!HELP!
A Series for School Leaders
How do I develop an effective Emotional Regulation Impaired (ERI) program to serve a unique group of students?
There has been an increase in mental health and social emotional learning needs within the past few years. Districts may be challenged from a budgetary, LRE, and facilities perspective to meet the needs of students who may be struggling with emotional stability. These steps assist in creating an appropriate ERI program to best service your students who are struggling with these challenges:
There has been an increase in mental health and social emotional learning needs within the past few years. Districts may be challenged from a budgetary, LRE, and facilities perspective to meet the needs of students who may be struggling with emotional stability. These steps assist in creating an appropriate ERI program to best service your students who are struggling with these challenges:
- Identify the need for a potential ERI program (Needs Assessment) - work alongside your CST’s, teachers, support staff and administration to identify this particular subgroup based on the behavioral patterns, trends, and challenges that have been identified. Behavioral challenges may vary and you need to identify the specific behavioral challenges your potential program will address and what proper supports and services are needed to compliment this group of learners.
- Schedule a meeting(s) with your stakeholders - Meet with your superintendent to walk through your idea. Then strategize so that you can “turn-key” this information to your leadership team and BOE members (if necessary).
- Develop a proposal for the ERI program and submit it as an agenda item for BOE approval. Facilitate deep and authentic discussion with your superintendent and BOE members about the program. Be prepared to have an open, transparent and collegial conversation and dialogue.
- Identify your program's criteria - based on the the identification process, what are the specific student characteristics and traits that warrants the type of program you want to develop in order to best compliment these groups of learners?
- Assess your current Out-of-district placements to identify potential students that may be able to appropriately transition to an in-district ERI program. This could possibly save the district money coupled with affording these students with the opportunity to be educated in their home school, honoring LRE. You could potentially redistribute the OOD placements costs to fund your in district ERI program.
- Assess your budget - analyze your out-of-district spending and potential savings with the development of the ERI program. Conduct a cost analysis. Where could you redistribute or free up money to support this in-district program? How much will the ERI program potentially cost? How will it be funded?
- Assess building facilities - Are there any rooms/classes available? Is the available space sufficient enough (size-wise) to properly service students? This is key because identifying an appropriate class/room available can be challenging as available space can be difficult.
- Hiring and recruiting - identify the appropriate staffing in order to successfully support the program and students. How much personnel do you need? For example: teacher(s), counselor, social worker, and/or paraprofessional/aide. What will their roles be? What would be the appropriate amount of personnel needed to properly service and support this specific population of students? Once you identify the appropriate personnel; develop job descriptions, essential responsibilities, and duties for each individual. Create appropriate job postings.
- Develop an interview committee consisting of a psychologist, social worker, teachers, and building principals/APs. Create appropriate and relevant interview questions for each position.
- ERI rollout - conduct a presentation at the particular school where the ERI will be housed so school personnel are well informed to best support the program.
- Solidify your staff - get them approved on the BOE agenda, order supplies and materials to support the program.
- Year one - this is your year of learning, assessing, evaluating, observing, and tweaking as you go. The key is for the staff to be supported through consistent supervision so they have an opportunity to share their experiences. Additionally, each staff member in the ERI needs to understand and embrace their roles and expectations within the program. Their ability to collaborate and effectively as a team is imperative for the success of the program.
Contributed by our consultant Roberto Mendez
!HELP! is a series of common scenarios that confront schools today and our attempt to help schools and administrators deal with them. We will add new scenarios periodically. If you have a suggestion of one you would like to see, please let us know.
Contact us for further and individualized assistance.
This provides only general information.
Contact us for further and individualized assistance.
This provides only general information.