At the April 1 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Dr. Laura Norbut Devereaux Student Strengths Assessment, Stafford’s Chief Academic Officer, presented the results of this year’s Devereaux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA).
DESSA was selected by the State of Connecticut as an online social-emotional learning (SEL) screening tool, and Stafford was selected as a pilot district for 2021-2022. It strives to assess eight social and emotional competencies “to help educators plan instruction, document students' strengths and areas of need, inform progress monitoring, and evaluate program outcomes.” There are three different levels of screening administered across different grade levels. The assessment is required to be performed three times per school year to show what progress is being made, and the presentation from Dr. Laura Norbut, Stafford’s Chief Academic Officer, compared the first and second assessments for this school year.
Dr. Norbut stressed the importance of helping kids with social and emotional learning and addressing the students as a whole. However, the data from this assessment mostly confirmed what the district already knows. The Student Assistance Team (SAT) and SEL Committee cross-reference the DESSA results along with other data, such as attendance and discipline data, to identify students who may need support.
Additionally, the high school assessments are not only self-reported, but many students choose not to take them. It’s easy to see how results are skewed when teenagers report on their own emotional and social skills. Dr. Norbut said that she reached out to DESSA and that this is a trend they see play out across the country.
Dr. Norbut also stressed that the same student might “have strengths” in one area while needing additional support in another. Ultimately, it seemed as though the need to continue the DESSA assessment may be in question.
“Our staff is spending a considerable amount of time completing the DESSA,” Dr. Norbut said. Later, she added, "If we’re assessing, then we’re not instructing.”
BOE member Mike Delano said, “Seeing that 41% are in need of instruction, I’m not sure that’s actually going to help the students when they’re ready to move on.”
“We are providing a considerable amount of support to students,” said Dr. Norbut. She also pointed out that advisory time is used at the high school level to administer this assessment. That time may be better used for students to receive advisory assistance or other instruction.
BOE Chair Sara Introvigne-Kelley asked if there were plans for additional long-term support in place. Dr. Norbut pointed out that a school psychology position has been open at the middle school for two school years and that additional counseling help would be integral to providing more support. The request for a school counselor is included in this year’s budget proposal (which will be voted on later this month).
Board member Aaron Hoffman asked if DESSA results are sent to parents. “We have to engage parents in this conversation,” he said. “These are life skills that should be taught at home as well.” Dr. Norbut said that if a student is already receiving support and intervention for SEL needs, the district is in communication with the family.