March 2013
Debra Heath, APS-RDA
Sara Bautista, APS-RDA
Kristine Maltrud, Health Planning Associates

BOARD OF EDUCATION
KATHY KORTE
Vice President & Audit Chair
DAVID EUGENE PEERCY
MARTIN ESQUIVEL
President
Secretary
STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA
ANALEE MAESTAS
Policy and Instruction Chair District and Community Relations Chair
DON DURAN LORENZO L. GARCIA
Finance Chair Capital Outlay, Property and Technology Chair
Superintendent
WINSTON BROOKS
SHELLY GREEN BRAD WINTER
(Interim) Chief Academic Officer Chief Operations Officer
RAQUEL REEDY
Associate Superintendent
Elementary Education
DIANE KERSCHEN
Associate Superintendent
Elementary Education
EDUARDO SOTO
Associate Superintendent
Secondary Education
ROSE-ANN MCKERNAN
Executive Director
Instruction and Accountability
This report was prepared for:
Helen Cordero Primary School
Albuquerque Safe Schools Healthy Students Initiative, May Sagbakken, Program Manager
Student, Family and Community Supports Division, Kristine M. Meurer, Ph.D., Executive Director
Research, Deployment & Accountability
Thomas Genné, Director
6400 Uptown Blvd. NE (400 EAST)
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
(505) 872-6870 www.rda.aps.edu

The Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) is a method to promote positive child development and behavior. The NHA was developed by Howard Glasser in 1992 as an intervention for treating intensely difficult children in family therapy. During the past decade, the NHA has been applied much more broadly to promote positive behavior among children of all circumstances and in a wide range of settings, including schools.
Impacts of the NHA in school settings are described by the Children’s Success Foundation as improved school climate, decreased disciplinary referrals, increased teaching time, improved student attendance, decreased referrals to Special Education, decreased teacher sick days, and increased parent satisfaction and involvement. Benefits have been documented by schools in
Tucson, Arizona; Champaign, Illinois; New York City; Fargo, North Dakota; and others.
NHA strategies are consistent with child development theory and research, and with many wellestablished child development programs that include a focus on recognizing positive behavior; establishing clear rules, limits and expectations; and providing swift, appropriate, but not harsh consequences for undesired behaviors. In the NHA, these concepts are expressed as three
“stands”:
1.
Purposefully energize children’s experiences of success;
2.
Absolute refusal to energize and reward negativity; and
3.
Absolute clarity and consistency in implementing rules and consequences.
The NHA is unique in its specific strategies for recognizing positive behavior, and in its approaches to negative behavior and rules. Recognitions of positive behavior take four specific forms. All avoid general evaluative comments, such as “good job” or “nice work.”
1.
Active Recognition: Observe and describe out loud a child’s everyday activity, without value or judgment, e.g., “I see you sitting still and focusing on your work…”
2.
Experiential Recognition: Comment about the positive values the child is exhibiting, e.g.,
“That shows good self-control and persistence.”
3.
Proactive Recognition: State when rules are not being broken, as a way of clarifying limits and creating more experiences of success, e.g., “You are not talking to your classmates.”
4.
Creative Recognition: Give children highly doable requests and energize their actions with recognitions and appreciation, e.g., “I need you to raise your hand…I see you raising your hand. That shows courtesy and respect for the rules…”
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In the NHA, effective rules start with “no.” Rules are seen as opportunities to create and recognize positive behavior. Proactive recognitions are given to validate the absence of undesired behavior. More rules mean more opportunities to recognize and reinforce positive behavior.
The NHA’s approach to negative behavior also is fundamentally unique. Energy and attention are withdrawn when children make bad choices. Consequences are very brief, and they are followed immediately by energetic recognitions of positive behavior. No warnings are given, to avoid energizing negative behavior. Consequences are seen as opportunities for children to reset their behavior back to “greatness.”
As described on the Nurtured Heart Approach website, of the Children’s Success Foundation
(CSF) in Tucson, Arizona:
The Nurtured Heart Approach “… teaches significant adults how to strongly energize the child's experiences of success while not accidentally energizing his or her experiences of failure. Most approaches, because they were designed for the average child, get stretched beyond their capacity when applied to challenging children. Traditional approaches for parenting and teaching can easily backfire with challenging children: they inadvertently reward children by providing more energy, involvement and animation when things are going wrong. Challenging children wind up being very confused because they perceive a high level of incentive for pushing the limits and for negative behaviors, and little incentive to make successful choices. Often, the harder adults try applying these normal methods, the worse the situation becomes, despite the best of intentions.”
Helen Cordero Primary School (HCPS) opened in the fall of 2009, when Edward Gonzales
Elementary School was split into two schools. Edward Gonzales ES continued serving the community’s 3-5 graders. HCPS became APS’ only primary school, providing pre-K through second-grade education on the same campus. Ellen Griffiths moved from her role as Assistant
Principal of Edward Gonzales to become Principal of HCPS.
In 2010-11, Helen Cordero had a total of 94 staff members serving 870 students, 85% of whom were Hispanic. One-third of students (35%) were English Language Learners, 77% qualified for free or reduced price meals, and 8% were enrolled in Special Education (non-Gifted) services.
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From the school’s first day, HCPS implemented the NHA as a core approach to positive student behavior. Training sessions for staff and parents were provided by external consultants, the
HCPS Social Worker and the HCPS Parent Liaison. In 2009-10, six staff members became
Advanced NHA Trainers so they could help with staff training and provide mentoring.
Safe Schools Healthy Students (SSHS) funding for NHA training and coaching started in 2010-11, to contribute to the goal of ensuring that children are ready for school and have the social, emotional and behavioral skills for healthy, non-violent relationships and academic success .
About $17,000 of SSHS funds were used to contract with two consultants from META, Inc. in
Albuquerque. The consultants provided NHA training, coaching, materials and technical assistance for Helen Cordero staff members and parents. In addition, stipends were provided for the HCPS Parent Liaison and Social Worker to facilitate NHA training for parents in English and Spanish.
SSHS funding also was used to send five APS staff members and one community member to a week-long NHA Advanced Certification workshop, and to offer local NHA training workshops for
APS school staffs and community partners. Between January and December 2011, a total of nine training workshops were held, attended by 281 individuals, including 38 APS teachers, 15 counselors, 7 social workers, and five educational assistants representing 59 APS schools.
1
Additional support for the NHA in APS was provided by the Early Childhood and Community
Schools Linkages initiative, funded by the Kellogg Foundation. Linkages provided NHA training for parents at La Mesa and Manzano Mesa elementary schools in 2010 and 2011.
1 See Nurtured Heart Advanced Trainer Survey Results: Understanding Our Local Capacity (October 2012) for a summary of 2011 and 2012 local NHA training activities and perceptions.
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The SSHS program manager and HCPS principal requested an evaluation of the Nurtured Heart
Approach program to fulfill three purposes:
1.
Identify perceived outcomes and benefits of the Nurtured Heart Approach;
2.
Identify implementation challenges, success factors, readiness conditions, and resource needs; and
3.
Recommend next steps for the NHA, including whether and how the SSHS initiative should help expand the NHA to other schools.
The Lead SSHS Evaluator, based in APS’ Research, Deployment and Accountability department, contracted with Kris Maltrud of Health Planning Associates in Albuquerque to conduct the evaluation. Data were collected in the spring of 2011 using the following methods (see
Appendix A for details and limitations):
 Focus group with 9 parents/caregivers;
 Focus group with 9 school staff members;

