BBSST Explained

Chalkville Elementary School

Dear Chalkville Elementary School Families,

            We here at Chalkville Would like to take this opportunity to inform you about an important process that is in place at our school to help students: BBSST.  The State of Alabama definition of BBSST follows:” A Building-Based Student Support Team is a mandatory, best practice, problem-solving team implemented at the local school level.”  In other states, this support team may be called something other than BBSST, but it is a function of regular education throughout the country.

            The following information can be found in the state BBSST Manual, 2006, p.1.  A student support team is a school-based, problem-solving group.  Team members discuss issues related to specific needs of teachers and students and offer teachers assistance in resolving problems.  The team is composed of regular education teachers, administrators, counselors, and other individuals as needed, including special education teachers.

            By establishing a student support team, a school may call upon expertise of a number of individuals, professionals, paraprofessionals, and nonprofessionals in resolving school and/or student issues.  Through collaboration, educators are given the opportunity to address concerns and find solutions with greater perspective.

            The value of student support teams can also be measured in time and cost efficiency.  Through team effort referrals to programs outside the regular classroom can be significantly reduced.  Educators may receive immediate support when confronting specific academic, social, and/or behavioral concerns regarding students.

            There is a very specific referral process to the BBSST.  Typically, students who are experiencing some sort of difficulty in school are referred.  It could be for academics, behavior, attention or social concerns.  Working as a team, the BBSST shares information about the child; the team also reviews work samples and assessment or test results.  At Chalkville Elementary and throughout Jefferson County Schools, parents are always invited to a BBSST meeting about their child.  We consider parental input invaluable in this process.  Once a specific area of difficulty has been identified, the team develops an intervention plan of appropriate strategies that are specific to that particular child.  The classroom teacher implements the plan for at least six weeks, documenting improvements weekly.  After that time, the BBSST reconvenes to review progress and determine whether to continue the intervention plan, revise the plan or discontinue the plan.

            If you have any questions about the BBSST process, please contact your child’s teacher or a CES administrator.

The BBSST Committee