsbull Educational gains such as improved classroom behavior amongelementary schoolchildren improved grades (with the largest gains inthe K-3 age group and those with the lowest grades to start) and a 12percent decrease in student mobility
Title XI (Coordinated Services) of the IASA presents an opportunityfor local educational agencies to use a portion of their IASA funds toplan a process for integrated school-linked services Coordinatedservices projects can provide educational health social and othersupports and services to enable children to achieve in school and tostimulate a more active role of parents and community members inchildrens education
SMART IDEA
Community PartnershipsModel School Garden Project
The pamphlet Worms Worms and More Worms and the brochureThere Are Sunflowers at My School are popular resources at themore than 1000 schools with gardens A school-garden comprehensivenutrition program is being created by the St Helena Unified SchoolDistrict in conjunction with the St Helena Culinary Institute of Americaat Greytone the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroomthe California Department of Education local businesses and the USDepartment of Agriculture The project focuses on
C - 23
(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
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SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
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Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
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(1) The availability of healthful food for nourishment improved learningand promotion of healthy dietary habits(2) Nutrition education and training to provide vital information studentschild nutrition personnel teachers and families to make wise food choicesfor a nutritious diet(3) Family and community partnerships that attract business members tosupport the planning construction and maintenance of the school gardenThese partners enrich the educational program by fostering multiculturalunderstanding linking the nutrition project to curricula in math scienceand language arts and acquainting students with careers in food nutritionand landscaping
Refer to the Learning Support Resources at the end of this section for school gardenresources
-Napa County St Helena Unified School DistrictSt Helena Elementary School
Service Learning--Elementary LevelIn response to a need expressed by community members an elementarySchool weaves an ongoing service project with the elderly at a nearbysenior care facility into the science and social sciences curriculum of fourthgrade class In science the students study human anatomy and the agingprocess in social sciences the students organize a fashion show for theirelderly friends using Native American apparel and jewelry which theystudy as part of the California history curriculum Activities such as readingto their senior friends and transcribing letters to family members for thosewho need assistance reinforce the reading and writing skills and abilities ofthe fourth grade students The students create a video scrapbook that reflects what they experience and accomplish through theirservicelearning activities
Service Learning-Middle LevelMiddle school students survey their school community to determine theneeds associated with a school beautification project They hope to build asense of community pride and improve the physical surroundings of theschool and neighborhood A seventh grade science class works with itsteachers and with staff members from local conservation organizations todesign create and maintain a garden located in a deserted lot in the back ofthe school This becomes an on-campus community garden that consists ofnative California plants and ecosystems and is used as a focal point for thestudy of geologyecology and agriculture Staff members from the conservation agencyassist the class by providing supplies and educational materials Based ontheir service experience students learn valuable lessons in localenvironmental science geology agriculture and ecology and participate insmall group discussions about other environmental issues that affect them
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
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Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
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which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
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Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
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Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
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NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
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SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
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Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
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Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
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School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
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Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
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Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
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October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 24
the promotion ofhealthy development andpositive academic socialemotional and physicalfunctioning is the bestway to prevent manyproblems and is anecessary adjunct tocorrective interventions
-Howard AdelmanPhD
Professor of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos Angeles
Personalized Assistance
Schools need to be prepared to support students as individuals withvarying educational cultural physical and emotional needs and toprovide assistance or facilitate the delivery of an array of services to helpstudents achieve high educational levels It is important that facultyguidance staff support staff and parents share responsibility and areproactive in identifying and responding to students who are insufficientlychallenged or who are having difficulties in school When teachersschool support staff and families learn to intervene early there is lessneed later for costly and intrusive services
