We were struck by a recent article on Education Dive entitled:
         “I don't know how to lead for equity; that was not part of my program.”

We also note that equity was a central theme for conversations at the recent Education Commission of the States’ National Forum on Education Policy.

So clearly the matter is of growing concern.

As those familiar with our work know, equity is at the foundation of our Center's research and development.*  
         Note the theme for our National Initiative for
           Transforming Student and Learning Supports is: 

Equity of opportunity is fundamental to enabling civil rights;
transforming student and learning supports is fundamental to
enabling equity of opportunity and promoting whole child development. 

From this perspective, we review school improvement policies and plans. And, we stress that, if efforts to address barriers to learning and teaching and re-engage disconnected students are not a primary agenda item, than neither is enhancing equity.

A central planning need is to focus on transforming current marginalized and fragmented student and learning supports into a unified, comprehensive, and equitable system of learning supports.

Our analysis of available state plans for ESSA find that, so far, all continue to marginalize their approach to addressing barriers to learning and teaching and re-engaging disconnected students.

As long as this is the case, references to enhancing equity and ensuring every student succeeds simply become more political buzzwords.

At this time, we are asking anyone and everyone:

If you know of any school improvement plan that includes an approach for ending the marginalization of student and learning supports by developing them into a unified, comprehensive, and equitable system, send us the link so we share it widely.

Send to Ltaylor@ucla.edu

*Note: As an aid for school improvement planning, we have recently pulled together much of the Center’s work into two books:

1. Addressing Barriers to Learning: In the Classroom and Schoolwide
   (access free through link on the Center's homepage – https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/

2. Transforming Student and Learning Supports:
   Developing a Unified, Comprehensive, and Equitable System. - Click here

We received a variety of responses to our query about Which Schools are Taking Equity Seriously?
Among the responses we received were references to

• Colorado's Equity Toolkit for Administrators
  
• the Leadership for Equity Assessment & Development (LEAD) Tool™, created by the Oregon Leadership Network (OLN).Education Northwest
  
• the SWIFT school framework
  

As we reviewed these, we agreed that each was a valuable resource.

At the same time, it was evident each was a significantly insufficient framework for enhancing equity of opportunity for success at school and beyond. Our concerns are outlined in a brief report entitled:

Brief Report on Responses to an Inquiry about Which Schools are Taking Equity Seriously?
https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/equityresps.pdf

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Continue on to our
Ongoing Hot Issue

Previous Hot Topics:

Why is there so little attention in ESSA planning with respect to transforming student and learning supports? Don’t Grade Schools on Grit Resegegation? Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child – The Implementation Problem About Integrating Student and Learning Supports: Integrating is Not the Main Point ESEA & Transforming Student and Learning Supports About the Value of Student and Learning Supports Common Core State Standards and Learning Supports Making Analyses of How Well SEA, LEA, and School Websites Present Learning Supports CHALLENGE FOR 2012: Expanding the 2012 School Improvement Agenda to Encompass Development of a Unified and Comprehensive System of Learning Supports Education Blueprints for School Improvement, Addressing Barriers to Learning, a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports: It's About Much More than Full Service Community Schools and Wraparound Services Predictions about the ESEA reauthorization Moving Beyond the Three Tier Intervention Pyramid The Tucson Tragedy: Identifying and Responding to Troubled and Troubling Students The Changing Role of Student Support Staff: A Sample of School Social Worker Responses How Good is the Federal Blueprint and Roadmap for Turning Schools Around? Preparing Everyone for College: What are the Implications? What is a School's Role in Addressing the Impact of Poverty? Budget Cuts Threaten Student/Learning Supports Security Measures at Schools: Mental Health Considerations Response to Intervention Using "Down-Time" to Plan Better Ways to Address Psychosocial-Educational and Mental Health Concerns at School Reducing School Attendance Problems Prescription Drugs Abuse Among Youth Countering the Over-pathologizing of Students' Feelings & Behavior Addressing School Adjustment Problems Dropout Prevention Addressing Barriers to Learning and Closing the Achievement Gap: New Directions for Student Support Homework as a Mental Health Concern Opening the classroom door Student Retention or Social Promotion: What's Appropriate? Re-engaging Students in Classroom Learning Bullying: A Major Barrier to Student Learning

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Contact

WebMaster: Perry Nelson (smhp@ucla.edu)