Research and Evaluation to Support Learners with Disabilities

Our Agenda Overview of the Institute of Education Sciences at ED Investments in rigorous special education research and developing capacity of others to lead this work Conduct of the National Assessment of Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Listening session – Requesting feedback on this work!

Institute of Education Sciences U.S. Department of Education RESEARCH ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

IES Infrastructure

Organizational Structure of IES Structure of IES Science (Standards & Review Staff) National Board for Education Sciences Office of the Director National Center for Education Statistics National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance National Center for Education Research National Center for Special Education Research

IES Grant Programs: Research Objectives Develop or identify education interventions (practices, programs, policies, and approaches) that enhance education outcomes that can be widely deployed Identify what does not work and thereby encourage innovation and further research Understand the processes that underlie the effectiveness of education interventions and the variation in their effectiveness

Special Education Research Programs https://ies.ed.gov/ncser/research/

Research Training Grant Programs 84.324B: Research Training Programs in Special Education Postdoctoral Research Training in Special Education and Early Intervention Early Career Development and Mentoring Methods Training Using Single-Case Designs 84.305B: Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training Program in the Education Sciences Postdoctoral Research Training in the Education Sciences Methods Training Program for Education Researchers

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Research Network Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy or Practice in Special Education: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support One Network Lead Four Research Teams Enhancing Ci3T: Building Professional Capacity for High Fidelity Implementation to Support Students' Educational Outcomes (Project ENHANCE) Cohesive Integration of Behavior Support within a Process of Data-Based Intervention Intensification Evaluating the Impact of Integrated Behavior and Reading Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Elementary Schools Measuring Implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Integrated MTSS Fidelity Rubric (IMFR)

IES Topic Pages https://ies.ed.gov/topics/influences.asp

Topic Pages to date Social, Emotional, Behavioral Influences STEM Early Childhood Education Literacy Postsecondary Education Career and Technical Education Education Technology English Learners

NCSER Publications and Products

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IES Newsflashes

Example Newsflash

Feedback from the Field Technical Working Groups (TWGs) Ad hoc group of experts on a particular topic work together to determine the state of the research and/or gaps in the research Adult Literacy (October 2018) Families of Children with Disabilities (October 2018) Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (November 2017) Career and Technical Education (September 2017) Writing Research at the Secondary Level (September 2016) https://ies.ed.gov/ncser/whatsnew/techworkinggroup/ Requests for Public Comment Public responses to specific questions are summarized and shared on website Did the previous goal structure met the needs of the field? (2017) What are the research and training needs of the field and how can the Research Centers improve their efforts to meet this need? (2014) https://ies.ed.gov/whatsnew/PublicComment.asp

NCSER and OSEP NCSER research products used by practitioners/OSEP OSEP input into research topics and initiatives

NCSER and NCEE What Works Clearinghouse (NCEE) Evaluates evidence from NCSER-funded research Evaluates evidence for interventions improving student outcomes Disseminates evidence base through practice guides & intervention reports Regional Educational Laboratories (NCEE) NCSER-funded research is disseminated through the technical assistance provided by RELs Large-Scale Evaluations (NCEE) Conducts larger evaluations of interventions that have been developed and/or tested with NCSER funds

Examples of NCSER-Funded Early Childhood Research: Preface to the NCEE Preschool Study Pyramid Model Comprehensive, three-tiered framework that includes universal practices, secondary practices for children at risk for behavior problems, and intensive individualized practices for children with the most significant social skills deficits and persistent challenging behavior. LEAP A preschool inclusion model that can be embedded in existing programs and includes typically developing children learning to initiate communication with peers with autism, naturally occurring incidental teaching, and parent skills training. Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children A school-based team, including parents, sets individualized goals to reduce or replace inappropriate behaviors or improve academic outcomes, establish a strategy for measuring target behaviors, and develop an intervention plan.

