[mentalhealth-l] ENEWS: July, 2007 (Vol. 11 #10)
School Mental Health Project
mentalhealth-l at lists.ucla.edu
Mon Jul 2 08:30:02 PDT 2007
ENEWS: A Monthly Forum for Sharing and Interchange
July, 2007 (Vol. 11 #10)
Source: UCLA School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools
ENEWS is one of the many resources our Center offers to those concerned
with enhancing policies, programs, and practices related to addressing
barriers to student learning and to promoting mental health in
schools. For more on what our federally supported Center can provide, see
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu
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Feel Free to Forward this to Anyone
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WHAT'S HERE THIS MONTH
**Emerging Issue
>How Much is Understood about the Negative Psychosocial Impact of
High Stakes Testing?
**News from around the country
**Recent Publications Relevant to
>Children's mental and physical health
>Family, school & community
>Policy, systems, law, ethics, finances & statistics
**This month's focus for schools to address barriers to learning
>July – Using "Down Time" to Plan Better Ways to Work Together in
Providing Learning Supports
**Other helpful internet resources
**Upcoming initiatives, conferences & workshops
**Calls for grant proposals, presentations & papers
**UCLA Center activities and resources update
**Training & job opportunities
**Comments, requests, information, questions from the field
<><><><><>
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**EMERGING ISSUE
>>How Much is Understood about the Negative Psychosocial Impact of High
Stakes Testing?
A recent report from Texas:"Tens of thousands of Texas students cheat on
the TAKS test every year, including thousands on the high-stakes graduation
test, according to an in-depth analysis by The Dallas Morning News. The
analysis found cases where 30, 50 or even 90% of students had suspicious
answer patterns that indicate collusion, either between students or with
school staff. The study contradicts the Texas Education Agency's stance
that cheating is extraordinarily rare and that the agency has done a good
job of policing it. The analysis found that test scores of more than 50,000
students show evidence of cheating and suspicious scores are focused on the
11th-grade tests, which students must pass to earn a diploma."
High stakes testing raises many issues, some of which have been highlighted
in previous issues of ENEWS. The emerging issue being highlighted today is
whether the costs of high stakes testing in terms of psychosocial impact is
outweighing the benefits?
The above report, and others, suggest the immediate costs are significant
and that the longer-term costs should be of considerable concern. Clearly,
there are policy makers who argue that the benefits outweigh the costs.
What are the data on this issue? Is anyone doing a sophisticated
cost-benefit analyses from the perspective of the impact on social and
emotional learning and development?
Let us hear from you about all this. Ltaylor at ucla.edu
##########
**NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
TEXAS EDUCATION CHIEF RESIGNS
"Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley ... is stepping down at Gov. Rick
Perry's request.... Senate Education Chairwoman Florence Shapiro said
Neeley generally enjoyed the support of school superintendents and
teachers, although many were unhappy with last year's release of
information from an outside audit that pointed to possible cheating at 700
schools.... Shapiro said she has heard criticism that Neeley didn't act
fast enough to address allegations of cheating." Houston Chronicle,
6/20/07. http://www.chron.com
EXIT EXAM UNFAIR
"Alaska spends enough money on schools to meet state constitutional
standards ... however, the state has failed to adequately supervise local
school districts and, as a result, some students are not getting the
education they are legally entitled to.... Therefore, requiring those
students to pass the state exit exam to get a diploma violates their
constitutional rights, an Anchorage judge ruled in a lawsuit challenging
state education funding.... Nationally, similar lawsuits have won hundreds
of millions in increased budget dollars for public schools." Anchorage
Daily News, 6/22/07. http://www.adn.com
HIGH TEACHER TURNOVER DRAINS SCHOOL AND DISTRICT RESOURCES
"The teacher dropout problem is costing the national billions of dollars,
draining resources, diminishing teaching quality, and undermining the
nation's ability to close the student achievement gap, according to a new
policy brief released by the National Commission on Teaching and America's
Future. 6/20/07. http://nctaf.org
VIRGINIA TECH REPORT FAULTS PRIVACY LAWS
"Schools, doctors and police often do not share information about
potentially dangerous students because they can't figure out complicated
and overlapping privacy laws, according to a federal report on the Virginia
Tech shooting." For report see http://www.hhs.gov/vtreport.html
Associated Press, 6/13/07. Http://www.boston.com
THOUSANDS OF FAILING SCHOOLS FACE "NO CHILD" OVERHAUL
"The scarlet letter in education these days is an "R". It stands for
restructuring – the purgatory that schools are pushed into if they fail to
meet testing goals for six straight years under the No Child Left Behind
law. Nationwide, about 2,300 school are either in restructuring or are a
year away and planning..." Associated Press, 6/20/07. Http://www.boston.com
SCHOOLS PLAN TO PAY CASH FOR MARKS
"New York City students could earn as much as $500 a year for doing well on
standardized tests and showing up for class in a new program to begin this
fall.... Under the plan, fourth-grade students will receive up to $25 for a
perfect score on each of 10 standardized tests throughout the year.
