A 3-Tiered Approach to Aligning Prevention and Intervention Efforts Stephanie Wood-Garnett Executive Director State Improvement Grant Using SSTs to Make AYP

 Develop a common foundation for discussing evidence-based intervention  Discuss intervention/prevention research  Review and discuss the Student Support Team (SST) process PURPOSE

OUR GOAL: LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND Schools must have strong systems focused on proactive and preventative strategies designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Schools must have strong systems focused on proactive and preventative strategies designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Classrooms and non-classroom settings need to be places where a range of student abilities are supported. Classrooms and non-classroom settings need to be places where a range of student abilities are supported.

Use the SST Process to Help More Students Acquire the Target Skills…

Primary Prevention: School-/Classroom- Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, & Settings Secondary Prevention: Targeted Interventions *Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior Tertiary Prevention: Specialized Individualized *Systems for Students with High-Risk Behavior ~80% of Students ~15% ~5% Academics and Behaviors

Student Instruction Home Environment Community Environment School Environment Curriculum Rosenfeld, 1989 Instructional Level

Red, Yellow, or Green?

Lavar Arrington Darrell Green Dexter Manley

Kobe Bryant Allen Iverson Tim Duncan

Oprah Winphrey Martha Stewart Howard Stern

What % of Your Students Are… Academics % Green Zone % Green Zone % Yellow Zone % Yellow Zone % Red Zone % Red ZoneBehavior % Green Zone % Green Zone % Yellow Zone % Yellow Zone % Red Zone % Red Zone

In Your School, What Do You Offer Kids Who Can’t/Won’t Do What You Need to Improve? Intervention # of students involved Who is responsible? What is working? What isn’t working? Primary Secondary Tertiary

Reach Me Teach Me… Why Your Building Needs SSTs to Support School Improvement

All students regardless of socioeconomic status– need sustained support to succeed. James Comer, School Development Program, Yale University Research Shows…

Studies indicate that for African American and Latino students, positive teacher- student relationships greatly impact student achievement (Baker, 1999; Lee, 1999; Slaughter-Defoe & Carlson, 1996). Studies indicate that for African American and Latino students, positive teacher- student relationships greatly impact student achievement (Baker, 1999; Lee, 1999; Slaughter-Defoe & Carlson, 1996). Research Shows…

“No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship” James Comer Yale University Research Shows…

By high school, nearly 40-60% of all students are chronically disengaged from school (Klem and Connell, 2004). By high school, nearly 40-60% of all students are chronically disengaged from school (Klem and Connell, 2004).

Research Shows… Students who are connected to school are less likely to: Students who are connected to school are less likely to: Use substances Use substances Exhibit emotional distress Exhibit emotional distress Demonstrate deviant/destructive behavior Demonstrate deviant/destructive behavior Experience suicidal thoughts/attempt suicide Experience suicidal thoughts/attempt suicide Become pregnant Become pregnant Skip school Skip school Engage in bullying/fighting/vandalism Engage in bullying/fighting/vandalism (Lonczak, Abbot, Hawkins, Kosterman & Catalano, 2002; Samdal, Nutbeam, Wold & Kannas, 1998; Schapps, 2003; Wilson & Elliott, 2003). (Lonczak, Abbot, Hawkins, Kosterman & Catalano, 2002; Samdal, Nutbeam, Wold & Kannas, 1998; Schapps, 2003; Wilson & Elliott, 2003).

Research Shows… In order to increase school-student connections: In order to increase school-student connections: Implement high standards Implement high standards Provide academic supports to all students Provide academic supports to all students Implement fair/consistent discipline policies Implement fair/consistent discipline policies Create trusting relationships (in-school and school-home) Create trusting relationships (in-school and school-home) Support teachers in using new instructional strategies and implementing classroom management Support teachers in using new instructional strategies and implementing classroom management Foster high parent/family expectations Foster high parent/family expectations Ensure that students feel close to at least one adult in the school building Ensure that students feel close to at least one adult in the school building Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health &University of MN, 2003) Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health &University of MN, 2003)

Every Child a Reader by Third Grade A vision or a reality?

Proliferation of Reading Research

Rate of reading failure for African Americans, Hispanics, limited English speakers, and poor children ranges is 60% (70% in urban areas). Rate of reading failure for African Americans, Hispanics, limited English speakers, and poor children ranges is 60% (70% in urban areas). National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Research Shows…

Approximately 50% of children and adolescents with a history of substance abuse have reading problems. Approximately 50% of children and adolescents with a history of substance abuse have reading problems. Research Shows…

Almost seven thousand students drop out of high school every school day (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2006). Almost seven thousand students drop out of high school every school day (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2006). Of the children who will eventually drop out of school, >75% report reading difficulties (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Of the children who will eventually drop out of school, >75% report reading difficulties (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) The students lack the literacy skills to keep up with the high school curriculum (Kamil, 2003; Snow & Biancarosa, 2003). The students lack the literacy skills to keep up with the high school curriculum (Kamil, 2003; Snow & Biancarosa, 2003).

Research Shows… The bulk of older struggling readers and writers can read, but cannot understand what they read (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2006). The bulk of older struggling readers and writers can read, but cannot understand what they read (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2006).