Teachers students and parents should have access to specializedteachers counselors school psychologists and other experts toparticipate in improving the educational program and in removingbarriers to learning Often these personnel make up a study team thatworks with students and their families to develop and monitor a plan forassistance from a variety of school staff and family members Whenappropriate community service providers such as probation officerspublic health nurses youth service center staff or staff at suicideprevention centers may need to work with the school in assisting astudent
Although a firm foundation of a positive learning environment schoolculture and productive partnerships decreases the need for personalizedassistance almost every student and family needs additional assistanceat some time during the students school career to maximize the studentsopportunity to be a successful learner Some forms of assistance areextensions of school-based activities and practices such as literacyenrichment sessions Sometimes formal interventions involving juvenilejustice are required The need for personalized assistance may beindicated on the discovery that a student or group of students need amore accelerated curriculum or an opportunity to pursue an artistictalent On the other hand personalized assistance may be necessary toelevate the academic results for a particular student group or to sustainan individual whose family is in crisis The key to providing successfulpersonalized assistance is to act early the measure of effectiveness isimproved student results Three major categories of personalizedassistance are described as follows
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
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Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 25
Personalized Assistance
Personalized assistance for groups with special needs A group ofstudents maybe determined to need a certain type of assistance followingan analysis of student work and test results or after teachers and parentsassessments of students For some groups generalized additionalopportunities for English language learning Gifted and TalentedEducation strategies pregnant and parenting student programs orestablished special education interventions are sufficient In other casesa careful analysis of disaggregated data and other evidence may revealthat in addition to providing academic support for a particular group theschool may need to address root causes or sensitive issues such assubstandard teaching or low expectation in some courses for somegroups of students
Individ-uals with
High Intensityand Long-Term
Needs
Individualswith Low Intensity
and Short-Term Needs
Subgroups with Special Needs
FOUNDATION
Productive Partnerships
Positive Learning Environment and School Culture
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 26
SMART IDEA
Personalized Assistance for Groups
Twilight Classes Boost Academic SuccessA school reform effort links Title I of IASA and Healthy Start programsat four elementary schools by providing classes for academic assistanceand related counseling Programs include a parent-participationpreschool an after-school tutoring and homework club staffed byvolunteer adults and high school students and adult education classessuch as ESL GED and citizenship Also there are parent workshopsand seminars on topics such as family literacy how to raise smart kidswho stay out of trouble how to improve childrens health and nutritionand how to use social services to resolve school-related problemsClasses are held three nights each week from 4 to 7 pm and areconducted in the five major languages spoken in the district Overallattendance is high with participants evenly divided between parents andstudents
-Sacramento County Elk Grove Unified School District
Gifted and Talented EducationHighly gifted students whose thought processes are significantlyadvanced often feel alienated and lonely at school Grouping giftedstudents together for periods of the day can give them an opportunity totalk with others who have had similar experiences and help them makesocial as well as academic adjustments
Organizing an advanced minicourse to develop special talents in studentscan bring together a diverse group of students with a common need forchallenges A letter from a mother in Fall joint Unified School District inBurney California described the increased self-confidence and socialadjustments that resulted when her son who is gifted and eligible forspecial education services was enrolled in Gifted and TalentedEducation music courses
Migrant students are often at risk for school failure because of frequentinterruptions in their schooling The Education Program for GiftedYouth developed at Stanford University provides advanced courses onCD-ROM for gifted and other potentially high-achieving studentsBecause the course is portable-the CD can travel with the student-thistype of individualized self-paced instruction is ideal for students whomove a lot or who attend rural small schools where only one or twostudents might be ready for an advanced course
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 27
Individuals with low-intensity or short-term needs Nearly everystudent will have a particular need during his or her academic career thatrequires assistance of limited scope For one student it will entailtutoring in one subject area for one year Another student may benefitfrom a mentoring relationship A family that encounters short-termunemployment may require financial support for school activities or forbasic food and clothing needs for only a few months A traumatic eventthat impacts the whole student body requires intensive group andindividual counseling services for many students and a communitywidecrisis intervention response and follow-up care The need for this typeof personalized assistance is largely unpredictable Establishing andmaintaining a support network of teachers counselors other schoolstaff peer leaders families and community partners helps to ensure thatresources can be mobilized to meet the wide variety of students low-intensity or short-term needs
