Mental Health,Poverty, and Schools

ABSTRACT
This paper provides a conceptual synthesis of literature that addresses intersections of mental health,
poverty, and school. It is based on a research synthesis for the youth policy framework for Ontario, Stepping Stones. The paper addresses research on challenges involving income inequality, poverty, and mental health that impinge upon school, and examines the enduring ill effects of these issues and academic struggles on young lives. It suggests practices that show promise to support youth. Findings suggest that transitions through school involve multiple developmental negotiations and are a critical site of slippages and successes. The paper ends with a set of reflective questions around age out (of the child and youth services system), the need to address stigma by animating the abundant character of young lives (addressing the subtleties and nuances of the life stories, biographies, and narratives of young people and their communities), the need for authentic collaborations across health and education, and working with and for young people as they collectively and individually determine and negotiate their lives.

Keywords: youth, mental health, poverty, social inequality, young lives, education, school

Kate Tilleczek is Professor, Canada Research Chair, and Director of Young Lives Research, at the University of Prince Edward Island, and a Research Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.
Moira Ferguson is a Ph.D. candidate (Human Studies) and sessional faculty member in the Department of Sociology at Laurentian University.
Valerie Campbell is a Ph.D. student (EducationalStudies) and Research Manager of Young Lives Research at University of Prince Edward Island.
Katherine Lezeu is a ResearchAssistant in the Young Lives Research Lab at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Address all correspondence to Kate Tilleczek, Young Lives Research, University of Prince Edward Island. Phone: 902-620-5127,
Fax: 902-566-0416, E-mail: ktilleczek@upei.ca

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY

MENTAL HEALTH VOL. 33, no. 1, 2014

Link:

Tilleczek, K., Ferguson, M., Campbell, V., & Lezeu, K. (2014). Mental health and poverty in young lives: Intersections and directions. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 33(1), 63-76.
Tilleczek, K., Ferguson, M., Campbell, V., & Lezeu, K. (2014). Mental health and poverty in young lives: Intersections and directions. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 33(1), 63-76.

BC Teachers Views of Poverty and Education

2012 Poverty and Education Survey: A Teacher’s Perspective

This report from the BC Teachers’ Federation presents the results of a survey asking BC teachers questions related to the impact of poverty and its connection with education. About half of the teachers said they believed 25% or more of their students deal with poverty problems. Around two-thirds of middle and secondary grade teachers reported that they have students with attendance gaps because they take care of younger siblings (72.6%), because they do not have access to transportation (63.2%) or due to their sick or disabled parents (64.2%). Groups of recommendations made by teachers include: providing more support to deal with learning gaps, dealing with poverty issues with more funding for education, attacking poverty’s root causes, and raising awareness in government of the issues at hand. 2012 Poverty and Education survey: A teacher’s perspective: Overview of the findings https://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/SocialJustice/Issues/Poverty/Research/ Overview_of_the_findings.pdf

Finnish lessons for Hamilton

Pasi Sahlberg: Finnish Lessons:

Notes from talk at Canadian School Boards Conference July 2014

In the last decade there has been a global education reform movement (GERM) to improve education built on the following assumptions:

·         Schools will improve if you increase competition between them

·         Need external standardization of education (particularly seen in Germany and USA)

·         Increase faith in the efficacy of testing

·         Strong accountability needed for education.

Also thought that kids are not working hard enough.

Countries that have adopted these assumptions have seen their student achievement scores go down.

Contrast between GERM and Finnish education reform movement:

GERM	Finland
Kid has to be prepared to be ready for school	School has to be ready for all kids
Student has to be prepared for college readiness	Youth have to be ready for life
Prescribed learning standards required	School-made curriculum
Teaching as an individual race	Teaching as a team sport
Need a good school for me	Need a good school for every kid.

OECD PISA international test results show that:

·         competition and school choice are not related to improved student performance;

·          greater autonomy over curricula and assessment seem to improve student performance

·         highest performing countries are those that combine equity with quality.

Equity

PISA uses different measures to demonstrate equity in schools. The first is socio-economic status; in equitable systems students do well in school regardless of their socio-economic background. PISA examines the achievement of particularly vulnerable youth including immigrants compared to those from other backgrounds as another rmeasure. Finally it examines the variation in scores among schools.  An equitable school system is where there is little variation in student achievement scores by school.

