NECESSARY PRECONDITIONS FOR RE-IMAGINING CASE MANAGEMENT: CULTIVATING A SECURE MINDSET IN HIGH SCHOOL CASE MANAGERS

Abstract

To combat the disproportionate outcomes of Black and Brown students who transfer to continuation schools, students need a case management system to support them to stay on track for graduation at a comprehensive high school. In this participatory action research (PAR) study, a group of co-practitioner researchers (CPR) and I examined how to address a change in the case management system. As a result, we learned that the staff who support our most vulnerable students need parallel support to be case managers and to re-imagine case management. Using CLE protocols for discussion and engagement and qualitative research methods to analyze iterative data from three cycles of inquiry over 14 months, we cultivated relational trust and participated in open discussions about student and staff needs. Two findings pointed us to the need to fully engage adults in dialogue and self-care before they can effectively change the case management system for the students in our school. First, adults who engage with students as case managers need supportive parallel spaces in which to build trust, reflect, and sustain their resilience and agency. Secondly, to re-imagine a case management system, staff need support to develop secure mindsets and fully commit to caring for students. The team identified compassion fatigue as a primary factor in staff inability to take on full responsibility or re-imaging a more effective case management system. This study brings attention to the compassion fatigue that staff experience and their need for supportive structures before they can make systemic changes. The findings have implications for educational leaders trying to guide teachers and staff in reform efforts; adult caregivers in schools need concurrent emotional support so they can support students. To collaborate, leaders must work to ensure the preconditions for effective change efforts -- secure mindsets and practice using tools and protocols that support them to engage in productive change processes.