School Mental Health Project

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National Initiative:
New Directions for Student Support
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School improvement policy and practice continues to pay too little attention
to rethinking student and learning supports

CALL TO ACTION CAMPAIGN
IT'S TIME TO GET ON THE AGENDA!

All signs point to the next two years being used for shaping actions that will produce fundamental changes related to developing comprehensive systems for learning supports. Therefore, at this juncture, the Center has initiated a call to action campaign.

We are recommending that everyone concerned with this pursue the following three courses of action to move things forward in the coming months:

  1. Participate at school improvement decision making and planning tables to ensure there is a sophisticated focus on new directions for developing a comprehensive system of learning supports.

  2. Communicate with Congress about including discussion of a comprehensive system of learning supports as a major agenda item in the hearings for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (e.g., No Child Left Behind).
  3. Focus the attention of Mayors on working with schools to help develop a comprehensive system of learning supports.

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Outreach Campaign
As part of the Initiative, the Center has developed a nationwide outreach campaign.

The outreach is designed to build awareness regarding:

  • Why it is imperative to pursue New Directions for Student Support

  • Ways to Rethink Use of Resources (Programs, Personnel, etc.)
Special mailings are being sent to Superintendents, Title I Coordinators, Student Support Directors, and Special Education Directors at state and district levels across the country.

For a copy of the brochure (in pdf format) to share with others, click here.

or click here to download three Informational flyers to share with others

If there is someone you want sent the info, click here to let us know. This will open up a separate email window. If your system is not set up to do this, just send us a note at smhp@ucla.edu

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Some Strategic Steps You Can Take Now

Are you
  • a student support professional?
  • a school or district administrator?
  • a regular or special education teacher?
  • a community partner/provider connected with schools?
  • a policy maker?
  • a state or federal department representative?
  • a regional or national organization representative?
  • an advocate?
  • a parent? student? citizen?
If so, this Turning Point Initiative needs your involvement in moving the field of student support in new directions.

Here are some things you can do:

(1) Speak out and advocate

  • share this Report with others who are in a position to effect systemic changes
  • let us know who else to send it to
  • tell us who else should be informed about upcoming Regional/State Summits
  • tell others about the new directions highlighted in the Report.

(2) Sign-up for the listserv that will become a linking mechanism for those who want to take a leadership role in moving the field of student support in new directions.

(3) Share information with others (directly and/or through us)

  • about effective practices, lessons learned, and data on progress
  • about the costs of continuing to do business as usual
  • about upcoming Regional and State Summits.

(4) Send in your ideas

  • about enlisting other centers, associations, journals, and various media to showcase efforts to move in new directions
  • about roles you and others can play in advancing this initiative
  • about how to kick-start some activity related to the Summit recommendation on amassing and expanding the research base
  • about who should be invited to a national Summit for Policy makers.

(5) Use every window of opportunity to be a catalyst for fundamental systemic changes that can enhance the effectiveness of student supports.

Remember: If we truly mean to leave no child behind, it will take enlightened people at each level to end the status quo. And, it will take committed people, working together, to establish and fully integrate comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive learning support systems into every school improvement initiative.

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School Mental Health Project, UCLA
Center for Mental Health in Schools
WebMaster: Perry Nelson (smhp@ucla.edu)