Staff survey with 72 respondents (64% teachers, 36% other staff); and

Five key informant interviews.
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Parent Training
NHA training started in 2008-09, even before HCPS opened its doors to students. Interviewees reported that most of the original trainees were parents. Over the following two years, nine NHA classes were conducted for parents by the school’s
Parent Liaison (four in 2009-10 and five in 2010-11). In addition, the HCPS Parent Liaison and Social Worker provided home visits with 19 families to foster their NHA practice. During 2010-11, META consultants supported NHA
study groups for parents (one in Spanish), and provided materials to support use of the NHA in Parent-Teacher Conferences.
“My daughter likes and notices the change in the way we talk to her.
Before I would tell her “Do your homework!” Now I tell her “How nice of you to start doing your homework without my having to tell you to do so.” And she starts on it right away.”
- Parent Focus Group
By the end of 2010-11, approximately 100 parents had received at least some NHA training, and a core group of 15-20, mostly Spanish-speaking, parents and family members met regularly to support each other’s practice.
Teacher/Staff Training
During 2009-10, three NHA workshops (one full day and two half-days) were held for HCPS staff members, provided by external consultants. The HCPS Parent Liaison and Social Worker provided one workshop attended by 20 of the school’s educational assistants (EA’s). In addition, six staff members attended a five-day Advanced Trainer Certification workshop so they could provide ongoing NHA training, modeling and coaching for HCPS teachers and staff.
During 2010-11, SSHS funding supported the following training and coaching services:
 META consultants provided two half-day staff workshops, seven classroom observation
and coaching sessions, and five small group teacher mentoring sessions.