While no substitute for theother elements of a fullyfunctioning communityespecially jobs and astrong economy a profamilysystem of integrated servicesprovides a critical buffer forat-risk youths and many ofthe opportunities necessary tohelp every young person meethis or her potential
--Together We Can A Guidefor Crafting a ProfamilySystem of Education and
Human Services
SMART IDEA
Early Mental Health InitiativeEach year the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Awards MentalHealth Initiative (EMHI) grants to local educational agencies toimplement mental health intervention and prevention programs forchildren in kindergarten through third grade The goals of EMHI areto ensure that children experiencing minor school adjustmentdifficulties increase their self-esteem and personal competency andenhance their social and emotional development in order to succeedin school and minimize the need for intensive and costlysocial services as they grow older
The Primary Intervention Program (PIP) is the most widely usedEMHI model PIP is designed to work with young children whoexhibit behaviors likely to cause difficulties later in life Childrenreceiving services through the PEP model participate in anindividual session once a week for 30 to 40 minutes in a speciallyequipped playroom Services last only 12 to 15 weeks The childrendevelop problem-solving skills self-esteem and confidence throughweekly interactions with a paraprofessional supervised by acredentialed mental health professional
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 28
Individuals with high-intensity long-term needs In every school somestudents and their families struggle with issues that involve multipleagencies (such as student truancy coupled with parents long-termsubstance abuse) For these students it is important that the school isprepared to provide a gateway to comprehensive family-centeredsupports and services This capability usually necessitates a designatedcoordinator a family case management team (which may be anexpanded student study team) and committed partnerships among theschool families public agencies and community-based serviceproviders Healthy Start local initiatives and IASA Title XI coordinatedservices projects are particularly effective in working with families toaddress these more complex situations
Learning Support and the Improvement Process
The remainder of this section provides suggestions and resources relatedto learning support and the improvement process with a focus on
- Whom to involve- Useful data- Analysis and the establishment of priorities- Resources for implementation
Whole school whole community When investigating whereimprovements are needed in the learning support arena make sure youare involving people who are engaged in other school improvementplans and initiatives A single comprehensive school plan with inputfrom various teams and stakeholders is a powerful tool People whomay be able to provide leadership and insight into the schools learningsupport resources and needs include parent groups the teams writing theSchool Improvement Program and the Local Improvement Plan forIASA funds the Healthy Start collaborative the Safe School PlanningCommittee and Safe and Drug-Free Schools Regional AdvisoryCouncil and your schools leaders in SB 1274 restructuring Goals2000 Distinguished Schools Achieving Schools and Pupil ServicesMaster planning with all of these groups will provide a comprehensiveapproach to school improvement and a more effective use of resources
Because the long-term task is to help families neighbors andcommunities support young people and the environments in
During 1996-97 DMHfunded programs at 561schools in 170 districtslocated in 45 counties
throughout California Formore information call
(916) 654-2147
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 29
which they grow there needs to be an investment not in short-livedproblem-specific programs but in community organizations in civiccultural and neighborhood associations and in the larger economicphysical and social infrastructures Communitywide improvements aremore likely to occur when educators work in collaboration with othersystems reform efforts such as those initiated by Senate Bill 997(countywide interagency planning councils for child youth and familyservices) family support and preservation efforts by local socialservicesagencies and personnel of Systems of Care a local mental healthagency
Indicators data evidence The collection and analysis of work samplesfrom individual and special-group students is the focus of the ProgramQuality Review However in the course of evaluating student work youwill encounter academic results that may be difficult to explain based onteaching alone Why does Nazarah have a long-term excuse fromphysical education even though she shows no signs of a health problem(Is a cultural prohibition involved or is she intimidated by thecompetitive activities) Why does Shannon miss the first hour of schoolthree days out of five (Is it because she is not being challenged orbecause she has responsibilities at home) Why are Eli Kenyatta andTroy not progressing in a classroom where most students are performingextremely well These questions prompt the collection and examinationof additional evidence around a myriad of factors that impact studentsability to learn Answers to these questions help to ensure that thecorrectconclusions are drawn to explain students performance and behavior Areview of additional data elements will help the team determine the rootcauses of behaviors or identify special strengths or needs This analysiswill also enable the team to make informed decisions about whatindividual and schoolwide learning support strategies may need to beemployed or improved
Different data are collected and maintained by various school anddistrictstaff and community partners It is important to have an agreement thatallows the sharing of the need to know information among thoseserving students and their family members so that the school and eachservice provider involved may participate in delivering comprehensivelearning support The Healthy Start Field Office listed under LearningSupport Resources at the end of this section can provide helpfulinformation about confidentiality agreements
