REPORT TITLE:
Student Support System; DOE


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the department of education to establish a comprehensive
student support system (CSSS) in all schools to create a school
environment in which every student is cared for and respected.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           519
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO A COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEM.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the goal of the
 
 2 superintendent of education's success compact program is total
 
 3 support for every student, every time; every school, every time;
 
 4 and every community, every time.  This integrated model focuses
 
 5 on the student and identifies the importance of literacy for
 
 6 every student, every time.  To fulfill government's obligation to
 
 7 the children of this State, the superintendent, the board of
 
 8 education, the governor, and the legislature must reach every
 
 9 student, school, and community by realigning and redefining
 
10 existing services and programs into a comprehensive student
 
11 support system that systematically strengthens students, schools,
 
12 and communities rather than by impulsively responding to crisis
 
13 after crisis.  It is the legislature's intention to create the
 
14 comprehensive student support system from existing personnel and
 
15 programmatic resources, i.e., without the need for additional or
 
16 new appropriations.
 
17      The comprehensive student support system is a coordinated
 
18 array of instructional programs and services that, as a total
 
19 package, will meet the needs of traditional and nontraditional
 

 
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 1 learners in school and community settings.  This package takes
 
 2 what works, improves on others, and creates new avenues to
 
 3 services.  The result will be customized support throughout a
 
 4 student's K-12 educational career.  These services will include
 
 5 developmental, academic core, preventive, accelerated,
 
 6 correctional, and remedial programs and services.  Linkages with
 
 7 other organizations and agencies will be made when services
 
 8 needed are beyond the purview of the department of education.
 
 9      To achieve in school, students need to be wanted and valued.
 
10 They need a positive vision of the future.  They need safe,
 
11 orderly schools, strong community support, high-quality care, and
 
12 adults they can trust.  Students often become alienated because
 
13 they may not feel worthy, they may not have a supportive home or
 
14 opportunities to learn to care, or they may not be successful in
 
15 handling frustrations, or have good experiences in school.  They
 
16 may not see relevance to their education or have positive role
 
17 models or may not have access to support services.  Consequently,
 
18 the superintendent, the board of education, the governor, and the
 
19 legislature need to ensure that each student can read, write, and
 
20 relate effectively, has self-worth, has meaning-based learning
 
21 opportunities, and has positive support networks from other
 
22 students, teachers, and members of the school community.
 
23      The legislature finds that the generalized school support
 

 
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 1 groups and individualized student support teams created by the
 
 2 comprehensive student support system can give parents what they
 
 3 and their children want most from government -- schools that are
 
 4 safe, and where the environment is focused on teaching and
 
 5 learning.  The educational climate in Hawaii's public schools, as
 
 6 measured by average class and school size, absenteeism,
 
 7 tardiness, classroom misbehavior, lack of parental involvement,
 
 8 and other indicators, suggests that the time to implement the
 
 9 success compact program and the comprehensive student support
 
10 system is today--not tomorrow when the State's economy might
 
11 improve.  According to the 1999 "Education Week, Quality Counts"
 
12 survey, the educational climate in the State's public schools,
 
13 given the grade of "F" (as in failed), would be hard pressed to
 
14 get any worse than it already is.
 
15      The legislature's objective is to ensure that every student
 
16 will become literate, confident, and caring, and be able to think
 
17 critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, and function
 
18 as a contributing member of society.  The purpose of this Act is
 
19 to authorize the department of education to establish a
 
20 comprehensive student support system to meet this objective.
 
21      SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
22 amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and
 
23 to read as follows:
 

 
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 1          "PART   . COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEM
 
 2                      A. General Provisions
 
 3      §302A-A  Establishment of comprehensive student support
 
 4 system.  There is established within the department and for all
 
 5 schools the comprehensive student support system.
 
 6      §302A-B  Description of the comprehensive student support
 
 7 system.  (a)  The comprehensive student support system
 
 8 establishes a school environment in which every student is cared
 
 9 for and respected.  The comprehensive student support system is
 
10 teacher-driven because teachers know students better than anyone
 
11 in the department.  The foundation of the comprehensive student
 
12 support system is the school support group, in which groups of
 
13 teachers and students become familiar with each other and share
 
14 experiences, ideas, problems, and concerns that allow them to
 
15 support one another.  Every student shall belong to a group of
 
16 teachers and students who will care about them and who will be
 
17 the first to respond to their support needs.
 
18      (b)  When students are deemed by their teachers and
 
19 counselors in the school support groups to need special services
 
20 and programs, supports shall be customized to address each
 
21 student's needs so the individual can satisfactorily benefit from
 
22 classroom instruction.
 
