REBUILDING FOR LEARNING

In the Fall 2009, AASA/Scholastic/UCLA created a collaboration focused on enhancing development of a comprehensive and unified system of learning supports so that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed at school and beyond. The initiative was designed to suppors AASA's flagship initiative, Educating the Total Child, which is aimed at advocating for an education approach designed to effect real change by addressing key factors that determine children's academic achievement. As part of the collaborative, a range of learning opportunities were created for education leaders to plan and implement a unified and comprehensive system fo learning supports -- see http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=7264. All three organizations helped underwrite the initiative, and Scholastic provided a special grant to AASA to enable school district participants to receive intensive support for system transformation from the Center at UCLA.

In general, the intent was to help education leaders transform school improvement efforts by developing a unified and comprehensive system to address barriers to learning and teaching and re-engage disconnected students. (For a brief overview, see Toward Next Steps in School Improvement: Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching at https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/systemic/towardnextstep.pdf. )

Strengthening School Improvement by
Developing a Unified & Comprehensive System of Learning Supports to
Address Barriers
to Learning and Teaching

****This webinar was hosted by AASA, Scholastic and UCLA on October 29, 2009. Access an archived copy of the powerpoint slides .

To access just the powerpoint presentation click here.

The focus of the webinar was to briefly emphasize why a system of learning supports is imperative for schools to succeed and introduce frameworks that forward thinking states and districts are using to implement such a system.

During Phase I, four districts were chosen from a pool of applicants interested in implementing such a system in their schools. This phase also was used to develop a variety of resources for the work. It has also been used to develop an infrastructure for providing ongoing guidance, assistance, indepth sharing and exchanges (e.g., websites, phone conferences, face-to-face meetings, onsite consultations, regular email listserv sharing and technical assistance).

Phase II, begun in 2011 continues with Gainesville city Schools and initiated work with two other districts, Stillwater Areas Schools, MN. and Grant Parish Schools, LA.