Today you will receive an overview of the Support for Personalized Learning framework with emphasis on components that could benefit from school counselor involvement as we all work to improve the behavior and academic outcomes for students in West Virginia. Learning FOR All

Once upon a time, when I was in school… . When you hear the word SCHOOL what is the first image that comes into your mind, FROM YOUR OWN school days? (Example images: Raising my hand, taking notes, taking tests, lugging textbooks, standing in a straight line, hall passes, bathroom sign out sheets, sitting in ABC order, desks in a row, hanging paddle..) In some ways these images have become personal symbols of school for you. What do you think students today will remember when they are adults? What will be their symbols? What do we want them to be?

Shifts in Teaching and Learning… We might see the pictures on this slide as symbolizing some of the changes that have occurred in education over the years. Our buildings have changed But, it is not just the buildings that have changed, but also the ideas about what needs to go on inside have changed. The flood of research is non-stop and easy to drown in if we don’t have some anchor beliefs that we can hang onto. So, let’s consider some statements that may help us clarify our anchors…

Anchor Belief Statements…. ALL educators want students to learn ALL parents want students to learn ALL students want to learn Think, Pair, Share Activity 1. Pick one or two of the statements on this slide and discuss it with a partner/table group for a few minutes. Do you agree? Why or why not? What evidence or experience(s) have you had or do you know about that support your opinions? Prepare to share 2. Each pair/table will then share their ideas about these belief statements. Presenter summarizes the key points made during the sharing. Questions provided for facilitator’s use as appropriate: How many people do you think become teachers in order for their students to fail? How many parents keep their “smart” children at home and send only the ones that have learning difficulties? How many students would rather NOT learn? They might say they come because they “have” to, but really, they enjoy learning. Some students learn better and faster than others, but ALL students can learn IMPORTANT>>> We have just discussed our views around the idea that everyone WANTS students to learn. Maybe the greatest contribution coming to us from educational research is agreement that ALL children can and do learn. This research based fact, while probably not much of a revelation to anyone who lives with and cares for a child does have meaning for HOW we need to teach.

WHY – Purpose of SPL The West Virginia Support for Personalized Learning (SPL) framework is a state-wide initiative that suggests flexible use of resources to provide relevant academic, social/emotional and/or behavioral support to enhance learning for ALL students. (P1) SPL is designed to improve outcomes for students with a variety of academic and behavioral needs. 1. We think it is important for you to know that many of the slides you are seeing are the same many administrators, teachers and parents are seeing and discussing. We do this to establish a common vision – one we are so committed to that we have, since last May shared with over 3,700 people. 2. It’s probably also important for you to know many offices and individuals at WVDE, including stakeholders from across the state have contributed, over the last year, by studying the research and having the important conversations that were necessary to move this vision to the level of guidance. We studied the lessons learned by many other states We shared our best practices, and We found consensus on some very important things: For example, we’ve all agreed… the positive effects coming from initiatives like School Improvement, Strategic Planning, Critical Skills, RTI, and Coaching needed to be leveraged to benefit of ALL students. 3. And through all this, SPL emerged as a framework to support…(Read off slide) ”flexible use of resources to provide relevant academic, social/emotional and/or behavioral support to enhance learning for ALL students. “

Core Principles of SPL (p. 3) Effective leadership at all levels is crucial for the implementation of SPL. Positive school culture provides the foundation on which all instruction occurs and all students are engaged in learning. Collaboration among educators and families is the foundation of effective problem-solving and instructional decision-making. Ongoing and meaningful involvement of families increases student success. Student results are improved when ongoing academic and behavioral performance data are used to inform instructional decisions. As you look at the CORE PRINCIPLES of SPL, summarized on this slide and the next… you will see elements that are NOT NEW in WV. Mouse click to bring each in one at a time. (Focus in RED). What IS NEW with SPL is: 1. The scope of application to include… Relevant academic, social/emotional and/or behavioral support for K-12 Support for students who exceed grade level standards as well as for those who struggle Support in all subject areas 2. And, a coordinated system that encourages flexible use of resources to provide a more direct learning experience for ALL students.

Core Principles of SPL ALL students can learn and achieve high standards as a result of effective teaching. ALL students must have access to a rigorous standards-based curriculum and research-based instruction. Intervening at the earliest indication of need is necessary for student success (PreK-12). A comprehensive system of multi-level instruction is essential for addressing the full range of student needs. ALL members of the school community must continue to gain knowledge and develop expertise in order to build capacity and sustainability. Is this good news? We think it is good news because it means SPL implementation won’t be about reversing our course. It will be about coordinating the parts in ways that benefit more children in more ways.

