The impact of comprehensive student support on teachers: Knowledge of the whole child, classroom practice, and Teacher Support

- Out-of-school barriers due to poverty can impede children's success and thriving in school.
- Comprehensive interventions such as City Connects have been found to improve student achievement.
- Teachers report having a better understanding of the whole child when City Connects is implemented in a school.
- Teachers feel supported when this comprehensive support intervention is in place.

Comprehensive, school-based student support interventions are an approach to addressing out-of-school factors that may interfere with students' achievement and thriving. The effect of these approaches on teachers has not been extensively studied, although the literature points to potential benefits. This paper explores the impact of student support on teachers through a case study of City Connects, which collaborates with every teacher in a school to tailor services for students. A mixed-methods study finds that teachers report new awareness of students' out-of-school lives, develop classroom management strategies, and feel more supported. Implications for teacher education and holistic student support are discussed.