The goal of the Texas School-Based Social/Emotional Wellness Model is to improve the competencies of all students and increase the capacity of educational systems to better meet the needs of the students they serve.
Educational systems outcomes are measured by improved ratings on campus, district, and state measures of accountability. The primary measures used in Texas include, but are not limited to:
- Academic Excellence Indicator System Reports (AEIS) http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis
- Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/
- State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/spp/
- Performance Based Monitoring (PMB) http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/pmi/spedmon/
- Accountability Rating System (ARS) for Texas Public Schools and Districts http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account
- Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/aea/
In addition to these accountability measures, increased capacity at the systems level might include:
- Greater emphasis on improved school climate (e.g., safe and supportive schools with inclusive environments)
- Increased involvement of parents and community members
- Expanded opportunities for a continuum of school-community programs and services
Continuous Improvement Process
The success of the social/emotional wellness model is contingent upon the degree to which data and information are collected and used to continuously drive improvements in the overall process. Like the Texas Continuous Improvement Process (TCIP), the social/emotional wellness model also requires a continuous improvement process. The process for the model is similar to the TCIP process used by the Texas Education Agency (http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed/tcip/) and involves four components:
1. Self-assessment:
- An ongoing review of fundamental concepts and identification of supporting activities
- A process evaluation which identifies coordinated programs and supports, descriptions of services provided, number of students receiving services, etc. The process evaluation would also need to focus on identification of possible systemic issues.
2. Input from stakeholders (e.g., parents, students, educators, community
members, agencies, organizations, etc.)
- A survey of stakeholders measuring the degree of perceived success and perceived satisfaction.
- A method of input (i.e., meeting, video conference, etc.) that allows stakeholders an opportunity to report actual experiences.
3. Data collection and analysis (A data collection system and process for
tracking and analyzing student and systems outcomes.)
4. Data-driven decision-making and information dissemination:
- Data is used to identify areas for improvement in the overall process and in the provision of services to students.
- Results and analysis of data are reported annually to stakeholders.
Review Process
The continuous improvement process of the Texas School-Based Social/Emotional Wellness Model should be established as a permanent, annual process. the goal of this process is to continuously identify areas for improvement in the implementation of social, emotional, and behavioral supports to Texas' school children.