Enhancing School Improvement: Addressing Barriers to Learning

and Reducing the Achievement Gap

>Why is a System of Learning Supports Imperative for School Improvement?

• The Imperative

• Lenses for Viewing School Improvement Efforts • What Are Schools and Communities Currently Doing? • Four Fundamental and Interrelated Concerns in Developing a System of Learning Supports

>What is a System of Learning Supports?

• a policy perspective• an intervention perspective• an infrastructure perspective

>What’s Involved in Getting from Here to There?

• enhancing understanding of systemic change• taking action

>Rebuilding with an Emphasis on Intrinsic Motivation

The Center for Mental Health in Schools operates under the auspices of the School Mental Health Project at UCLA. The Co-directors are Howard Adelman &Linda Taylor. Support comes in part from the Office of Adolescent Health, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration (Project #U45 MC 00175), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Why is a System of Learning Supports Imperative for School Improvement?

>Redressing Key Problems Confronting Schools

• High Student Dropout Rates

• High Teacher Dropout Rates

• Continuing Achievement Gap

• So Many Schools Designated as

Low Performing

• High Stakes Testing Taking its Toll

on Students

• Plateau Effect

>Addressing Barriers to Learning & Teaching

We just missed the school bus.\ Don’t worry. I heard

the \ principal say no child \ will be left behind.

/

Lenses for Viewing

School Improvement Efforts

• All Students

• Barriers to Learning andTeaching

• Re-engaging Students in Classroom Learning

Range of Learners(categorized in terms of their response to academic instruction)

I = Motivationally ready and able*

II = Not very motivated/ Lacking prerequisite knowledge & skills/ Different learning rates and styles/ Minor vulnerabilities**

III = Avoidant/ Very deficient in current capabilities/ Has a disability Major health problems

* Few youngsters start out with internal problems that interfere with learning what schools teach. There can be little doubt that external factors are primarily responsible for the majority of learning,

behavior, and emotional problems encountered in schools.** All learners have assets/strengths/protective factors that can contribute to success; all have differences that require some degree of

personalization by instructional systems; any may internalize negative experiences that interfere with learning at school.

Barriers to Learning & School Improvement Efforts

Range of Learners (categorized in terms of their response to academic instruction)

I = Motivationally Instructionalready & able No Barriers Component (Accountability)

(a) Classroom Teaching Desired

+ Outcomes

(b) Enrichment Activity (HighNot very Expectations)motivated/

lacking (High Standards)prerequisite

II = knowledge & skills/ different

learning rates& styles/minorvulnerabilities *Barriers include both external factors

(neighborhood, family, school, peer) and internal ones (vulnerabilities and

disabilities).

Avoidant/very deficientin current

III = capabilities/has a disability/major healthproblems

Barriers*to

Learning,Develop.,

&Teaching

Caution: Don’t misinterpret the term

• Barriers to Learning

It encompasses much more than a deficit model of students.

And, it is part of a holistic approach that emphasizes the importance of

• Protective Buffers (e.g., strengths, assets, resiliency, accommodations)

and

• Promoting Full Development

Examples of Risk-Producing Conditions that Can be Barriers to Development and Learning

E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n d i t i o n s* Person Factors*

Examples of Protective Buffers

Conditions that prevent or counter risk producing conditions – strengths, assets, corrective interventions, coping mechanisms, special assistance and accommodations

E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n d i t i o n s* Person Factors*

Examples of Conditions for Promoting Full Development

Conditions, over and beyond those that create protective buffers, that enhance healthy development, well-being, and a value-based life

E n v i r o n m e n t a l C o n d i t i o n s* Person Factors*

*A reciprocal determinist view of behavior recognizes theinterplay of environment and person variables.

