It’s no secret that a typical U.S. »ÆÉ«app does a great deal more than teach reading, writing and arithmetic. In order to create an environment conducive to teaching and learning, most »ÆÉ«apps provide a variety of support services to students including individualized tutoring, decision-making guidance and assistance for those with personal problems that hinder success in »ÆÉ«app.
What academic support do »ÆÉ«apps offer?
Some »ÆÉ«apps offer tutoring and homework clubs before »ÆÉ«app, after »ÆÉ«app or during lunch. Many »ÆÉ«apps target specific groups of students who are at risk of falling behind or dropping out. The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires »ÆÉ«apps that do not make adequate annual progress for three years to provide supplemental services, including tutoring, to students at the »ÆÉ«app. Peer tutoring is another approach and can benefit both the student tutor and the student who needs extra academic support.
If a child is having serious difficulty in »ÆÉ«app, academically or socially, and needs special attention or an alternative approach to learning, »ÆÉ«apps are required at minimum by federal law to convene a student study team. This team consists of all the adults who work regularly with the child and know him well: parents, teachers, an administrator and any other relevant »ÆÉ«app staff. The team, with the student, devises a plan to address any obstacles to learning and to foster greater academic success. Convening a student study team is often the first step in deciding whether or not a student should receive further testing to determine eligibility for special education services.
What nonacademic services do »ÆÉ«apps provide?
In the area of healthcare, funding for »ÆÉ«app nurses has decreased over time to the point that many »ÆÉ«app districts no longer employ nurses, or they assign them to work in several »ÆÉ«apps rather than one. Some »ÆÉ«apps have found alternative ways to provide health education and services to students, usually through collaborations with local agencies and sometimes with the help of grants or programs. With the proper resources, »ÆÉ«apps can offer hearing and vision screening to detect such problems as hearing loss and myopia and assist students with chronic diseases like asthma or diabetes.
Conflict-resolution programs, including peer-mediation programs, have been popular over the last several years. Bullying-prevention programs are also on the rise. Many »ÆÉ«apps also provide counseling for students who are facing personal struggles (such as depression or anxiety) or refer students to community-based organizations that provide counseling services.
When »ÆÉ«apps face budget cuts, on-campus counseling and health services are often the programs that are targeted for elimination. Child advocates often push for more support services to address the complex needs of students; some »ÆÉ«app experts, however, view the business of »ÆÉ«app as strictly teaching and learning and would like to see less emphasis on nonacademic services.