23      (c)  A coordinated and integrated student support system:
 

 
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 1      (1)  Avoids duplication and fragmentation of services, and
 
 2           ensures that services are timely; and
 
 3      (2)  Involves the use of formal and informal community
 
 4           supports such as churches and ethnic and cultural
 
 5           resources unique to the student and family.
 
 6      (d)  The comprehensive student support system shall be
 
 7 focused on the strength of the student and the student's family,
 
 8 and create a single system of educational and other support
 
 9 programs and services that is student-, family-, and community-
 
10 based.
 
11      (e)  The comprehensive student support system shall allow
 
12 for the integration of:
 
13      (1)  Personal efforts by teachers and students to support
 
14           each other within the school support groups, including
 
15           the support of parents and counselors where needed;
 
16      (2)  Educational initiatives such as alternative education,
 
17           success compact, school-to-work opportunities, high
 
18           schools that work, after-school instructional program,
 
19           and the middle school concept; and
 
20      (3)  Health initiatives such as early intervention and
 
21           prevention, care coordination, coordinated service
 
22           planning, nomination, screening, and evaluation, staff
 
23           training, service array, and service testing.
 

 
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 1      This integration shall work to build a comprehensive and
 
 2 seamless educational and student support system from kindergarten
 
 3 through high school.
 
 4      §302A-C  Student support array.(a)  A student's social,
 
 5 personal, or academic problems shall be initially addressed
 
 6 through the school support group structure that involves
 
 7 interaction between student and student, student and adult, or
 
 8 adult and adults.  Teachers, family, and other persons closely
 
 9 associated with a student may be the first to begin the dialogue
 
10 if the student has needs that can be addressed in the classroom
 
11 or home.
 
12      (b)  Through dialogue within the school support group or
 
13 with parents, or both, the teacher shall implement classroom
 
14 accommodations or direct assistance shall be provided to address
 
15 students' needs.  Other teachers and school staff shall also
 
16 provide support and guidance to assist families and students.
 
17 These activities shall be carried out in an informal, supportive
 
18 manner.
 
19      (c)  School programs shall be designed to provide services
 
20 for specific groups of students.  Parents and families, teachers,
 
21 and other school personnel shall meet as the student's support
 
22 team to discuss program goals that best fit the individual
 
23 student's needs.  Regular program evaluations shall be used to
 

 
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 1 keep the regular teacher and parents involved.
 
 2      (d)  When a student's needs require specialized assessment
 
 3 or assistance, a request form shall be submitted to the school's
 
 4 core team.  One of the identified members of the core team shall
 
 5 serve as the interim coordinator who will organize and assemble a
 
 6 student support team.  A formal problem solving session shall be
 
 7 held and a plan developed.  Members of this student support team
 
 8 may include teachers, counselors, parents and family, and other
 
 9 persons knowledgeable about the student or programs and services.
 
10 One or more members may assist in carrying out the plan.
 
11      For the purposes of this section, "core team" refers to the
 
12 faculty members comprising a school support group.  "Core team"
 
13 does not include persons who are only physically located at a
 
14 school to facilitate the provision of services to the school
 
15 complex.
 
16      (e)  When the needs of the student and family require
 
17 intensive and multiple supports from various agencies, the
 
18 student support team shall develop a coordinated service plan.  A
 
19 coordinated service plan shall also be developed when two or more
 
20 agencies or organizations are involved equally in the service
 
21 delivery.  A care coordinator shall be identified to coordinate
 
22 and integrate the services.
 
23      (f)  The comprehensive student support system shall
 

 
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 1 recognize and respond to the changing needs of students, and
 
 2 shall lend itself to meet the needs of all students to promote
 
 3 success for each student, every time.
 
 4      §302A-D  Mission and goals of the comprehensive student
 
 5 support system.  (a)  The mission of the comprehensive student
 
 6 support system shall be to provide all students with a support
 
 7 system so they can be productive and responsible citizens.
 
 8      (b)  The goals of the comprehensive student support system
 
 9 shall be to:
 
10      (1)  Involve families, fellow students, educators, and
 
11           community members as integral partners in the creation
 
12           of a supportive, respectful, learning environment at
 
13           each school;
 
14      (2)  Provide students with comprehensive, coordinated,
 
15           integrated, and customized supports that are
 
16           accessible, timely, and strength-based so they can
 
17           achieve in school; and
 
18      (3)  Integrate the human and financial resources of relevant
 
19           public and private agencies to create caring
 
20           communities at each school.
 
21      §302A-E  Classroom instruction component of the
 
22 comprehensive student support system.(a)  "Classroom
 
23 instruction" includes education initiatives and programs directed
 

 
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 1 to all students such as success compact, school-to-work
 
 2 opportunities, high schools that work, after-school instructional
 
 3 program, and general counseling and guidance activities.
 