Seventh-grade students will be able to earn twice as much – $50 per test,
for a total of up to $500." The New York Times,
6/19/07. Http://www.nytimes.com
##############
Each week the Center highlights a newsworthy story online at
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/whatsnew/newsitems.htm
Also access other news stories relevant to mental health in schools through
links at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/whatsnew/linkstolatest.htm
####################
**RECENT PUBLICATIONS (IN PRINT AND ON THE WEB)
*Children's Mental and Physical Health
>Risk-taking among adolescents: Associations with social and affective
factors (2007) K. Michael and H. Ben-Zur, Journal of Adolescence, 30(1)
17-31. http://www.sciencedirect.com
>The epidemiology and phenomenology of non-suicidal self-injurious
behavior among adolescents: A critical review of the literature. (2007) C.
Jacobson & M. Gould. Archives of Suicide Research, 11(2)
129-47. Http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/13811118.html
>Emergence of delinquency and depressed mood throughout adolescence as
predictors of late adolescent problem substance use. (2007) W. Mason, et
al., Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 21, 13-24.
http://depts.washington.edu/sdrg
>‘Pharming:' the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in
teens. (2007) D. Levine. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 19(3) 270-4.
http://www.co-pediatrics.com
>Mental health service use among adolescents and young adults with major
depressive disorder and suicidality (2007) A. Cheung & C. Dewa, Canadian
Journal of Psychiatry, 52(4) 228-32.
http://www.cpa-apc.org/publications/cjphome.asp
>Identification of youth psychosocial problems during pediatric primary
care visits (2007) J. Brown, et al., Administration and Policy in Mental
Health and Mental Health Services Research.
*Family, School & Community
>Bullies and victims at school: Are they the same pupils? (2007) M.
Solberg, et al., British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77(Pt. 2):
441-64. http://www.bps.org.uk/publications/jep_1.cfm
>Using community and family risk and protective factors for
community-based prevention planning (2007) A. Fagan, et al., Journal of
Community Psychology 35(4) 535-555.
http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/0090-4392
>Individual, family, and neighborhood factors distinguish resilient from
non-resilient maltreated children: A cumulative stressors model. (2007) S.
Jaffee, et al., Child Abuse and Neglect, ePub.
Http://sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01452134
>School, parent, and student perspectives of school drug policies. (2007)
T. Evans-Whipp, et al., Journal of School Health, 77,
138-144. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/josh/77/3
>School culture as an influencing factor on youth substance use. (2007) S.
