Module 7: Effective Innovation Alignment miblsi.org

Outcomes Describe benefits of knowing how EIs align with one another Identify the components of an effective innovation alignment process and preview work that has been started on the district’s effective innovation alignment process Begin to develop some fluency in using the effective innovation alignment tool Refine and finalize the draft of the effective innovation alignment process for executive leadership (cabinet) approval

Use of Module Learning Short term: you will use the process you developed to practice aligning effective innovations whose components are related to either behavior or reading The benefit of the short-term use is people will appreciate knowing how the MTSS work will either compliment or conflict with current effective innovations they are using Long term: you will only use the alignment process to assist central office and principals in reviewing an effective innovation to see if selecting it is beneficial to the district and schools

Connection Between Modules 7 and 8 An effective innovation alignment process and a review / selection process (module 8) go hand- in-hand. You could not engage in a high-quality review / selection process without knowing how something your district might select (or de- select) aligns with existing EIs teachers and staff are using.

Activity Preview Access the document titled, “Effective Innovation Review and Selection Process” that is located after the Module 8 tab You will work on your district’s review and selection process in the next module We want you to read through the types of questions that are included in a review and selection process so you don’t try to duplicate them as a part of your district’s process for aligning effective innovations Note the specific items that address alignment

1.0 Benefits of an Alignment Process

Benefits Alignment helps to: Develop buy-in (consensus) Provide clarity in outlining the effective innovation components Determine if effective innovations have redundancies and / or will compete for resources Make selection decisions

Benefits (cont.) New emphasis on “sustainability” and “efficiency” of implementation have heightened attention on the need for effective systems of alignment “One of the major variables affecting sustained implementation of effective practices is the introduction of new initiatives that either (a) compete with resources needed for sustained implementation or (b) contradict existing initiatives.” (McIntosh, 2015)

Challenges Too many EIs Alignment tends to happen too far down the educational cascade (teacher level) in the absence of district leadership that have the ability to adequately address issues of misalignment or redundancy Lack of clarity in how to conduct an alignment process Core components of EIs are not easily identifiable

2.0 Effective Innovation Alignment Process

Components of an EI Alignment Process Effective Innovation definition Guidelines for when to use the alignment process Steps to: Conduct the alignment Summarize the alignment results Decision-making protocol

1. Effective Innovation Definition Term is conceptual so it will be important to define an effective innovation for staff Provide examples of effective innovations in the definition by listing other commonly understood frameworks, programs, practices, or initiatives that staff are using

2. When to Use an Alignment Process Three conditions to outline in your process: To select new effective innovations: this same process will be built into the questions to consider when reviewing a new effective innovation for district adoption To align existing effective innovations that are being used to support a common area of focus to determine if there is redundancy or if the use of both will complement and enhance the use of one another (e.g., more than one behavior or reading programs / initiatives) To increase staff buy-in by demonstrating how effective innovations complement one another and will result in greater efficiencies in getting results

3. Steps for Conducting an Alignment Steps should include: Initiating an alignment process (e.g., who can do this and what needs to occur before it is started) People that need to be involved in the alignment process: DIT members People with the proper decision making authority People with effective innovation expertise (program author or certified trainer) to avoid the feeling of the “blind leading the blind”

3. Steps for Conducting an Alignment (cont.) Steps should include: (cont.) Guidelines for summarizing effective innovation alignment results: Describe the reason why the alignment was initiated in the first place Provide an easy to understand explanation of how the effective innovation in question either overlaps, complements use of other effective innovations, or is redundant If necessary, recommend whether the effective innovation should be selected by district decision-makers

Example Alignment Summary

4. Decision-Making Protocol Type of decisions that will need to be made: Continued use of effective innovations that were included in the alignment process De-selection due to the redundancy in core components Initiate the Effective Innovation Review Process since this step demonstrated the effective innovation might be worth selecting List the people with the highest level of decision- making authority responsible for making the decisions

Activity 2.1 Access the example effective innovation alignment summary for a district that is determining whether or not to continue using their large-scale effective innovations at the elementary and secondary settings Independently read the summary Identify components within the summary that you would want to see included in any EI alignment summary resulting from your district’s process

3.0 Alignment Practice and Shaping the District’s Alignment Process

Organizing Your Team’s Work The next section of this module: practice using the effective innovation alignment tool and shaping your district’s alignment process will occur simultaneously and be facilitated by your MIBLSI Implementation Specialist and district MTSS Coordinator We will review the activity slides first and then will give you uninterrupted time to work on both of the activities

Activity 3.1 Before you start shaping your district’s alignment process, it will be important for you to experience the steps in conducting an alignment Your MIBLSI Implementation Specialist and MTSS Coordinator have selected an effective innovation for your team to practice Before beginning, they will take a few minutes to structure the activity for success by: Providing an overview of the alignment tool Outlining how everyone will participate and be fully engaged in this activity

Activity 3.2 Your MIBLSI Implementation Specialist, district MTSS Coordinator, will be facilitating your review and refinement of the district’s effective innovation alignment process The final draft of the alignment process will be presented to executive leadership for approval

Module 7 Assignment Access the District Installation Checklist to review the activities assigned for Module 7 Make sure your progress is up to date on the previous module checklist items