 4      (b)  Classroom instruction shall emphasize literacy
 
 5 development through hands-on, contextual learning that recognizes
 
 6 diversity in student needs, and shall be provided through
 
 7 coordinated and integrated instructional programs and services
 
 8 that are articulated among teachers in all grade levels in the
 
 9 school.
 
10      (c)  Classroom instruction shall be guided by the Hawaii
 
11 content and performance standards, assessed by student
 
12 performances, and guided by teachers and other service providers
 
13 who clearly exhibit caring and concern towards students.  The
 
14 ultimate outcome of classroom instruction shall be students who
 
15 can read, compute, think, communicate, and relate.
 
16      (d)  Students shall learn from each other and build a
 
17 community of learners who care about each other.  All schools
 
18 shall incorporate success compact and the teaming of teachers
 
19 with students into groups that result in a greater caring
 
20 environment in a more personalized group setting.  Every student
 
21 shall belong to a group of teachers and students who care about
 
22 them.  These groups shall be the first to respond to students in
 
23 need of support.
 

 
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 1      §302A-F  Management component of the comprehensive student
 
 2 support system.  Management functions, for example, planning,
 
 3 budgeting, staffing, directing, coordinating, monitoring,
 
 4 evaluating, and reporting, shall organize the instructional and
 
 5 student support components to maximize the use of limited
 
 6 resources.  The comprehensive student support system, management
 
 7 component, shall be consistent with and complement
 
 8 school/community-based management.  The management of resources
 
 9 and services shall be integrated and collaborative.
 
10      §302A-G  Classroom, school, family, and community settings
 
11 under the comprehensive student support system.  (a)  Teachers
 
12 shall work with students to provide informal assistance as
 
13 needed.
 
14      (b)  Other caring adults in the school shall be available to
 
15 work together and provide support and assistance to students,
 
16 parents, and teachers.  The student support team shall convene
 
17 when a student requires support for more complex needs.
 
18      (c)  Family strengths, resources, and knowledge shall be an
 
19 integral part of a student support team.
 
20      (d)  Resources with expertise in various areas of child
 
21 development shall be included in providing services that enhance
 
22 the quality of customized services when needed.
 
23      §302A-H  Student support team.(a)  "Student support team"
 

 
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 1 includes the student, family, extended family, close family
 
 2 friends, school, and other related professionals and agency
 
 3 personnel who are knowledgeable about the student or appropriate
 
 4 teaching methods, and programs and services and their referral
 
 5 processes.  "Student support team" includes the parent and family
 
 6 at the outset of the planning stage and throughout the delivery
 
 7 of support.
 
 8      (b)  If community programs and services become necessary to
 
 9 address needs that are not being met by existing supports within
 
10 the school, then professionals with specific expertise who are
 
11 not located at the school shall be contacted by a designated
 
12 student support team member, and may become additional members of
 
13 the student support team.
 
14      (c)  A student support team's general responsibilities shall
 
15 include functions such as assessing student and family strengths
 
16 and needs, identifying appropriate services, determining service
 
17 and program eligibility, and referring to or providing services,
 
18 or both.  A student support team shall have the authority and
 
19 resources to carry out decisions and follow-up with actions.  The
 
20 responsibilities of the student support team shall be determined
 
21 by the issues involved and the supports and services needed.
 
22      (d)  Each profession or agency involved shall adhere to its
 
23 particular ethical responsibilities.  These responsibilities
 

 
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 1 shall include:
 
 2      (1)  The ability to work as members of a team;
 
 3      (2)  Actively listen;
 
 4      (3)  Develop creative solutions; enhance informal supports;
 
 5      (4)  Arrive at a mutually acceptable plan; and
 
 6      (5)  Integrate and include the family's views, input, and
 
 7           cultural beliefs into the decision-making process and
 
 8           plan itself.
 
 9      (e)  Student support teams may focus on the following
 
10 activities:
 
11      (1)  Working with the classroom teacher to plan specific
 
12           school-based interventions related to specific behavior
 
13           or learning needs, or both;
 
14      (2)  Participating in strength-based assessment activities
 
15           to determine appropriate referrals and eligibility for
 
16           programs and services;
 
17      (3)  Ensuring that preventive and developmental, as well as
 
18           intervention and corrective, services are tailored to
 
19           the needs of the student and family, and provided in a
 
20           timely manner;
 
21      (4)  Facilitating the development of a coordinated service
 
22           plan for students who require support from two or more
 
23           agencies.  The service plan shall incorporate other
 

 
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 1           plans such as the individualized education plan,
 
 2           modification plan, individual family service plan, and
 
 3           treatment plan.  A designated care coordinator shall
 
 4           monitor the coordination and integration of multi-
 
 5           agency services and programs, delivery of services, and
 
 6           evaluation of supports; and
 
 7      (5)  Including parents and families in building a community
 
 8           support network with appropriate agencies,
 
 9           organizations, and service providers.
 