Staff members received stipends to participate in after-school meetings and mentoring sessions.
 Three additional HCPS staff members attended a five-day Advanced Trainer Certification workshop.
Organizational Development
In addition to staff development, META consultants developed materials and systems within the school to sustain the NHA. They provided technical assistance to the school’s social worker and Parent Liaison, and at monthly NHA Core Team meetings. NHA materials developed by
META included The NHA Parent-Teacher Conference Guide, The NHA Parent Guide, and NHA handouts for parent groups and staff.
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All stakeholder groups (parents, teachers, administrators, and other school staffs) cited benefits and positive outcomes associated with the Nurtured Heart Approach. According to survey and interview results, improvements were seen in school climate, instructional practice, student behavior, and parent engagement and satisfaction.
School Climate
School climate improvements were reported by 60% of staff survey respondents. More frequent NHA practitioners were more likely to report climate improvements than less frequent practitioners (p < .05).
Interviewees described a “lighter atmosphere” and positive shifts in how teachers act and speak with one another. Teachers felt recognized through NHA techniques such as the Wall of Greatness.
They also described less frustration and stress, and improved relationships among teachers and with administrators.
Communications with students also changed, according to interviewees. Using the NHA, teachers were more likely to notice and acknowledge student efforts. They prevented problem behaviors. They “treated students with patience, kindness, respect and love.”
“The NHA has changed the way I speak to kids when I have discipline referral issues, the way I relate to them and have a conversation with them.
Rather than “why did you do this?!” it’s more about letting them know what I think they’ve been doing well, and then questioning.”
– Teacher
Instructional Practice
Almost half of teacher survey respondents who reported practicing NHA techniques at least four times per day reported instructional benefits, including:
 More ability to meet diverse learning needs (46%);
 More time to teach (43%); and
 More ability to help students achieve standards (42%).
Parent Engagement and Satisfaction
The NHA increased parent involvement and satisfaction, according to focus group and interview sources.
 Administrators reported a decrease in angry and defensive parents, compared to previous years, and more frequent expressions of satisfaction with teachers.
 Parents and HCPS staff reported increased parent and family involvement.

Parents said they were happy with the positive and nurturing ways teachers communicated with their children.

Parents applauded the use of NHA techniques like the Wall of Greatness.
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School administrators reported a decrease in office disciplinary referrals compared to the school’s first year. It was not possible to confirm these reports because the school’s student behavior data records, as entered into the district’s SchoolMax student information system, were incomplete.
Half (51%) of NHA survey respondents agreed that the school-wide use of the Nurtured Heart
Approach helped with discipline issues at school. In focus groups, school staff members and parents described the following impacts on HCPS children:

Less hyperactivity;

Better cooperation;

