IESTALL BestforAll Commissioner Penny Schwinn Department of mEduca?on ACADEMICS ALL TENNESSEE STUDENTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION, NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE We will set all students on a path to success. WHOLE CHILD EDUCATORS TENNESSEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE EQUIPPED TO SERVE THE ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS TENNESSEE WILL SET A NEW PATH FOR THE EDUCATION PROFESSION AND BE THE TOP STATE TO BECOME AND REMAIN A TEACHER AND LEADER © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education What is Whole Child in Education? The integration and collaboration between education leaders and health sectors to improve each child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. -United States Centers for Disease Control, 2019 © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Whole Child Tenets • Each student enters school HEALTHY and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle. • Each student learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally SAFE for students and adults. • Each student is actively ENGAGED in learning and is connected to the school and broader community. • Each student has access to personalized learning and is SUPPORTED by qualified, caring adults. • Each student is CHALLENGED academically and prepared for success in college or further study and for employment and participation in a global environment. -Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2019 © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Ten Components of the Whole Child Approach Physical education and activity Nutrition environment and services Health education Social and personal skills and school climate Physical environment Health services Counseling, psychological, and Employee wellness social services Community involvement Family engagement -Centers for Disease Control, 2019 © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education What We Know • Physical health is different from mental health and emotional well-being – but they are tightly linked. • Supporting the non-academic needs of students benefits all children and produces positive gains in traditional measures of academic success. Healthy students learn better. © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Where are we now in Tennessee? 22% of TN children live in poverty U.S. Average: 18% Rank Indicator 32nd Economic Well-Being 33rd Education 33rd Health 39th Family and Community 36th OVERALL To be prepared for successful careers and lifelong learning, Tennessee’s children need personalized support, safe environments, good health, and challenging learning opportunities. -Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2019 © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Youth Mental Health in Tennessee Youth mental health is worsening. From 2012 to 2017, the prevalence of past-year Major Depressive Episode (MDE) increased from 8.66 percent to 13.01 percent of youth ages 12-17. Now over two million youth have MDE with severe impairment. Source: https://www.mhanational.org/issues/ranking-states © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Theory of Action The department will create meaningful and lasting change for students in Tennessee through: Foundatio Build ns upon the commitment to FOUNDATIONS ACCESS ENGAGE THEORY OF ACTION standards, assessment, evaluation, and turnaround. Access Focus on rigorous academic expectations for all children. Supports Pipeline Provide whole child supports for schools, teachers, and families. Build and maintain a strong educator pipeline and retention strategy. Capacity Engage SUPPORTS CAPACITY PIPELINE Build district capacity and consider Authentically engage with the needs and realities of each stakeholders to measure what is district in our work. and isn’t working, and provide choices for families. © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Tennessee public schools will be equipped to serve the academic and non-academic needs of all kids. Supports Ensure that schools and districts are able to quickly and appropriately respond to students in need. WHOLE CHILD Strategic Priority 2: Whole Child The state will: • Conduct a needs assessment on what resources and supports will be most helpful • Create tools that match schools and districts with local supports and work closely with other agencies and partners to expedite services • Identify opportunities to increase in-school resources for whole child needs © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education What we have heard so far: This is not an education issue, this is a state of Tennessee issue. • Top Needs: • Counseling, psychological and social services • Social and Personal Skills and school climate • Family engagement and community involvement • Requested Supports: • • • • Additional personnel Resources for teachers Resources for families Training © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education What role does the State play? Connecting the Dots • Active engagement with other state agencies serving our children • A series of statewide convenings to discuss context, needs, solutions and supports • Coordination to ensure that our joint efforts as a state are centrally focused on what is best for all kids © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Online Tool The department will build an online tool that allows for: • School-site personnel to identify children with significant needs and create a referral • Allow for school or district personnel to identify the student‘s need and, with the family, the resources the student must access • Work with state, regional, and community partners to escalate that referral and provide same-day services at no-cost or low-cost (connect the supply to the demand) • Will map non-profits, government, and in-kind partnerships and organization by county and region • Will allow for a searchable database to connect to resources, even outside of the referral • Will support the use of tele-health as well as in-person treatment © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Create Local and Regional Hubs • Utilize and expand the Family Resource Center network, to provide local and regional hubs for whole child and mental health supports. • Provide resources to build district-level resource hubs, where Family Resource Centers do not currently exist • Ensure Coordinated School Health support in every school building through district hubs • Hubs would provide services for general health, mental health, and connection support services • State agencies would be housed in the hubs so that centralized services can be offered, and be closest to the community • Structure so that billing to TennCare approved, if services provided at the hub • Utilize school buses during off-hours to transport students and families to the centralized hubs for services © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Building Talent Pipeline • Demand • Identify the specific personnel needed