Family & Community Partnerships Teams & Processes Leadership Curriculum Culture Assessment Family & Community Partnerships School Climate & & Let’s look at it like this… We chose this logo for SPL because it shows interaction between multiple dimensions and components. And, much like a wheel with a broken or missing spoke, if one or more of the components of SPL is weak, the best we can hope for is to hobble along. Any SPL system with one or more weak component(s) is unstable. The SPL framework is organized into 6 categories of support, as you see labeled on this slide. Right here in front (presenter highlights with laser pointer) we see Family and Community Partnerships is one of the essential components. That is why we are here, and why we need you. IMPORTANT CONNECTION: We’re going to talk a little about each of these 6 components and then give you time to talk with each other about what parents can do to contribute to our common goal of maximizing learning for all students. Instruction

The Role of School Couselors http://wvde.state.wv.us/spl/ Key Expectations Support the problem-solving process Provide consultation to the problem-solving team as appropriate Engage families in the process Support and empower families to partner in the process (p. 32) Review slide content

The Role of School Counselors School counselors can be a valuable resource at the CORE, TARGETED or INTENSIVE levels to support implementation of instructional plans or to participate on the problem-solving team. School counselors have considerable skills in consultation and working with parents. Decisions about the level of involvement will be dependent on school needs and administrator expectations. Review slide content

Family and Community Partnerships Effective SPL partnerships include: Parents Families Students Community Members Educators Central to effective partnerships is the recognition of shared responsibility and ownership of student challenges and successes. Indicators of effective partnerships: Sharing information Problem-solving Celebrating student successes The next few slides capture some of what we consider to be the most important points in the SPL Guidance about Family and Community Partnerships. As noted on the previous two slides, counselors have considerable skills in consultation and working with parents. SPL supports partnerships that include: 1-5 (from slide) The expectation is that each of these 5 groups of people have perspectives and information that are essential to accomplishing the goal of continuous learning for all students. Bottom line, SPL supports PARENTS partnering with every level of team that is making decisions about their child.

Family and Community Partnerships Counselors can assist Parents with Key Roles Collaborate with teachers regarding identified needs. Share information about child and family, as appropriate. Support student learning at home. Participate in problem-solving meetings. Partner in instructional planning and progress monitoring. (p. 9) School co Counselors can assist parents in understanding their role in the SPL process by Supporting the problem-solving process Providing consultation to the problem-solving team as appropriate

Family and Community Partnerships Parent involvement in the SPL framework is characterized by meaningful two-way communication. Community involvement can take various forms including, for example: Learning centers Local businesses supporting volunteers, special presentations, awards and recognition Companies and corporations providing funding and hosting special activities (p. 9) The old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” can truly be realized by using all available resources and by helping parents and community members learn about and understand SPL. Counselors can engage and involve important stakeholders to provide maximum opportunities to each child.

Teams and Processes SPL supports the practice of teams forming around student needs. In the first level of support for students, the team includes the general education teacher and the parent. As additional layers of support come into play, additional individuals with relevant expertise join the team. (p. 5) Read bullets… Then, emphasize the idea that SPL supports counselors in being an active participant in any team that is making decisions about individual students.

Problem-Solving Process Teams and Processes Problem-Solving Process Here are the steps supported by the SPL framework for solving problems: - Read the steps off the slide in order, then say… - This 5 step process is supported as appropriate for all teams to use. (p. 25)

Why is the problem occurring? What are we going to do about it? Teams and Processes What is the problem? Why is the problem occurring? What are we going to do about it? How will we know if the plan is working? Did it work? These are the key questions that go along with the 5 steps of the process. Probably every parent has asked themselves these questions. School counselors can aide parents in being an active member of problem-solving team. Do you think it would help parents feel more comfortable joining a problem-solving team at their child’s school if they knew these questions ahead of time?

Leadership (p.3) School level administrators are supported to identify teams that will consistently participate in the process of identifying and ensuring the provisions of SPL. The problem-solving team is recommended to include: parents, general education teachers, special education teachers, a school psychologist, a school level administrator and a school counselor.

Leadership SPL supports the need for parents to build positive relationships with leaders in their children’s school including, but not limited to the building Principal. MOVING ON NOW to the other components of the SPL framework Effective Leadership steps in. - A strong SPL system draws on and builds on the strengths of everyone.

Purposes of Assessment Identify strengths and needs of individual students Inform problem-solving process Inform instruction and necessary adjustments Evaluate the effectiveness of instruction at different levels of the system (e.g. classrooms, school, district) Inform educational decisions (p. 10) SPL supports assessment processes that serve these 5 purposes. Assessment processes are used to…..(Read the slide.)

Assessment Types Screening/Interim Purpose: Inform determination of risk status and indicate need for additional support and/or assessment Formative/Classroom Purpose: Determine response to instruction and indicate direction for most appropriate instructional adjustments Progress Monitoring Purpose: Determine if students are making progress toward specific skills, processes and understandings and inform school-wide action plans Diagnostic Purpose: Assist teachers in adjusting the type and degree of scaffolding, in differentiating instruction, and in picking up patterns of strengths and weaknesses Summative Purpose: Inform the system and provide a longitudinal view of curricular strengths and weaknesses The SPL Guidance describes in much greater detail each of these 5 types of assessment. We want you to know that there is a growing emphasis on formative/classroom assessment because: It most typically occurs during instruction and because of the emphasis on rapid response and on decisions being made to the greatest extent possible by the teacher in closest contact with the student.