For more on this and for references to relevant literature, see:Adelman, H.S., & Taylor, L. (2006). The school leader’s guide to student learning supports:

New directions for addressing barriers to learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Neighborhood >extreme economic deprivation>community disorganization, including high levels of mobility>violence, drugs, etc.>minority and/or immigrant status

Neighborhood>strong economic conditions/ emerging economic opportunities>safe and stable communities >available & accessible services>strong bond with positive other(s)>appropriate expectations and standards>opportunities to successfully participate, contribute, and be recognized

Neighborhood>nurturing & supportive conditions>policy and practice promotes healthy development & sense of community

Family>chronic poverty>conflict/disruptions/violence>substance abuse>models problem behavior>abusive caretaking>inadequate provision for quality child care

Family>adequate financial resources>nurturing supportive family members who are positive models>safe and stable (organized and predictable) home environment>family literacy>provision of high quality child care>secure attachments – early and ongoing

Family>conditions that foster positive physical & mental health among all family members

School and Peers>poor quality school>negative encounters with teachers>negative encounters with peers &/or inappropriate peer models

School and Peers>success at school>safe, caring, supportive, and healthy school environment >positive relationships with one or more teachers>positive relationships with peers and appropriate peer models>strong bond with positive other(s)

School and Peers>nurturing & supportive climate school-wide and in classrooms>conditions that foster feelings of competence, self-determination, and connectedness

Individual>medical problems>low birth weight/ neurodevelopmental delay>psychophysiological problems>difficult temperament & adjustment problems>inadequate nutrition

Individual>higher cognitive functioning>psychophysiological health >easy temperament, outgoing personality, and positive behavior>strong abilities for involvement and problem solving >sense of purpose and future>gender (girls less apt to develop certain problems)

Individual>pursues opportunities for personal development and empowerment>intrinsically motivated to pursue full development, well-being, and a value- based life

Brief Activity

About Barriers to Learning and Teaching

Jot down your thoughts about the following:

What are the key factors that result in students experiencing learning and related behavior problems?(An alternative way to ask this might be: In some communities, why do so many students have learning, behavior, and emotional problems?)

How schools are affected by barriers to learning?

What do schools currently do to

(1) address barriers to learning

and teaching and

(2) re-engage students in

classroom instruction?

What do schools currently do to

(1) address barriers to learning

and teaching and

(2) re-engage students in

classroom instruction?

With all the budget problems, We have to do everything on a shoestring.

\ \ Are you saying

you \ still have a

shoestring?

/

Pupil Services

Special Education Physical

Education

After-School

Programs

Psychological Testing

Health Education

HIV/Aids Prevention

Health Services

Clinic

Nutrition Education

School Lunch Program

Drug Prevention

Drug Services

Counseling

Smoking Cessation For

StaffCodes of Discipline

Pregnancy Prevention

Social Services

Child Protective Services

HIV/AIDS Services

Community-Based

Organizations

Mental Health

Services

Juvenile Court Services

Violence & Crime

Prevention

School

Which of these addresses barriers to student learning?

Adapted from: Health is Academic: A guide to Coordinated School Health Programs (1998).Edited by E. Marx & S.F. Wooley with D. Northrop. New York: Teachers College Press.

Talk about fragmented!!!What do old ideas look like

How is the district/school addressing barriers to learning?

Fragmented policy Fragmented Practices

###############################

Clearly, current interventions

are not conceptualized within

a comprehensive & cohesive

Framework

###############################

School Improvement

What’s Missing?

Everyone needs to ask:

How does school improvement planning address barriers to learning?

Instructional What’s Component Missing? (to directly facilitate learning)

Management Component (for governance and resource management)

It’s not really missing --

it’s just marginalized

This is because current school

improvement policy essentially

is based on a two component model

for describing the key functions schools

must pursue each day.

How does current policy, practice, and research address barriers to development & learning?

A Two Component Model for Reform and Restructuring

Direct Facilitation of Learning Addressing Barriers to Development, (Instructional Component) Learning, & Teaching

(not treated as a primary component)*

Governance and Resource Management (Management Component)

*While not treated as a primary & essential component, every school & community offers a relatively small amount of school-owned student

"support" services and community-owned resources – some of which are linked together. Schools, in particular, have been reaching out to community

agencies to add a few more services. All of this remains marginalized & fragmented.

What’s the

community doing?

What’s the

community doing?

AGENCY REFORMRestructuring and Reforming

Community Health and Human Services

The intent of current agency reform policy –

>end fragmentation

>enhance access to clientele

The focus – >interagency collaboration

>school-linked services, sometimes

based (co-located) at a school

Problems – >doesn’t integrate with school’s efforts to address barriers to learning

>limits the focus to current agency work

As a result, current agency policy produces – >an additional form of fragmentation

>counterproductive competition

>greater marginalization

It is important to remember that

Community Agency Reformis not the same thing as

Strengthening Communities

• The major intent of agency reform is to restructure services to reduce fragmentation.

