Systems Change and RTSL
All school reform addresses the issue of shared leadership. For the RTSL initiative, in addition to improving culture, teams reflected on the need for the principal to be an instructional leader. Principals have attended, with their teaching staff, the large group professional development. At times, they have attended the facilitator learning opportunities. Principals have broken barriers and added resources to help the team’s work. This shared leadership model includes interactions between students and staff, staff to team, facilitator to team, team to principals, and teams to district staff (see Figure 2).
Clearly the teams are walking the talk of the first “R” in “Relationships, Rigor, and Relevance.” The phrase often repeated around the table has been, “I don’t care what you know until I know that you care.” Teams have reported that the result of their efforts has led students to demonstrating persistence and success in the face of sometimes overwhelming challenges.
| Whole-Child/Family | Whole-Team | Whole-School |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Criteria #1 Personal/Social Skills—Study Skills, Team Work, Conflict Resolution, Goal Setting | Team Member Likely to Have Data About #1: Social Worker/Counselor/ Health Educator, Family | All Staff Consider:
|
| Learning Criteria #2 Engagement Data—Attendance, Behavio | Team Member Likely to Have Data About #2: Administrator, Classroom Teacher, Teacher Consultant, School Improvement Lead | |
| Learning Criteria #3 Core Academics Data—English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies |
Team Member Likely to Have Data About #3: Principal, Classroom Teacher, School Improvement Lead, Counselor/Social Worker, Special Educator |
|
| Learning Criteria #4 Stretch Learning Data—Access to Enrichment Learning Beyond the Class as Well as Advanced Placement/ International Baccalaureate Courses |
Team Member Likely to Have Data About #4: Social Worker/Counselor/ Health Educator, Family |
Response to Intervention (RtI)
A scientifically research-based approach that identifies students not achieving at benchmark and provides a collaborative problem-solving framework to address their learning needs as well as the needs of all students. The eight practices of RtI are:
- Shared belief that each and every child can succeed.
- Adoption of early intervention practices.
- Adoption of research-based interventions.
- Use of multiple assessments.
- Implementation of tiers of intervention.
- [Team use of] data-based decision making.
- [Team use of] shared problem solving.
- [Team use of] progress monitoring.
Source: Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education (MAASE) publication, Response to Intervention—Enhancing the Learning of All Children.
Reaching and Teaching Struggling Learners Initiative’s Theory of Action
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Fifteen Effective Strategies for Dropout Prevention
Systemic Renewal—Systemic renewal calls for a continuing process of evaluating goals and objectives related to school policies, practices, and organizational structures as they impact a diverse group of learners.
School-Community Collaboration—When all groups in a community provide collective support to the school, a strong infrastructure sustains a caring environment where youth can thrive and achieve.
Safe Learning Environments—A comprehensive violence prevention plan, including conflict resolution, must deal with potential violence as well as crisis management. A safe learning environment provides daily experiences, at all grade levels, that enhance positive social attitudes and effective interpersonal skills in all students.
Family Engagement—Research consistently finds that family engagement has a direct, positive effect on children’s achievement and is one of the most accurate predictors of a student’s success in school.
Early Childhood Education—Birth-to-five interventions demonstrate that providing a child additional enrichment can enhance brain development. The most effective way to reduce the number of children who will ultimately drop out is to provide the best possible classroom instruction from the beginning of their school experience through the primary grades.
Early Literacy Development—Early interventions to help low-achieving students improve their reading and writing skills establish the necessary foundation for effective learning in all subjects.
Mentoring/Tutoring—Mentoring is a one-to-one caring, supportive relationship between a mentor and a mentee that is based on trust. Tutoring, also a one-to-one activity, focuses on academics and is an effective practice when addressing specific needs such as reading, writing, or math competencies.
Service-Learning—Service-learning connects meaningful community service experiences with academic learning. This teaching/learning method promotes personal and social growth, career development, and civic responsibility and can be a powerful vehicle for effective school reform at all grade levels.
Alternative Schooling—Alternative schooling provides potential dropouts a variety of options that can lead to graduation, with programs paying special attention to the student’s individual social needs and academic requirements for a high school diploma.
After-School Opportunities—Many schools provide after-school and summer enhancement programs that eliminate information loss and inspire interest in a variety of areas. Such experiences are especially important for students at risk of school failure because they fill the afternoon “gap time” with constructive and engaging activities.
Professional Development—Teachers who work with youth at high risk of academic failure need to feel supported and have an avenue by which they can continue to develop skills, techniques, and learn about innovative strategies.
Active Learning—Active learning embraces teaching and learning strategies that engage and involve students in the learning process. Students find new and creative ways to solve problems, achieve success, and become lifelong learners when educators show them that there are different ways
to learn.
Educational Technology—Technology offers some of the best opportunities for delivering instruction to engage students in authentic learning, addressing multiple intelligences, and adapting to students’ learning styles.
Individualized Instruction—Each student has unique interests and past learning experiences. An individualized instructional program for each student allows for flexibility in teaching methods and motivational strategies to consider these individual differences.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)—A quality CTE program and a related guidance program are essential for all students. School-to-work programs recognize that youth need specific skills to prepare them to measure up to the increased demands of today’s workplace.
Source: National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
