Effective School Solutions reports improved attendance, discipline and academic maintenance in Harrisburg schools

Effective School Solutions (ESS), the district’s contracted mental‑health provider, told the Harrisburg School District Committee of the Whole on Jan. 13 that its in‑school clinical and coaching model has produced measurable gains at the midyear point.

ESS regional director Anne Byman said the contractor provides clinical tier‑2 and tier‑3 services and teacher professional development in district schools. “We have provided over 4,500 total services to students on the caseload,” Byman said, adding that 14 clinicians are embedded across district buildings and each clinician carries caseloads of about 15 to 20 students. “We have supported over 140 students on the caseload so far this school year.”

The presentation highlighted three educational impact measures ESS tracks for each student: grades/GPA (for middle and high school), attendance and discipline. Byman said students in ESS’s intervention category — those identified as significantly struggling — showed a 95 percent rate of improvement or maintenance in GPA for marking period 1; prevention‑category students showed improvement or maintenance for 68 percent. On attendance, ESS reported 100 percent of enrolled students improved or maintained attendance, with 78 percent showing significant improvement among those who were struggling. For suspension‑related discipline, ESS reported 93 percent of intervention students improved or maintained (73 percent significant improvement); for other behavior referrals the agency reported 50 percent improvement/maintenance in intervention and 96 percent for prevention.

Colleen Patterson, ESS director of professional development, described the partner’s approach to teacher coaching and a new internal framework the organization is using this year to support teachers’ regulation and classroom repair practices. Patterson said the provider has delivered roughly 225 hours of coaching so far this year and offers booster sessions and additional Wednesday trainings available to different staff in buildings.

Board members asked about consent, triage and wait lists. Byman said services are optional: parents or guardians must consent for students under 16; students 16 and older may consent for themselves. On students returning from out‑of‑district placements, ESS said the district and provider reserve an enrolled student’s slot for about 45 days to facilitate transition planning and clinician involvement in the student’s return. Byman also acknowledged clinicians can reach capacity and some students may be placed on a wait list.

Doctor Henry, the administration’s presenter for the agenda item, said the district has consolidated mental‑health providers and is working to expand slots where budget allows. Board members said they would like more granular, school‑level breakdowns showing how many students move between tiers and how waiting lists are being handled.

The presentation closed with parent and teacher feedback ESS collected showing students and staff reporting improved daily attendance and classroom practices; ESS said qualitative examples include students who moved from frequent behavioral incidents to straight‑A performance after long‑term clinical intervention.

The board did not take a vote on contracting at the meeting; the presentation was provided as an update and multiple ESS‑related agreements and addenda appeared later on the Jan. 27 consent agenda for formal approval.