More positive attitudes ; and

More generosity, kindness, affection and harmony.
About one-third of staff survey respondents estimated that, compared to the previous year, the number of students referred to the office for behavior problems had decreased some or a lot, as shown in Figure 1. However, even more respondents said they didn’t know, almost onequarter said behavior referrals hadn’t changed, and a few said referrals had increased some or a lot.
Figure 1. Percent staff reporting changes in the number of behavior referrals:
Compared to last year, the number of students referred to the office for behavior problems ….
Don't know;
40%
Decreased; 31%
Increased ,
8%
Didn't change;
21%
Source: HCPS Teacher/Staff Survey, May 2011 (n=67)
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About one-third (30%) of HCPS students had five or more unexcused absences during 2010-11, according to data from the district’s SchoolMax
Student Information System. Comparable data on prior year attendance were not available.
30% of HCPS students had 5 or more unexcused absences during
2010-11.
School administrators reported improved attendance compared to the school’s first year. However, staff survey results provide no evidence that attendance in 2010-11 was different from 2009-10, as shown in Figure 2.
As shown in Figure 2,
Compared to 2009-10, the number of
student absences …
Decreased;
14%
Don't know;
36%
Increased; 13%
74% of HCPS staff said absenteeism had not changed or they didn’t know.
Didn't change,
38%
Source: HCPS Teacher/Staff Survey, May 2011 (n=64)
NHA staff survey results suggest that a minority of HCPS staff experienced student performance improvements. About one-quarter of teachers (27%, n=56) agreed student performance had improved as a result of the Nurtured Heart Approach.
However, improvements in academic performance were not experienced school-wide. Almost three-quarters of teachers (n=56) disagreed (18%) or neither agreed nor disagreed (55%) that their students’ classroom assessment scores had improved as a result of the Nurtured Heart
Approach.
Also, differences based on the intensity of NHA practice were not statistically significant. Staff members who practiced NHA techniques at least six times per day were no more likely to report academic, behavioral, or attendance outcomes than those who practiced less often.
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Math and Reading Proficiency: District benchmark tests in math and reading suggest some increases in the percentages of proficient first and second grade students at HCPS between spring 2009 and spring 2011. Most notably, the percentage of second graders scoring proficient or advanced in math increased from zero in spring 2009, to 18% in spring 2010, to 40% in spring
2011.
Figures 3 and 4. Percent first and second grade students proficient or advanced in math and reading on spring district benchmark assessments, Helen Cordero Primary
School, 2009, 2010 & 2011 2
100%
80%
60%
40%
Percent Proficient in Math
Spring 2009, 2010, 2011
18%
40%
2009 (A2L)
2010 (DBA)
2011 (DBA)
20%
53%
52%
36%
0%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
1st grade
Percent Proficient in Reading
Spring 2009, 2010, 2011 (DRA/EDL)
27%
16%
27%
0%
2nd grade
31%
28%
34%
2009
2010
2011
0%
1st grade 2nd grade
2 2008-09 test data are from Edward Gonzales Elementary School, where HCPS students were enrolled prior to the opening of Helen Cordero Primary School.
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Training Participation and Dosage
NHA survey results suggest the following NHA training participation levels during 2009-10 and
2010-11:

94% received at least one full-day or half-day of NHA training;
 46% participated in three training sessions (full-day and/or half-day) in 2009-10;
 59% participated in two half-day sessions in 2010-11.
According to Lisa Bravo, one of the lead NHA trainers from the Children’s Success Foundation and co-author of several NHA books, fully learning the NHA requires three full days of training
(personal communication, August 4, 2011).
About half the school’s staff members came close to meeting this criterion in 2009-10.
Documents with details about the content, participants and hours of training, mentoring and observation/coaching were not available for evaluators to review or analyze. However, a META consultant described the 2010-11 NHA training as a “light touch” with very little follow up.
Mentoring and Coaching
A total of 34 out of 72 survey respondents indicated participating in one or more of the five small group mentoring sessions provided by external consultants. All but four of these mentoring participants rated the sessions as very useful (44%) or somewhat useful (44%).
A total of 37 survey respondents indicated participating in classroom observations. META reported delivering seven observation sessions, so the remainder must have been delivered by school-based NHA Advanced Trainers. All but four participants rated the observation sessions as very useful (43%) or somewhat useful (46%).
NHA Core Team meetings were seen as another useful professional development activity. Over half (52%) of the 33 staff members who reported participating in Core Team meetings rated them as very useful; an additional 36% rated them somewhat useful.
Helen Cordero’s six school-based NHA Advanced Trainers were recognized as a valuable source of ongoing training and mentoring for HCPS staffs and parents. The limitation reported by school administrators was that Advanced Trainers had full-time jobs within the duty day which limited their ability to provide embedded professional development.
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Professional Development Needs and Recommendations
About half of all staff survey respondents reported wanting or needing additional NHA professional development of at least one kind, as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Percent staff reporting NHA professional development needs, spring 2011
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
32%
18%
22%
13%
43%
Training Mentoring Observation Assistance with PT
Conferences
No Need
Survey, focus group and interview results suggest that staff members had inflated perceptions of their own levels of NHA knowledge and practice. Almost half of survey respondents reported no need for NHA professional development, and 58% agreed or strongly agreed that they had received sufficient NHA coaching, mentoring and observational supports. However, interview and focus groups revealed variability and misunderstandings in staff members’ NHA knowledge and practice. Some of these are shown in Table 1, along with methodological counterpoints from NHA training materials. Key informant interviews confirmed gaps in staff members’ NHA understanding and expertise.
HCPS staff members recommended the following for future NHA training:
 Differentiated training, to accommodate different training needs and levels of expertise;

More sessions for educational assistants and new staff members;

More training in how to implement consequences; and

More interactive training formats.
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Table 1. Misunderstandings of the NHA voiced by HCPS staff members, spring 2011
Interview & Survey Comments
The NHA is not for negative attention seekers.
The NHA doesn’t work well for kids who are serious cases.
NHA Method/Theory
The NHA is designed to address negative attention seeking.
The NHA was designed originally for children with clinical behavior problems. NHA practitioners have many stories of success with children who have severe behavioral problems, including gang members and children with violent behaviors.
Positive begets positive. Negative begets negative. I was using this approach before it was called
Nurtured Heart. I have a Special Ed background and praise and positive reinforcement is part of the training.
The NHA is radically different from other positive behavior reinforcement approaches. Praise is discouraged; recognitions are judgment-free. Rules start with “no.”
NHA Practice
Staff survey results indicate that a majority of HCPS staff members practiced NHA techniques to at least a minimal degree.

