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A long-standing center devoted to supporting students, families and communities has been re-named, reflecting its innovative efforts to develop the most effective ways to address the out-of-school factors that influence how students learn and thrive in school.
The Center for Optimized Student Support replaces the former title of the Center for Child, Family and Community Partnerships, which is located in the Lynch School of Education.
Under the direction of Kearns Professor of Urban Education and Innovative Leadership Mary Walsh, the center serves as a national resource for researchers, training programs, and professional development. The center seeks to provide the latest research and evidence-based practices to school administrators and student support practitioners, such as school counselors, social workers, adjustment counselors, and school psychologists.
“Through our research, the Center for Optimized Student Support will be able to cast new light on the impact of out-of-school factors that affect children’s ability to achieve in school, as well as the solutions that have been developed,” said Walsh. “We know that schools cannot close the achievement gap on their own without the active contribution of the wider community. Our charge is to research, identify, and disseminate best practices in student support, and we are excited to be at the forefront of this important field.”
Nationwide, there is agreement that schools cannot close the achievement gap without addressing the out-of-school factors that influence students’ success. The center develops, tests, and disseminates innovative practices that address these out-of-school factors (social/emotional, health, and family) by optimizing student support in schools.
Current initiatives of the center include implementing City Connects, a research-based approach to student support currently in 17 Boston public elementary schools and, in 2011-12, in six Springfield, Mass., public schools. In addition, the center works on the New Balance Foundation curriculum to improve health and fitness, is developing a student support model for pre-schoolers and implementing the City Connects model in 16 Boston Catholic elementary schools.