Finland is at the international top in equity and quality. There is little variation in the performance of its schools.

 Pasi reminded the audience that Canada scores quite high in equity, with immigrants achieving better than many European countries. Some Provinces in Canada also have equitable schools. There are variances between Provinces with Newfoundland and Manitoba doing less well, and Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia doing the best. Quebec has high quality and equity:  students who are in the bottom socio-economic quartile are performing at the top.

Pasi’s Final Comments

·         Children must play

Children spend less time in school in Finalnd and have less homework than in the USA, but achieve far higher in school.

·         Power to women

AS women play a large role in early child development and family support their status is important to children. Canada is 41 in the world in the power it gives women

·         Excellence in education can only be achieved if gaps are closed through equity.

See http://pasisahlberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CSBA-Congress-2014.pdf

Relevance to of these ideas to Hamilton

Importance of play for children: play in kindergartens was nearly lost. Its importance is being restored through Every Day Kindergarten practices. Similar techniques need to follow into Grade 1.Where play is taking place actively in an educational environment , there can be real responsiveness to where children are in their development, as well as meaningful ways to raise expectations, nurture and increase creativity, and develop critical thinking skills in ways that are meaningful to children.

Preparing schools for the child not the child for the school, and preparing youth for life and not for college.

Schools need to be responsive kids’ needs.  We need to continue to foster ways to hear from students. The school’s emphasis should be on a large range of experiences and producing well rounded adults. So there needs to be greater emphasis on the Arts as well as physical literacy.

Equity:

Currently there are big differences in student achievement among Hamilton schools. As well students of lower socio-economic status often achieve less well in school than more affluent students. Both need to be improved if Hamilton is to become a more vibrant economic community and all students are to reach their potential. The gaps between high achieving schools and low achieving schools need to be reduced. The Secondary School Strategy, which has this as one of its aims, is a promising step in further work on equity in Hamilton schools. But more needs to be done to understand why some students are failing or dropping out, and stronger cohesion between community, agencies and schools is needed to support those students at risk. Strong efforts have been made to allocate resources in an equitable manner but this needs to be fully implemented and supported.  There will not be excellence in education in Hamilton until these gaps are closed.

Graduations 2014

Another academic year has ended and another set of students are taking the big move from elementary to secondary school or have finished their time at the HWDSB. As the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s graduation rates are up, there are more students graduating with a diploma than ever before. In the last weeks of school I attended five farewells from grade 8 for students going on to secondary school, celebrations at Glenwood school, Grace Haven and for the Pathways in Education Students, and two graduations from Sir John A Macdonald and Westdale.

As in previous years, students have made the grade for whom it has been a struggle, and graduation is a relief for their parents!  Some students have come through by overcoming considerable difficulties. Some students have had spectacular marks and success. All are to be congratulated!

The grade 8 students dressed in a wide range of clothing from boys in suits and ties to shirts and shorts, and girls in ballroom dresses with high heels to cotton dresses and sandals. Many schools have their special touches but all went out of their way to celebrate each student. Hess Street always shows a picture of each student as a baby and then as a graduating student from grade 8. Some of these baby pictures showed settings outside Canada and some students had no baby pictures as in moving from war- torn countries perhaps baby pictures had been displaced.  Most schools showed pictures of all students and events throughout the year often accompanied by the music “The time of your Life”.  Parents contributed refreshments.  All the schools had arranged something special for their grade 8 students afterwards. One school was going on the Harbour Tour Boat and students would dance on board. Another was going to a dinner, and others had arranged dances.

This year Glenwood had 9 students who are 21 years leaving from this school for special students, which is a large number for them. This was an emotional time. Many of the students had been at the school many years, and teachers, educational assistants and nurses were saying goodbye to students who they had seen every day for years, and celebrated significant steps forward with their families. So many were tearful in describing their students to the audience. For the families this is the end of free universal programs for their high-needs children, with a dearth of community programs for them outside the school system. Some students were going to be at home after leaving school. In the decorated gym each of these students was celebrated for their strengths at the graduation, and given a book of photographs of themselves to remember their activities and friends at the school.