93% of staff reported using NHA techniques at least once per day.

63% used NHA techniques at least six times per day.

Only three respondents said they were not using NHA techniques at all.

A majority (76%) of staff members reported practicing the NHA outside of school.
Classroom observation notes collected by META consultants demonstrate some of the ways teachers employed NHA techniques, as shown in the following examples:
“I see lips together and paper and pencil ready to go.” (Stand 1: Active Recognition)
“Daniel, you could have gone up the slide the wrong way but you didn’t. You made a good choice by deciding to follow the rules on going up the slide…this was a wise
decision.” (Stand 1: Proactive Recognition)
“At the green table everyone is sitting up and nobody is pounding on the table.”
Meanwhile one child is pounding on another table. (Stand 2: Not giving energy to negativity)
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Attitudes
Survey results revealed that many HCPS staff members were invested in the NHA, but that commitment varied. Almost two-thirds of staff survey respondents agreed that the NHA was working well at HCPS (63%), that the NHA had improved school climate (60%), and that the
NHA was easy to practice with students compared to other behavioral strategies (68%).
However, almost half (41%) said they preferred other approaches to managing student behavior. Staff focus group participants shared that they and other faculty members experimented with blending NHA and other behavioral techniques.
Collaboration with Parents
NHA implementation in students’ homes was cited repeatedly in stories of NHA success at school. In effect, HCPS parents and staff collaborated in using NHA techniques to support positive student behavior. They may have reinforced each other’s practice and thereby multiplied the student’s experience of NHA. The following story, provided by the HCPS Social
Worker, illustrates this collaboration and its impact:
A student would cry loudly at school and was physically abusive to the educational assistant.
She would not get ready in the morning before school and would hide under the table at home about three days a week. Mom asked for help with setting clear limits, expectations, and routines in the home. She subsequently attended all the NHA trainings. Her daughter’s
teacher reports that she is following rules in the classroom and is no longer aggressive.
Principal Training and Leadership
The HCPS principal participated in half-day NHA training sessions at the school, but the exact amount of training she received is not known. According to Bravo (personal communication,
August 4, 2011), principals need to participate in the full NHA Advanced Training curriculum
(currently five days) to learn the concepts and techniques necessary for providing NHA leadership.
For schools to fully implement the NHA, principals must provide a compelling and clear vision, set expectations, and regularly model, facilitate, and reinforce NHA practices in their schools.
According to NHA training materials, principals at schools with high levels of NHA implementation circulate among classrooms and energize teachers with active and experiential recognitions. They use school-wide techniques like the Wall of Greatness, and interactive group recognition techniques like “You, Me Superstar” in staff meetings. They reinforce positive student behavior by using NHA techniques in disciplinary situations and in parent meetings. To implement these NHA practices, principals need high levels of conceptual and practical understanding.
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Interviews indicate that the HCPS principal championed the NHA by setting general expectations, by securing time and external expertise for NHA training and coaching, and by cultivating internal NHA expertise. Staff members and parents applauded the principal for pioneering and staying committed to the school-wide implementation of NHA. Interviews also suggest that staff members were allowed or expected to create their own blends of the NHA with other behavioral strategies.
Achieving greater levels of NHA implementation among staff likely would require more training of staff and administrators, clearer administrative expectations and a higher level of NHA modeling and reinforcement by the principal.
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Evaluators identified the following factors that supported NHA implementation at Helen
Cordero Primary School.

Parents were a driving force for NHA implementation within the school. Over 100 parents were trained. A core group of parents met regularly to learn and support each other’s NHA practice.

The school’s principal was a consistent champion for NHA implementation and the Parent
Liaison and Social Worker were NHA experts and champions. Together, they provided ongoing vision and support for NHA implementation among staff and parents.
 External consultants provided expert training, coaching and guidance each year.

