Exploration and Readiness Work for a Collaborative Partnership: Session 3 Trainer Name January, 2013

2 Getting Ready for Today Take a moment to identify the following roles: Facilitator Recorder Timekeeper It will be helpful for the recorders to have access to someone’s computer!

3 Outcomes To determine if the ISD’s are wanting to engage in a further collaborative partnership with MiBLSi at this time To review the process, activities and products ISD Implementation Teams will work towards completing as district partners to build a solid foundation to support county-wide MTSS implementation efforts To identify next steps and timelines for ISD’s who are wanting to move forward with partnering with MiBLSi

4 Last Time… You were asked to develop a plan that would address the following: –Assess the ISD’s readiness to move forward with a partnership with MiBLSi to support MTSS implementation efforts –Engage in conversations with integral departments and/or staff to discuss a possible partnership with MiBLSi –After completing conversations, assess the willingness of the ISD to begin a formal partnership with MiBLSi beginning late spring/early summer

5 Potential Areas of Concern Differing opinions amongst ISD staff and local district staff about the role of the ISD in allocating resources and ultimately, helping to support the district’s implementation efforts Differing opinions between ISD staff and MiBLSi in the evidence base used to develop the training and supporting materials that will be used with local districts

6 Potential Areas of Concern Differing opinions about the utility of the data systems MiBLSi recommends and uses to develop training and supporting materials Concerns about the ISD’s capacity to allocate sufficient resources to accomplish the work necessary to begin supporting MTSS/MiBLSi implementation

7 Take a few minutes to identify some bulleted points outlining the process used to assess the ISD’s readiness and willingness to engage in a collaborative partnership with MiBLSi. Identify the questions and potential areas of concern that were raised by staff. Based on the conversations, at this point how likely is the ISD to engage in a partnership with MiBLSi beginning late spring/early summer? Activity

8 Two Tracks for the Rest of this Session Track 1 Your ISD is prepared to move forward with a partnership with MiBLSi to support MTSS efforts. The rest of the day will provide you with a clearer picture about the work that other partner ISD’s are doing. Track 2 Your ISD is either unsure or has decided a partnership with MiBLSi to support MTSS efforts is not a good fit at this time. The rest of the day will provide you with some ideas for foundational work that should occur as you think about the county-wide MTSS supports that will be provided by the ISD.

9 Common Question When will the ISD need to make a decision about partnering with MiBLSi? –A decision will need to be made by the end of February, 2013 because the project needs to know how many applicants to accept.

10 Common Question Does the ISD need to complete another application? –Not if there is mutual agreement by February, 2013 between the ISD and MiBLSi that a partnership to support MTSS implementation efforts is a good fit. –If the decision is to wait until a later date to partner together, then an application would need to be completed again.

11 Preparing for Successful Implementation

Stages of ImplementationFocusStageDescription Exploration/ Adoption Develop Commitment at ISD and LEA level InstallationEstablish ISD leadership team, implementation team and MTSS Coordinator, set up data systems. Audit of current resources and capacity, plan and prepare for work Implementation (Initial/Full) Try out the practices, work out details, learn from and provide significant support to implementers ElaborationExpand the program/practices to other locations, individuals, times- adjust from learning in initial implementation. Continuous Improvement/ Regeneration Make it easier, more efficient. Embed within current practices Work to do it right! Work to do it better! Should we do it? We have spent the last two sessions focusing on developing commitment at the ISD level. The next phase of work will focus in part, on assisting your ISD in developing commitment at the LEA level We will spend late spring/summer 2013-June 2014 assisting your ISD Implementation Team in creating materials, resources and establishing systems necessary to prepare to support the local districts who have achieved a level of readiness to begin a deeper level of MTSS implementation.

13 Outcome from Regional Focus Planning Sessions By May, 2014 your ISD will have developed a comprehensive MTSS Implementation Support Plan –Each Regional Focus Planning Session (RFPS) led by project staff will emphasize one component of the plan –Each month you will add your own work relative to each component of the plan –The work you add will include many of the products/activities developed on a monthly basis (we will explore those next!)

