Responsive, resilient school communities built from interlocking student-centered efforts¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 5 claims (5 for) · 2 studies (1 causal, 1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 5 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The report's organizing account is that no single initiative makes a school responsive or resilient; rather, "it is the interlocking of multiple different efforts intended to center and respond to the experiences, perspectives, and needs of students that create a holistic, shared approach to making schools more responsive to their needs." This framework positions schools as protective spaces where coordinated adults, strong climate, and community partnerships jointly buffer the impacts of adverse experiences outside school, and frames this as shared work that cannot be accomplished in isolation.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Multiple coordinated efforts rather than a single initiative
• Substantial resources and sustained, hard work
• Partnerships with community-based organizations to extend reach

Constraints¶

• Educators cannot be solely responsible for addressing or preventing violence across the city; public investment in communities is also needed

Target Learners¶

• Students in urban public schools serving communities affected by gun violence

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Mitigating negative impacts of adversity on academic and behavioral outcomes and supporting holistic wellness

Claims¶

• Some Schools Mitigate Homicide Effects [+M]
• Positive School Climate Mitigates Homicide Effects [+M]
• Average effects of proximity to homicide are relatively small because they combine unaffected students with a subset facing much larger challenges [+W]
• Living in close geographic proximity to homicide is followed by lower attendance, test scores, GPA, and more disciplinary incidents for CPS students [+W]
• Better coordination, communication, and coherence across professional learning and supports are needed to sustain centering student experience [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement: A Systems Framework
• Student success systems framework: four essential elements for secondary schools

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Johnson, D.W., Hinze-Pifer, R., Orta, D., & Guz, S. (2024). Mitigating the academic impacts of proximity to homicide: The role of schools. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/mitigating-the-academic-impacts-of-proximity-to-homicide