qua lity special education programs in the school turnaround context: focused programmatic...
TRANSCRIPT
Quality Special Education Programs in the School
Turnaround Context: Focused Programmatic Improvements
Lauren Morando RhimSeptember 16, 2015
Session Overview
Presentation (45 minutes) Special education in turnaround context Case studies of focused special education
improvement efforts embedded in broader turnaround efforts Los Angeles, CA Dorchester, MA Lawrence, MA
Draft special education improvement tool Question and Answers (15 minutes) Participant think and explore time (30 minutes)
Why are we talking about special education?
Performance and
proportion of students with
disabilities
Schools identified for turnaround
Special Education in School Turnaround
Assessing and improving special education programs, especially those that serve a significant proportion of students in schools identified for focused turnaround, can be a key leverage point for successful turnaround efforts.
Schools charged with turnaround are frequently ill-prepared to conduct a structured assessment of their special education or develop a coherent plan of action.
Correlation, causation, or proxy?Students with disabilities/special education programs are not the cause of low performance but rather…
an often overlooked proxy
for an overall dysfunctional organization
Exploratory-Case Studies
Research Investigation Question
If improving special education can contribute to
effective and sustainable turnaround efforts… what practices are emerging as central to focused special
education education improvement efforts within a broader focused turnaround
effort?
Case Study Sample Selection
The selection criteria included: School has embarked upon an explicit turnaround
effort (e.g., received a SIG grant or initiated an explicit state- or district driven turnaround effort) and demonstrates clear indication of positive growth for all students on state assessments
School has significant population of students with disabilities (i.e., 15% of more)
School has explicit and focused plan to examine and improve special education and related services
Case Study Sites
Henry Clay Middle School, Los Angeles, CA
• Green Dot
UP Academy Leonard (formerly James Leonard Middle School), Lawrenceville, MA• UP Education Network
UP Academy Dorchester, (Formerly John Marshall Elementary School) Dorchester, MA. • UP Education Network
Preliminary Takeaways: Transition Review every single IEP to ensure
compliance and quality (i.e., bring reviews up to date)
Analyze sub-group performance trends Advocate for greater autonomy from
districts special education administrative structure
Develop special education corrective action plan
Preliminary Takeaways: Staffing Hire more special education staff Hire strong special education
administrators and staff Revisit staffing allocation Special education administrator spends
time on the ground in schools Hired onsite School Psychologist Provide professional development for
general and special education teachers
Preliminary Takeaways: Development of IEPs and Student Placements
Move students from largely segregated to inclusive settings with appropriate supports
Engage and communicate with parents in a substantive way about special education services
Develop school schedules that foster general and special teacher collaboration
All teachers own student IEPs, not just special educators Maintain IEP’s online to foster accessibility for relevant
staff Advocate for students when differences regarding
placement arise Engage district personnel regarding complex cases and
more separate placements
Preliminary Takeaways: Curriculum and Instruction
Implement and sustain high quality curriculum and instruction
Implement robust Response To Intervention (RTI) process
Preliminary Takeaways: Leadership Commit to monitoring quality of special
education services using data Facilitate school culture that accepts
students with disabilities in inclusive school Introduce new special education
governance/administrative structure that prioritizes optimal access to quality general education curriculum
Have regular meetings with central office personnel (if relevant)
Special Education Improvement Tool
Special Education Improvement Tool: Objective
SCHOOL TURNAROUND SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM QUALITY ASSESSMENT
The Center for School Turnaround (CST) developed the School Turnaround Special Education Program Quality Assessment for school district superintendents and charter school authorizers to assist them in leading conversations and assessing special education program quality as components of a broader focused school turnaround effort.
Special Education Improvement Tool: Process
The School Turnaround Special Education Program Quality Assessment was developed using the stakeholder engagement strategy, Leading by Convening, developed by the IDEA Partnership at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education.
Leading by Convening brings individuals from different stakeholder roles together in an approach to program improvement that is rooted in shared goals. (e.g., youth, families, school administrators, general education teachers, special education teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, State education agency personnel, higher education, national organizations and technical assistance centers).
Stakeholders identified 16 features that are essential to a quality special education program, articulated how these features contribute to program quality, and provided examples of practices that demonstrate the highest standard, an acceptable standard, and an unacceptable standard for each feature.
Special Education Improvement Tool: Substance
Program quality and improvement planning includes three components: Overview of Essential Features of Program
Quality District/School Program Quality Inventory District/School Program Quality
Improvement Plan
Special Education Improvement Tool: Essential Features
Staff Qualifications and
Expertise
Education Opportunities and
Learning Environment
Effective Education Practices
Teamwork and Collaboration
School-Community Partnerships
Essential Features
Staff Qualifications and Expertise• Highly Qualified Staff• Expert Knowledge of Policies and Regulations
• Staff-wide Expertise in Social-Emotional Learning
• Quality Professional Development and Training
Essential Features
Education Opportunities and Learning Environment• Student Access to the General Curriculum
• Positive Learning Environment• Student Engagement• Family Support and Engagement
Essential Features
Effective Education Practices• Data-driven Decision-making• Effective Secondary Transition Practices
• Culturally Competent Practices
• Effective Early Childhood Transition from Part C to Part B
Essential Features
Teamwork and Collaboration • Authentic Team Approach• Creativity
Essential Features
Category: School-Community Partnerships• Community Partnerships (community agencies, organizations, businesses, citizens)
• Adequate Funding (local government, taxpayers)
ESSENTIAL FEATURE INVENTORY
DISTRICT/SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Questions and Answers?
Participant Think and Explore
Participant Think and Explore
Are priority & focus schools serving a disproportionate number of students w/disabilities?
How are districts/schools assessing the quality of their special education and related services?
How are districts/schools aligning efforts to improve special education and related services with broader school turnaround efforts?
What actions can you take to foster focused special education improvement efforts?
Follow-up Questions?
Lauren Morando Rhim, Executive Director and Co-Founder, National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools and Strategic Partner, Center for School Turnaround
www.NCSECS.org
@NCSECS