MTSS Implementation: One District’s Journey Wake County Public School System Raleigh, North Carolina

Wake County Public Schools Demographics 176 Schools 108 Elementary 34 Middle 27 High 3 Academies 4 Alternative Schools Largest District in North Carolina 16th Largest District in the Nation Multiple Instructional Calendars (traditional, year round, magnet, etc…) 31 Magnet Schools 28 STEM Schools

Wake County Pubic Schools Demographics 157,180 Students and Growing 47.5% White 23.8% Black or African American 16.9% Hispanic or Latino 7.6% Asian 3.7% Two or More Races 34.2% FRPL 13.05% Special Education Students

Four-Year Graduation Rates Board Work Session Four-Year Graduation Rates

There is also data in our district that suggests a disparity in graduation rate based on race….

Now we have 8th grade. When students were in 3rd grade we already knew where our weak and hungry were. We didn’t do anything about it. How can we take data and make more successful outcomes for our students? This is what MTSS is all about. Look at the predictable gap. Every system is perfectly aligned for the results it gets. By end of chart you have a view of White and boom…you’ve lost the LEP…

This is not just about closing the achievement gap, it’s about ending the predictability. Our current 3rd grade for this year is showing the same trend. This takes my breath away. This is not about throwing people under the bus. Now move to discussion. Two minute discussion about what hits you about this data after what we just learned. This is not just about closing the achievement gap, it’s about ending the predictability.

Total Suspensions: 5 Year Trend Reduction -9,039 suspensions 45% Reduction in Total Suspensions

Suspension Gaps by Subgroup

Where We’ve Been Prior to 2012 As I share…..think about which of these exist in your district. Jot them down on sticky note….. As a district we had to analyze, what were driving forces both in beliefs, infrastructures, practices, etc. that can support implementation and which of those are barriers to implementation. Here are a few of those to give you a quick baseline of where we were as a district when prior to implementation in 2012.

Infrastructures and Practices 4-Tier RtI Framework Silos Lone Soldier: Train the Trainer Student Support Teams/Kid Talk SIP Legislation & Policy PBIS Puzzle pieces not connected: Infrastructures and Practices PBIS: Implementation began in 2004. Separate Silo from academics. Data Literacy: Had pieces of a Balanced Assessment but not complete (Math, secondary) Universal Screeners Common Formative Assessments Limited Data Access for Teachers Did not have a common PS model 4 Tier RtI Framework: Promoted Beliefs and Thinking of Gateway to SPED WCPSS ‘wake-ized’ it and called it Intervention Alignment Promoted deep beliefs it’s for only ‘at-risk’ students and ‘those’ kids who need intervention. Leading the efforts came from Intervention Services District Organization: District Team with limited stakeholders and respresentation District Team didn’t have decision makers on the team RtI/MTSS was under SSS and IS rather than Academics. Legislation and Policy: PEP Legislation: Beliefs and Compliance Paperwork driven No WCPSS Policy for MTSS SIP: Political Climate, Different PS model that wasn’t replicable or systemic beyond that team in the building. District Organization Discrepancy Model for SLD Data Literacy Pre-k-12

Beliefs and Thinking “This too shall pass.” “It’s just for kids who struggle and need intervention.” “Which kid are we talking about today?” “This is just for literacy.” “This is just another program or initiative.” “What paperwork do I have to do to get this kid tested.” Briefly Talk about: Initiative Fatigue: “This too shall pass.” Labeling Students: “Red and Yellow kids.” Intervention rather than school improvement. SPED: Gateway and compliance, hoops to jump through for testing. RtI slows down the process and delays the process of SPED identification. Something you do to a child. Kid by Kid. Academic and Behavior Separate Silos. Buzz with your neighbor where is your district’s current thinking, beliefs, and practices that may or may not be barriers to implementation? Which of these may have resonated with you? “He’s a red kid. She’s a yellow kid.”