Bisset, et al., Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 61(6) 485-90.
http://jech.bmjjournals.com
>Youth activities, substance use, and family income (2007) Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration.
http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/youthacts/youthacts.cfm
>No experience necessary: How the New Orleans school takeover experiment
devalues experienced teachers. United Teachers of New Orleans, Louisiana
Federation of Teachers, and the AFT –
http://www.aft.org/presscenter/releases/downloads/NoExperReport_07.pdf
*Policy, Systems, Law, Ethics, Finances & Statistics
>Mental health of young people: A global public-health challenge (2007) V.
Patel, et al., Lancet, 369(9569):
1302-13. Http://sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01406736
>The Condition of Education 2007, National Center for Education
Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007064
>Enhancing achievement and proficiency through safe and drug-free schools
(2007). Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee.
http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/sdfscac/comment.html
>The impact of gang formation on local patterns of crime (2007). Journal
of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 44(2) 208-237.
http://www.sagepub.com/journal.aspx?pid=145
>Revenues and expenditures for public elementary and secondary education
(2007) National Center for Education
Statistics. Http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/expenditures/
>Ethnocultural aspects of suicide in young people: A systematic literature
review (2007)
Part 1. Rates and Methods of Youth Suicide
Part 2. Risk factors, precipitating agents, and attitudes toward
suicide
E. Colucci & G. Martin. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 37(2)
197-237. http://www.guilford.com/pr/jnsl.htm
Note: The Quick Find online clearinghouse at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu is
updated regularly with new reports and publications such as those listed
above. Currently there are over 100 alphabetized topic pages with direct
links to Center materials and to other online resources and related
centers. Let us know about publications and reports that should be
included in this dedicated online clearinghouse. Ltaylor at ucla.edu
@#@#@##@
"Even as wisdom often comes from the mouths of babes, so does it often
come from the mouths of old people. The golden rule is to test everything
in the light of reason and experience, no matter from where it comes."
Mahatma Gandhi
@#@#@#
**MONTHLY FOCUS FOR SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO LEARNING
>>July – Using ‘down time' to plan better ways to work together in
providing learning supports
In mid June, we sent a survey to a broad range of school leaders asking
three brief questions:
(1) Are you aware of any school improvement planning designed to develop a
comprehensive systemic approach for addressing barriers to learning and
teaching.
(2) If you are, at this state of its development, how well does the
learning support system focus on (a) developing classroom and schoolwide
interventions to both (enhance how students cope with barriers to learning
and (b) re-engage them effectively in classroom instruction?
(3) Is someone designated as the administrative leader to ensure
development and effective implementation of a comprehensive systemic
approach for addressing barriers to learning and teaching.
(If you know of a district we may have missed, let us know and we will
contact them.)
We are just now receiving the first responses. It is relevant to note
that, of the first 100+ responses received, only about 30% of the
respondents indicate knowing about some school improvement planning
designed to develop a comprehensive systemic approach for addressing
barriers to learning and teaching.
Assuming these data are representative and given the plateau of test scores
in so many schools and districts, we think it is imperative for schools to
accelerate the focus on developing a system of learning supports.
And, the summer provides an important opportunity for engaging in such a
process.
To aid in this work, our Center has a variety of guides, resources, and
tools for strategic planning, implementation, and capacity building. Such
resources also help to deepen learning about the substance and processes of
the work to be done. For easy access, we have been evolving an online
"Toolkit for Rebuilding a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports" see
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/toolkit.htm
The kit is divided into three sections.
>Section A offers exemplars and guides related to moving forward with a
comprehensive system of learning supports.
>Section B includes a variety of brief guidance and blueprint notes,
tools, and training materials developed by the Center at UCLA to aid
capacity building (particularly staff and stakeholder development).
>Section C provides the menu of over 130 specific Quick Finds available in
the online clearinghouse accessed through the Center at UCLA. Each Quick
Find is a gateway to a host of resources.
If you need assistance is doing this work, please let us know.
More generally, as you do your action planning for the next year, you might
want to anticipate the predictable challenges of the school year. See
"Ideas for Enhancing Support at Your School" for a month by month look at
opportunities and challenges at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/schoolsupport.htm
@#@#@#@#@#
"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back
of his head behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only
way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is
another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it."
