reducing expulsion: the intersection of state leadership ... · strike #1: older boys • boys 3½...
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Let’s TalkHost - Debi MathiasDirector, QRIS National Learning Network dmathias@buildinitiative.orgwww.buildinitiative.orgwww.qrisnetwork.org November 1, 2017
Session Contributors
CareyMcCann
NikkiEdge
Let’s Talk about Expulsion and Suspension and the Role of
Quality ImprovementNikki Edge, University of Arkansas
Carey McCann, BUILD InitiativeQRIS National Learning Network, Let’s Talk Series
November 1, 2017
Today’s Talk
• What is expulsion and suspension?• Arkansas’s story• Role of QRIS in a state strategy• Let’s Talk…
Definitions
We don’t call it expulsion…
• Please pick your child up early today• Don’t bring her in tomorrow• Why don’t you have him join us for half
days for the next few weeks• Our program just isn’t right • We can’t provide the services that he
needs
Exclusionary Practices
• Remove from activities that include other children
• Remove in the short-term or limit the time a child attends the program
• Dismiss a child permanently
• Encourage families to voluntarily terminate services, “soft expulsion”
SRI International’s Program Leader’s Guide to Supporting All Children’s Success
• Terminating enrollment because of challenging behavior or health condition
• Reductions in the amount of time in attendance at the setting
• Other services are limited on the basis of challenging behaviors, e.g. denying outdoor time, withholding food, and using food as a reward or punishment
Stepping Stones to Caring for Our Children,Third Edition
Caring for Our Children
Research tells us…
Why Focus on Expulsion and Suspension? • Suspension and expulsion are stressful and negative
experiences that can impact child outcomes
• Expulsion or suspension early in a child’s education predicts later expulsion or suspension in school
• Young students who are expelled or suspended are as much as 10 times more likely to: Drop out of high school Fail a grade Be incarcerated
How Often?
10.4% of Pre-K teachers expelled 1 or more in past year
2.1
6.7
27.4
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
K-12 Pre-K Child Care
Rate per 1,000
Strike #1: Older Boys• Boys 3½ times more likely than girls• 4-year-olds 50% more likely than 3’s
Strike #2: Black Children• Expelled at 2x the rate of White
children; 5x the rate of Asian children• Make up 18% of enrollment, but 48%
of children suspended more than once
Strike #3: Setting• High teacher-child ratios• High teacher stress• Long school day• Too little or too restrictive structure• No consistent availability of a mental
health consultant• Private and faith-based child care
Three Strikes
Infant ToddlerA study in Chicago found that 42% of birth to three child care programs expelled at least one child in the previous year because of behavior
A study of Philadelphia found that 26% of child care programs had expelled at least one child in the past year and that toddlers were just as likely as preschoolers to be asked to leave the child care setting
Three Dimensions of Expulsion to Consider
1. Lack of Knowledge about Child Development
• NSECE study found only 20% of providers reported receiving training on facilitating social-emotional growth in the past year
• Workforce needs knowledge and skills to Understand how children’s emotional responses may
reflect cultural expectations and learning Communicate classroom expectations in a child’s first
language Support social-emotional learning Examine their own cultural socialization and practices Distinguish concerning behaviors from developmentally
appropriate behaviors
2. Implicit Bias: Understanding Racial Disparities in Expulsion Rates
• Underprepared teachers are more likely to use punitive and rejecting disciplinary techniques and over-identify children, especially children of color, for disciplinary action and expulsions
• At kindergarten entry, Black and White parents equally rated their children’s persistence, approaches to learning, and social interactions, but teachers rated Black students as having a distinct disadvantage relative to White students
• Disproportionate levels of discipline by race• Mixed impact when background information on
familial stressors is made available
3. Trauma Behavior Connection• Approximately 10 to 14 percent of children from
birth to age 5 experience emotional, relational, or behavioral disturbance
• Children experiencing trauma arrive at school less ready to learn
• Exposure to violence can diminish concentration, memory, organizational, and language abilities
• Quality of early learning settings is even more important
Reflections
• “Expulsion is not a child behavior. It’s an adult decision.” –Walter Gilliam
• Eliminating expulsion is the goal, not necessarily the policy
• It is not a single-factor problem -requires a multi-pronged approach and supports
Why does it feel complex?• Subjectivity in what behavior is considered
challenging• Many types of exclusionary practices• Program characteristics may provoke or
contribute to children’s behaviors• Increased understanding of how implicit
bias affects children of color• Lack of supports for an underprepared
workforce
Arkansas Story
Arkansas’s Efforts to Reduce Suspension and Expulsion
• Plan development• Roll-out of new policy and
‘BehaviorHelp’ triage and support system
• Experience/lessons learned to date
Arkansas Expulsion and Suspension Workgroup
• Influenced by federal guidance
• Multi-disciplinary Workgroup
• First meeting held on January 7, 2015.
