Support for Personalized Learning Morgan County CARES

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. SPL is designed to improve outcomes for students with a variety of academic and behavioral needs.

Core Principles of SPL 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.

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.

SPL TEAM Problem-Solving Team Composed of teachers (general and special educators), specialists, parents and school level administrator Plans intensive instruction for students Promotes shared responsibility for student learning Collects and reviews data Evaluates responsiveness to intense instruction SPL will look different in each school depending on needs, schedules, teams, resources, etc.

Problem-Solving Process Teams and Processes Problem-Solving Process

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

Curriculum and Instruction

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

Curriculum and Instruction TARGETED Support SPL endorses the value of instructional supports at the TARGETED level including: Differentiating, scaffolding and using multi-modal strategies to engage students Providing explicit instruction that emphasizes skill building as well as contextualized instruction that emphasizes application of skills Peer interaction to scaffold student understanding Teacher use of learning progressions within the standards and objectives as guidance for constructing scaffolding Accommodations that affect how a student learns, not what they are expected to learn

Curriculum and Instruction INTENSIVE Support SPL endorses the value of instructional supports at the INTENSIVE level including: Intensified scaffolding and time: suggested to occur 3 to 5 times per week for class sessions of 30 to 60 minutes Smaller groups of similarly-skilled and needs-alike students or one-to-one Most likely to occur outside the general education classroom May occur before, during or after the school day dependent on available resources and personnel. SPL does not promote: INTENSIVE support replacing opportunity to receive instruction in science, social studies, physical education and the arts Isolated skill drill requiring students to independently make generalizations and connections back to the CORE content.

What Does SPL Look Like?

SLD Eligibility Determination Duration of Intervention Varies based upon student need and their response to instruction in Targeted and Intensive Instruction Intensity and Frequency of Intervention Frequency of Progress Monitoring Required versus Recommended Referral to Special Education In order to be eligible for SLD or BD “data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement and/or behavior at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction” must be utilized A required part of SPL is that prior to testing you must document 9 weeks targeted and 9 weeks of intensive intervention (interventions, assessments given, data, SAT minutes, current levels, etc.)

Essential Components of SPL Leadership School Climate and Culture Teams and Processes Family and Community Partnerships Assessment Curriculum and Instruction What do these remind you of?

SPL—How do we do it? “Cookie Cutter Program” does not exist Every School has strengths in certain areas of SPL and with different levels of instruction. STEAL, STEAL, STEAL.-ideas, concepts Must support ADULTS working with students, before you can effectively support kids Collaboration is the key. RESOURCE ALLOCATION

SPL at BSHS Administrative Team- (Admin., Counselors, SAT Cood. Alt. Ed.) Team Leaders-8 Curriculum Teams Common Planning for Teams Support Classes-Algebra 1, English 9 Intervention Team Alternative Programs & Credit Recovery MC After 3 GED Option

SPL at BSHS---Advanced Advanced Placement Program Honors classes for 9th/10th Graders Summer Projects AP Boot Camps Intervention Team/Special Education Differentiated Instruction/Project Based Learning Summer Camps

TARGETED INSTRUCTION INTERVENTIONISTS meet with their curriculum teams and with each other to plan schedules that meet the needs of ALL students. Each Curriculum Team is responsible for the method of support: -Push in/Pull out -Collaborative/Team Teaching -Peer Mentoring

INTENSIVE INSTRUCTION Counseling/Social Work Special Education Credit Recovery Alternative Education Program Summer School Program Expelled Students Support

Most important level is: CORE INSTRUCTION -Beginning of 2011-2012 -Began to ask how to improve the core. -Core Teachers still looked at support as –Here You GO-Fix’em -Professional Learning Communities

SPL Through PLC’s PLC’s improve teacher competency Establish a new school culture around the PLC’s PLC’s are the best means by which to continuously improve instruction and student performance No one right way-must take into account the history and current culture to develop best ways to create and manage PLC’s Must be led closely by administration initially with clear expectations Schmoker, Mike, Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements In Teaching And Learning. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2006. (As summarized in Effective Schools Research Abstracts Volume 23, Issue 2

Procedure/Activities Month 1--Data analysis--Westest2, AP exam scores, SAT/ACT scores, benchmarks, cohorts, graduation status Month 2—Administrative team planned mid-year rollout of new, improved PLC and SPL concept Month 3--Core team meetings began Staff development on SPL and what instruction should look like at each level Focus on “Core” level of instruction “What do you do when a student in not successful in your classroom?” SPL form development

Procedure/Activities Month 4—SPL form finalized and put into use Developed “targeted” and “intensive” levels of interventions Identification of students continued Individual student issues were discussed and sharing of instructional strategies encouraged REAL discussion about students and how to help them improve were held.

Procedure/Activities Month 5—Elective teams were introduced to the process Conversations on students increased and became more student specific Cross-curricular meetings introduced—ISE, AIT days, substitutes called in on occasion Increased collaboration and communication Highly effective Student centered Months 6-7—Bi-weekly meetings continued Focus on student grades, benchmark data, behavior and engagement

Benefits Teachers more “in tune” with their students Huge increases in parent communication Improved communication between teachers and administration Teachers have the comfort of knowing the are not alone in their struggles with students Short, frequent staff development opportunities INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TEACHERS = TEACER AND STUDENT IMPROVEMENT

Vision for the Future of SPL E-mail alerts of changes to student records Staff Development on Skill Deficiencies identified through PLCs Database functionality improvements with use Link teachers to students by rosters Bulk editing of students with multiple records Ongoing maintenance and improvement

The Documentation Tool SPL Database –Grades 6-12 SPL Database—Grades K-5 Click here to log-in Click here to log-in

Keys to Success Faculty needs to see student achievement as a top priority---Model it! Teachers must feel they are a valuable part of the process to achieve success Opportunity to positively affect the school culture and foster a desire in teachers to create engaging, meaningful lessons that reach every student Foster professional growth and a sense of community Empowering teachers and continuous learning and improvement will have natural benefit of increasing student achievement All of us will grow personally and professionally!

Your Turn------What’s Our Plan? How will I utilize SPL to improve student achievement in my school? What pieces are already in place? What do we need to work on improving? How will I ensure faculty “buy-in” to the SPL process? Which administrator in my building will oversee SPL? What will be the role of the SPL Coordinator? (PVE, WSIS, PPES, WES only) Who would be a good fit for this role? How will we ensure that students receive necessary support at each intervention level?

https://wvde.state.wv.us/spl/ WVDE SPL Webpage https://wvde.state.wv.us/spl/

Exit Slip 1. What’s one question you have about ARC, CARE, or SPL? 2. On a 1-10 scale (10 being the best,) how do you feel about your ability to implement these initiatives in your school?

Let’s Have a Great Year!