School-wide training reached 94% of HCPS staff, including custodians and food service workers.
HCPS evaluation results also revealed features of the NHA that support its success in schools.
 The NHA was shown to be applicable in both schools and homes. Staff members used the
NHA not only at school but also in their personal lives. HCPS parents used NHA techniques with students at home. Teachers were trained to use NHA techniques in parent-teacher conferences. Parents and teachers may have reinforced each other’s NHA practice and the impacts on students.

The NHA meets Diffusion of Innovation criteria for successful adoption and diffusion
(Rogers, 1962). o Relative Advantage and Simplicity: HCPS staff characterized the NHA as easy to learn and as requiring fewer resources than other school-based behavioral programs. o Compatibility: Many HCPS staff reported assimilating NHA techniques into their everyday life. o Trialability: All HCPS staff and parents had immediate and regular opportunities to try NHA techniques. o Observability: Results were immediately observable to staff and parents.
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Evaluators discovered a number of challenges to implementing the NHA completely and with fidelity in APS schools.

Two to three full days of training are required for staff members to fully learn NHA concepts and techniques, but this amount of professional development time is difficult or impossible for APS schools to arrange. At HCPS, providing some training but not enough gave many staff members a false sense of NHA proficiency. Implementing NHA techniques incorrectly or incompletely led some to conclude that the NHA did not work. The first challenge of schools that have received some training but not enough, like HCPS, may be to overcome the gap between actual and perceived NHA proficiency.

Implementing an internal NHA mentoring model is difficult because mentors usually have full schedules during the school day and are not available to observe and mentor during classroom time. Bravo recommends having teachers video-tape themselves to review with
Advanced Trainers outside of class time.
 Fully implementing the NHA requires significant transformation on the part of the practitioner, partly because some of the techniques are very different from commonly practiced and accepted behavior strategies. Becoming confident and proficient requires persistent practice.
 The NHA may not be sufficient in all situations or on its own. Underlying the NHA is an assumption that misbehavior is rooted in a desire for attention. Techniques focus on giving frequent and energetic attention to positive behaviors and far less attention to negative behaviors. Other reasons for misbehavior, such as lack of knowledge or skill, may require additional behavioral approaches. Consistency in selecting, training and practicing these complementary approaches will be necessary for achieving NHA fidelity and outcomes.
 Complete, consistent and valid data on program activities and student behavior are critical for evaluating program impacts, but difficult to obtain from APS schools. At HCPS, incomplete and inconsistent data on NHA activities and student behavior was a barrier to establishing clear NHA objectives, monitoring progress for continuous improvement, and measuring outcomes.
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Evaluators met with the HCPS Principal, Assistant Principal, Social Worker and Parent Liaison, as well as SSHS staff, in September of 2011 to discuss evaluation results and questions (see
Appendix B). Recommendations that emerged at this meeting and from discussions with other stakeholders and NHA experts follow. These recommendations are pertinent not only to HCPS but also to other schools.

Formalize the use of NHA Advanced Trainers for ongoing staff training and mentoring, with release time and substitutes, to fully capitalize upon this resource of internal expertise at
HCPS and district-wide.
 Secure the recommended 2-3 full days of NHA training time for staff and 3-5 days for
principals, so all staff members have mastery of essential NHA concepts and practices right from the start.
 Establish on-site NHA practice groups, to support staff members in making and sustaining the significant transformations required to fully implement the NHA.
 Facilitate sharing among administrators of NHA-implementing schools to support principals in their role of championing and modeling NHA practice.
 Give parents a central role in NHA implementation, with ongoing support for parent training and practice groups.
 Document behavior, attendance and other data consistently at school sites so results may be evaluated (see Appendix C for Data Tracking Plan).
 Establish shared or compatible systems for documenting NHA activities across schools, so collective efforts may be measured, coordinated and celebrated.
 Develop an NHA sustainability plan to strengthen internal capacity and leverage existing resources (see Appendix D for sustainability ideas generated by stakeholders. See Appendix
E for a Sustainability Plan framework).
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The Lead SSHS Evaluator, based in APS’ Research, Deployment and Accountability department, contracted with Kris Maltrud of Health Planning Associates to conduct the evaluation. The evaluator collected data in the spring of 2011 using the following methods:
NHA Evaluation Activity
A. NHA Evaluation Planning
(core stakeholder group)
Who Participated?

