THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK SW 535- SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK (3 credit hours) Spring 2013 Thursdays 12:40-3:25 HSS 118

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1 THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK SW 535- SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK (3 credit hours) Spring 2013 Thursdays 12:40-3:25 HSS 118 NOTE: This course is required for the State of Tennessee School Social Work Licensure Program. (RE) Prerequisite(s): 510, 512, 513, 519, 522, 537, 538, and 539. Comment(s): Advanced Standing satisfies prerequisites. Instructor: David R. Dupper, Ph.D. Office: 208 Henson Hall Phone: (865) Blackboard website address: Code of Conduct It is the student's responsibility to have read the College of Social Work Ethical Academic and Professional Conduct Code that is in the College of Social Work MSSW Handbook ( The Honor Statement An essential feature of The University of Tennessee is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the University, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity. (Hilltopics). University Civility Statement Civility is genuine respect and regard for others: politeness, consideration, tact, good manners, graciousness, cordiality, affability, amiability and courteousness. Civility enhances academic freedom and integrity, and is a prerequisite to the free exchange of ideas and knowledge in the learning community. Our community consists of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors. Community members affect each other s wellbeing and have a shared interest in creating and sustaining an environment where all community members and their points of view are valued and respected. Affirming the value of each member of the university community, the campus asks that all its members adhere to the principles of civility and community adopted by the campus: Disability If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented disability or if you have emergency information to share, please contact The University of Tennessee Office of Disability Services at 2227 Dunford Hall (865) This will ensure that

2 2 you are properly registered for services. Course Description This course is a concentration elective. Place of school as community institution and resource. Methods, processes, and techniques employed in school social work. Course Rationale Public schools are emerging as an increasingly important setting for social work practice due to the expanding scope and complexity of the biopsychosocial needs of the increasingly diverse population of children, youth, and their families in public schools. The public school setting is one enduring focus for many students and their families. Additionally, while the needs and problems of this population are increasing in complexity, the social service resources available to them may be fragmented and/or constrained. Social workers in schools must be knowledgeable about these multiple factors and skilled in direct practice with students and their families while also being knowledgeable and skilled in collaboration with multiple non-social work professionals. Course Competencies: By the completion of this course, students (through course activities, assignments, and/or exams) are expected to be able to: 1) Identify and describe historical and current trends in U.S. public schools as well as court cases and educational policies at the local, state, and national levels and their implications for school social work practice (EBIP 4.8). 2) Identify and describe the social, emotional, cultural, economic, and environmental factors affecting diverse and vulnerable groups of students and their families (EBIP 2.7). 3) Identify and describe the social organization and the political environment of schools and why this knowledge is important in the developing and delivering social work services in schools (EBPAS 1.6 & 1.7). 4) Identify, explain and apply the constructs of the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework in designing a school-wide assessment protocol and intervention plan that includes prevention and intervention strategies as well as strategies for evaluating students who are having learning and/or behavioral problems and suspected of having a disability and involving parents/guardians in this process (EBIP 1.7). 5) Understand the importance of and learn the skills involved in serving as a liaison between home and school as well as facilitating the coordination and integration of community services to benefit students and their families. This includes assisting parents in understanding their children's needs, interpreting student assessments, and helping parents develop effective parenting skills (EBIP 2.8 & 3.9). 6) Learn and apply the knowledge and skills required for interdisciplinary collaboration and consultation in addressing students needs (EBIP 2.8 & 3.9). 7) Identify several ethical dilemmas confronting social workers in school settings and

3 3 describe and apply a process for resolving them (EBIP 1.5, 1.6). Course Requirements/Plan for Evaluation: 1) On-line quizzes 10 pts. each) 40% 2) Discussion boards 5 points each).. 20% 3) School board meeting assignment (due ) 10% 4) Wiki group project (Rti) (due ) 20% 5) Attendance/participation 10% Attendance/participation Because much of the learning in this course occurs through our class discussions, you are expected to attend all class meetings and actively participate in class discussions. In order to make meaningful contributions to class discussions, it is essential that you read assigned articles and textbook chapters prior to class. Communicating your thinking is an important component in developing your understanding of course content, thus working and sharing experiences with other class members outside of class time is also strongly encouraged. All cell phones should be silenced and put away during class. All mp3 players (ipods, etc.) are to be off and stored during class. Laptops or ipads should only be used for class activities. Students are expected to notify me by (ddupper@utk.edu) in a timely manner if circumstances interfere with your class attendance or the completion of course assignments. If you miss a class, you are still responsible for what you missed. The final course grade will be based on the following scale: A (95-100) Outstanding/Superior. Student consistently exceeds expectations. B+ (90-94) Above Average. Student consistently meets, and occasionally exceeds, expectations for the course. B (85-89) Average. Student consistently meets expectations for the course. C+ (80-84) Below Average. There is unevenness in grasping course content. Student is inconsistent in meeting expectations for the course. C (70-79) Poor. There is lack of understanding of course content. Student does not meet course expectations. D/F (69-Below) Very Poor. Course expectations are not met (e.g., incomplete assignments). Required Text: Massat, C.R., Constable, R., McDonald, S. & Flynn, J.P. (2009). School social work: Practice, policy, and research (7 th ed.). Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books. [referred to as Massat et al., in the readings] Recommended Texts: Franklin, C., Harris, M. B. & Allen-Meares, P. (Eds.). (2006). The school services sourcebook: A guide for social-based professionals. New York, NY: Oxford University