Apr. Sept OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMaySepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay Focus of Work: ISD Cabinet ISD Implementation Team LEA Cabinet LEA Implementation Team ISD Implementation Team (Phase I & Phase II Conversations) ISD Implementation Team (Phase I & Phase II Conversations) LEA Implementation Team Exploration/Adoption Installation Initial Implementation School Teams Minimum of one cabinet meeting to confirm partnership with project staff in attendance Monthly District Implementation Team meetings for a minimum of one year Admin Teams Monthly leadership supports for the administrative team (1.5 hours/month) Based on prior involvement with MiBLSi and implementation, school-based training occurs. Entrance and exit from the focus area (reading and behavior) and tier are data-driven. Meeting program quality and outcome data criteria and having a well- articulated action plan determine entrance and exit.

“Work to Do it Right” Products/Activities ISD Documents Delineation of responsibilities document for Liaison and MTSS Coordinator “MiBLSi as a Value Added System” document “ISD Group/Committee Audit” form MTSS Guiding Principles Practice Profile Local Districts and ISD Supports Table Implementation Support Plan District Readiness Criteria/Rubric Documents to Communicate to Local Districts ISD as a Value Added System Document MiBLSi as a Value Added Document MTSS Guiding Principles Summary Overview of the ISD’s process to determine district readiness (Phase I, II, III timeline document) Guiding Questions to Determine Local District Readiness

16 Exploration/Adoption Tool

17 LEA Exploration Process Goal of the LEA Exploration Process: –By the winter of 2014 your Implementation Team will develop a process to determine district (LEA) readiness to engage in a deeper level of MTSS implementation work in partnership will the ISD and MiBLSi –The categories within the “hexagon” will be the focus of much of the training content and corresponding activities

18 Exploration Activities LEA readiness process is dependent on the ISD developing the following: –County goal for supporting district-wide MTSS implementation –Defining the MTSS model the ISD will support implementation efforts Critical features (core principles) of MTSS Identifying implementation variations across the MTSS critical features –Identifying a process to determine district readiness

19 Exploration/Adoption Tool

20 Need/Fit Questions to Address Why would a district need to collaborate with MiBLSi and the ISD to support MTSS implementation? How do MiBLSi and the ISD’s MTSS model fit and add value to the district’s priorities and initiatives?

21 Tools to Address the Questions “MiBLSi as a Value Added System” –This document was introduced to you in October “ISD as a Value Added System” –See example

22 Review the example “ISD as a Value Added System” document. Answer these questions: –Are there districts who need to implement an integrated MTSS framework? (How do you know?) –How does MTSS fit with the local district’s existing priorities? –How would the ISD add value to the district’s MTSS implementation efforts? –How does MiBLSi add value to the ISD in assisting in supporting the local district’s MTSS implementation efforts? Activity

23 Exploration/Adoption Tool

24 Resource Questions to Address What ISD resources (time, consultant training, coaching support, etc.) are districts accessing? –Are some districts accessing more supports from the ISD than others? –Is there a difference in the size of the district (small, mid-size, large) and the amount of supports accessed?

25 Resource Questions to Address What resources and supports exist within each of the local districts for the following: –Curricula and classroom –Technology supports –Staffing –Training –Data systems –Coaching and supervision –Administrative and systems

26 Tools to Address the Questions “Local Districts and ISD Supports Table” –See example “Preliminary District Resource Audit” –See example

27 Considering Resources at Two Levels There are two lenses we ask the ISD Implementation Team to consider: 1.ISD Lens: the resources the ISD has to support MTSS implementation across districts 1.District Lens: the resources the district has to support MTSS implementation across buildings

28 Considering resources at both levels (ISD and district) will be important when thinking about how to develop capacity to support essential MTSS implementation functions: coaching, training and evaluation.