2005 NAEP Grade 4 Reading by Race/Ethnicity, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,

2005 NAEP Grade 4 Reading by Family Income, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Math by Race/Ethnicity, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,

2005 NAEP Grade 8 Math by Family Income, Nation Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,

Students who remain in school but continue to struggle are often placed in a variety of educational programs

Special Education Referrals Academic problems (primarily reading deficiencies) Academic problems (primarily reading deficiencies) Behavioral problems Behavioral problems Donovan & Cross, 2002; Learning Disabilities Association of America, 1996; Ysseldyke, Vanderwood & Shriner, 1997)

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT (2004) Reflects heightened intensity that we must do more before referring children to special education. Reflects heightened intensity that we must do more before referring children to special education.

IDEA 2004 In making a determination of eligibility under Section 614(b)(4)(A) of IDEA: In making a determination of eligibility under Section 614(b)(4)(A) of IDEA: a child shall not be determined to be a child with a disability if the determinant factor for such determination is lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including in the essential components of reading instruction (as defined in Section 1208(3) of ESEA); lack of instruction in math; or limited English proficiency. [614(b)(5) of IDEA]. a child shall not be determined to be a child with a disability if the determinant factor for such determination is lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including in the essential components of reading instruction (as defined in Section 1208(3) of ESEA); lack of instruction in math; or limited English proficiency. [614(b)(5) of IDEA].

INTERVENTION “ IDEA ” S Response to Intervention (RTI) Response to Intervention (RTI) Early Intervening Services (EIS) Early Intervening Services (EIS) Disproportionality Disproportionality

DCPS Referrals by Grade Level:

AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION African American students: African American students: 2.9 times as likely to be labeled mentally retarded (MR) 2.9 times as likely to be labeled mentally retarded (MR) 1.9 times as likely to labeled seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) 1.9 times as likely to labeled seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) 1.3 times as likely to be labeled as having a learning disability (LD) 1.3 times as likely to be labeled as having a learning disability (LD) U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (2000)

BOYS OVER-REPRESENTED 1.9 million girls and 3.8 million boys are classified as special education (U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 2000) 1.9 million girls and 3.8 million boys are classified as special education (U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 2000) Boys dominate the emotionally disturbed category: Boys dominate the emotionally disturbed category: 90% in Kansas City 90% in Kansas City 55% in Milwaukee 55% in Milwaukee 76% in Washington, DC 76% in Washington, DC

What Do We Know About…

TEAM Together Everybody Achieves More…

The Student Support Team Process

SSTs: 30 YEARS IN THE MAKING Began as a special education mandate in the 1975 Education for all Handicapped Children Act which required the use of multidisciplinary teams in the referral/placement process (Rosenfeld & Gravois, 1999). Began as a special education mandate in the 1975 Education for all Handicapped Children Act which required the use of multidisciplinary teams in the referral/placement process (Rosenfeld & Gravois, 1999). The function and purpose of SSTs changed as schools and families discovered the benefits of intervening earlier for students. By 1979 Chalfant and colleagues developed Teacher Assistance Teams (Safran,1996). The function and purpose of SSTs changed as schools and families discovered the benefits of intervening earlier for students. By 1979 Chalfant and colleagues developed Teacher Assistance Teams (Safran,1996). Currently most states require some form of intervention prior to special education referral: Currently most states require some form of intervention prior to special education referral: 69% of states mandate prereferral intervention teams 69% of states mandate prereferral intervention teams 86% of states require or recommend pre-referral intervention teams (Truscott, Cohen, Sams, Sanborn & Frank, 2005) 86% of states require or recommend pre-referral intervention teams (Truscott, Cohen, Sams, Sanborn & Frank, 2005)

IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE SSTS Improve academic achievement Improve academic achievement Improve student behavior (including school attendance) Improve student behavior (including school attendance) Improve school-parental communication and relationships Improve school-parental communication and relationships Increase collaboration in schools Increase collaboration in schools Reduce referrals to special education Reduce referrals to special education

SST is not to “operate as a special education eligibility or placement committee” (NABSE and ILIAD Project, 2002, p. 19). SST is not to “operate as a special education eligibility or placement committee” (NABSE and ILIAD Project, 2002, p. 19). SST is NOT meant to deny services to students who may actually have a disability. SST is NOT meant to deny services to students who may actually have a disability. SSTs should NOT assume the difficulty lies solely within the child. SSTs should NOT assume the difficulty lies solely within the child. PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF SSTS

SST PROCEDURES Individual interventions Individual interventions Group interventions Group interventions Meeting occurrence (frequency/duration) Meeting occurrence (frequency/duration) Variations in implementation Variations in implementation Elementary school Elementary school Middle/Junior High school Middle/Junior High school High school High school

SST PROCEDURES Use data in all discussions Use data in all discussions Establish positive student goals Establish positive student goals Align interventions with the desired results Align interventions with the desired results Review student progress regularly Review student progress regularly Set measurable outcomes Set measurable outcomes Include evaluation measures Include evaluation measures

CONTACT INFORMATION Stephanie Wood-Garnett Stephanie Wood-Garnett Executive Director, State Improvement Grant Executive Director, State Improvement Grant District of Columbia Public Schools District of Columbia Public Schools