Schools must ensure they are implementing tiered SEL teaming structures by developing high functioning Culture and Climate and Behavioral Health Teams.
Culture and Climate Teams
The role of the Culture and Climate Team (CCT) – whether embedded within an existing team or as a standalone – is to create a supportive environment within a school for students across SEL, behavior, and academics. that allows relational trust, connectedness, and SEL skills to be integrated into all aspects of the school experience for both adults and students.
CCTs provide leadership around the implementation of Tier 1 school-wide climate improvement efforts for students and adults, including restorative practices, and implement and progress monitor schoolwide SEL skills development strategies.
Everyone has ownership in ensuring that the school is welcoming and promotes a sense of community where students cultivate authentic relationships and connectedness within the school community.
Behavioral Health Teams
The role of the Behavioral Health Team (BHT) is to coordinate the identification, referral, screening, and linkage of students in need of more comprehensive SEL skill development to behavior and/or mental health supports. Once students are connected to additional support or services (Tiers 2 and 3), it is also the BHT’s responsibility to engage in progress monitoring to ensure students are participating in services and making expected progress and to determine if different/additional supports are appropriate through weekly or bi-weekly regularly scheduled meetings.
School Counselors/ Counseling Team
The Counseling Team can provide counseling curriculum, CPS Success Bound, both in classroom settings and small groups to students who have been identified as struggling with attendance and/or academics. School counselors can also provide proactive counseling services via the CPS Success Bound curriculum as a Tier 1 intervention. This counseling curriculum and intervention plans can also be documented in counseling AMP plans and Branching Minds.
Multidisciplinary Team
The appropriate personnel on a Multidisciplinary Team should be involved with students who have been identified as chronically absent.. A student cannot be considered for homebound without a medical referral; this is critical. The medical referral would indicate that the physician believes the student would benefit by being on a homebound program. The Homebound Coordinator would organize the meetings around the consideration as to whether homebound services are a possibility for the chronically absent student.
- Students with an IEP would have the IEP team review the eligibility
- Students with a 504 would have the 504 team review eligibility
- Students with a need that has not been identified with a priority flag, would have the multi-disciplinary school team convene to review eligibility. General Education depends on student need
Are Teams in Your School Organized to Respond in a Scaffolded Manner?
Use Case: Utilizing Staff Expertise and School-Based Programs To Proactively Respond to Chronic Absenteeism
Schools offer a myriad of resources, programs, & opportunities. Students should be aligned with programs to redirect behavior that can lead to chronic absenteeism. Students who have a history of chronic absenteeism do not have to become chronically absent to be given early outreach. How many students in your school are attached to a positive adult, engagement program or intervention?