The education support provided by a school is mainly channeled through classroom teachers. But there are often many other staff members available to support students in various ways.
Tutoring services provide very direct education support for student’s academic progress. Tutors may be paraprofessionals, consulting professionals, or peers. Tutors may be subject-specific, or work with a range of subjects.
English as a Second Language (ESL) specialists and bilingual educators assist students whose native language is not English. Because all learning is potentially affected by their language abilities, assistance usually includes other subjects besides the student’s English skills.
The education support provided by library and media services staff often connects closely to students’ homework. These staff are the caretakers of many of the items students use in research, such as books, periodicals, encyclopedias, and other media such as microfiche, filmstrips, etc. They can also direct students to appropriate sources outside of the school, such as those to be found at the public library or state regional libraries.
A great deal of education support is usually provided by the school’s counseling or guidance office. Personnel at all levels of elementary and secondary schooling can offer assistance for both personal and social issues that either arise within the school or impact school performance. They can provide both individual and group meetings, giving the student the opportunity for privacy or for sharing common ground with others in the same situation. Counselors also help orient new students to the school.
As students move up through middle school or junior high, they are likely to encounter education support in the form of academic advisers. These staff members help students understand requirements not only for school graduation but also for college admission or vocational needs. Academic advisers also are the people who make each student’s schedule work, moving courses around to try to get all of the desired subjects to fit.
By second or third year of high school, education support has expanded into the area of college or career counseling. School counselors can provide guidance for testing and applications, suggest choices that are a good match for a student’s abilities and goals, and provide transcripts and recommendations.
Special education services provide education support throughout a child’s K–12 experience. The range of professionals who make up the special education team work in partnership to fulfill the child’s Individual Education Program (IEP), whether they are special education teachers, school psychologists, speech language pathologists, physical or occupational therapists, audiologists, vision specialists, instructional assistants, reading clinicians, or several other types of specialist.
The school’s health services, often a school nurse, is charged with administering medication during school hours, maintaining school health records, and assisting in disease prevention. A trainer may be available in the school’s athletic department to assist with injuries that happen during intramural or varsity sports practice or competition.