Safe School/Healthy Students Program Administrator

Safe School/Healthy Students Internal Evaluator

Helen Cordero Primary School Principal

Helen Cordero Primary School Assistant Principal

NHA Program Trainers/Contractors (2)

SS/HS Coordinator
B. NHA Parent Focus Group Nine (9) Parents/caregivers
C. NHA Teacher/Staff Focus Nine (9) teachers; school principal and assistant principal
Group
D. Key Informant Interviews

Safe School/Healthy Students Program Administrator

Early Childhood Social Worker

Helen Cordero Primary School Principal and Community
Liaison (2)

Edward Gonzales Elementary School Principal
E. Survey 72 Helen Cordero Primary School teachers and staff (pre-K through 2 nd
grade)
F. Email and phone conversations

Safe School/Healthy Students Internal Evaluator

NHA Program Trainers/Contractors (2)

Howard Glasser
Data analysis and reporting were done through collaboration between the Lead SSHS Evaluator, based in APS’ Research, Deployment and Accountability department (Debra Heath) and the external evaluator (Kris Maltrud).
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Methodological Limitations
 Data from parents were limited to nine focus group participants, most of whom were
Spanish-speaking. We do not know how other parents, including English-speaking parents, feel about the NHA at Helen Cordero, or the degree to which they use the NHA.
 The staff focus group included the school administrators, which may have influenced the quality of data. Also, the staff focus group was shorter than the recommended 60-90 minutes, which limited the amount of data that could be collected.
 Attempts to obtain success stories from staff whereas constrained by schedule – the evaluator only received five (5) stories/additional comments from individuals motivated enough to submit at a later date.
 There was no opportunity to collect student behavior referral documents, or to investigate the availability or quality of data on Student Assistance Team referrals, Special Education referrals, or student attendance. Nor was there opportunity to explore the school’s data collection practices.

Attempts to acquire detailed documentation (e.g., sign-in sheets, curricula, agendas, notes/records) on NHA training, mentoring, observations, home visits, Core Team meetings and NHA technical assistance were unsuccessful. Survey, interview and focus group data provided general information but limited the evaluation’s ability to explore relationships between inputs and outcomes.
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The external evaluator, of Health Planning Associates, prepared this summary of preliminary evaluation results and questions for a meeting with HCPS administrators, the HCPS Parent
Liaison and Social Worker, and SSHS staff in September 2011.
Evaluation Findings and Data Needs Key Discussion
Questions
Question #1:
How can Helen
Cordero Primary
School become a
“Nurtured Heart
Approach School” with the intensity of training and fidelity of practice necessary to be effective?
Question #2:
How are the already-existing
NHA resources at
HCPS being used and leveraged?
 FIDELITY of implementation and practice – are staff practicing the NHA the same (or even similarly)?

Interviewee impressions included that the NHA is simple but not easy to practice and that many staff believe they are practicing the NHA but they actually are not (they need more exposure, practice and training).

While 94% of the staff at HCPS have received training over the past two years, only a small number have received the recommended amount of intensive training and ongoing practice & support suggested by Lisa Bravo
(a full 2-3 days of initial training plus follow up training and practice support).

META described the training in school year 2010/2011 as a “light touch” with very little follow up.

NHA training details are missing (how long was each training for staff in
2009/2010 and 2010/2011? For parents? Which staff received observation and mentoring and is this continuing?)

Forty-six percent of teachers reported that they don’t need any additional training to fully implement the NHA (but are they really trained enough?).

Data on administrator training in the NHA are lacking. How much training have school leaders received, and when? How much are they able to practice and model the NHA?

What kinds of NHA mentoring and support are the HCPS principal, assistant principal and community liaison receiving?

Several people believe that home visits have very positive results for children, families and school staff. What are these results? What do the home visits consist of? How often do they take place?
 What kinds of tracking and data collection are possible @ HCPS to assess outcomes over time?
 How will impacts/results be communicated and shared within HCPS?
Outside of HCPS?

HCPS has energetic and committed staff re: the NHA program for both students and for parents/families.

How are the 6 advanced certified NHA trainers formally or informally supporting the NHA practice at HCPS? At other schools?

Are outside NHA resources or networks used/leveraged?

How is HCPS reaching out to other parents? Are existing parents connecting with other parents to grow the parent network?