Internal to DHS/DCCECE:- Licensing - QRIS- State-funded Pre-K Program- CCDF Unit/Family Support
External Partners: - DHS Division of Behavioral
Health- Professional Development
Contractors (trainers, TA, ECMHC)
- Experienced ECE Professionals- Special Education- Head Start Collaboration- Project Launch
Fair and Appropriate
Policies
Setting goals and tracking
data
Strong Family Partnerships
Universal developmental and behavioral
monitoring, screening, and
follow-up
Access to specialized
consultation
High-Skilled Workforce
New Policies & Supports • Longstanding DHS/DCCECE policy limits
suspension and expulsion for children enrolled in state pre-k programs– “No child shall be expelled without permission
from the DCCECE”– New monitoring and support efforts started in
2015; expanded in 2016
• Similar policy rolled out July 1, 2016 for programs receiving child care vouchers
Developing a Support System Informed by the Social-Emotional Learning Pyramid
Source: Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning, www.vanderbilt.csefel.edu
You Can’t Ask for What You Don’t Know You Need
• So how do we get the right kinds of supports to a teacher (and family)?
• Challenges:– Perception that the ‘problem’ lies within the child– Little understanding of connection between
behavior and child’s experiences/environment– Belief that _____ won’t work with THIS child
• Identified need for single point of entry and on-site support
Identifying Providers ofSpecialized Supports
• Who is going on-site that knows about:– Developmentally appropriate practice (schedules,
routines, transitions, learning centers, toys, curriculum, building relationships)
– Teaching social-emotional skills– Responding to common behavioral challenges– Supporting children and families with more
significant behavioral and emotional concerns
• Identified TA providers and ECMH Consultants
BEHAVIORHELP
Tier 2: Behavior described as more serious and/or teacher frustration is high;
Short term TA by team of experts in developmentally appropriate practice and/or social-emotional supports
Deve
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Tier 1: Concerns described sound developmentally normal and frustration is not excessively high;
DCCECE Specialists share information and resources
Provider/Parent complete online form and interview with DCCECE staff
Tier 3: Behavior frequent and extreme and/or identified trauma history or multi-system involvement;Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
Triage Specialists
• Staff of the DHS/Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education
• All have other roles (family support, pre-k specialist, etc.)
• Receive online requests for support and contact teacher/director/referral source to complete structured interview within 2 days
• Provide support or assign to TA or ECMHC• Attend weekly staffing with TA and ECMHC
leadership
Key Questions in Triage
• What do we know about the center (licensing history, QRIS rating, type of center)?
• What do we know about the teacher (training, experience, how long with child, etc.)?
• What else are we hearing (frustration level, ‘red flags’ related to behavior management, etc.)?
• What is known about the child/family (child care history, behavior, difficult experiences, etc.)
Technical Assistance
• Provided by professional with experience in developmentally appropriate practice and strategies to support social-emotional development– Varied background, other duties may include ECE
training, general TA, QRIS coaching, etc.
• Services are flexible and short-term (usually 2-10 visits)
• Focused on building skills of teacher and creating a more supportive classroom environment
ECMHC• Services provided by licensed mental health professional trained as
consultant to child care• Visits occur 1 to 2 times per week for 3 months.