Curriculum and Instruction CORE Instruction High quality CORE instruction is the foundation of SPL. It is characterized by: High expectations for all students Takes place in an academic environment that is safe, challenging, engaging; allowing students to take academic risks without fear of failure. All students need access to high quality CORE instruction. Quality instruction at the CORE level requires a focus of personnel and resources as indicated by students’ needs (p. 14 -18) High quality CORE instruction is the foundation of SPL. It is characterized by high expectations for all students and takes place in an academic environment that is safe, challenging, engaging and allows students to take academic risks without fear of failure. All students need access to high quality CORE instruction. Students need to know why they are doing what they are doing. The effective teacher makes learning relevant to the student and meaningful through focus on a topic of study and/or text that is educationally meaningful and relevant to the students’ cultures, interests and overall educational goals. Teachers will accomplish this best when they organize around inquiry. Students explore one or more essential questions relevant to their lives, which engages and motivates them to want to learn. These are the essential components of short-term and lifelong learning.

Curriculum and Instruction CORE Instruction Utilizes differentiated and scaffolded instruction to meet students’ needs Incorporates small group activities Focuses on the most critical standards and objectives Utilizes evidence from summative and ongoing formative assessment to make instructional decisions Maximizes instructional time Emphasizes 24/7 learning (p. 14-18) Quality instruction at the CORE level incorporates relevant formative assessment, differentiation and scaffolding as basic practices in all lessons, as well as provides significant opportunities for authentic application of content and skills in and across all disciplines. It requires responsive teaching, teacher modeling, guided instruction, productive group work and independent learning. Content goals in the CORE come directly from the WV Content Standards and Objectives. Within the guidance document we have provided specific information on pages 14-18 that describes high quality English language arts , mathematics and behavior instruction in at the CORE level.

Curriculum and Instruction This graphic was pulled directly from the SPL Guidance Document. It is included because it shows the expanded application of SPL in the area of instruction. We have moved from a triangle to a pyramid as we talk about levels of support to include: - social emotional and behavioral needs and - support for students who EXCEED grade level standards. The graphic also brings forward the importance of ensuring the quality of instruction provided at the CORE level. All improvement made in the quality of CORE instruction impacts MANY students. (p. 13)

Curriculum and Instruction CORE Provides foundation of curriculum and school organization that has a high probability (80% of students responding) of bringing students to a high level of achievement in all areas of development/content Choose curricula that has evidence of producing optimal levels of achievement (evidence-based curriculum) TARGETED Supplemental curriculum aligned with CORE and designed to meet the specific needs of targeted group (15%) INTENSIVE Focused curriculum designed to meet the specific needs of the targeted group and/or individual (5%) When we look at the summary descriptions on this slide some key words pop : CORE – Evidenced-based curriculum (reason to expect it to be successful) Meets the needs of 80% of the students. MENTION - Glossary TARGETED – supplemental but still aligned with the CORE INTENSIVE – more focused on specific/sometimes individual needs

SPL FRAMEWORK: A Quick Reference Guide One of the resources developed is the Quick Reference Guide. It is important for EVERYONE to understand that these ARE NOT STATE REQUIREMENTS. Each district will determine guidance for their schools by customizing expectations to meet local needs and resources.

School Climate and Culture A positive school culture exists when a positive school climate is in place. Positive school climate consists of: Engagement Safety Environment (p. 4-5) School Climate and Culture is the 6th and final component of the SPL framework of support. School culture is a product of a positive school climate and needs every person who enters the school to value it and contribute to it.

http://wvde.state.wv.us/spl/ Click the Family Partnership Link Another SPL resource that is developing is the SPL website. Go to Parents and Community Partnership Component and then to Parent Brochure Click the Family Partnership Link Click here for the Parent SPL Brochure

Announce: All parents in our schools should be receiving this brochure to give them the most basic information about SPL.

Putting It All Together The SPL framework is designed to support many people and many elements interacting in ways that maximize learning for ALL students. Lots of conversations and lots of working together towards common goals have made a difference at WVDE. Of course, we know we still have much more to accomplish as districts, schools, teachers, parents and students learn their roles within the SPL system. But, we are excited because more gears are meshing better all the time. We hope you will find the folks in your districts and schools will also rally around the urgent need to respect every student’s right to have their time spent engaged in learning experiences that are relevant for them.

Vision for our Schools ALL students learning, all the time Shared ownership of results Relevant supports flexibly provided to ALL students and removed to develop independence Assessment processes used to shape instruction Use of a collection of information to make academic and behavioral decisions On this slide we have summarized 5 key elements of the vision for WV schools emerging out of SPL partnering… In order for all stakeholders to understand the layers of support available and to embrace the shifts in roles and responsibilities, and to move forward together, quality learning opportunities must be provided for all.

Contact Christi Chambers, Assistant Director Office of Special Programs cdchambe@access.k12.wv.us