Useful data readilyavailable at the school ordistrict include
- Assessments fromteachers counselors andparents
- Records on attendanceand student mobility
- Records on referrals forcounseling student studyteam family casemanagement or discipline
- Suspension and expulsionreports
- Health informationrecords
- Information of parentsrsquoparticipation inparentteacherconferences and family-school compacts
- School Crime reports andsafe school questionnaires
- Records onextracurricular activityand after-school programparticipation
- Surveys and reports ofstudent family teacherand newcomersatisfaction
- English language learnerdata
- Eligibility data for freeand reduced-price mealsand school mealparticipation
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 30
Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicatorsJust as essential questions help guide the analysis of student worklearning support indicators may help the team focus on a big pictureassessment of the schools learning support component The SampleLearning Support Self-Assessment and Summary included in thissection lists learning support indicators that are useful in this processExamples of learning support indicators and the types of evidence thatmight be collected are described in the following chart
Learning support for student success In conclusion the success oflearning support strategies is measured in students ability to meet orexceed established academic standards and achieve intellectualvocational civic ethical cultural emotional and physical competencyor the degree to which students make progress toward these educationalgoals Although improved attendance increased parental participation atback-to-school night and reduced family mobility are encouraging signsfor potential student success these achievements are not the end goal fordetermining the effectiveness of improvements made in learning supportThe evaluation should focus on results (measurable changes in thestudents competence such as the ability to read or in the studentscondition such as physical health status) These are the same measuresused in evaluating improvements made in instructional strategies
SMART IDEA
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook
The Department of Education has built the Healthy Start evaluationaround a dictionary of data elements and data standards used inexisting human service and education data systems The Healthy StartEvaluation Guidebook identifies specific indicators of expected resultsthat may help a school team study the integrated services delivered atthe site for students and their families Specifically the guidebookfocuses on nine student results clusters education health basic needsteen parenting child welfare family functioning youth crime youthdevelopment and adult education By collecting data on these specificareas during the three-year Program Quality Review a school candocument the services that have benefited the schools students andtheir families
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 31
Learning Support Indicator Current Evidence
Students families and school staffbelieve that their school is safe secureand health-oriented
1 Parents report students smoking on their way to school butwe have not figured out the best way to respond to thisproblem
2 The School Crime Report indicates a 50 decrease fromthe previous year in vandalism occurring on-campus
3 We have a strict competitive foods policy that is adhered toby all
The school has well-establishedpartnerships with business andcommunity entities Relationships aredesigned not only to provide monetaryor material support to the school but toprovide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
1 Twenty-five students have mentors from the UC campusand there are no students on the referral or waiting lists
2 All sixth-graders participated in a service-learningexperience through one of five different participatingbusinesses or agencies
3 Sixteen local business representatives participated inCareer Day
4 The community college and two landscaping businessesprovided supplies for the school garden project andawareness sessions about careers in agriculture andlandscaping for all fifth-graders In connection with thelanguage arts curriculum students communicate throughelectronic mail with these college and business volunteers
The school staff has a close partnershipwith law enforcement agencies healthmental health and social servicesproviders from within and outside theschool to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
1 The family case management team meets at the schooltwice monthly and has facilitated comprehensive servicesand follow-up for seventeen families Students from thesefamilies have improved attendance records Eight familiesare on the referral list to be served
2 The school nurse psychologist speech therapist andrepositioned county child welfare worker are scheduled ondifferent days making information-sharing and servicecoordination difficult
3 We have mapped out the support services available tofamilies through the school and many local agencies andhave worked with these agencies to coordinate the servicesin four key-service areas dental health child care after-school recreational programs and emergency food andclothing assistance Literacy support is a key area in whichthe services are still fragmented
Individual students and groups of studentsare expected and supported to meet thesame content and performance standardsData are available that help in determiningroot causes of behaviors special strengthsof students or needs of individuals andgroups
1 We have compiled and analyzed student work and test dataand reported disaggregated student results
2 We have collected attendance mobility discipline referraland other student behavior data but the data are notdisaggregated
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 32
NOTES ON USING THE OPTIONAL SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORTSELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY WORKSHEET
As your team participates in the self review process the Sample Learning SupportSelf-Assessment and Summary worksheet with its list of indicators may be especiallyuseful at two points in the process
