encourage parents' involvement in their children's schools and education
through frequent contact with teachers, supervision of homework, etc.
. adopt age-appropriate and culturally sensitive instructional strategies that
accelerate progress in all classrooms
. emphasize the importance of early developmental programs
and preschool programs to enhance language and social skills
.
incorporate systematic assessment strategies, including continuous progress
monitoring and formative evaluation, to enable ongoing modification of instructional
efforts
.
provide effective early reading programs
. implement effective school-based mental health programs
. use student support teams to assess and identify specific learning or behavior
problems, design interventions to address those problems, and evaluate the efficacy
of those interventions
. use effective behavior management and cognitive behavior
modification strategies to reduce classroom behavior problems
.
provide appropriate education services for children with educational disabilities,
including collaboration between regular, remedial, and special education professionals
.
offer extended year, extended day , and summer school programs that focus
on facilitating the development of academic skills
.
implement tutoring and mentoring programs with peer, cross-age, or adult tutors
.
incorporate comprehensive school-wide programs to promote the psychosocial
and academic skills of all students
. establish full-service schools to provide a community-based vehicle for the
organization and delivery of educational, social and health services to meet
the diverse needs of at-risk students.
For
children experiencing academic, emotional, or behavioral difficulties, neither
grade retention nor social promotion is an effective remedy. If educational
professionals are committed to helping all children achieve academic success
and reach their full potential, we must discard ineffective practices, such
as grade retention and social promotion, in favor of "promotion plus" specific
interventions designed to address the factors that place students at risk
for school failure. NASP encourages school psychologists to actively collaborate
with other professionals and parents in their school districts to address
the findings of educational research, and develop and implement effective
alternatives to retention and social promotion. Incorporating evidence-based interventions
and instructional strategies into school policies and practices will enhance
academic and social outcomes for all students
