Waukegan Public Schools NASP Conference 2010 Implementing RTI at a District Level: What Psychologists Should Know

Contact Information Dr. Christina Conolly-Wilson Crisis Intervention Coordinator Kate Cavanaugh Coordinator of School Psychology Laurie Lee Coordinator for Response to Intervention Contact Address: Waukegan Public Schools 1201 North Sheridan Road Waukegan, IL 60085

Session Objectives The presentation will demonstrate four main elements for the implementation of RTI: Implementing and sustaining an RTI structure in a school district Budgetary considerations Professional development requirements for school district staff The role of the school psychologist in the change process

16,963 Students Student Population –72.3% Hispanic –17.5% African American –6.2% White –1.5% Asian/Pacific Is. –1% Native American –2.4%Multi-racial 72.8% Low income 31.9% ELL Student Demographics

District Configuration 4 At-risk Pre-Kindergarten sites 15 Elementary Schools 5 Middle Schools 1 High School - 2 sites organized into 9 Small Learning Communities Alternative Educational Programs

Where We Started I-ASPIRE Grant provided training and support at two demonstration buildings PBIS universal supports were already in place at selected buildings PBIS Tertiary Grant provided additional training and support for secondary and tertiary systems for nine demonstration buildings

Re-organization of the district District focus –High expectations, quality instruction, quality interventions Shared ownership of I-ASPIRE and PBIS Combining resources Collaboration on funding Working with stakeholders including teachers union Establishment of RtI Department Working with System Change

What Our Data Told Us Academic data indicated low overall performance across grade levels in reading Behavior data indicated high loss of instructional time due to suspensions Data indicated over-identification of students for special education eligibility

Waukegans RtI Model Model has been defined over the past 4 years with special education entitlement being defined during this current year. –Universal – Supports for all students and all teachers –Targeted – Supports for students below the 25 th percentile for grade level –Intensive – Supports for students below the 10 th percentile for grade level –Multi-tiered service delivery focused on: Building quality systems of support for students and staff Improving academic outcomes for all students Pre-K through 12 Addressing over-identification of students requiring special education services Reducing loss of instructional time due to problem behaviors through implementation of Positive Behavior Supports Improving graduation rate

Academics Behavior Benchmark assessment three times per year Get it Got it Go for Pre-K Early Literacy for Kindergarten Early Literacy and Oral Reading Fluency for first grade Oral Reading Fluency for second through eighth grades NWEA MAP is used at grades second through tenth Office Discipline Referrals Systematic Screener for Behavior Disorders (SSBD) at selected elementary and middle schools Signs of Suicide (SOS) at Middle School and High School Universal Screening For All Students Note: The district currently does not conduct universal screening at the high school.

Academics Behavior Early Literacy Measures at Kindergarten Oral Reading Fluency grades one through eight Keeping an eye on behavior data as well Twice a month for students at tier II Weekly for students at tier III Office Discipline Referral data Check in/Check Out data Data generated by behavior intervention plan Academic data Wraparound data Progress Monitoring Tier II and Tier III

Core IPS IPS Identifies students below the 10 th percentile, monitors progress in intensive interventions Uses response to intervention data to identify and problem solve systems issues Analyzes data and determines next steps for students not making adequate progress Identifies students who require individual problem solving including wraparound Designs individualized interventions and progress monitoring for students not responding to tier III interventions Coordinates needed services including services from the community Reviews and responds to parental requests for evaluation or 504 plans Makes determinations regarding the need for special education services Individual Problem Solving (IPS) Tier III

Building Consensus and Support –All district staff should be involved in conversations regarding the initiative –Staff must be willing to do things differently –Staff must practice patience – 5 years for change to occur –Staff must be willing to work together to support the initiative Supporting the RTI Initiative includes: budgetary, changes in job descriptions and functions, curriculum changes, etc. This includes working with the teachers union on possible contract and job description changes! Establishing Demonstration Sites Implementing and Sustaining an RTI Initiative

Cross Departmental Collaboration –Departments (Curriculum, ELL, Special Education) need to work together to provide funding and curriculum changes –Although the Psychology Department is under special education, the school psychologists work in collaboration more with the RTI coaches and social workers than any other staff member. –Training across departments must occur Implementing and Sustaining an RTI Initiative

Strategic Planning –Needs Assessment Survey –PBIS school-wide surveys –Team Planning Days Universal Teams (BLT) Secondary Teams –Coaching Support –Tier 3 Training Sequence Planning Implementing and Sustaining an RTI Initiative