Child-Specific Consultation Services:• Meet with parent and teacher together; obtain consent.• Observe and assess child in the classroom setting.• With teacher, develop individual child behavior and classroom
management solutions.• Screenings and referrals for community resources for child/family.• Provide modeling/coaching to support teacher in implementation of
support plan.• Meet with teacher, director, parent in one-on-one meetings, and
informal classroom discussions.• Provide support for the well-being of the teacher/director
Financing – Tapping Existing Resources
• Triage specialists pulled from within various units within DHS/DCCECE
• Shifted resources to expand ECMHC to several new sites
• All other services funded by redeploying existing staff and resources
• TA and ECMHC funded through CCDF and state pre-k quality improvement dollars
BehaviorHelp
Preliminary DataJuly 1, 2016 – May 31, 2017
AR Provider Practices 2016
57% called parent (past
month)
9% expelled
43% suspended or expelled
Provider Perceptions
• Almost half (48%) agree a non-expulsion policy will be a big change for their program– One-third (35%) were ‘concerned’
• Most (90%) agreed the training helped them understand why children should not be expelled
• Most (83%) reported they expect to use BehaviorHelp this year
BehaviorHelp Referrals by County (N = 233)
N = 233
Child and Family
ECE Program
Responding to ECE Providers Concerns
• “I’ve been to _______ training, but that won’t work for this child. Nothing works.”
• “There has to be a center better able to meet this child’s needs”
• “Do you think his behavior could have something to do to with what happened to him?”
• “I’m afraid this teacher will quit….I’m afraid parents are going to start pulling their children”
BehaviorHelp Triage
A-State (TA)71%
Project Play (ECMH)
28%
Both1%
2%7%
24%
51%
16%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
1 2 3 4 5
BEHAVIORHELP REFERRALS BY AGE
84%
16%
Male
Female
White Males Majority of Those Referred
58%
33%
8%
1%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
White AfricanAmerican/Black
Biracial Other
Behavior Description
56.3%
39.6%
25.0%
39.6%
93.8%
29.8%
66.0%57.4%
17.4%
89.4%
29.2%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Trauma
– Violent deaths of parents or siblings
– Abandonment– Abuse and Neglect– Foster care– Divorce and extreme
custody dispute
– Parent deployment– Parental arrest– Serious accident– Parent Alcohol abuse
Referrals referenced difficult or traumatic events in one-third of cases:
‘Jessie’
• Aggressive and disruptive behavior• Multi-system involved• History of trauma
SUCCESSES
“I didn’t think you were going to call. You called us so quickly.”
• Utilization of response system increasing• Expulsion avoided in >90% of case• Improved coordination with partners and programs to
address challenging behaviors• Weekly staffing with Response Team and DHS
leaders• Co-training of Response Team• Sharing cases• Support to EC Special Ed
• Teacher received help in a reasonable amount of time after making Help Request.
• BehaviorHelp staff respected teacher’s knowledge/opinions.
91% • Teacher feels better able to manage behavior concernsbecause of support received.
93% 81%
I would describe my partnership with the BehaviorHelp team as rewarding and educational. My coach helped me with ideas for the classroom, ways to communicate with my parents, and she showed me some techniques I used personally. I would recommend the BehaviorHelp team to any of my colleagues.
Participants said they would use BehaviorHelp again and would recommend BehaviorHelp to other teachers.
CHALLENGES
• Needs may outweigh resources available; funding• Promotion and understanding of prevention model;
ongoing classroom support needed• Changing community attitudes toward children with
challenging behavior• Increasing parental involvement• Volume of referrals for children with extensive
trauma • Need for mental health treatment referral partners
trained in evidence-based treatments
Developing a State Strategy & the Role of Quality Improvement
Goal
Governance
State Goals and Road Map
Data
Policy
State Policy & Protocols on
Expulsion
Policies related to Program
Characteristics
Child Care Assistance
Work Conditions
Supports
Hotline/Triage
Training & Coaching
IECMH Consultation
QRIS
Alignment of TA Providers
Services
Developmental Screening &
Referral
Early Intervention &
Special Education
Health, Mental Health, and
Family Support
Cross-cutting: Family Partnerships and Racial & Gender Equity
COMPONENTS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING A STATE STRATEGY TO REDUCE EXPULSION
Goal
Governance
State Goals and Road Map
Data
Policy
State Policy & Protocols on
Expulsion
Policies related to Program
Characteristics
Child Care Assistance
Work Conditions
Supports
Hotline/Triage
Training & Coaching
IECMH Consultation
QRIS
Alignment of TA Providers
Services
Developmental Screening &
Referral
Early Intervention &
Special Education
Health, Mental Health, and
Family Support
Cross-cutting: Family Partnerships and Racial & Gender Equity
COMPONENTS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEVELOPING A STATE STRATEGY TO REDUCE EXPULSION
PollQuestion: How many types of technical assistance
providers do you have visiting early learning programs?
