California Safe and Supportive Schools

California S3 Statewide Evaluation Results

California Safe and Supportive Schools

California S3 Statewide Evaluation Results

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In October 2010, California became one of eleven states selected by the U.S. Department of Education to receive a four‐year Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) grant. The grant supported statewide measurement of conditions for learning (known also as school climate), as well as targeted programmatic interventions to improve those conditions in comprehensive high schools (grades 9-12) with the greatest need. In particular, this initiative was designed to help address disruptive behaviors in school—such as bullying, harassment and violence, and substance use on campus—and promote safe, caring, engaging, and healthy school environments that foster learning and well-being among both students and staff. The California Department of Education selected 58 high schools to participate in the grant.

These annual reports provide insights into the activities and impacts of the grant, with data from the existing California School Climate, Health, and Learning Survey (CalSCHLS) system, a team-developed School Climate Index (SCI), and a formative evaluation model which included evaluation site visits to every school in the spring of 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Management Factors for Successful Program Implementation

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The team tasked with evaluating the California Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) Grant created this brief document to outline what is known from research about management factors that contribute to a program’s success. Activities and mindsets that contribute to successful program implementation are organized into 4 key areas:

  • Day-to-day project management
  • Administrative-level support
  • Training
  • At-risk student referral systems

While this document was intended to guide implementation of school climate improvement programs, the key tenants can be applied to other school-based program implementation scenarios.

Programs and Strategies Selected by California S3 Grantee High Schools

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The California Department of Education (CDE) was one of eleven state education agencies that received four-year grants from the U.S. Department of Education in 2010-11 to participate in a Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) Initiative. CDE funded 58 high schools to be part of this effort based on need, as identified by California Healthy Kids Survey data. The project framework provides a model for districts in developing and implementing their Local Control and Accountability Plans. The goals for the California S3 program were to:

  • Improve conditions for learning, including school climate and safety, in high schools with the greatest need.
  • Integrate school climate reform into schoolwide academic improvement efforts.
  • Build local district and school capacity to implement data-driven school improvements.
  • Establish a comprehensive and sustainable model for school climate improvement to guide school and district efforts.

This matrix shows the school climate improvement strategies that each S3 grantee selected to implement as part of their improvement efforts.

Climate Connection Toolkit

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The Climate Connection Toolkit outlines no- and low-cost, practical strategies for examining a school’s climate. It is designed to extend the utility of What Works Briefs for school climate improvement, created as part of the California Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) initiative, which outline research-based recommendations for universal and targeted school climate improvement policies, practices, and programs. The self-contained activities in the Climate Connection Toolkit, some of which were inspired by S3 grantees, are organized to assist school personnel in their ongoing efforts to improve the quality of relationships shared within and between adult and student groups on their campuses.

A Case Study of San Juan High School’s Safe and Supportive Schools Project

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San Juan High School, a low-income, ethnically diverse school struggling to boost student achievement in California’s San Juan Unified School District, demonstrated consistent gains in its School Climate Index (SCI) over the three years of the California Safe and Supportive Schools Program implementation. This case study reflects on the programs and strategies that the school implemented and draws upon data collected as part of the program’s evaluation. Some of the key strategies discussed are:

  • Stakeholder engagement and student voice
  • Social-emotional learning
  • Freshman mentoring
  • Restorative justice
  • Project-Based Learning
  • Intervention efforts

Lessons Learned from California’s Safe and Supportive Schools Project

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Over the course of the California Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) Project, the California Department of Education gained valuable insights into strategies that are effective in improving school climate in some of the most challenged high schools in the state. This What Works Brief describes the S3 framework and summarizes six of the key lessons learned:

  1. Go slow to move fast
  2. School leaders set the tone
  3. Empower adults and connect with young people
  4. Focus on norms first
  5. Prioritize meaningful actions and “quick wins”
  6. Changing relationships and engagement takes time and commitment