The National Assessment of IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) calls for IES to conduct studies to assess IDEA implementation progress and effectiveness IES’ National Center for Education Evaluation (NCEE) conducts rigorous studies of promising education programs and practices that are supported through federal funds

Designing and Conducting the National Assessment of IDEA NCEE OSEP State and local leadership Academic researchers TA&D Project Directors National organizations Office of Management and Budget NCSER & NCER Designing and Conducting the National Assessment of IDEA Consulting with Federal and other stakeholders

Addressing Relevant and Useful Questions What are the characteristics of children and youth with disabilities? What are their needs and outcomes over time? How are state and local agencies implementing core aspects of special education and early intervention? How has this implementation changed over time? Are there effective strategies and practices, particularly if commonly- implemented, that promote positive outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and those at-risk?

Current National Assessment Studies Students’ needs and outcomes National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017–18 State and local implementation State and Local Implementation of IDEA 2019 Effective strategies and practices Multitiered systems of support Behavior Early reading Inclusive preschool Transition supports for students with disabilities (high school)

Impact Evaluation of Training in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior (MTSS-B) Motivation Students’ early behavior - key to later success Common strategy supported by OSEP’s TA&D centers and state leadership Promise demonstrated by NCSER and OSEP-supported grantees Address whether MTSS-B can be ‘scaled-up’ successfully Training provider: Center for Social Behavior Supports (The Illinois-Midwest PBIS Network at the School Association for Special Education in DuPage, Illinois and the PBIS Regional Training and Technical Assistance Center at Sheppard Pratt in MD) Upcoming milestones: First report Dissemination of findings

Impact Evaluation of Training in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Reading (MTSS-R) Motivation Students struggle to develop foundational reading skills Common strategy supported by OSEP’s TA&D centers and state leadership Promise demonstrated by NCSER-supported grantees Addresses whether MTSS-R can be ‘scaled-up’ successfully Training provider: University of Oregon Center on Teaching & Learning on Enhanced Core Reading Instruction (ECRI) and, potentially, a 2nd training provider Upcoming milestones: Select second training provider https://www.air.org/page/training-provider-opportunity-multi-tiered-systems-support-reading Impact report anticipated in 2024

Evaluation of Preschool Special Education Practices (EPSEP) Motivation Policy emphasis on educating young children in inclusive settings Limited evidence on integration of evidence-based curriculum and targeted supports Multi-tiered Pyramid Model promise demonstrated by NCSER-supported grantees Test if this model, with strategies from LEAP and PTR-YC, can be implemented successfully Training provider: Vanderbilt University, University of Denver, and University of South Florida Upcoming milestones: Recruit districts and inclusive preschool classrooms Implementation in SY2019-2020

Evaluation of Transition Supports for Youth with Disabilities Motivation Importance of transition supports in preparing youth for college and career Expand evidence on promising strategies Address impact of selected transition strategy(ies) at scale Upcoming milestones Contract award Fall 2019 Initially engage experts and stakeholders on transition strategies and study plans

IDEA State and Local Implementation Study 2019 Motivation Previous implementation study conducted in 2009 Developments since then may have affected implementation Provide updated national picture of state and local implementation Upcoming milestones: Administer surveys to states and nationally representative samples of school districts and schools beginning in Fall 2019

How You Can Contribute Learn about studies in progress on our website! https://ies.ed.gov/ Write NCEE Project Officers Recommend experts & practitioners or serve on a technical working group Submit a proposal for NCEE to study your program or training Provide feedback on study plans www.federalregister.gov Sign-up to receive IES newsflashes when a report is released https://ies.ed.gov/newsflash/ Invite and/or attend a presentation on the findings

Listening Session What other areas should be high priority? Particularly as NCEE expands its National Assessment portfolio? What could we do to improve how this work is informed? Are there better ways to communicate what we learn? Any feedback on studies currently being conducted? Any questions? Additional comments?

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NCSER Project Officers Jacquelyn Buckley - Jacquelyn.Buckley@ed.gov Amy Sussman - Amy.Sussman@ed.gov Katie Taylor - Katherine.Taylor@ed.gov Sarah Brasiel - Sarah.Brasiel@ed.gov

NCEE Project Officers Yumiko Sekino - Yumiko.Sekino@ed.gov National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 Multitiered systems of support in inclusive preschools Evaluation of Transition Supports for Youth with Disabilities Erica Johnson - Erica.Johnson@ed.gov State and Local Implementation of IDEA 2019 Lauren Angelo - Lauren.Angelo@ed.gov Multitiered systems of support for Behavior Multitiered systems of support for Early Reading

Thank you!