How is HCPS reaching out to other schools, incl. EGES?
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The purpose of the form below is to organize the collection of data so that strategic indicators are available for planning, formative improvement and outcome evaluation.
NHA Indicator
Collection
Method
Sign-in sheets
Who Collects
# parents trained in NHA Training facilitator
# school staff trained in
NHA
Sign-in sheets
# of parent complaints
# office disciplinary referrals
Parent contact log
#/% parents who agree their child’s classroom provides a positive climate for their child’s development
# unexcused student absences (compared to previous school year)
Quality of
Education Survey
SchoolMax
Office
Disciplinary
Referral Form
SchoolMax
Training facilitator
Principal & Asst Principal
RDA (principal submits questions)
School clerk
Staff members submit referrals to office
School clerk records
When Collected
At every training session
At every training session
Weekly
Spring (Feb-April)
Daily
Daily
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Suggestions for Sustaining NHA at Helen Cordero Primary School
FROM TEACHERS/STAFF:

Grade level meetings to get input and support ongoing learning.

Time and mechanisms at school to hear more success stories and share problem situations. (Was an option last year, but not well attended.)

Continue with monthly NHA corner of ECPS newsletter.

Circulate among classes (used to do).

Brainstorming time, social events like coffee discussion.

Continue Wall of Greatness for teachers and staff.

NHA box where people write up notes and then follow up with discussion.

Intercom announcements.

Providing sub to have release time for NHA training.

Two-day training works best for most teachers, preferably on-site.

Pre- and post-tests for training and presentations.

Idea for ongoing evaluation/research: first graders at HNPS are now becoming third graders at Edward Gonzales ES.
FROM PARENTS:

Expand to other schools (parents concerned about their children not having NHA when they leave Helen Cordero) - "I want my child to be treated with love and respect in other schools, so I would like this method to be used in other schools."

Website for updates and information.

Involvement and training of husbands/partners, single men and sons.

Training for grandparents.

Offer training at different times/different days for working parents.

Expand to include neighbors.
FROM SS/HS STAFF:

HCPS stories on websites (including SS/HS), including pictures of parents, students, teachers.

Capture stories from parents, teachers and students (stories are what people remember).

APS behind the NHA program, otherwise expansion won't happen.

Parents write to APS administration about what impacts they're seeing.

Communicate w/APS and school leadership at a gathering or meeting - then evaluation feedback loop is being used.

Internal NHA data gathering and evaluation.
 Develop and disseminate a NHA “Report Card” (evaluation tool).
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The NHA Sustainability Plan for HCPS is an outline of possibilities and suggestions that surfaced through meetings, interviews and focus groups with various stakeholder groups.
NHA Sustainability Plan Components By Whom? By When
(Date)?
1.
Identify key goals and objectives for the NHA program over the next 2 years.
2.
Utilize internal advanced trainers in formal and informal ways (e.g., ongoing staff training, monthly
NHA practice, Q&A). Provide release time and substitutes.
3.
Connect the HCPS principal and assistant principal with other administrators whose schools are successfully implementing the program (e.g.,
Tucson) for mutual support and mentorship.
4.
Provide ongoing training for parents, including times for working parents.
5.
Expand existing NHA core parent group to include non-Spanish speaking parents.
6.
Expand parent training to include more family members, particularly male partners and grandparents.
7.
Train all new staff and staff who are un/undertrained
(e.g., educational assistants). Provide release time and substitutes.
8.
Offer ongoing onsite training for staff using internal advanced trainers and DVDs (available from H&W department). Provide release time and substitutes.
9.
Connect with and leverage the greater NHA community in Albuquerque.
10.
Provide observation and mentoring sessions, either facilitated by external trainers or internal advanced trainers.
11.
Create a “community of practice” with classroom meetings; monthly/bi-monthly grade level meetings; informal discussions around the NHA for brainstorming and problem solving; suggestion box at the school; intercom announcements/NHA tips;
Wall of Greatness for teachers, etc.
12.
Identify internal and external funding sources and ongoing program resources.
13.
Collect internal school data for NHA tracking and
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NHA Sustainability Plan Components evaluation (see sample NHA Internal Data Tracking
Plan).
14.
Communicate and coordinate with external NHA research efforts.
15.
Share progress and outcomes with stakeholders, including HCPS staff and parents.
16.
Leverage student interns from Atrisco Heritage school, e.g., assist with communication activities listed below: website, video, etc.)
17.
Develop internal and external communications methods and mechanisms (e.g., stories with pictures about the impact of the NHA in HCPS newsletter and websites; NHA resources on APS website).
18.
Create an online space for NHA community building and communication (e.g., simple website using
WordPress software, list-serve, Google group,
Facebook group, etc.).
19.
Consider a short promotional video to market and communicate about the NHA successes and challenges at Helen Cordero Primary School.
By When
(Date)?
By Whom?
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