Community Collaboration to Improve Schools: Introducing a New Model from Ohio

Abstract

Convenrional school improvement models traditionally involve "walled-in" approaches. These models focus primarily on academic learning strategies in response to standardsbased accountabiliries. Although positive outcomes have been documented, expanded school improvement models such as the Ohio Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement (OCCMSI) are needed. Expanded models like this one enable educators to gain some influence over students' out-of-school time and address nonacadeniic barriers to learning.This analysis presents OCCMSI's process and content components. Its aim is to facilitate understanding of the complex improvement strategies incorporated in expanded school improvement models, including strategic school-family-community parnierships. These expanded school improvement models ofier new roles, responsibilities, and opportunities for school social workers.

Challenges to Collaboration in School Mental Health and Strategies for Overcoming Them

“…Although holistic approaches to learning and healthy youth development are increasingly embraced by schools, 29 in many communities, the SMH agenda is marginalized for many reasons, such as intense academic pressures, limited resources for mental health, and “gray zone” status, wherein SMH programming may not be fully owned by the education or the mental health system. Schools are being asked to improve academic outcomes with fewer resources and in the context of complex issues such as poverty, substance abuse, and family concerns that affect the social context of education 9,30 . School professionals are held accountable for student achievement related to markedly increased pressures associated with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 31 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 32 .…”

“…Schools are being asked to improve academic outcomes with fewer resources and in the context of complex issues such as poverty, substance abuse, and family concerns that affect the social context of education. 9,30 School professionals are held accountable for student achievement related to markedly increased pressures associated with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 31 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004. 32 Both legislative documents emphasize the necessity of providing high-quality, scientifically based instruction and interventions, and hold schools accountable for the progress of all students.…”

A Framework for Inclusive Educational Delivery Systems

“…The SWIFT framework overcomes fragmentation of student support and attends to the need for broad engagement through a partnership approach that includes all families and any interested community members. Research supports the benefits that accrue when families and community members form partnerships with school and district staff (Anderson-Butcher et al, 2008;Lawson & Sailor, 2000). These relationships build trust, which operates as both a lubricant for organizational change and a moral resource for sustaining the hard work of local school improvement.…”

The use of data in decision making for school-based social work

“…While there has been some movement in the direction of data-informed decision making over the last ten years, the literature is still sparse. We are starting to see models developed that help chart a path towards improved use of data to inform decision making (Anderson-Butcher et al, 2008;Frey et al, 2012;Kelly, et. al., 2015;Richard & Villareal Sosa, 2014).…”

“…al., 2015;Thompson et al, 2017) and a third proposed a conceptual model that could be applied to school social work (Thompson et al, 2017). Two other models were found that offered a broader perspective, including SBSW, school psychologists, counselors, nurses, and community partners (Anderson-Butcher et al, 2008;Richard & Villareal Sosa, 2014). These were not specifically focused on SBSW, they did mention how SBSW might fit into the models in the use of data.…”