The Salvation Army program for young mothers at Gracehaven has three teachers provided by the HWDSB. There were four students who graduated with their High School diploma: a considerable achievement for students who had also been adjusting to motherhood and young children. The impressive ceremony featured comments about every student in the program, special gifts to each student, and some bursaries given by a former teacher to encourage further secondary education. In fact all the young women graduates planned to go on to college or take an apprenticeship. A former student talked about her appreciation for the support she had received at Gracehaven, including help to get housing, at a time when she was coping with motherhood at 15 as well as the death of her mother. She is now in second year of college.

Pathways for Education is a province-wide mentoring program for teens designed to encourage graduation from high school.  In Hamilton it is available to all teens throughout their high school years who live north of Barton Street, and 75% of the teens who live there have taken advantage of the program. It is run out of the North End Community Health Centre. This was the second or third year with graduating students, and each student was recognised in a ceremony with parents in attendance. There were 27 students who were graduating from Sir John A Macdonald, and 4 who were graduating from Westdale.

The High School Graduations are big events that go on for at least two hours

Westdale had 350 graduating students which necessitated the graduation ceremony being held in the Hamilton Convention centre as the Westdale auditorium was not large enough. A parent wrote me to describe with appreciation the experience her daughter in French Immersion had had at the school: she had been part of the chamber orchestra, the senior orchestra, the concert band, had played on hockey and soccer teams, and  taken part in school plays and the French Speaking Contest. At both Westdale and Sir John A  Macdonald schools the wide range of activities and programs that students had the opportunity of experiencing was evident in the range of awards provided. Sir John A Macdonald had 16 First Nations and Metis students graduating, the largest ever from the school’s Aboriginal Program. Several International students from China also graduated. The SJAM principal indicated that there were many students graduating for whom it was touch and go as to whether they would meet the requirements.

Many community members attended to support students who had been successful. Elders from First Nations and Metis were there to celebrate and honour their students. Agencies such as Pathways for Education and OASIS were represented too.   I bumped into an employer there to celebrate her graduating co-op student.

Graduations are also a time when appreciation is given to staff who are retiring. This year the Principals of Ryerson, Dave Repchuck, and Westdale, Virginia McCullough, were retiring after long service to students. Both will be missed.

Seeing students at significant transition points is always a moving experience. Congratulations to all staff, parents and students whose determination, vision and commitment make the successes of graduation such celebrations. Many thanks to community partners who are also so important to student success.

Child Care in Low Income schools and neighborhoods

This People for Education report has been receiving media attention including in the Spec.

The smaller number  of before and after  child care programs in poorer schools with full day kindergartens is commented on.

 In Hamilton you will also find that schools that serve poorer families have less extended day programs that more affluent neighborhoods.  Poorer neighborhoods also have less access to all licensed child care. The Hamilton Early Years Community Plan 2012-2015 shows that the most licensed care  is available in Ancaster. The percentage of child care spaces by population 0 to 12 shows that central lower Hamilton has 12.3%, East Lower Hamilton has 10%, north lower Hamilton has 0% spaces, Ancaster has 32%.

Licensed care for poorer families faces hurdles. There are subsidies available to cover the cost of the fees, but not sufficient subsidies are available in the Province for all children who qualify.  

In Hamilton, subsidies paid must be at a rate  below the fees charged to other families served by the child care organisation, and the subsidy belongs to the family . Parts of the lower City have high mobility so that families move taking their subsidies with them. There is a waiting list, and although families need care, they may have to wait for service. Spots in child care remain empty sometimes at a cost to the provider because families are waiting for subsidy or have moved taking their subsidy with them. Sometimes these hurdles make child care operators reluctant to provide care in low income areas.