29 Review the example Local Districts and ISD Support Table What kinds of supports are your local districts accessing from the ISD (e.g. consultant supports, coaching services, in- district PD) Are some districts accessing supports more than others? Activity

30 Exploration/Adoption Tool

31 Evidence Questions To what extent are local districts aligned with the reading and behavior evidence base outlined in the practice profile? –All of the training materials, supports, and technical assistance from MiBLSi are developed using a consistent evidence base –It is essential to select districts who are in agreement and/or wanting to align with the same evidence base

32 Tools to Address the Question “MTSS Guided Principles Practice Profile” –See example

33 How is your ISD going to address any philosophical issues that emerge (internally or externally across districts) related to the reading and behavioral concepts within the MiBLSi materials and tools, and related technical assistance MiBLSi provides? Activity

34 Exploration/Adoption Tool

35 Recall the two lenses: 1.ISD lens 1.District lens

36 Readiness Considerations ISD Readiness: –The ISD must have access to qualified “purveyors” (individual(s) who have worked to implement an integrated MTSS model with fidelity) to assist with problem solving district-level implementation efforts –The ISD must have access to expert technical assistance to support the district’s implementation efforts

37 Readiness Considerations ISD readiness to support the local districts: –The ISD needs to know of mature implementation sites across the state that have documented success in implementing until some mature sites are developed within the county –The ISD will want to be sure aspects of the MTSS model are fully operationalized (up and running with success for some time) so much so, there are practice profiles that outline the continuum of implementation (ideal to harmful implementation variations)

38 Good news! MiBLSi staff are qualified purveyors who will provide support to the ISD and local districts along the implementation process. Additionally, there are mature MiBLSi implementation sites for our district partners to access.

39 Readiness Questions ISD must create a plan to assess their own readiness to independently support the local districts: –Is there a systematic way to develop (deepen knowledge and provide implementation experience) to ISD identified staff so they can function as “qualified purveyors?” –Is there adequate time to ensure the qualified purveyors and other identified ISD staff have the skillsets to provide expert technical assistance to support the continuum of needs across the districts?

40 Determining District Readiness Product/Activity: –Guiding questions for determining district readiness –District readiness criteria (rubric) –Process for engaging in exploratory conversations to outline the ISD’s MTSS model with individual district cabinet members

41 Given the conversations that have occurred during the previous MiBLSi sessions, what resources do you currently have to support the MTSS work? (e.g. time allocation, FTE) Activity

42 Exploration/Adoption Tool

43 Assessing and Developing Capacity Two levels of capacity to assess and develop: 1.ISD capacity: to support coaching, training and evaluation 1.Local district capacity: to support coaching, training and evaluation

44 Why develop both levels? Sometimes there is a need for the ISD to provide direct services for coaching, training and evaluation supports –Small districts tend to have limited resources (people, funds, etc.) to provide coaching, training and evaluation supports themselves

45 Why develop both levels? If the district is a mid-size or large district then they might have the capacity to identify existing staff to provide coaching, training and evaluation supports –Example: The ISD role is NOT to do the coaching; rather it is to develop a cadre of coaches that work within the district to function independently and successfully with guidance from the ISD

46 How might your ISD work to develop two levels of capacity (ISD and district) to support coaching, training and evaluation? Activity

47 Putting the Pieces Together

48 Timelines End of February: Decision to enter into a partnership with MiBLSi Spring: Preliminary ISD capacity assessment completed with ISD staff and MiBLSi staff with the purpose of developing a differentiated MTSS support plan that will begin to be implemented early summer Late spring: meet with ISD cabinet to review the ISD MTSS support plan

49 Timelines Early summer (June): ISD identifies a MTSS Coordinator and Liaison to attend the initial RFPS End of June: First RFPS September-June: Monthly RFPS’ to be attended by the Liaison, MTSS Coordinator and ISD Implementation Team

50 Common Question Do we need to have the products/activities completed prior to the RFPS’ –No. We encourage you to not begin those until more guidance is provided to you and your Implementation Team –The timeline for school team training will not be accelerated because good selection of districts who have a level of readiness to engage in a deeper level of MTSS implementation is necessary –Sufficient exploration and installation work will need to occur at the District Implementation Team level.

51 Common Question What if we are not sure how to allocate sufficient resources to support the MTSS work? –This is why a year of “installation” is provided to ISD Implementation Teams because we want to collaboratively problem-solve how to address resource needs –Ultimately, resources will need to be allocated and will require commitment from the cabinet leaders to allocate resources accordingly

52 Resource Allocation Implementation Timeframe Implementation Quality

53 Resource Allocation Implementation Timeframe Implementation Quality

54 Identify your next steps after leaving this session. How will you access your MiBLSi Technical Assistance Partner to assist with your next steps and/or to communicate progress and decisions? Activity