• The emphasis is mainly on interagency collaboration.

• Schools have been included since they offer better access to agency clients. Thus, the concept of school linked services, and the idea of community agencies co-locating services on a school site.

Because the focus is on services, little attention is paid to

» integrating community resources with existing school programs and services designed to address barriers to learning;

» strengthening families and neighborhoods

by improving economic status and enhancing other fundamental supports.

School

Banks

Police Day care Center

Faith-based Institutions

Higher Education Institutions

Local Residents

Businesses

Restaurants

Health & Social Serviecs AgenciesCommunity

Based Orgs.; Civic Assn.

Media

Artist & Cultural

Institutions

Library

Senior Citizens

Excerpted from: J. Kretzmann & J. McKnight (1993). Building Communities from the Inside out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets. Chicago: ACTA Publications.

A Range of Community Resources that Could Be Part of a Collaboration

County Agencies and Bodies (e.g., Depts. of Health, Mental Health, Children & Family Services, Public Social Services, Probation, Sheriff, Office of Education, Fire, Service Planning Area Councils, Recreation & Parks, Library, courts, housing)

Municipal Agencies and Bodies (e.g., parks & recreation, library, police, fire, courts, civic event units)

Physical and Mental Health & Psychosocial Concerns Facilities and Groups (e.g., hospitals, clinics, guidance centers, Planned Parenthood, Aid to Victims, MADD, “Friends of” groups; family crisis and support centers, helplines, hotlines, shelters, mediation and dispute resolution centers)

Mutual Support/Self-Help Groups (e.g., for almost every problem and many other activities)

Child Care/Preschool Centers

Post Secondary Education Institutions/Students (e.g., community colleges, state universities, public and private colleges and universities, vocational colleges; specific schools within these such as Schools of Law, Education, Nursing, Dentistry)

Service Agencies (e.g., PTA/PTSA, United Way, clothing and food pantry, Visiting Nurses Association, Cancer Society, Catholic Charities, Red Cross, Salvation Army, volunteer agencies, legal aid society)

Service Clubs and Philanthropic Organizations (e.g., Lions Club, Rotary Club, Optimists, Assistance League, men’s and women’s clubs, League of Women Voters, veteran’s groups, foundations)

Youth Agencies and Groups (e.g., Boys and Girls Clubs, Y’s, scouts, 4-H, Woodcraft Rangers)

Sports/Health/Fitness/Outdoor Groups (e.g., sports teams, athletic leagues, local gyms,

conservation associations, Audubon Society)

Community Based Organizations (e.g., neighborhood and homeowners’ associations, Neighborhood Watch, block clubs, housing project associations, economic development groups, civic associations)

Faith Community Institutions (e.g., congregations and subgroups, clergy associations, Interfaith Hunger Coalition)

Legal Assistance Groups (e.g., Public Counsel, schools of law)

Ethnic Associations (e.g., Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools, Korean Youth Center, United Cambodian Community, African-American, Latino, Asian-Pacific, Native American Organizations)

Special Interest Associations and Clubs (e.g., Future Scientists and Engineers of America, pet owner and other animal-oriented groups)

Artists and Cultural Institutions (e.g., museums, art galleries, zoo, theater groups, motion picture studios, TV and radio stations, writers’ organizations, instrumental/choral, drawing/painting, technology-based arts, literary clubs, collector’s groups)

Businesses/Corporations/Unions (e.g., neighborhood business associations, chambers of commerce, local shops, restaurants, banks, AAA, Teamsters, school employee unions)

Media (e.g., newspapers, TV & radio, local accesscable)

Family Members, Local Residents, Senior Citizens Groups

The real difficulty in changing the course of any

enterprise lies not in developing new ideas

but in escaping old ones.

John Maynard Keynes

Developing a System to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching and

Re-engage Students in Classroom Instruction

Four Fundamental and Interrelated Concerns

Policy Revision

Framing Interventions toAddress Barriers to Learning and Teaching into a Comprehensive System of Interventions

Rethinking Organizationaland Operational Infrastructure

Developing Systemic Change Mechanisms for Effective Implementation, Sustainability, and Replication to Scale

Additionally, because of the overemphasis on using extrinsic reinforcers in all aspects of efforts to improve schools, we find it essential to re-introduce a focus on intrinsic motivation.