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State guidance for student recovery recommends mental health checks, more funding

Detroit Free Press - 5/19/2021

A group of state leaders is recommending schools conduct universal mental health checks, hire more school nurses and track student academic progress in guidance released Wednesday aimed at helping students get back on-track after the pandemic.

The recommendations were made by an advisory group Gov. Gretchen Whitmer convened in February. The group includes school district superintendents from across the state, educators and health officials. The guidance prioritizes student mental health, and recognizes that Michigan teachers may be facing burnout after a turbulent year.

The document also outlines policy recommendations, including ways to dramatically shift how the state funds the public school system and address the teacher shortage through additional financial incentives to lure more educators to the classroom. Funding shifts would be up to the state Legislature.

In a statement, Whitmer said the guidance should help forge a path forward for long-term recovery.

"It will not only help local education leaders comprehensively address immediate challenges, but it will also move us towards an education system that works better for all of our children," she said.

It's unclear, however, whether schools will take the advisory council's advice. Last summer, the state recommended schools offer recovery services for students with disabilities, but parents say offerings are uneven from district to district.

More: Report: High poverty districts bear the brunt of the teacher turnover in Michigan

More: Parents, advocates say special ed services for pandemic recovery are hard to come by

Some recommendations, like hiring nurses and counselors, cost money. Michigan schools are due about $6 billion in federal aid, which is meant to be used for recovery and could likely be used for some of the recommendations.

Academic recommendations

Early national data shows students are lagging academically in both reading and math. Students of color are more likely to have fallen behind, and in Michigan, are also more likely to live in a district not offering in-person school.

Among the state’s recommendations:

Dedicate time at the beginning of the school year to recognize a student’s strengths, to help build classroom morale. Build a learning structure to minimize any future disruptions, in case school needs to go remote again. Administer ongoing assessments to measure how students are progressing. Involve student voices in learning, so they feel more engaged. Keep students in the same cohort from grade to grade, for a sense of consistency. For students who have fallen behind considerably, implement a program to offer "double dose" courses, to double learning time in certain areas such as math and reading. Provide tutoring three to five times a week to students who need the extra help. The document recommends tutoring happen during the school day, so more students will participate.

Mental and physical health recommendations

Academic success often hinges on mental and physical health.

The advisory group recommends schools:

Organize universal mental health screenings for all students. Hire enough nurses to meet the recommended 750 student to 1 nurse ratio. Similarly, schools should meet the ratio for counselors (250:1), social workers (250:1) and psychologists (600:1). Ensure all students are up-to-date on vaccinations. Provide educators with resources for self-care.

Contact Lily Altavena at laltavena@freepress.com or follow her on Twitter @LilyAlta.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: State guidance for student recovery recommends mental health checks, more funding

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