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Resource

Building Systems of Integrated Student Support

April 08, 2019

Learning depends on the social, emotional, physical, & mental health of students. This resource shares policy recommendations to transform disjointed resources for children into potent systems of integrated student support. 

The systems that come together to support young people’s learning and development include schools, community organizations, health care providers, businesses,report page out-of-school service providers, and municipal and state agencies. But these systems are at times siloed in how they serve youth. Integrated student support offers a compelling solution to addressing the strengths and needs of the whole child.  

Integrated student support is a strategy for promoting students’ academic success by securing and coordinating supports that target academic and non-academic barriers to achievement in order to promote improved outcomes for students, families, and communities. Well implemented integrated student support has the power to boost academic and life outcomes by efficiently directing existing services and resources towards the well-being of students. 

Building Systems of Integrated Student Support, presented by the Boston College Center for Optimized Student Support and the Center for Promise, distills insights from the sciences and lessons learned from practitioners. This brief provides decision-makers at the state and local levels with policy recommendations and guidance to advance effective systems of integrated student support that transform disjointed and siloed resources for children, youth, and families into a coherent and potent system of opportunity. The brief also spotlights examples of how ISS are being supported by policy makers and leaders at the state and local levels. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations for Local Leaders 

  • Adopt a whole community, whole child approach including articulating a vision, convening stakeholders, and developing a close working relationship between municipal and state leaders.
  • Create systems for success by supporting school-based coordinators and building a low-cost municipal-wide infrastructure to facilitate resource coordination.
  • Utilize data by creating an individualized plan for every child and family; and use data generated by these plans to respond to demand and evaluate impacts.

Recommendations for State Leaders

  • Advance integrated student support policy at the state-level; efforts are already underway in several states.
  • Support the adoption of evidence-based models for implementing systems of inte-grated student support through state budgets and plans.
  • Develop tools to support improved practice at scale by establishing a research-based protocol or frame¬work; support local implementation with professional development, coaching, and technical assistance; providing financial resources for local integration of student supports; and supporting development of technological infrastructure.
  • Reduce barriers to resource integration including addressing bureaucratic complexity.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Read the brief and join the conversation online by using the hashtag #integratedstudentsupport. 

Download this Resource

About the Authors

 Boston College Center for Optimized Student Support
Boston College Center for Optimized Student Support

The Center for Optimized Student Support (COSS) is the nation’s hub for science, implementation and innovation, and information to support the effective integration of school and community resources to improve student outcomes and our shared future.

Center for Promise Squared
Center for Promise

The Center for Promise, in collaboration with Boston University School of Education, is the first-ever research center for America’s Promise Alliance. The mission of the Center is to develop a deep knowledge and understanding about what is needed to help create the conditions so that all young people in America have the opportunity to succeed in school and life. The Center’s work will add to the academic exploration of these issues and help give communities and individuals the tools and knowledge to effectively work together to support young people.

The 5 Promises

The 5 Promises represent conditions children need to achieve adult success. The collective work of the Alliance involves keeping these promises to America’s youth. This article relates to the promises highlighted below:

Caring Adults Caring Adults Safe Places Safe Places A Healthy Start A Healthy Start Effective Education Effective Education Opportunities to Help Others Opportunities to Help Others

Other Resources

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Finding A Way Forward: Young People's Experiences Navigating the World of Work
September 23, 2020
What Drives Learning: Young People’s Perspectives on the Importance of Relationships, Belonging, & Agency
June 11, 2020
The State of Young People during COVID-19
January 28, 2020
Creating Cultures of Care: Supporting the Whole Child through Trauma-Informed Practice
April 24, 2019
Achieving a 90 Percent Graduation Rate Webinar: Making Effective Work-Based Learning Real for All Students
March 29, 2019
The District Resource Center supports systemic SEL implementation
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