History and Ideology of the Comer School Development Program in Prince George's County Public Schools Definition of the Comer School Development Program The Comer School Development Program is a systems approach to school management based on principles of child/adolescent growth and development and interpersonal relationships. Nine components are systematically used to address the areas of academic, social, and staff development. A School Planning and Management Team (SPMT), a Student and Staff Support Team (SSST), and a Parent's Team (PTSA, PTO) are the three major teams that address school-wide issues and oversee the development of the School Improvement Plan. The teams operate under three guiding principles, collaboration, no-fault problem solving, and decision making by consensus. The School Improvement Plan includes goals and objectives for academic and social achievement of students, staff and family development, and measures for assessment and modification. History of the School Development Program The School Development Program (SDP) model was established in 1968 in two elementary schools in New Haven, Connecticut, as a joint effort between the Yale University Child Study Center and the New Haven Public Schools. Both schools were near the bottom on standardized test scores and attendance. Staff morale was low, parents were angry and distrustful of the schools, and hopelessness and despair were pervasive. Dr. James P. Comer and his team realized that there was a clear need for an organizational and management plan based on principles of child/adolescent growth and development and interpersonal relationships. A model that stressed collaboration, consensus, and a no-fault approach to decision making was developed by Dr. Comer and his staff. The SDP model uses the talents, strengths and interests of parents and school staff as collaborative decision makers to develop policies, procedures and programs that will improve the academic and social climate of schools. Using this model, the original project schools began to see growth and positive change in their academic performance, standardized test scores and social climate. History of the Prince George's County Comer School Development Program  The Comer School Development Program was introduced in 10 Milliken II Elementary Schools in Prince George's County Public Schools in 1985 as their model for school improvement/school development, and with a special focus upon improving parent/family participation in schools deemed "difficult to desegregate."  Since 1986, the Comer Process has been used in other elementary and secondary schools in the county, by selection of the model by school administrators, school teams, community groups or by direction of the central office.   In 1990, a three- year grant from the MacArthur Foundation enabled the Comer School Development Program to be implemented in 13 middle schools - a control group whose implementation of SDP and subsequent SDP effects were compared with other randomly selected PGCPS middle schools - as part of a research design, "The SDP Middle Schools Project."   In 1994, Prince George's County Public Schools' Department of the Comer SDP and Special Programs was invited by Yale University Child Study Center to become one of its three Comer SDP Regional Professional Development and Training Centers, as well as to serve as a National Demonstration site for the School Development Program.  This effort, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation from 1994-1999 lead to the creation of designated Comer SDP Network Schools as well as Comer SDP Affiliate Schools.   Diagram of the SDP Model   Home | History | Training | Regional Training Center |Steering Committee Staff | How to Become a Comer School | Location |Visitors | Contact Us |Contact Comer SDP at Yale University