4 4 Press. Bye, L. & Alvarez, M. (2007). School social work: Theory to practice. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education. Clark, J.P. & Alvarez, M.E. (2010). Response to intervention: A guide for school social workers. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. The legal rights of students (2011). NASW General Counsel Law Note. Washington: DC: NASW Press. Dupper, D.R. (2010). A New Model of School Discipline: Engaging Students and Preventing Behavior Problems. New York: Oxford University Press. Dupper, D.R. (in press). School Bullying: New Perspectives on a Growing Problem. New York: Oxford University Press. Sidell, N.L. (2011). Social Work Documentation: A Guide to Strengthening Your Case Recording. Washington, DC: NASW Press. Session & Topics Date Readings/Assignments Session 1- Course overview View "A day in the Life of a school social worker" (You Tube video) Session 2- The focus of school social work and SSW roles and tasks Massat, et al., chapters 1, 8, & 28 The development of a National School Social Work Practice Model (editorial) What Do Tennessee School Social Workers Do? Results from a State-Wide Survey Dupper, D.R., Rocha, C., Jackson, R. & Lodato, G. (in press). Broadly trained but narrowly used? Factors that predict the performance of environmental vs. individual tasks by school social workers. Children & Schools. Frey, A.J. & Dupper, D.R. (2005). A broader conceptual approach to clinical practice for the 21 st century. Children & Schools, 27, Post response to discussion board #1 before next class session

5 5 Session 3- Policies & laws impacting SSW practice; SSW practice with vulnerable groups of students and their families Session 4- The legal rights of students; SSW practice with vulnerable groups of students and their families Massat, et al., chapters 13, 16, & 37 Dupper, D.R. (2010). Does the Punishment Fit the Crime? The Impact of Zero Tolerance Discipline on At-Risk Youths. Children & Schools, 32, Dupper, D.R., Theriot, M.T. & Craun, S.W. (2009). Reducing out-of-school suspensions: Practice guidelines for school social workers. Children & Schools, 31, Massat, et al., chapter 25 The legal rights of students (2011). Legal rights within the public education system (pp. 9-26). In NASW General Counsel Law Note. Washington: DC: NASW Press. A National Update of Case Law 1998 to the Present Under the IDEA and Section 504/A.D.A. Rights and responsibilities as a minor in TN and an overview of minor s consent laws in U.S. Session 5-The social organization and political environment of the school and the challenge of organizational change Take on-line quiz #1 before next class session Massat, et al., chapters 9 & 10 Dupper, D.R. (2003). The social organization and political environment of the school (pp ). In D.R. Dupper School social work: Skills and interventions for effective practice. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Employed by the school? Essential functions of a school-based manager. [Franklin et al., chapter 92] Dupper, D.R. (2010). The hard part: Making organizational changes in schools (pp ). In D.R. Dupper, A New Model of School Discipline: Engaging Students and Preventing Behavior Problems. New York: Oxford University. Post response to DB #2 before next class

6 6 Session 6- School social work assessment, planning, recordkeeping Session 7- Interdisciplinary collaboration and consultation Session 8-Overview of Response to Intervention (RtI) framework & Tier I interventions (Universal) Massat, et al., chapters 22, 23, & 24 Mapping a school s resources to improve their use in preventing and ameliorating problems (chapter 95 of Franklin et al., 2006) Constructing data management systems for tracking accountability Massat, et al., chapters 17, 19, 20, & 21 Dupper, D.R. (2003). The school social worker as consultant and team member (pp ). In D.R. Dupper School social work: Skills and interventions for effective practice. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Take on-line quiz #2 before next class session Massat, et al., chapters 27 & 39 Kelly, M.S., Frey, A.J., Alvarez, M., Berzin, S.C., Shaffer, G. & O Brien, K. (2010). School social work practice and Response to Intervention. Children & Schools, 32, A triangle of support (handout) RTI and Scientifically-Based Research Graphic Organizer: The Role of the Common Core Standards in RTI Systems Truancy prevention and intervention (Tier 1) Dupper, D.R. (2013). Best Practices in Preventing School Bullying: A Whole-School Approach and Beyond (pp ). In D.R. Dupper, School Bullying: New Perspectives on a Growing Problem. New York: Oxford University Press. View You Tube videos on RtI Session 9- Tier II interventions (Targeted) Post response to discussion board #3 before next class session Massat, et al., chapters 35, 31, & 33 Truancy prevention and intervention (Tiers 2 & 3)

7 7 Session 10- Tier III interventions (Intensive) Session 11- School social work practice with families Massat, et al., chapters 3, 26 & 34 School social work practice with students with disabilities Take on-line quiz #3 before next class session Massat, et al., chapters 14, 18, 29 School-based family counseling: An overview Home Visiting: Essential Guidelines for Home Visits and Engaging With Families Strengthening Connections Between Schools and Diverse Families: A Cultural Capital Perspective Session 12- School social work practice with communities (including rural) School board meeting assignment is due School social work at the policy and community level (Bye & Alvarez, chapter 5) Effective strategies for marketing a schoolbased practice in the school and community (Franklin et al., chapter 111) Riebschleger, J. (2007). Social Workers Suggestions for Effective Rural Practice. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 88, Transforming Schools Through Community Organizing: A Research Review Understanding Appalachia and working with Appalachian clients Session 13- Complex legal and ethical challenges of working with minors in educational settings (e.g., confidentiality issues, duty to warn) Wiki group project (RtI) is due Massat, et al., chapter 5, Appendix A Confidentiality with minors (handout) Guidelines for confidentiality: Writing progress notes and storing confidential information Post response to discussion board #4 before next class session

8 8 Session 14- Decision-making models for managing ethical conflicts; personal safety guidelines Massat, et al., chapter 4, Appendix B Frey, A. & Lankster, F. (n.d). School Social Work in Host Settings. SSWAA Ethical Guideline Series. Dibble, N. (2001) School social work and privacy of minors. SSWAA Ethical Guidelines Series. Confidentiality guidelines and handouts Take on-line quiz #4