Response: Enter number into the chat boxExamples• Quality Improvement specialists• Health consultants• ECMH consultants• Infant Toddler specialists• Pyramid Model coaches• Coaches tied to specific initiatives or trainings, literacy, CLASS…• Licensors • Who else?
TA Provider Strategy• Coordination among TA providers Knowledge of social-emotional development,
implicit bias, effective responses to challenging behaviors, the use of discipline, etc. Role in increasing programs’ capacity for
promoting adult-child interactions, building partnerships with families, and decreasing the likelihood of expulsion Role in responding to at risk situations
• Specific Role of State Quality Improvement Specialists
State Self-Assessment Policy Strategy Tool
Building a Comprehensive State Policy Strategy to Prevent Expulsion
from Early Learning Settings
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/resource/building-comprehensive-state-policy-strategy-prevent-
expulsion-early-learning-settings
Policy Strategy Tool
Outlines the Research &
What Increases the Likelihood of Expulsions
Assesses State Context,
Strengths and Areas of
Opportunity
Encourages State Goals and a Multifaceted Approach be Developed
Suggests Collecting Data & Monitoring
Progress
Goal
Governance
State Goals and Road Map
Data
Policy
State Policy & Protocols on
Expulsion
Policies related to Program
Characteristics
Child Care Assistance
Work Conditions
Supports
Hotline/Triage
Training & Coaching
IECMH Consultation
QRIS
Alignment of TA Providers
Services
Developmental Screening &
Referral
Early Intervention &
Special Education
Health, Mental Health, and
Family Support
Cross-cutting: Family Partnerships and Racial & Gender Equity
COMPONENTS RELATED TO QUALITY IMPROVEMENTWHEN DEVELOPING A STATE STRATEGY
Using the Tool• Flexible in how it can be used• Encourages a team approach• Provides a rating system for each policy
recommendation • Offers a way to prioritize action steps• Encourages the use of data
How QRIS is Included in the Tool• Strategy I. Clear Goals and Progress Monitoring
• Governance: Identify or develop a cross-system public and private leadership team to design, implement and monitor the State’s multifaceted strategy
• Strategy II. Fair & Appropriate Policies Child Care Assistance: base rates & tiered reimbursement tied
to the cost of quality across QRIS ratings
• Strategy III. Strong Family Partnerships Use family and provider/teacher relationship standards and
indicators across the QRIS tierso Resources include OPRE’s tool on Family and Provider/Teacher
Relationship Quality, Strengthening Families, and the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Center’s framework and materials
How QRIS is Included in the Tool
• Strategy V. Highly Skilled Workforce• Progression of social-emotional knowledge and skills• Promote adult-child interactions• Ratings that incentivize the use of early learning
standards, building relationships with families, and accessing expulsion prevention supports
• Improve Work Environments and Well-being
• Strategy VI. Access to Specialized Consultation• Alignment across Technical Assistance Providers
Reflections• Does your state have an effort to decrease
expulsion in birth to five programs? Is the effort multifaceted?How is Quality Improvement or QRIS leadership
involved? Are feedback loops being establish/reinforced
• What is your role in decreasing the likelihood of expulsion in early learning?
• How are you going to contribute to increasing racial and gender equity?
Summary• Hold two scenarios in mind • Build reinforcing messages, expectations,
and practices across supports• Identify new strategies and bring
intention to established strategies• Consider all available helpers• Keep equity at the forefront & look out
for unintended consequences
Questions? Comments?
Debi Mathias, Director QRIS NLN [email protected] Initiativewww.buildinitiative.orgQRIS National Learning Networkhttp://qrisnetwork.org/
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