A. A.Milne
Summer is a time to stop bumping our heads and take the time to plan some
new directions for learning support.
@#@#@#
**OTHER HELPFUL INTERNET RESOURCES
>Youth Suicide Fact Sheets based on National Violence Death Reporting
System. http://www.sprc.org/library/youthsuicidefactsheet.pdf
http://www.sprc.org/library/youthsuicidestudentstatus.pdf
>Fact Sheet Summarizes the Cost of Violence in the United States
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/costofviolence.htm
>Family Involvement in Middle and High Schools.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/adolescent.html
Family Involvement in Elementary School Children's Education
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/elementary.html
>Understanding High Schools Graduate Rates
http://www.all4ed.org/publications/wcwc/index.html
>Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment, High School
Completions, and Staff: From the Common Core of Data School Year 2005-06
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007352
>Mapping 2005 State Proficiency Standards onto the National Assessment of
Education Progress.
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/researchcenter/statemapping.asp
>Most school districts have developed emergency management plans, but
would benefit from additional federal guidance
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?gao-07-609
>Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and
Community. U. S. Department of Education and the Office of Safe and Drug
Free Schools.
http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/crisisplanning.pdf
>Comparing Drug Testing and Self Report of Drug Use Among Youths and Young
Adults in the General Population
http://oas.samhsa.gov/validity/drugtest.cfm
>Illicit drug use by race/ethnicity in metropolitan and non-metropolitan
counties: 2004 and 2005. http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/popdensity/popdensity.cfm
>State estimates of depression, 2004 & 2005
http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/states/depression.cfm
>Association of Multiple Family Group Therapy and the Multiple Family Group
http://www.multiplefamilygrouptherapy.com
>Description and employment criteria of instructional paraprofessionals
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007008
Note: For a wide range of relevant websites, see our Gateway to a World of
Resources at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/gateway/gateway_sites.htm
@#@@#
"There are two rules for success: 1) Don't tell all you know."
@#@#@#
**A FEW UPCOMING INITIATIVES, CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS
Below is just a small sample. For additional and ongoing information about
conferences, refer to our website Conferences section at
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/upconf.htm
>National Institute on Out of School Time, 7/9-13, Boston, MA.
http://www.niost.org/
>American School Health Association, 7/9-13, Honolulu, HI
http://www.ashaweb.org/annual_conferences.html
>National Coordinating Committee on School Health and Safety,
7/18, Arlington, VA
http://mchb.hrsa.gov/healthystudents
>Improvisation for Lasting Change: Setting the Stage for Creative
Collaboration in Social Work Practice, Teaching, and Research, 8/3-5, Orono, ME
Contact barbsilv at hotmail.com
>Sustainable Schoolwide Social and Emotional Learning Implementation
Workshops, 8/6-7, Chicago, IL http://www.casel.org
>Youth, Education & Law: Current Issues, New Directions, 9/6-8, New
Orleans, LA http://www.abanet.org/publiced/conference/lre07.html
>2007 Cradle to Prison Pipeline Crisis in America National Summit,
9/25-26, Washington, DC. Http://www.childrensdefense.org/
>National Conference on Truancy, 10/10-12, Palm Springs, CA.
http://www.cascwa.org
>National Injury & Violence Prevention Research Conference, 10/10-11,
Columbus, OH. http://www.savirweb.org/documents/confbrochure2007.pdf
>Reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact in Juvenile Justice by Making
the Right Connections, 10/25-27, Denver, CO. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov
>National Prevention Summit, 11/27-29, Washington, DC.
http://www.cdc.gov/cochp/conference/index.htm
Note: If you want to list your conference, please email information to
ltaylor at ucla.edu
@#@#@#
"It's not who you know, it's whom you know."
