Page 78 - Superintendent Annual Report 2023-24
P. 78
Youth Mental Health First Aid
House Bill 1421 requires that all school districts annually certify that at least 80 percent of their District staff have received
youth mental health awareness and assistance training. The Florida Department of Education chose Youth Mental Health
First Aid (YMHFA) as the mandated training program. As of May 1, the District exceeded the mandate, with 92.3% of our
employees receiving YMHFA certifications.
Figure 4
YMHFA Participation Tracking Dashboard FY24
Education Supports
Academic Support
The Department of Support Services plays a vital role in ensuring equity in access to the
curriculum for students enrolled at alternative education sites, Department of Juvenile
Justice (DJJ) facilities, and Youth Services programs within Palm Beach County. The
goal is to increase student achievement for all students. The support provided aligns
pedagogy within these programs with other schools in the District. Academic support
is provided through professional learning for administrators and teachers, including
standards-based instruction, data analysis, progress monitoring, Professional Learning
Communities (PLC), and instructional coaching. Emphasis is placed on a framework
used during PLC that promote teacher growth, ownership of the work, and ultimately
student achievement.
Professional Learning Community Meeting Framework
The PLC framework is recommended for all meetings at Alternative Education and DJJ sites:
• Examine Standards - unpack standards and create learning targets.
• Align Instruction - identify critical information and select appropriate strategies and resources.
• Analyze Student Work and Assessments - through data analysis, identify and analyze evidence of student learning,
and determine critical weaknesses and opportunities for growth.
• Modify Instruction based on Data Analysis - develop a plan for differentiation.
78 Superintendent Annual Report 2023 - 2024