1 In step 6 as the team collects and analyzes student data review the indicators listedin the Sample Learning Support Self-Assessment and Summary and use this formas a worksheet to summarize evidence of the schools effectiveness in the learningsupport component
2 In steps 9 and 10 as the team develops the improvement plan writerecommendations for improving learning support strategies that logically follow thefindings gathered in steps 6 and 7 and the analysis in step 8 Determine which ofthese recommendations should become part of the improvement plan Teams maynot document evidence in all categories However the improvement planningprocess (step 9) should address the high-priority learning support areas selected forimprovement
It is important that the review of learning support reflects the demographics of thestudent population and that learning support evidence is disaggregated for studentsin the same way as the student academic work This process will enable a comparisonand analysis of student academic work and learning support so that more meaningfulconclusions are possible All teams during their self review should assess the learningsupport provided to all students as well as representative evidence of learning supportfor individuals in the disaggregated school population Please refer to the subsectiontitled Analyzing and prioritizing with the help of learning support indicators forexamples of evidence for several of the learning support indicators
Resources Smart Ideas and learning support descriptors provided in this section maybe helpful to you as you assess the schools learning support component
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 33
SAMPLE LEARNING SUPPORT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SUMMARY(This is optional tool)
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanLearning Environment and School Culture
1 A common vision for student learning wasdeveloped with the participation of all segmentsof the school community administratorsteachers students families paraprofessionalsand community leaders who reflect the diversityof the student population
2 The schoolrsquos leadership including families andcommunity members encourages and celebratesexcellence High expectations for studentsrsquointellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency arereflected in the goals and grade-level standards
3 Within the school community communication isopen clear expectations for behavior andperformance are well-known and accepted andeveryone receives fair and equitable treatment
4 The needs of all students are addressed as theyprogress through grade levels and make thetransition from program to program and schoolto school
5 Teachers are support through professionaldevelopment including the area of learningsupport strategies and are recognized formaking exceptional and effective efforts withstudents
6 Students families and school staff believe thattheir school is safe secure and health-oriented
7 Necessary resources including those from thecommunity as needed are provided to ensurethat the school buildings classrooms andgrounds are clean in good repair and reflectpride in school and student work Learningsupport is delivered in a comprehensiveintegrated manner There is an appropriatebalance in spending for positive child and youthdevelopment and personalized assistance
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 34
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPartnerships
8 Families and students are viewed as criticalmembers of the school leadership teamparticipate as decision makers and shareresponsibility in all significant aspects of theschool system
9 Families are actively involved in a variety ofoptions for contributing to the schoolrsquos andstudentrsquos success Families volunteer at theschool and receive guidance in ways to supporttheir student(s) in learning
10 Students and their families receivecommunications and services that are culturallyand linguistically appropriate
11 The school has well-established partnershipswith business and community entitiesRelationships are designed not only to providemonetary or material support to the school butto provide educational employment andcharacter development opportunities
12 The school staff has a close partnership with lawenforcement agencies and with health mentalhealth and social services providers within andoutside the school to ensure coordination ofservices to students and their families
13 All students are empowered to achieve theschoolwide standards and expectations throughthe staffrsquos effective use of the resources of andfor culturally diverse families and communitymembers
14 School staff families and community partnersreceive training in working together effectivelyon behalf of all students
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 35
Learning Support Indicators CurrentEvidence
Recommendationsfor Improvement
PlanPersonalized Assistance
15 Individual students and groups of students areexpected to meet the same content andperformance standards and are supported in thiseffort Data are available that help indetermining root causes of behaviors specialstrengths of students or needs of individuals andgroups
16 Each student is supported with appropriateresources to ensure articulation and successfultransitions
17 Each studentrsquos academic behavioral andattendance needs are met by the administratorsteachers counselors families students andcommunity partners who work together todesign and implement strategies to meet theseneeds
18 The school provides assistance or facilitatesaccess to supports and services that are requiredby students and families to ensure that eachstudent has an opportunity to achieveintellectual vocational civic ethical culturalemotional and physical competency
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 36
Learning Support Resources
The following list of materials and resources corresponds with the areasof learning support described in this section The publication data weresupplied by the School Support Teams unit Questions about theavailability of materials or the accuracy of the citations should beaddressed to the School Support Teams unit at (916) 657-5197
