Date

Winter 2021

ESRP 9000 Professor

Melissa T. Sasso, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Dana Mills, Ph.D.

Executive Summary

The purpose of this strategic research project was to perform an in depth analysis that identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, otherwise known as a SWOT analysis, for one of the largest public school districts in the state of Georgia. SWOT analyses assist organizations with determining the underlying issues that could potentially impede growth. For Clayton County Public Schools, wherein lies disparaging gaps in access of care, students’ lack of access to mental health has proven debilitating in terms of academic achievement and has increased during the coronavirus outbreak as a result of worldwide shelter-in-place mandates.

For low-income communities such as Clayton county, school systems were the primary source of treatment for students with mental illness when treatment was brought to a halt March of 2020. Online mental health counseling provides access to students through use of their district issued laptops or cellular devices. Though students had district issued laptops, many of them did not have internet access. The Quantitative Strategic Plan Matrix revealed that equitable digital distribution and internet compatibility was the key solution to address student lack of broadband access.

To implement equitable digital distribution and internet compatibility, and action plan was devised to implement during the 2021-2022 fiscal school year. Key stakeholders were identified to chair committees designed to outline staff to work with program implementation and the student referral process for the program. Though Clayton County Public Schools is a large school district with the funding to distribute laptops and internet access for 7th through 12th grade students, for districts that may not have enough capital to secure laptops and internet access for students spanned over secondary levels, a screening process can be utilized to determine students with severe cases that can benefit from online mental health treatment who may need a laptop and internet access.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Language

English

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