From the People for Education News release:

Full day kindergarten a success, but lack of extended day programs raises concerns

The report lauds the province for the implementation of full-day kindergarten (FDK) for 4- and 5-year-olds, calling it the biggest transformation in the Ontario education system in a decade. But it also raises concerns about large FDK class sizes, and the lack of extended day programs:

·         8% of FDK classes have 30 or more children

·         only 62% of schools with FDK have extended day programs, and they are much more likely to be in schools with higher average family incomes

“The FDK program appears to be getting stronger over time,” says Kerrie Proulx, Research Manager for People for Education. “Children who participated in the third year of FDK, compared to those who participated in the first year, show better outcomes on phonological awareness, number knowledge and writing. And compared to children who attend half-day kindergarten, FDK kids have higher “executive function” which includes things such as working memory, cognitive flexibility and attention.” Full report::

http://www.peopleforeducation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/annual-report-2014-WEB.pdf

School Closures: What can be done about them?

School Boards are being attacked for closing schools, and challenged to see schools as hubs for service. They are blamed for not finding community uses for empty classrooms so as to keep schools open. There is anger that empty schools are not repurposed for community use. These issues will be discussed, barriers to solutions examined, and some suggestions for changes made.

Do School Closures have to occur at all?

As student populations decline or relocate, facilities become too costly to operate, and as students’ requirements change, there will be the need for school closures.  No one wants a one-room school house for their children’s schooling anymore!

School Boards are funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Boards make choices about the uses of these resources. As their main responsibility under the Education Act is student achievement, they may make the decision to maintain or enhance supports for students in the classroom instead of keeping open empty and expensive schools.

Schools as Hubs

Schools are natural hubs within their communities, providing meeting space for local groups and services for children, youth and families. Their fields and playgrounds are valuable community space. Beginning in 2013, to provide seamless service for young children, capital funding has been provided to School Boards to retrofit school space to increase the number of in-school child-care spaces. 

Current Barriers to Schools Expanding their Role as Hubs

School Boards’ funding is driven by pupil enrolment.  The MOE defines school space as empty if it is not filled by elementary or secondary students according to their formulas. Other school uses do not count. Boards are then rewarded for having full schools by receiving full operational funding. If all their secondary or elementary schools are full, Boards can levy Educational Development Charges that provide substantial funds to buy land for new schools.

Facility Partnerships are another possibility for schools with empty space. However, according to MOE guidelines, the partner has to agree to take on the maintenance and repair costs of the part of the school building they are using. There are also other requirements to be fulfilled. Many partners are unwilling to come forward on these onerous terms.

Recommendation:

The MOE needs to find a resolution to contradictions: the encouragement of schools to be hubs in their community; and the financial pressures placed on School Boards to close schools as enrolment falls.

Current barriers to Repurposing Closed schools for Community Use

Boards are motivated to sell their properties for an important source of funding for renovations or new schools.  Under Regulation 444, properties must be sold at appraised market value and first offered to preferred agents--- other school boards, community colleges, universities, and the local municipality--- who may not be able to afford the purchase. Even if there is a community group that can raise the purchase funds, sustaining the operation may be an issue.  Old schools may be just as much a liability for cash-strapped local community groups as they were to the Boards. Finally, the Ontario MOE has the final control over the building, sale and demolition of Board’s property.  The MOE decisions are not made in conjunction with other Ministries and the needs of municipalities.

Other jurisdictions have adopted Integrated Service Delivery (ISD), an approach that values co-ordinated neighborhood services, and requires each Ministry to be working within an integrated policy framework for children, youth and families. In Manitoba, a co-ordinating cabinet committee undertakes this task.  Public buildings are owned by the Province, not one Ministry.  A recent Toronto symposium on ISD showed growing interest.

Recommendation:

The Ontario Government should adopt Integrated Service Delivery and identify the key Provincial and municipal policy, funding and governance structures that are required for integrated approaches at the neighborhood level.

What HWDSB is doing for Kids in Poverty

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s Initiatives

Regarding
Students and Poverty

Judith Bishop

This document provides an overview of the different approaches being undertaken within Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board with regards to students living in poverty.  

There are students living in poverty throughout the district, although they are concentrated in the lower city. The HWDSB is fully aware that students living in poverty are at higher risk of failure than other students

The gap in school performance (by socio-economic status) grows dramatically by Grade 3, and is startling by Grade 12. At this age, children in low SES groups are dropping out of school and failing grades at rates almost five times (higher) than those of their higher SES peers.” p.96 Early Years Study 2

To prevent students from failing a variety of strategies is needed including: an emphasis on instruction, effective programs and increased expectations for student success; explicit values and commitment as expressed in the Anti-Classism guidelines of the Equity Policy; targeted work on those schools with a concentration of students from low socio-economic backgrounds; building relationships with students; partnerships with other agencies and organisations; and collaboration with initiatives to combat poverty.