It All Started With A Cocktail Napkin Began at the Rti Innovations in 2012…..It all starts with a cocktail napkin. The organic beginnings…….what I am about the share with you has been a 4 year implementation journey and we aren’t exhaling yet. 2012-2016

Leadership Drivers Restructured Representation of District Team to Actively Engage All Key Stakeholders to Develop Vision, Mission, and Plan Ongoing Collaboration with Dr. Judy Elliott to Develop District Implementation Plan Strategic Plan Integrated MTSS Clearly Defined Consensus and Decision-Making Protocol Created a Moniker and Brand Clearly Defined the Roles and Responsibilities, Skills, and Outcomes of the School-based MTSS Leadership Team Lead through Resistance and Adaptive Challenges District Reorganization: MTSS is under Academics rather than Intervention/Student Support Services Make connections to SAM

Organization Drivers Completed a District Capacity Assessment Adopted Policy Developed a Logic Model for Evaluating and Monitoring MTSS Identified Single Problem Solving Process Ongoing Problem Solving around Multiple Measures of Implementation Data Beliefs Data Self-Assessment of MTSS Implementation (SAM) Walk-Throughs Student Outcome Data Developed a Digital Tool for Academic and Behavior Data Access and Planning for Schools (EWS) Changed Resource Funding Allocations Created Feedback Loops Built and Leveraged Capacity Infrastructures to Develop Common Language and Understanding of MTSS Make connections to SAM…… Capacity Infrastructures: School Psychologist work, etc.

PL and Coaching Drivers Developed Coaching Support Structures Developed Professional Learning Plan for Cohort Schools Differentiated Support and Professional Learning for Schools Developed a Common Framework for Tier I Core Instruction Pedagogy Revisited Professional Learning for PLTs Currently Revising Professional Learning for District Leaders and Staff Refining MTSS Coach Selection and Interviewing Process Funding Resources for Materials, Subs, etc. Plan-Do-Study-Act Make connections to SAM……

Lessons Learned Begin with the Compelling Why Efforts to Build Consensus is Ongoing Ongoing Reflection: Plan Do Study Act Can be Done with Minimal Additional Funds Lead from Academics/Curriculum & Instruction Build a District Implementation Team – All Departments Ensure Senior Leadership Understands and Believes Tier and Differentiate Support for Implementation Rates Go Slow to Go Fast Accessible Data for Stakeholders CELEBRATE

Celebrations & Moving Forward 2012-2016 \

Essential MTSS Components Leadership Building the Capacity/ Infrastructures for Implementation Communication and Collaboration Data-Based Problem-Solving Three-Tiered Instructional/Intervention Model Data-Evaluation

Implementation Growth: SAM Domains for Cohort 1 Schools Implementation Celebration Not Implementing Yet Emerging/Developing Operationalizing Optimizing Implementation Growth: SAM Domains for Cohort 1 Schools 24/28 Cohort 1 schools increased their overall school average domain 15/28 schools increased stages of implementation 13/14 ES 6/7 MS 5/7 HS

Implementation Celebration Implementation Growth: SAM Domains for Cohort 1 Schools Not Implementing Yet Emerging/Developing Operationalizing Optimizing Explain how the data is laid out: the scale, the overall category, the 6 domains; how the two blue columns represent growth over the course of the first year of implementation as measured by SAM: Self Assessment of MTSS Implementation. Click: Leadership Domain demonstrated the greatest growth Click: Overall district is Emerging/Developing across all 6 domains. Click: 3/6 domains increased from Not Implementing to Emerging/Developing stage. If we continue at this rate of improvement, then we are poised and ready to be fully optimizing in all six domains. Conclude with: not only is it important to stop and celebrate our progress and our steps forward, but it is also essential to return to WHY we are doing this. WHY are we striving to grow and improve in the domains that SAM identifies and seek continuous school improvement? So Let’s keep that momentum going as we approach 2020. Optimizing Operationalizing Emerging/Developing Not Implementing Yet

Initial Student Outcome Celebration Sanderson High School had the largest increase in graduation rate in the state for 2015-2016 (7.7%) Garner High School reduced dropout from 5.62 in 2011 to 1.42 in 2016, a 75% decrease. West Millbrook Middle School increased Math 8 proficiency from 38% to 52% in one year. Explain how the data is laid out: the scale, the overall category, the 6 domains; how the two blue columns represent growth over the course of the first year of implementation as measured by SAM: Self Assessment of MTSS Implementation. Click: Leadership Domain demonstrated the greatest growth Click: Overall district is Emerging/Developing across all 6 domains. Click: 3/6 domains increased from Not Implementing to Emerging/Developing stage. If we continue at this rate of improvement, then we are poised and ready to be fully optimizing in all six domains. Conclude with: not only is it important to stop and celebrate our progress and our steps forward, but it is also essential to return to WHY we are doing this. WHY are we striving to grow and improve in the domains that SAM identifies and seek continuous school improvement? So Let’s keep that momentum going as we approach 2020.

Questions and Resources: Alicia Miller Wake County Public Schools Senior Administrator for MTSS amiller3@wcpss.net