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7 <br /> - Promote SEL for Students <br /> Barriers: There have been many disparities in disciplinary practices for students across <br /> the district; SEL instruction is inconsistent and taught mostly by student support staff <br /> rather than teachers; There is a need for more parent engagement and specifically how <br /> this work reflects the district's commitment to equity; There is a perception of a lack of <br /> support around mental health. <br /> Recommendations: Assess current SEL curriculum and explore other options;Examine <br /> how to ensure high schools can offer effective SEL instruction, Expand SEL instruction <br /> to teachers; Develop outreach and engagement strategies for families and community <br /> members that reflect a full range of student demographic; Work with Instructional <br /> Services to integrate SEL into academic core instruction; Deepen implementation of <br /> explicit SEL instruction through supported curriculum and other strategies. <br /> Reflect on Data for Continuous Improvement <br /> Barrier: The district has not fully integrated the Assessment and Research Division into <br /> the evaluation of SEL. <br /> Recommendation: Engage the Assessment and Research department in the development <br /> of SEL Implementation; Identify and leverage existing data that can help monitor <br /> progress toward goals; Incorporate schoolwide SEL and systemwide walkthrough tool; <br /> Collect, reflect and analyze data to ensure progress is being made; Communicate and <br /> share findings with stakeholders; Establish continuous improvement plans at the school <br /> and district level. <br /> Budget Recommendations <br /> The district has an opportunity to address many critical areas reflected in the current status of student <br /> needs and our district's ability to provide appropriate support through the additional funding provided by <br /> the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. This funding has been provided to support the <br /> mental health and wellbeing of our students. Given the fact that we know not all student needs are the <br /> same, we have used the current status assessment along with student performance data (attendance, <br /> discipline, and academics) to prioritize mental health supports needed for our district. When we think <br /> about the implications for our students and their mental well-being, it is vital that we focus our efforts on <br /> strengthening the core practices of social and emotional learning, but given this past two years and its <br /> impact on student learning and well-being, we must plan for a continuum of services to include tier II <br /> targeted supports. <br /> During the 2021-2022 budget report, we discussed the need for additional support in high schools to <br /> create safe and inclusive learning environments through the implementation of the additional student <br /> support positions. These positions will help our high schools build their SEL programming with <br /> intentional emphasis on supporting students in developing social and academic efficacy within the <br /> teaching and learning experiences in their core classes. These positions will also support increasing <br /> teacher and staff capacity of applying an integrated approach to social and emotional learning to include <br /> effective strategies such as Restorative Practices. Research indicates that Restorative Practices is an <br /> evidence based strategy that when used appropriately and consistently, can improve teacher to student and <br />