Instructional Focus

Good education provides an important route for students to lift themselves out of a life of poverty by opening up greater opportunities for employment and allowing the students to show their potential.  So the most important task of a board of education is to see that all students achieve their potential, and graduate from high school. Without a graduating diploma, students’ choices of employment and their potential to earn are reduced.  "Our students need safety, respect and high expectations," Jeff Heil says. "They don't need charity, but opportunity" (from a 2006 USA report on three schools successful in educating disadvantaged students.)

The Board of Trustees has approved Strategic Directions which include that 85% of all students will graduate by 2009. In its 2007 Guide to the Appraisal of the Director, trustees articulated their expectations for improvement in students’ outcomes across several measures. These include:

§  The gap between high achieving and low achieving schools decreases, with low achieving schools improving their scores, and high achieving schools maintaining or improving their scores

§  Identified high and moderate needs schools increase their scores in all EQAO tests

These expectations are reflected in all school improvement plans, and are monitored by Superintendents of Schools and consultants. Regular reports are provided to trustees.

Targeted services for students at particular risk include:

·         Two vocational schools, 3 elementary and 4 secondary Alternative Education programs, in addition to the in-school alternative programs offered by high schools. There is also a SALEP centre for students who have school attendance problems. 

·         For aboriginal students, there are counsellors, a program at Sir John A. Macdonald High School and a teacher for the alternative program at the Native Indian centre. 

·         There are about 45 teachers in community agencies for high risk students through the HWDSB’s Section 23 programs including such agencies as Woodview, Hats Off, The Hamilton-Wentworth Correctional Centre, and Grace Haven. The latter two programs always produce graduating students.

·         Programs for drop- outs from school include an Adult Day school and other programs for students who need help to achieve their diploma. The Turning Point program helps re-engage students who have dropped out who have 20+ credits. N-Gage is for 16/17 year olds with few credits who have dropped out or are disengaged from school.

·         There are credit recovery programs and work experience programs. There has been increased development of pathways and specialized high-skills major programs such as Hospitality/Tourism - Delta, Parkview, and Health/Wellness – Sir Winston Churchill, Delta.   

·          Extra support in literacy and numeracy is provided in summer camps for senior elementary students, and students about to enter Grade 9.

·         The Assessment Centre provides educational advice and direction for those who are new to Canada, and those who need a graduating diploma.

·         Forty-two specialist English Language Learner teachers support immigrant children in elementary schools, and a large number of specialist

English –as-a-second Language programs are provided in some high schools.

·         Programs recognizing the special needs of boys have been implemented: Boys to Men is a leadership- program, boys reading clubs are aimed at improving literacy, and there is an elementary school offering boys-only classes.

Equity Policy

Policies embody the values of the Board of Education. Implicit in the Guidelines for Anti-Classism in the Board’s Equity Policy are the Board’s

expectations that all students can achieve regardless of their socio-economic background, and that low expectations of academic success  for these

students are not acceptable. Of particular interest:

Article 1.4   The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board will continue to acknowledge the needs addressed by the Compensatory Education program

and that:

·         Not all school communities are equal in their ability to support their students

·         Schools can make a difference in overcoming the education effects of a disadvantaged community

·         Senior and School Administration are to be encouraged and supported in their efforts to provide additional support and consideration to identified schools.

Article 10.4 The Hamilton-Wentworth District school Board will provide additional, focussed staff development in schools that have been identified as having specific needs based on the socio-economic demographics of its catchment area.

HWDSB Equity Policy and Anti Classism Guidelines (approved November, 2005)

Unfortunately, low expectations of students who come from disadvantaged homes have become part of the culture of some schools. The teaching emphasis may be on rote learning and monotonous make-work projects. More in-service and leadership is needed to change this culture if students are to receive the kind of rigorous education they deserve and the success they need. Principals heard the message from Alan Blankstein from the Hope Institute that academic failure for students is not acceptable. .