10                        B. Implementation
 
11      §302A-I  School level implementation of the comprehensive
 
12 student support system.(a)  School-communities may implement
 
13 the comprehensive student support system differently in their
 
14 communities; provided that, at a minimum, the school-communities
 
15 shall establish both school support groups and student support
 
16 teams in which all students are cared for.
 
17      (b)  All school-communities shall design and carry out their
 
18 own unique action plans that identify items critical to the
 
19 implementation of the comprehensive student support system at the
 
20 school level using the state comprehensive student support system
 
21 model to guide them.  The local action plan may include:
 
22      (1)  Information about school level policies, guidelines,
 
23           activities, procedures, tools, and outcomes related to
 

 
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 1           having the comprehensive student support system in
 
 2           place;
 
 3      (2)  Roles of the school support group and student support
 
 4           team;
 
 5      (3)  Roles of the school level cadre of planners;
 
 6      (4)  Partnerships and collaboration;
 
 7      (5)  Training;
 
 8      (6)  Identification, assessment, referral, screening, and
 
 9           monitoring of students;
 
10      (7)  Data collection; and
 
11      (8)  Evaluation.
 
12      (c)  If there are existing action plans, projects, or
 
13 initiatives that similarly address the comprehensive student
 
14 support system goals, then the cadre of planners shall coordinate
 
15 and integrate efforts to fill in the gaps and prevent
 
16 duplication.
 
17      (d)  The action plan shall be an integral part of the
 
18 school's school improvement plan, not separated but integrated.
 
19      §302A-J  Complex level implementation of the comprehensive
 
20 student support system.  The comprehensive student support system
 
21 shall be supported at the school complex level.  A school-complex
 
22 resource teacher shall provide staff support, technical
 
23 assistance, and training to school-communities in each school
 

 
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 1 complex in the planning and implementation of comprehensive
 
 2 student support system priorities and activities.
 
 3      §302A-K  State level implementation of the comprehensive
 
 4 student support system.(a)  The department shall facilitate the
 
 5 process of bringing other state departments, community
 
 6 organizations, and parent groups on board with the department and
 
 7 allow line staff to work collaboratively in partnerships at the
 
 8 school level.
 
 9      (b)  The department, at the state level in partnership with
 
10 other agencies, shall provide on-going professional development
 
11 and training that are especially crucial in this collaborative
 
12 effort.
 
13      (c)  The department shall facilitate the procurement of
 
14 needed programs and services currently unavailable or
 
15 inaccessible at school sites.
 
16      (d)  The department shall be responsive to complex and
 
17 individual school needs.
 
18                          C. Evaluation
 
19      §302A-L  Purpose of evaluating the comprehensive student
 
20 support system.  (a)  The department shall evaluate the
 
21 comprehensive student support system to:
 
22      (1)  Improve the further development and implementation of
 
23           the comprehensive student support system;
 

 
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 1      (2)  Satisfy routine accountability needs; and
 
 2      (3)  Guide future replication and expansion of the
 
 3           comprehensive student support system.
 
 4      (b)  Successful program development and implementation shall
 
 5 result in:
 
 6      (1)  Improved prevention and early intervention support;
 
 7      (2)  Coordinated services made possible through cross-
 
 8           discipline, cross-agency teams with a problem-solving,
 
 9           collaborating orientation;
 
10      (3)  Promotion of pro-social skills;
 
11      (4)  Increased family involvement in collaborative planning
 
12           to meet the needs of students;
 
13      (5)  Development of schools' capacity to assess and monitor
 
14           progress on the program's objectives through the use of
 
15           specially developed educational indicators; and
 
16      (6)  Successful long and short-term planning integrated with
 
17           school improvement plans.
 
18      §302A-M  Outcomes expected of the comprehensive student
 
19 support system.  The outcomes expected of the comprehensive
 
20 student support system are:
 
21      (1)  Increased attendance;
 
22      (2)  Improved grades;
 
23      (3)  Improved student performance, as measured by
 

 
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 1           established content and performance standards;
 
 2      (4)  A substantial increase in parental participation; and
 
 3      (5)  At the secondary level, increased participation in
 
 4           extracurricular activities."
 
 5      SECTION 3.  If any provision of this Act, or the application
 
 6 thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
 
 7 invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of
 
 8 the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision
 
 9 or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are
 
10 severable.
 
11      SECTION 4.  In codifying the new sections added to chapter
 
12 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by section 2 of this Act, the
 
13 revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers
 
14 for the letters used in the new sections' designations in this
 
15 Act.
 
16      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2000.
 
17 
 
18                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________