The Role of Student Support Services in Developing a Local Education Agency Plan

1
The Role of Student Support Services in
Developing a Local Education Agency Plan

• Paul Meyers
• California Association of School Counselors, Inc.

2
Introduction to the LEA Plan

• Each local education agency (LEA) in California
  receiving federal funds from the No Child Left
  Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 must complete a Local
  Education Agency Plan (LEA Plan).
• The Plan is due to the California Department of
  Education by June 1, 2003.
• The Plans duration is July 1, 2003 to June 30,
  2008.
• A copy of the LEA Plan application was sent to
  districts in March and is available at
  lthttp//www.cde.ca.gov/pr/nclb/gt.
• NCLB provides approximately 5.4 billion to
  California schools.
•  

3
Performance Goals

• All students will reach high standards, at a
  minimum attaining proficiency or better in
  reading and mathematics, by 2013-14.
• All limited-English-proficient students will
  become proficient in English and attaining
  proficiency or better in reading/language arts
  and mathematics.
• By 2005-2006, all students will be taught by
  highly qualified teachers.
• All students will be educated in learning
  environments that are safe, drug-free, and
  conducive to learning.
• All students will graduate from high school.

4
Four Key Principles in NCLB

• Stronger accountability for results
• Greater flexibility and local control in the use
  of federal funds
• Enhance parental choice for parents of children
  from disadvantaged backgrounds
• A focus on what works, emphasizing teaching
  methods that have been demonstrated to be
  effective

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Performance Indicators

• 12 performance indicators linked to performance
  goals were adopted by the U.S. Dept. of
  Education. Three were related to the work of
  student support services.
• 4.1 - The percentage of persistently dangerous
  schools, as defined by the state.
• 5.1 - The percentage of students who graduate
  from high school, with a regular diploma.
• 5.2 - The percentage of students who drop out.

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Alignment of Plans

•  
• California has four major processes to meet
  requirements in state and federal programs and
  funding
• Consolidated Application (ConApp) fiscal
  mechanism used to distribute categorical funds
  that provides assurances that the district will
  comply with the legal requirements of each
  program.
• Single Plan for Student Achievement (School Plan)
  site-level plans developed by the schoolsite
  council for programs funded through the ConApp.

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Alignment of Plans

• Coordinated Compliance Review (CCR) used to
  verify compliance with the requirements of each
  categorical program, and to ensure that program
  funds are spent to increase student achievement.
• Local Education Agency Plan (LEA Plan)
  describes the actions the district will take to
  ensure they meet certain programmatic
  requirements. In addition, LEA Plans summarize
  assessment data, school goals and activities from
  the School Plan.

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Local Education Agency Plan

• Serves as a summary of all existing state and
  federal programs
• Establishes a focus for raising the academic
  performance of all student groups to achieve
  state academic standards
• In the context of this plan, counseling and
  prevention programs are means of achieving
  specific academic and support services goals for
  all groups of students, including identified
  under-performing student groups.

9
Needs Assessment

• A needs assessment must be conducted in the areas
  of student academic performance, professional
  development, and school safety.
• LEAs (districts) should review its demographics,
  test results, and resources to determine
  strengths and weaknesses in these areas.

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Local Measures of Student Performance

• Each LEA must provide a description of the
  academic assessments used to determine the
  success of students in meeting state standards,
  assist in diagnosis, determining revisions, and
  identifying students who may be at-risk for
  reading failure.

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Performance Goal 1 All students will reach high
standards

• Planned Improvement in Student Performance in
  Reading and Mathematics
• Description of Specific Actions to Improve
  Educational Practice
• Involvement of staff, parents, and community.
• Auxiliary services for students and parents
• Monitoring program effectiveness
• Targeting services to lowest-performing students
• Any additional services tied to student academic
  needs.

12
Performance Goal 1 All students will reach high
standards

• Title I--Section 1114-Schoolwide Programs shall
  address the following components
• Strategies to address the needs of all students,
  including counseling, pupil services, and
  mentoring services college and career
  awareness and preparation and the integration
  of vocational and technical education.

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Performance Goal 1 All students will reach high
standards

• Title I--Schoolwide Programs shall address the
  following components
• Professional development for teachers,
  principals, and paraprofessionals and, if
  appropriate, pupil services personnel and
  others.
• Coordination and integration of programs under
  this Act with violence prevention programs,
  nutrition programs, Head Start, adult education,
  vocation and technical education, and job
  training.