@#@#@#
**CALLS FOR GRANT PROPOSALS, PRESENTATIONS & PAPERS
Below is just a sample. If you want to Surf the Internet for Funds, go to
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu. Click on Quick Find, scroll down Center
Responses to Financing and Funding. You will find links to funding sources
and to a Quick Training Aid on Financing Strategies to Address Barriers to
Learning.
For update info on federal grants, see the electronic storefront at
http://www.grants.gov. There you can double check due dates and access
applications.
A Few Examples of Current Grant Opportunities
>U. S. Department of Education
>>Smaller Learning Communities Program (84.215L) Due date 7/17/07
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=13973&mode=VIEW
>National Institute of Health (R01 grants: Deadline 10/05/07
>>Early Identification and Treatment of Mental Disorders in
Children and Adolescents
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/pa-07-158.html
>>Research on the Reduction and Prevention of Suicidality
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/pa-07-079.html
>Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration
>>Knowledge Dissemination Conference Grants. Due 10/31/07
http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/conference/pa_06_001_conference.aspx
Calls for Proposals
>Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention invites proposals
for presentations at its national Disproportionate Minority Contact
conference. Deadline 7/20/07.
http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/dmc/resources/callforpresentations.pdf
>Journal of Youth Development: Bridging Research and Practice is
interested in receiving papers for publication consideration in the
following categories: (1) Research and Evaluation Strategy Articles (2)
Resource Reviews. Manuscripts are accepted at
anytime. Http://www.nae4ha.org/profdev/joyd/index.html
>Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology call for papers for special
section on "Moving beyond efficacy: factors influencing the outcome of
evidence-based psychological interventions with children and adolescents"
Due January 15, 2008. Http://www.apa.org/journals/ccp/papercall.html
>Journal for Prevention & Intervention in the Community call for papers
for special issue "The Interface of Family, School, and Community Factors
to Protect Youth and Children." Deadline September 1, 2007. See
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs or contact karen_debord @ncsu.edu
@#@@##
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance."
@#@##
**UCLA CENTER ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES UPDATE
>>Letter sent to House and Senate Education Committees urging a focus on
addressing barriers to learning in the reauthorization of No Child Left
Behind. As of now, this letter is endorsed by 51 organizations and 178
other individuals. See the list online at
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/congress%20letter.pdf
As the reauthorization process moves forward, we will continue to use this
letter and other means to focus attention on this matter. If you haven't
already, let us know if you want to be added to the list and let others
know about this.
>>New Center Publication
Systemic Change for School Improvement (2007) in the Journal of
Educational and Psychological Consultation, 17(1) 55-77.
>>Addition to Center Policy and Practice Analysis Briefs
Youth Risk Taking Behavior: The Role of Schools
Contents: What Schools Do with Respect to Risk Taking Behaviors
Concerns about Current School Approaches
What Should Schools Do?
Recommendations for School Policy and Planning
References and Resources
Exhibits
1. Deciding to Take a Risk?
2. Suggested Common Elements of Promising Programs
3. What Researchers Say About School Engagement
Appendices
A. About School Engagement and Re-engagement
B. A School Improvement Tool for Moving toward a
Comprehensive
System of Learning Supports
>>Improving Access to Resources and Publications – We have begun
additional refinements in the "Resources & Publications" section of our
website. The first step involves modification of the online catalogues in
terms of access by either format or topics. The revised pages will be up
and running later this week. Take a look and let us know if we are on the
right track. Over the summer, we will improve topical access by further
development of each QUICK FIND on the dropdown menu. Let us know other
topics you would like us to add and also share information about other
resources we should include in any of the QUICK FINDS.
>>Outreach mailing to education leaders – As noted in the section on "This
month's focus for schools to address barriers to learning," the Center
spent a good deal of time in June outreaching to education leaders across
the country. One facet of this was the survey mentioned in that section.
