Center for MH in Schools & Student/Learning Supports

Call to Action: Moving Forward

This call is directed at everyone concerned with addressing barriers to learning and teaching and re-engaging disconnected students. The three sections below provide ideas for moving school improvement policy and practices forward in ways that evolve student/learning supports to enhance equity of opportunity for all student to succeed at school and beyond..


THE CALL 

End the Marginalization! It's Time for Direct Action!

Now is the time for everyone concerned about ending the marginalization of student and learning supports to act. Be a voice for
      >ending the marginalization of student and learning supports
       >developing a unified, comprehensive, and equitable system of student and learning supports.

  Consider the following:

  • Participate at decision making and planning tables focused on school improvement so you can clarify the need to
           >expand from a two to a three-component policy framework 
           >unify student/learning supports
           >develop the unified component into a comprehensive and equitable system

  • Advocate the system changes to those shaping school improvement policy (e.g., principals, superintendents, mayors, governors, assocaitions/organizations, unions, guilds, business and philanthropic leaders).
     
  • Encourage groups recommending changes in education policy for addressing barriers to learning and teaching to stop generating initiatives that further fragment, marginalize, and result in counterproductive competition for sparse resources.

  • Communicate directly with policy makers about the need to end the marginalization of student and learning supports and expand from a two to a three-component policy framework for school improvement in ESSA planning and implementation  

  • Focus the attention of governors, mayors, superintendents, principals, and other leaders on the need to help schools unify and develop a comprehensive system of student and learning supports.
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    If you want us to send information to anyone, just let us know.

    At a minimum, let us know your thoughts about direct action to elevate student and learning supports in policy as a nonmarginalized and unified system. That will help us in mobilizing others.

    Send your ideas and any information about what you see happening to Ltaylor@ucla.edu or to adelman@psych.ucla.edu

    Here's an example of one group's position statement (CA. Pupil Services Coalition)


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    Outreach Campaign
    We have an ongoing nationwide outreach campaign. The outreach is designed to build awareness regarding:
    • Why it is imperative to transform student and learning supports
    • Ways to rethink use of existing resources (programs, personnel, etc.)
    Special mailings are regularly sent to over 100,000 stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, education leaders, school and community professionals) at state, regional, district, and school levels, and at community organizations and agencies across the country and around the world.

    If you want anyone sent the info, send email addresses to Ltaylor@ucla.edu


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    Start with a Few Strategic Steps

    (1) Speak out, create awareness, and advocate

    (2) 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

    (3) 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 in your locale

    (4) Use every window of opportunity to be a catalyst for fundamental systemic changes that can enhance the effectiveness of supports for addressing barriers to learning and teaching and re-engaging disconnected students. 

    • Work with school improvement leaders to ensure a nonmarginalized focus on developing a unified and comprehensive system of learning supports.
    • Work with local, state, and national professional organizations to ensure they take a leadership role in unifying learning supports.
    • Guide leaders to the aids in the Center System Change Toolkit for Transforming Student Supports into a Unified & Comprehensive System for Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching – https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/summit2002/resourceaids.htm
    (5) Send us all information about what you see happening to move learning supports forward as a unified and nonmarginalized system so we can let others know. 

    Remember: If schools are to enhance equity of opportunity for all students to succeed at school and beyond, it will take enlightened leadership at all levels to end the status quo by moving forward. And, it will take committed people, working together, to establish and fully unify and develop comprehensive learning support systems into every school improvement initiative.


    Here's a few other resources you can share with colleagues:

  • National Initiative for Transforming Student and Learning Supports

  • Evolving School Improvement Planning for Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching  

  • Transforming Student and Learning Supports: Trailblazing Initiatives!

  • First Steps in Transforming Student and Learning Supports into a
    Unified and Comprehensive System to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching

  • Introducing the Idea of Developing a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports
    to a New Superintendent or to One Who May Be Ready to Move Forward

  • School Improvement Policy Needs to Move from a Two to a Three Component Guiding Framework

  • Prototype Guide for Reframing Fragmented Student and Learning Supports into a Unified, Comprehensive, and Equitable Learning Supports System

  • An act to add to the Education Code. Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching: Ensuring a Three Component Approach to School Improvement

  • For more, see the System Change Toolkit

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    If you are interested in learning more,
    please contact: Linda Taylor at: ltaylor@ucla.edu

    Want assistance in Transforming Student and Learning Supports?
    We provide free online technical assistance and coaching on request.
    See info

    Back to National Initiative

    Contact

    WebMaster: Perry Nelson (smhp@ucla.edu)