Implementing Multi-tiered service Delivery for both Academic and Behavior –See attached handout with Academic and Behavior Interventions at each tier Job Descriptions –See attached School Psychologist job description –RtI External and Internal Coaches Implementing and Sustaining an RTI Initiative

Staff Development Designed to Build Capacity –Training in teams to build capacity –Training across departments –Training from the foundation upward –Building capacity at each level Coaching an Integral Element of Implementation –Training coaches at each level –Everyone receives coaching –Coaching both academic and behavior systems and practices –Training psychologists and social workers to coach tier III and entitlement process Designing Staff Development

Open Court Trainings via curriculum specialists Core Leadership Walk-Thru Trainings (w/coaches and Curriculum Specialists) School Psychologists trainings on curriculum Three day training in Coaching Skills and Strategies Instructional Planning Form Professional Development for Psychologists Tier I

Progress Monitoring Training CICO and other Behavior Interventions Coaching Strategies Counseling Professional Development for Psychologists Tier II

May 2009 – Tier III Training Needs Assessment –Completed by all school psychologists, social workers, external RtI coaches, special education specialists and special education coordinators –Identified staff for scheduled tier III trainings based on needs All building and district administrators were invited to attend the Tier III trainings WPS Tier III Training Sequence –See handout Fidelity Trainings for school psychologists from CORE Professional Development for Psychologists Tier III

Yearly Training Progression –Spring Mark Shinn and Madi Philips came to present to the psychologists about what RTI entails – Mark Shinn and Madi Philips had monthly trainings with the psychologists about the RTI model and Tier I structure – Psychologists attended bimonthly trainings with the department and Tier I and II level trainings in their building(s) and the Illinois PBIS Network – Tier III training sequence and continued refreshers and coaching on Tier I and II structure and Bi-Monthly Training Meetings for School Psychologists Professional Development Psychology Department Timeline

Coaching Structure: –9 District RTI Coaches, 2 Internal Coaches/building, 18 School Psychologists, 2 Psychology Interns, 40 Social Workers, 9 Curriculum Specialists, Coaching Professional Development: -3 Day training in Coaching Skills and Strategies -Training by Grant Partners for External Coaches, Psychologists and Social Workers -Internal RtI Coach Meetings -Coaching for psychologists and social workers in around WRAP and IPS -Psychologists and social workers trained to coach tier III and special education entitlement process. Coaching Model

Cross Departmental Funding –Title I and Title III funds support staff salaries, professional development and tiered curriculum –Full utilization of 15% of IDEA funds for staff salaries, stipends for internal coaches, professional development and tiered curriculum –Local funds (Psychology and RtI Departments) –Mental Heath Grant (Social Work Department) –PBIS Grant –I-ASPIRE Grant Budgetary Considerations

Reallocation of Funds –$40K in the psychology department used to pay for testing kits and supplies – used the $30K to pay for RTI resources and textbooks for training – $30K in the psychology department to pay for community psychiatrists to provide psychiatric diagnoses for students – Transferred the $30K to a professional development account to either send the psychologists to training or provide training in district on behavioral interventions/counseling and NASP/ISPA Christina retrained the psychologists on how to give common diagnoses to children with her consultation and coaching Psychology Department Budget

RtI structure fully defined Coaching staff identified across three tiers District leadership team focus to improve implementation and accountability Goal to evaluate implementation and district wide resource management Continuing struggles –Climate and culture –Implementation of academic and behavior programs across three tiers –Training of special education staff –Coaching support for social emotional instruction groups –Integrating positive behavior supports into discipline structure Where We Are Now

Continue supporting implementation at elementary and middle schools Waukegan High School –PBIS at Universal Level (PRIDE) –Planning Targeted Level Behavior Interventions such as CICO –SWIS System –Train Special Education Teachers on Progress Monitoring –Develop Curriculum and Common Formative Assessments Preschool –Data System –Universal PBIS and CHAMPs –BLT District Discipline Code Next Steps

Getting Started Build a foundation for change –Spend time building consensus –Promote conversations around district data –Focus on staff belief systems –Build support systems in the beginning –Support cross-departmental collaboration Create a funding plan –Set priorities –Reallocate funds Create a professional development plan –Train teams whenever possible –Provide tools for staff –Coach what is trained

Questions