The other facet involved dissemination of a "School Improvement Tool for
Moving toward a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports: Mapping &
Analyzing Learning Supports" This tool outlines a six step process that can
be used by planners and decision makers to chart all current activities and
resource use (e.g., school, district, community) as a basis for evaluating
the current state of development, doing a gap analysis, and setting
priorities for moving forward. It is one of the tools included in the
"Toolkit for Rebuilding a Comprehensive System of Learning Supports"
mentioned above. It is proving to be a useful device for school improvement
planning. See
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/summit2002/tool%20mapping%20current%20status.pdf
For more information on the UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools, go to
the website at http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu or contact
Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor, Co-directors
School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools
UCLA Department of Psychology
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
Phone: (310) 825-3634; Toll Free (866) 846-4843; Fax (310) 206-8716
Email: smhp at ucla.edu
###########
Check out our sister center, Center for School Mental Health Analysis and
Action, at http://csmha.umaryland.edu or contact Mark Weist, Director,
CSMHA, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Department of Psychiatry, 737
W. Lombard St. 4th floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. Toll free phone:
888-706-0980. Email csmh at umpsy.umaryland.edu
@##@#@@#@#@
"Hard work never killed anyone, but why chance it?"
@#@#@#
**TRAINING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Note: For info on employment opportunities, see
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/job.htm
Following the list of current openings, you will see links to HRSA, SAMHSA,
and other relevant job sites.
Here are a few opportunities that have been brought directly to our
attention this month:
<Research>
Two positions (data analyst and research association) available at the
Prevention Research Center of Pennsylvania State University (
http://www.prevention.psu.edu).
Contact Barb Oldro (bbg3 at psu.edu)
<Postdoctoral>
University of Virginia, Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning
has a post-doctoral position related to an intervention that is designed to
enhance the quality of adolescents' interactions with their teachers in
secondary school classrooms.
See http://www.virginia.edu/vprgs/CASTL/
<Internship>
Children's Defense Fund, Washington, DC. For information contact Jonathan
Rybka at 202-628-8787. See http://www.childrensdefense.org
<Postdoctoral>
Research position in violence prevention, University of Illinois at
Chicago, Interdisciplinary Center for Research on Violence. See
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/violencecenter/ or contact Paul Schewe
http://www.uic.edu/~schewepa
<Postdoctoral>
Prevention research with children, Arizona State University Psychology
Department and the Program for Prevention Research. Application deadline is
August 1, 2007. Contact Laurie Chassin at laurie.chassin at asu.edu
<Postdoctoral>
Socio-emotional development research, University of Notre Dame. Deadlines
July 15, 2007, Contact Julie Braungart-Ricker, 100 O-Shaughnessy Hall,
Notre Dame, IN 46556.
@#@#@#
"Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now."
@#@#@#
**COMMENTS, REQUESTS, INFO, QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD
>From a Member of our Advisory Committee
"In light of recent events, increasingly rigid policies appear to have
emerged in schools with regard to student threats, including suspension,
police reports, even expulsion. Having cogent recommendations and
discussions regarding this matter that allow room for clinical judgement
and the understanding of the developmental nature of some of these
'threats' would be greatly appreciated."
Please send your comments on this to ltaylor at ucla.edu for compiling and
sharing.
>Request received asking that information be shared about the following
books for teens:
"I'm not alone: A Teen's guide to living with a parent who has a mental
illness"
"Finding My Way: A Teen's Guide to Living with a Parent Who has Experienced
Trauma" See http://www.seedsofhopebooks.com
> Re. last month's issue: Retaining Teachers
#1. "I am a teacher, and I think that the problem of teacher retention can
be largely solved by placing more responsibility on the student. Many of my
students do not seem to care a great deal about their success in school.
These students should be directed into programs that allow them to work,
earn money, and study for the vocation that they will be following in life,
instead of forcing them into college prep programs. This would help with
the discipline problems that are the primary reasons teachers feel
dissatisfied and drop out of education. The students who follow a Voc-Ed
route in high school, should be allowed to enter Community College in the
future if they decide that they do wish to further themselves. A motivated
Jr. College student can get caught up academically in a very short time. My
plan would make a lot of unhappy people more satisfied and prepared than
our present system does."