To order resources published by the California Department of Educationcontact the Bureau of Publications Sales Unit PO Box 271Sacramento CA 95812-0271 telephone (916) 445-1260 fax (916) 323-0823 For credit card purchases call 1-800-995-4099
Challenge Tool Kits (1997) The kits include insightful informationabout creating safe schools family-school compacts school facilitiesservice learning site-based decision making and student activitiesAvailable from the California Department of Education Forinformation on availability call (800) 995-4099
Healthy Start Evaluation Guidebook (1996) This guidebook offers aresults-based evaluation and includes plans for its developmentresources for getting started and report forms with explanations ofreporting requirements Prepared by the Healthy Start Office (916)657-3558
Planning Packet (1994) The packet includes an in-depth discussion ofactivities that bring together a planning team to create a shared visionand manage the planning process Also included is a comprehensivediscussion of a community needs assessment as well as tips toolsand activities to help in conducting such an assessment Prepared bythe Healthy Start Field Office (916) 752-1277
Quality Review Self-Study Items (1996) Prepared by Howard AdelmanPhD University of California Los Angeles These items includeself-assessment questions in support of transitions classroomenabling crisis assistance and prevention home involvement inschooling community outreach student and family assistance andrestructuring of support services Available from the Healthy StartField Office (916) 752-1277
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 37
Learning Environment and School Culture
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Kids Protective Factors in theFamily School and Community Portland Oreg Western RegionalCenter for Drug-Free Schools and Communities 1991
Benard Bonnie Fostering Resiliency in Urban Schools (1995) SanFrancisco This compendium of papers is available from WestEd(415) 565-3000
Benard Bonnie Turning the Corner-From Risk to Resiliency (1993)San Francisco A compendium of articles also available from WestEd($6 plus tax call (415) 565-3000)
Continuity for Young Children Positive Transitions to ElementarySchool Sacramento California Department of Education 1997
Kids Time A School-Age Care Program Guide Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 and Kids Time Planning School-Age Care Activities (Video) Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1996 This booklet and video identify exemplary schoolagecare programs in a variety of settings They guide caregivers inprogram development and offer suggestions for enriching existingprograms
Organizing a Successful Parent Center Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 This booklet helps educatorsparents and community leaders strengthen schools by launching aneffective parent center Planning information funding opportunitiesbasic equipment and supplies and staffing are discussed
Pittman Karen J Preventing Problems or Promoting DevelopmentCompeting Priorities or Inseparable Goals (np) The Center forYouth Development and Policy Research 1995
Pittman Karen J and M Cahill Pushing the Boundaries of EducationThe Implications of a Youth Development Approach to EducationPolicies Structures and Collaborations (np) 1992
Safe Schools A Planning Guide for Action Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1995 This document examines safetyconsiderations and ways to develop comprehensive school safetyplans by forming partnerships with law enforcement and communityagencies
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
C - 38
School Gardening Resource Packet California Department of EducationChild Nutrition and Food Distribution Division Nutrition Education andTraining Program (916) 322-4792
There Are Sunflowers at My School (brochure) California Foundationfor Agriculture in the Classroom February 1994
Volunteer Programs in California Public Schools Sacramento CaliforniaDepartment of Education 1994 Volunteer programs benefit teachersstudents parents and volunteers The wideranging roles that volunteersplay in public schools are revealed in this book through descriptions ofexemplary volunteer programs in place throughout the state
Worms Worms and More Worms (pamphlet) California IntegratedWaste Management Board April 1996
Partnerships
Baker Thomas and Ignacio Rojas Jr Resources for Connecting Familiesand Schools (1995) An annotated selection of publications and materialsfor building family-school-community partnerships 1995 (916) 657-5250
California Strategic Plan for Parental Involvement in EducationSacramento California Department of Education 1992 Various levels ofparent involvement in schools and ways to cultivate partnerships withfamilies are discussed in this book
Culture and Family-Centered Practice Family Resource Coalition NationalResource Center for Family-Centered Practice 1995 (312) 341-9361
Ensuring Student Success Through Collaboration Washington DCCouncil of Chief State School Officers 1992 (202) 408-5505 Theimportance of coordinated services in education reform is stressed in thiscompilation of visionary articles
Epstein Joyce L School Family Community Partnerships Phi DeltaKappan May 1995 A summary of the theory and framework of thesepartnerships and guidelines that can assist schools in building them areprovided in this article
Strong Families Strong Schools Building Community Partnerships forLearning Washington DC US Dept of Education 1994 Thispublication provides a research base for family involvement in learning
C - 39
Personalized Assistance
Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide AdvancedLearning Opportunities Sacramento California Department ofEducation 1994 This booklet can help teachers and programdirectors to develop curricula that provide sufficient depthcomplexity novelty and acceleration for advanced and giftedstudents
Every Student Succeeds A Conceptual Framework for Students at Risk ofSchool Failure Sacramento California Department of Education1994 This publication presents sound educational theory andpractices for ensuring that all students succeed in school and areprepared for the jot) market and a changing society