14
Performance Goal 1 All students will reach high
standards

• Section 1115Targeted Technical Assistance System
  shall provide opportunities for professional
  development for teachers, principals,
  paraprofessionals, pupil services personnel, and
  parents, and coordinate and integrate Federal,
  State, and local services and programs, violence
  prevention programs, Head Start, adult education,
  vocational and technical education, and job
  training.

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Performance Goal 1 All students will reach high
standards

• Section 1116Comprehensive School Reform
• Local Uses of Funds shall enable schools to
  implement a comprehensive school reform program
  that, among other things, employs strategies for
  student learning, integrates effective classroom
  management, provides continuous staff
  development, provides support for school staff,
  involves parents, and coordinates services.

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Performance Goal 2 Limited-English-proficient
students

• Planned Improvement in Programs for LEP Students
• Provide tutorials and academic or vocational
  education for LEP students and intensified
  services.
• Develop and implement programs that are
  coordinated with other relevant programs and
  services.
• Provide community participation programs, family
  literacy services, and parent outreach to
• improve English language skills of LEP children
• assist parents in helping their children to
  improve their academic achievement and
• become active participants in the education of
  their children.

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Performance Goal 2 Limited-English-proficient
students

• Planned Improvement in Programs for Immigrants
•  Provisions of tutorials, mentoring, and academic
  or career counseling for immigrant children and
  youth.
• Activities coordinated with community-based
  organizations, institutions of higher education,
  private sector entities, or entities with
  expertise in working with immigrants, to assist
  parents of immigrant children and youth by
  offering comprehensive community services.

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Performance Goal 4 safe, drug-free, and
conducive to learning.

• Environments Conducive to LearningStrengths and
  Weaknesses
• Barriers to learning that student support
  services might address include, but are not
  limited to, the following
• Attendance problems
• Discipline problems
• Family-related issues
• Health-related issues
• Nutrition-related issues
• Mobility/transfer issues
• Safety concerns

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Performance Goal 4 safe, drug-free, and
conducive to learning.

• Environments Conducive to LearningActivities
• List the activities or programs supported by all
  NCLB or state funded programs that the LEA will
  implement to support students physically,
  socially, emotionally, intellectually, and
  psychologically.
• Include programs and strategies designed to
  address students barrier to learning (e.g.
  attendance, mobility, and behavior).
• Include a copy of LEAs code of conduct or policy
  regarding student behavior expectations.

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Performance Goal 4 safe, drug-free, and
conducive to learning.

• Each LEA is required to establish a biennial goal
  for all of the performance indicators listed in
  the LEA Plan. This includes the following
• Alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, and violence
  prevention performance measures from the
  California Healthy Kids Survey (decrease in
  student cigarette, marijuana and alcohol use,
  increase in students feeling safe at school,
  decrease in students afraid of being beat up at
  school).
• Protective factors from the California Healthy
  Kids Survey (increase in student reporting high
  levels of caring relationships, high
  expectations, opportunities for meaningful
  participation, and school connectedness).
• Truancy performance indicator

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Performance Goal 4 safe, drug-free, and
conducive to learning.

• Science-based Programs
• Research-based Activities
• Promising or Favorable Programs
• Evaluations and Continuous Improvement
• Parent Involvement
• Principles of Effectiveness

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Performance Goal 5 All students will Graduate
fro High School

• This section reflects the LEAs efforts to reduce
  the percentage of students dropping out of
  school, and therefore, increase the percentage of
  students who graduate from high school.
• Also, each LEA is to include a description of
  their efforts to ensure that all students have
  equal access to advanced placement (AP)
  opportunities.

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Assurances

• 45. The LEA assures that it has developed its
  application through timely and meaningful
  consultation with state and local government
  representatives, representatives of schools to be
  served (including private schools), teachers and
  other staff, parents, students, community-based
  organizations, and others with relevant and
  demonstrated expertise in drug and violence
  prevention activities (such as medical, mental
  health, and law enforcement professionals).

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Recommendations

• LEA staff that provide student support services
  are advised to consider the following
  recommendations
• Become knowledgeable about the LEA Plan, its
  impact, and its significance to your students and
  your schools programs.
• Get involved in developing your LEA Plan (see
  Assurance 45).
• Stay involved. LEA Plans can be amended from time
  to time, so its best to stay involved and
  advocate for your programs and services.