by region and by county • Coordinate with higher education institutions around demand to align with acceptances and program expansion • Explore mental health/whole child support staff (counselor or similar) at every school in the state • Grow-Your-Own Programs • Build partnerships between districts and higher education to create job-embedded opportunities for degrees, certification and clinical hours • Identify existing personnel looking for career development and growth, and provide them with state-supported education and experience to meet the growing demand © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education District Spotlight: Murfreesboro • Mapped and made connections with all partners in the region that can provide services to students, both in and out of school • Funded significant supports, including: district director, Coordinated School Health Program, and nurses, social workers, mental health/counselors at every school site • Created hospital partnerships, so that the local medical services can connect directly into school services • Ensured all schools participate in Building Strong Brains, are trauma informed, and implement ASES © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education WHOLE CHILD Strategic Priority 2: Whole Child Tennessee public schools will be equipped to serve the academic and non-academic needs of all kids. Exceptionalities Create a statewide network that effectively supports students with disabilities. The state will develop: • Tools for families and educators to help identify and navigate resources • Regional hubs with the expertise in special education that districts need • Stronger regional engagement opportunities so that stakeholders feel connected © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Supports for Special Education • Alignment- grant opportunities and support made available to districts should be aligned to the district’s needs. • Cohesion- identification of district need and the alignment of related funding and supports should be done through existing structures and processes, rather than duplicating efforts. • Data-driven- grant funding and supports should demonstrate a measurable effect on improving outcomes for students with disabilities. • Student focused- grant funding and supports should first and foremost be focused on what students need to be successful. © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Tools for families and educators to help identify and navigate resources Develop an online resource aimed at supporting a better understanding of IDEA, navigating the special education system in Tennessee, providing supports for children with disabilities and ELs, and connecting local resources to families. Tool will connect to the previous tool, but will be specific to children with disabilities and ensuring that families and educators have the resources they need to navigate the system and provide the strongest supports. © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Regional hubs with the expertise in special education that districts need • Coordinated technical assistance support network providing evidence-based resources, professional development, strategy, and capacity services • Districts will have the opportunity to share information with the department regarding needs, concerns, and challenges • Connected to the whole child regional hubs as one of the support providers © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Stronger regional engagement opportunities so that stakeholders feel connected Department Engagement • Study council meetings • Regional advocacy listening sessions • Community conversations • Family call center • Video clips LEA Support for Family Engagement • Regional family engagement specialists • Training on effective engagement strategies • Training on IEP facilitation and conflict resolution © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Tennessee public schools will be equipped to serve the academic and non-academic needs of all kids. Character Education WHOLE CHILD Strategic Priority 2: Whole Child Develop a Tennessee-specific character and citizenship education program that prepares students to make successful contributions to society. Content will include: • Personal characteristics • Financial literacy • Citizenship and civics © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education C3: Character, Citizenship and Civics Education • State will contract to build an open source set of “C3” instructional materials • Must be able to be adapted for local contexts • Heavily reviewed by teachers, families, and elected officials • Intended to create opportunities for proactive engagement and support for all students • Will include items already mandated by the state such as early intervention (character education), career exploration (everyone has a gift), financial literacy, citizenship, and civics education (leading to the Civics Seal) • Support also provided for implementation © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Badges All components of the strategic plan will include a badge to demonstrate adoption and effective implementation of this work. The Whole Child Badge would include: • Bronze – District or school has successfully implemented the inputs and completed a checklist for a Safe and Healthy School • Silver – Bronze + the district or school has seen results in the outputs (positive survey data, lower discipline issues, effective special education practices, volunteer hours, etc.) • Gold – Silver + the district or school participated in monitoring to demonstrate effective implementation, lead to student achievement improvements, and sustained commitment to local investment © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education Online Tool Localized Hubs Virtual Support In-person Access • School and district resource mapping • Connection to local resources Supports for families • Regional service hubs to coordinate technical assistance to districts • Coordination of all available services through district-based centers • Resources to families navigating • Regional service hubs to Exceptio special populations field coordinate technical assistance nal• Connection to local resources • Best practice networks for ities for families district collaboration Characte • Access for students, families, and teachers to free K-12 r content Educatio n WHOLE CHILD Opportunities for Coordinated Infrastructure • Technical assistance in badging system to recognize implementation © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education State Support Resources and services available across state departments is coordinated and streamlined. Online Tool Available local resources and services are made available for teachers and families. WHOLE CHILD Coordinated Infrastructure Across whole child supports and exceptionalities Localized Hubs Technical assistance is available to districts regionally. Access to services is made available to families at district level. © 2019 Tennessee Department of Education