Family-focused Case Management Assessment Tool (1994) This tool helpseducators to gain an overall picture of a school sites progress to datein planning or implementing a family-focused case managementsystem to identify strengths and weaknesses to prioritize areas thatneed further development and to describe brainstorming strategiesuseful in developing these areas Prepared by the Healthy Start FieldOffice (916) 752-1277
Healthy Start Sustainability Resource Packet A compendium of financialplanning tools and information on funding sources
School Safety
Healthy Start Works This newsletter is published by the Healthy StartField Office and provides articles related to school-integratedsupports and services as well as information on events and resourcesFor subscription information call (916) 752-1277
Melaville A I and M J Blank Together We Can A Guide for Craftinga Profamily System of Education and Human Services Washington DCEducation and Human Services Consortium 1993 A five-stageframework and illuminating milestones and land mines are includedin this publication to help partners collaborate and develop their ownprocesses for changing complex systems
C - 40
Resources in the California Department of Education
Child DevelopmentChild Development Division560 J Street Room 220Sacramento CA 95814(916) 322-6233Grants and assistance for child development programs including preschool and afterschoolPrograms
HealthComprehensive School Health Program Office721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3450Comprehensive health health education physical education and HIVAIDSprevention education activities
Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse PreventionHealthy Kids Program Office 721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 9581(916) 6572810Drug alcohol and tobacco abuse prevention grant programs and strategies
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)721 Capitol Mall 4th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-5257
Healthy Start Initiative (School Integrated Services) and Improving AmericasSchools Act Title XI (Coordinated Services)Healthy Start Office 721 Capitol Mall 5th FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 657-3558http goldminecdecagovcyfsbranchIsphshomehtmGrants and assistance on school integrated supports and services to assist children youthsand families
Homeless Children ServicesElementary Instructional Resource Networks721 Capitol Mall 3rd FloorSacramento CA 95814(916) 654-0071Grants and assistance on education services for homeless children and youths
C - 41
October 25 1999
Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Directors
COMPETITIVE REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS DURING 1999-2000FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIPS
DIVISION AND THE EDUCATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS DIVISION
There will be a number of opportunities for counties districts and schools to improveeducational programs during this academic year The purpose of this mailing is to provide youwith a summary of each competitive Request for Applications (RFA) available during 1999-2000from the Learning Support and Partnerships Division and the Education Support SystemsDivision Also in an attempt to reduce the amount of funding spent in duplicating and mailingRFAs and to improve your ability to readily use state-developed formats to complete grantapplications the California Department of Education (CDE) will post RFAs and applicationforms on the CDE web site at so that you may review and download the complete RFAsHowever if you and your staff would like to have a hard copy of the RFA you maydownload it from the web site or contact the CDE program staff responsible for the RFAwho will mail a copy to you
The programs described on the attached pages focus on learning support the collection ofschool home and community resources strategies and practices as well as environmental andcultural factors that give every young person the physical emotional and intellectual support heor she needs to learn
Learning Support includes
minus A supportive safe and healthy learning environment and cultureminus Positive childyouth developmentminus Effective farnilyschoolcommunity partnershipsminus Personalized assistance to students andminus Equitable access to learning support programs and services
This year the Legislature enacted AB I 115 which provides a new block grant funding modelfor charter schools Under the model charter schools receive a block grant of funds in lieu offunding for several state categorical programs Therefore a charter school that is funded underthe new model may not apply for any program included in the calculation of the block grant anda district may not include the charter school in the application or eligibility for any of theseprograms Each summary notes whether that program is or is not included in the charter schoolscategorical block grant
Charter schools may be eligible to apply for categorical programs not included in the calculationof the categorical block grant The application process for non-block grant programs dependsupon whether a charter school chooses to receive its block grant locally through its authorizingdistrict or directly from the State A charter that is locally funded under the block grant mayonly apply through its authorizing entity for categorical programs that are not included in the
C - 42
block grant unless legislation for that program specifically allows charter schools to applyseparately A charter that is directly funded under the new block grant must apply separately forcategorical programs that are not included in the block
A table of contents for all of the programs follows on the next page The attached RFAsummaries will be updated on the web site as new information becomes available
If you have any questions about a specific program please contact the individuals or officeslisted as contact person(s) for each program If you have questions regarding charter schoolsplease contact Colin Miller Consultant Charter Schools Unit at (916) 327-5929 If you havequestions or comments about this letter and enclosures please feel free to contact either of us atthe telephone numbers below
Sincerely
Wade Brynelson Mary Tobias WeaverAssistant Superintendent Assistant SuperintendentLearning Support and Partnerships Division Education Support Services Division(916) 653-3314 (916) 323-1117