#2. "We would say [the answer is] better selection criteria. Calstate Teach
has some retention information and they use the Haberman Star Teacher
Selection Interview for their teacher candidates."
See http://www.habermanfoundation.org
#3. Of relevance to any discussion of teacher retention is the publication
from the National Commission on Teaching and American's Future on the cost
of teacher turnover
(http://www.nctaf.org/resources/demonstration_projects/turnover/teacherturnovercoststudy.htm
)
Here is a brief excerpt from the Executive Summary:
"The Cost of Teacher Turnover – Low performing schools rarely close the
student achievement gap because they never close the teaching quality gap
–– they are constantly rebuilding their staff. An inordinate amount of
their capital –– both human and financial –– is consumed by the constant
process of hiring and replacing beginning teachers who leave before they
have mastered the ability to create a successful learning culture for their
students. Student achievement suffers, but high turnover schools are also
extremely costly to operate. Trapped in a chronic cycle of teacher hiring
and replacement these schools drain their districts of precious dollars
that could be better spent to improve teaching quality and student
achievement......
Recommendations
1. Invest in new teacher support and development – Comprehensive induction
programs have been proven to increase teacher retention and improve student
achievement. The costs of such programs could be offset by the savings
achieved through decreases in the costs of turnover.
2. Target comprehensive retention strategies to at-risk schools – Teachers
leave at-risk (low-income, high-minority, low-performing) schools at high
rates. Retention initiatives in these schools have the greatest potential
for a high return on investment, both in terms of resources and school
performance.
3. Track teacher turnover and its costs annually -- In order to make sound
decisions, school leaders and policymakers need data on teacher turnover
and its costs. By tracking teachers and costs year by year, school leaders
and policymakers will be able to determine where to invest in teacher
retention and the impact of these investments.
4. Amend NCLB to hold school leaders accountable for turnover and its costs
--To ensure that every child has access to a school with a rate of teacher
attrition and experience that is comparable to all other schools served by
its local education agency, each local and state education agency should be
required to publicly report the distribution of qualified teachers, the
average years of teaching experience in each school, the annual rate of
teacher and principal attrition, and the cost of that attrition for each
school it serves.
5. Upgrade district data systems -- Most districts have huge collections of
data on the cost elements associated with teacher turnover, but the current
data systems stand in the way of accurate and timely analysis. Coherent
data systems should be created to house cost data in a way that is easily
accessible and analyzable."
############################
THIS IS THE END OF THIS ISSUE OF ENEWS
See below for source identifying information
Who Are We? Under the auspices of the School Mental Health Project in the
Department of Psychology at UCLA, the national Center for Mental Health in
Schools was established in 1995. The Project and Center are co-directed by
Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor. The UCLA Center is one of two national
centers first funded in October,1995, by the Office of Adolescent Health,
Maternal and Child Health Bureau(Title V, Social Security Act), Health
Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human
Services (Project #U45MC00175). In open competition, both Centers were
refunded in 2000 for a second 5 year cycle with the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Mental Health Services
joining HRSA as a co-funder. In 2005 after open competition, both Centers
were funded for a third five year cycle. (In this cycle, SAMHSA joined HRSA
as a co-funder only for the first year.) As sister Centers, the Center at
UCLA and the one at the University of Maryland focus on advancing efforts
to enhance how schools address mental health and psychosocial concerns. A
description and evaluation of the Center's work and impact is available at
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu
For more information about the Center or about ENEWS, contact Center
Coordinator Perry Nelson or Center Co-Directors Howard Adelman and Linda
Taylor at:
UCLA School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools
Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563
Phone (310) 825-3634; Toll Free (866) 846-4843; Fax (310) 206-8716
email: smhp at ucla.edu
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