Report Title:

Comprehensive Student Support System

 

Description:

Has the Board of Education determine the scope of services for the Comprehensive Student Support System (CSSS) in schools and designate school complexes that shall be identified for special needs designation and needing additional CSSS programs and staffing. (SB957 HD1)

 

 

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

957

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to student support services.

 

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

SECTION 1. The comprehensive student support system is the department of education’s construct for ensuring a continuum of support and services that provides a social, emotional, and physical environment that is conducive to learning. This continuum begins in the inclusive classroom, with differentiated classroom practices as the base of support for each student. This support extends beyond the classroom to include school and community resources, initiatives, and programs as well as appropriate services procured from private providers.

The comprehensive student support system operates in all school settings, linking students and families to the resources of their communities, the department of education, the department of health, and other governmental and private agencies and groups.

The focus of the comprehensive student support system is on prevention and early intervention, and provides students, families, teachers, principals, and others with the support they need to ensure that students succeed. The comprehensive student support system ensures that schools have the procedures and ability to respond to a broad range of student needs. The service delivery process is designed to match the severity, complexity, and frequency of students' needs. When school-based support is provided in a timely and effective manner, fewer students require more complex or intensive services.

Certain schools require more attention than others from the comprehensive school support system. The special needs school designation is one that is used to target resources where they are required most. This designation is reserved for schools characterized by high percentages of at-risk students and students who are chronically poor achievers. The needs of these students often stem from environmental factors beyond the control of the school.

The purpose of this Act is to require the board of education to determine the scope of services for the comprehensive student support system in schools and designate school complexes that are identified as special needs complexes requiring additional CSSS programs and staffing.

SECTION 2. For the purposes of this Act, special needs school designations shall be made by assessing the socioeconomic status through indicators including but not limited to:

(1) The number or percentages of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch;

(2) The number of students who are enrolled in English as a second language classes;

(3) The number of students residing in homes with single parents or those who receive public assistance;

(4) Stanford achievement test scores;

(5) Abseteeism rates; and

(6) Number or frequency of disciplinary offenses.

The department of education shall acknowledge that schools designated as special needs schools require more resources and professional staff to provide the support needed to help students overcome barriers to learning. The board of education shall determine and designate the school complexes receiving a special needs designation which shall be provided with comprehensive school support positions for elementary schools; two additional comprehensive school support positions for middle schools; and three additional comprehensive school support positions for high schools.

SECTION 3. The board of education shall designate the scope of the comprehensive school support system, non-teaching positions, programs, and services, including but not limited to:

(1) School support coordinators;

(2) School counselors;

(3) Parent-community network center staff;

(4) Student activities coordinators;

(5) School health services staff;

(6) Intramural and extramural sports staff;

(7) School security personnel;

(8) Free and reduced lunch programs; and

(9) After school programs.

SECTION 4. (a) The board of education shall develop a school based-health services feasibility plan to:

(1) Ensure a full integration of enabling programs and services with components designed to:

(A) Facilitate development and learning; and

(B) Govern and manage resources;

(2) Integrate school-owned resources;

(3) Enhance programs by integrating school and community resources, including increasing access to community programs and services by integrating as many as feasible with the school to fill gaps in programs and services; and

(4) Include the entire range of services covered under the comprehensive student support system.

(b) The school-based health services feasibility plan shall be student-centered and include the following components:

(1) Health education;

(2) Physical education;

(3) Health services;

(4) Nutrition services;

(5) Counseling, psychological, and social services;

(6) Healthy school environment;

(7) Health promotion for staff;

(8) Parent and community involvement; and

(9) Mental health assessments and services.

(c) For purposes of this section, "enabling programs and services" means clusters of programmatic activity that address barriers to learning and enhance healthy development by:

(1) Enhancing classroom-based efforts to enable learning;

(2) Providing prescribed student and family assistance;

(3) Providing mental health assessments and services;

(4) Responding to and preventing crises;

(5) Supporting transitions;

(6) Increasing home involvement in schooling;

(7) Supporting comprehensive school support services; and

(8) Supporting outreach for greater community involvement and support, including recruitment of volunteers.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.