National Initiative:
New Directions for Student Support

Rethinking Student Support to Enable Students to Learn and Schools to Teach

Over the many years that school reform has focused on improving instruction, little attention has been paid to rethinking student supports.

Current Status of the Initiative

After holding the national and several regional Summits, the initiative is now moving rapidly to schedule statewide Summits for New Directions for Student Support. As can be seen from the information provided below,statewide summits have been held in Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Indiana, Texas, Connecticut, New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, and Vermont and follow-up statewide Leadership Institutes have been held in several of these states. Because of the success of each of these, we have received widespread inquiries from many leaders asking about the possibility of convening a statewide Summit in their states. Information on new directions in Hawai`i also is included below because of their pioneering legislation and statewide efforts. Other states are in the planning stages; others have contacted us to begin the discussion.

Read more about the initiative by reviewing the linked material below.

Then, if you are interested in the possibility of holding such a statewide summit, feel free to contact: Linda Taylor at: ltaylor@ucla.edu

Download Reports and Documents Related to the National Initiative and Individual State Initiatives NATIONAL SUMMIT Executive Summary for Summit Report (in pdf format - click here) Full Summit Report (in pdf format - click here) Call to Action: Student Support Staff: Moving in New Directions through School Improvement (in pdf format - click here) A Related Center Policy & Practice Analysis Report New Directions for Student Support: Current State of the Art For other documents related to new directions for student support, see our resources and publications page and also the tool kit and other resource aids indicated below. NATIONAL INITIATIVE PROGRESS REPORTS Brief Update - April, 2008 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - January, 2008 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - January, 2007 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - October, 2006 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - June, 2006 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - February, 2006 (in pdf format - click here) Status of the Initiative as of January, 2006 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - December, 2005 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - August, 2005 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Update - July 22, 2005 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Progress Report - June 6, 2005 (in pdf format - click here) Brief Progress Report - April 1, 2005 (in pdf format - click here) Status as of December 15, 2004 (in pdf format - click here) Tool Kit and Other Resource Aids Where it's Happening? STATE INITIATIVES Future statewide Summits are being planned currently. If you think it would be useful for your state to have such a Summit, let us know - contact ltaylor@ucla.edu California Leadership Institute March 2006 Agenda and highlights of Topics Discussed Participants and Others Who Indicated Interest Followup Action Agenda A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Sacramento on February 13, 2004 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 3/2/05 1/3/05 11/5/04 8/30/04 6/21/04 5/21/04 Documents Related to New Directions in the State California Department of Education: Learning Support and Partnership Division Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles, CA Proposed Legislation for a Comprehensive Pupil Learning Supports System Connecticut Leadership Institute August 2006 Agenda and highlights of Topics Discussed Participants and Others Who Indicated Interest Followup Action Agenda A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Hartford on November 9, 2004 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 3/3/05 1/3/05 Documents Related to New Directions in the State Position Statement on Creating a Healthy School Environment Position Statement On Student Support Services Position Statement On School-Family-Community Partnerships Hawai`i Leadership Institute March 2007 Agenda and highlights of Topics Discussed Participants and Others Who Indicated Interest Followup Action Agenda A brief overview of the Comprehensive Student Support System (CSSS) (in pdf format - click here). More Specific Details and Materials Related to Comprehensive Student Support System (CSSS) (in pdf format - click here). View Hawai`i's legislation for CSSS (in pdf) Contact Info about the Comprehensive Student Support System (CSSS) CSSS Update from the HI State Department of Education (11/05) Updates See National Progress Reports Indiana A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Indianapolis on April 26, 2004 (in pdf format - click here.) Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 3/2/05 1/3/05 11/5/04 9/7/04 7/12/04 6/17/04 Documents Related to New Directions in the State A State Board Rule to Encourage Flexibility in Development of Student Services Program Management Iowa Leadership Institutes 2005-2006 Because Iowa is now proceeding to implement its Design for a System of Learning Supports through its Area Educational Agencies (AEAs), a series of Leadership Institutes and follow-up capacity building sessions are underway with two AEAs. Others will be planned as more AEAs join in the work. Agenda and highlights of Topics Discussed A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Des Moines on April 18, 2005 (in pdf format - click here.) Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Iowa Design for a “System of Learning Supports” Implementing Learning Supports: An Action Framework Updates See National Progress Reports Excerpts from the Executive Summary of an American Institutes for Research (AIR) evaluation that gathered data related to Iowa’s first implementation steps Minnesota Leadership Institute August 16, 2005 Agenda and highlights of Topics Discussed Participants and Others Who Indicated Interest Followup Action Agenda A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Minneapolis on March, 3, 2003 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 3/2/05 1/3/05 9/7/04 Documents Related to New Directions in the State District and School Initiative Minnesota Department of Education Learning Support Topics New Jersey A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Princeton on January 30, 2006 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer Updates See National Progress Reports New York A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Albany on March 7, 2005 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 Documents Related to New Directions in the State Making a Case for Supportive Learning Environments (Supportive Learning Environment standards) Also See: Toward Safe and Supportive Learning Environments Pennsylvania A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Harrisburg on November 14, 2005 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer Updates See National Progress Reports Texas Leadership Institute September 19, 2005 Agenda and highlights of Topics Discussed Participants and Others Who Indicated Interest Followup Action Agenda An Initial Look at Texas Policy Related to Mental Health in Schools A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Austin on September 27, 2004 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 3/3/05 1/3/05 11/12/04 Documents Related to New Directions in the State Dallas Independent School District, Dallas, TX Vermont Leadership Institute, April 30, 2007 Agenda and Contact Information State Department Plan Finalized Condensed Next Steps Washington A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Seattle on September 18, 2006 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer Updates See National Progress Reports Wisconsin A brief summary and a list of attendees from the State-Wide Summit held in Madison on November 5, 2003 (in pdf format - click here). Core Advisors for the National Initiative Network in the State State Flyer State Brief Concept Paper Updates See National Progress Reports Below are earlier state specific updates 4/1/05 3/3/05 1/3/05 11/5/04 9/7/04 7/12/04 6/11/04 Documents Related to New Directions in the State District Initiative Information on others in the Network REGIONAL SUMMITS A brief summary and a list of attendees from the Six-States Regional held in Kansas City on September 9, 2003 (in pdf format - click here). A brief summary from the Midwest Regional held in Chicago on May 23, 2003 (in pdf format - click here). A brief summary from the East Coast Regional held in Baltimore on March 10, 2003 (in pdf format - click here).

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