Compensatory Schools Committee and Plan

The former Hamilton Board in the 1970s recognized a series of schools where there are concentrations of students with high needs. These schools are now identified through a process that involves an annual review of neighbourhood data for poverty, schools’ student mobility rates and parent’s education rates. Those schools with the highest scores are labelled High and Moderate Needs Schools or Compensatory Schools and are targeted for special review and support.

In 2006 a new Compensatory School Report and Plan were approved by trustees. This has resulted in the continued extra provision of some teachers for

 junior and senior elementary grades, for special educational assistants to work with students with behaviour difficulties in middle school grades, and for additional speech and language support services.  A superintendent has been given Compensatory schools as a responsibility. All these schools have had

 literacy improvement teachers for about three years and they are being used as part of an increased staff development focus in high needs schools. At

the secondary level, professional development has focussed on re-engaging early school leavers, Student Success programs and career pathways.

An Anti-poverty Task Force, a part of the Compensatory Schools Committee, has been set up to deal with nutrition, accessibility and clothing closet issues.

All high needs schools have a nutrition program operating in their schools or in a nearby neighbourhood facility. Sometimes these do not operate every day, and the quantity and quality of the food being offered could be enhanced. The aim is to provide further support to schools in this area.

Accessibility issues are broad. For example. students may not be able to afford to play certain sports, or take all subjects, as the extra cost of equipment needed is beyond the families’ resources. In addition, because transportation is an issue, students may not be able to take advantage of work experience and some other programs, as they cannot get to them.

Clothing closets aim to provide good quality clothing for students for a variety of purposes including appropriate clothing for co-operative work experiences.

Partnerships

HWDSB is receptive to working with others.  It provides public access to its playgrounds and playing fields in the summer without charge. It has an arrangement with the City to provide 15,000 free hours of its gym space for community use. It is building new schools with spacious gyms to enable schools to be community hubs. Its Partnership Policy provides the expectations for board and partner relations. It also needs community support if it is

to be successful with at-risk students.

Long established partners, such as Public Health, the Public Library, SISO, Umbrella Family and Child Centres, YMCA,  YWCA, Today’s Family, Partners in Nutrition, the Police, Ontario Early Years Centres,  Hamilton Community Foundation, John Howard Society, Alternatives for Youth, Dawn Patrol , Banyan, the Boys and Girls Kiwanis club and Rotary clubs,  provide valuable services which augment those that HWDSB can provide.  The energetic HWDSB Partnerships and Innovation Office has forged new partnerships with other agencies, businesses and organisations that provide mentors, additional resources to schools and students, and additional services such as camps, and after- school programs. Many of the Compensatory Schools also have  additional partners, and these partnerships are growing such as Hess’s partnership with the Spectator, and Mohawk College’s link to the Keith neighbourhood which includes children going to Bennetto, Cathy Wever and Sir John A. Macdonald schools.

The partnerships are resulting in after- school programs in most high needs schools.  The summer Focus on Youth program provides additional summer

 programs and camps in schools, more than ever before. Generous donations from individuals are providing some post graduate education funding for

 students, and supporting Arts education including financial support for students who are part of HWDSB’s string music program.  

Community Initiatives

Some children come to school already at a disadvantage as they are not as ready to learn as those from more affluent neighbourhoods. So early-learning programs and support for parents are crucial tools to help the school system better do its job of teaching students. The Best Start pilot in the lower east end of Hamilton is important as it provides a free half -day program for pre-school children,  and child-care and support services for parents in 8 schools.  There are also Ontario Early Years programs in many other schools. The school board is well represented on the Best Start Network and works closely with community and City partners to make this a success.  The addition  of six  parents’ centres in Bennetto, Queen Victoria, Lake Avenue, Memorial school Westview and Prince of Wales schools funded by the Ministry of Education are important new supports.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is a member of another important community initiative to combat and understand poverty: the Hamilton

Round Table on Poverty with its goal of making Hamilton the best place to raise a child.   There are also connections with an embryo group at McMaster University, where staff there are moving towards a closer active understanding and relationship with poverty issues in this community, and the

Understanding the Early Years (UEY) federal project which in Hamilton has a poverty focus.