Social Workers’ Report Lists Steps to School Excellence

NEW ORLEANS —  The nation’s largest social workers organization, charging that recent studies of education ignore essential “human and social factors,” Friday recommended a series of steps aimed at helping achieve excellence in schools.

Releasing its own report after surveying more than 500 persons--mostly social workers--in 22 states, the 97,000-member National Assn. of Social Workers warned that divorce, child abuse, drug use, hunger and poverty have “significant consequences upon the learning process.”

Association officials and educators, including the president of the National Education Assn., called for closer cooperation between teachers and social workers and asked that programs to assist troubled students be expanded.

The report, titled “The Human Factor: A Key to Excellence in Education,” said there are 1 million victims of child abuse, 1 million children of divorce, 12 million children who live with one parent and 8 million children who hold jobs.

To combat the social and psychological problems children suffer--including depression, lack of concentration, fighting and a rising number of suicides--the report recommended more screening programs, special classes on the problems, diligent reporting of them by teachers and training for both teachers and parents on how to detect signs of trouble in children.

Robert P. Stewart, president of the association, said that “human and social forces” play a major role in the success or failure of students. He told a news conference: “These are essential factors that largely have been overlooked in the array of recent studies and analyses.” He added that this oversight “will guarantee failure at attempted educational reforms.”

Costs Defended

The association’s report calls for increasing school psychological and social worker staffs. Conceding that funding will be a problem, it warns that “the long-term human and financial costs of inadequate funding and lack of programs can ultimately result in even larger expenditures” through costs of social programs for unproductive persons.

Association officials said the 28-page study surveyed “grass-roots” social workers in every region of the country, asking them to identify social problems and pose solutions. The survey also included some parents, educators and public officials. California was among the 22 states included in the study.

Officials said the report will be given to the Education Department, but many here acknowledge that it may meet a chilly reception in an Administration that wants to decrease the federal role in education.

The report noted that gifted children often experience emotional problems resulting from pressure to excel. It rejected corporal punishment in favor of suspension from school.