Rebecca H. Cort, Deputy Commissioner NYSED VESID Presentation to NYS Staff / Curriculum Development Network Targeted Activities to Improve Results for Students with Disabilities September 2009

Academic Outcomes and Students with Disabilities

Trend in Percent of Students with Disabilities Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4 Years as of June  2004 cohort results of 41.3% exceeded the IDEA target of 38%  Future targets are more rigorous: target is 44% target will be 49% target will be 52% NYSED, VESID APR Feb 2009 data as of 1/23/09 Indicator #1 (This slide presents data available when each APR was prepared. Later changes made by SED to 2001 and 2002 total cohort data are not reflected here.)

 Average and Low Need districts exceeded the 38% target set for the school year.  High Need districts are improving but did not meet the target  Wide variations in outcomes across school districts NYSED, VESID APR Feb 2009 data as of 1/23/09 Indicator #1 (This slide presents data available when each APR was prepared. Later changes made by SED to 2001 and 2002 total cohort data are not reflected here.) Trend in Percent of Students with Disabilities Graduating with Regents or Local Diploma After 4 Years as of June By Need Resource Capacity of School Districts

Since 1997, there has been more than 567% increase in the number of students with disabilities tested. Of the students tested in 2008, 69% achieved a score between Regents English Examination & Students with Disabilities Data represents Public Schools, Including Charter Schools

Regents Diplomas Awarded in to Students with Disabilities (Data represents Public Schools, including Charter Schools.) Since higher standards were adopted in 1996, more than 13 times as many students with disabilities are earning Regents diplomas.

2004 Total Cohort Status after Four Years as of June (n=31,252 students with disabilities) *AHSEP = Alternative High School Equivalency Preparation program

2004 Total Cohort 10,112 1,6122,633 2,408 10,2214, Total Cohort after Four Years as of June: Graduation, IEP Diploma and Dropout Rates NYSED, VESID APR 2009 Indicators #1 & 2  There are wide variations across school districts in the ways that students with disabilities leave school.  Different types of exit have post school consequences for young adults with disabilities.

Getting There from Here Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA)

Increasingly students with disabilities are demonstrating proficiency by scoring at Levels 3 & 4 on Grades 3-8 ELA examinations. Percent of Students with Disabilities at Levels 3-4 in ELA Number Tested Grade 3 = 23,811 26,692 27,285 27,702 Grade 4 = 26,474 28,281 29,983 29,562 Grade 5 = 28,987 29,985 30,66131,410 Grade 6 = 28,883 29,055 31,195 31,021 Grade 7 = 29,237 29,842 31,180 31,840 Grade 8 = 29,119 29,514 31,017 31,312 Grades 3-8 =166,511173,369181,381182,847

Fewer students with disabilities are demonstrating serious academic difficulties by scoring at Level 1 on the ELA examinations. Percent of Students with Disabilities at Level 1 in ELA

The Call to Action Annual Targets for Improvement –Graduation, Drop Out Rates –Performance on State Assessments –Effective Transition Planning –Rates of Suspension Focused Monitoring –Compliance in Areas most directly related to results (e.g., transition planning, timely evaluations) Technical Assistance to Improve Core Instructional Practices –Literacy, Behavior, Special Education Instructional Practices, Transition Planning and Activities

Determination Criteria Graduation Rates Drop Out Rates AYP & Combined ELA/Math 3-8 Performance Compliance Rates Other factors School District Accountability Determinations 97 At Risk 41 Need Assistance 30 Need Intervention Other Identifications 64 show high rates of long-term suspensions 60 have data indicating disproportionality on the basis of race/ethnicity Other Identifications High rates of long- term suspensions Disproportionality on the basis of race/ethnicity

Focus on the Instructional Core What is the instructional basis for schools identified as needing assistance or intervention? –How are students taught literacy across the grades? –What behavioral supports are in place school-wide, in classrooms, in small groups and for individual students? –What is the quality of the special education instruction and supports students are receiving? –What instructional planning and supports need to be provided to prepare students for post-secondary living, working and education?

Technical Assistance (TA) Resources  NEW Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE-TASCs) –Regional specialists (behavior, training, private schools, bilingual special education, secondary transition) –Special Education School Improvement Specialists  13 Special Education Parent Centers  TAC –Disproportionality (NYU Metro Center)  Effective Practices - S³tair Project  Higher Education Support Center  Inclusive Schools  Early Childhood Direction Centers  Response to Intervention State TA Center  Supporting grants to 14 schools

Restructuring of former SETRCs, Transition Coordination Sites and PBIS Networks into 10 Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers Regional Specialists –Special education trainers –Behavior –Transition –Bilingual special education –Nondistrict program technical assistance providers Special Education School Improvement Specialists –Each BOCES region –Each Big 5 Teams created in nine regions by Joint Management Team plus New York City RSE-TASC Coordinators Regional Planning Process to Strategically Deploy TA Resources to those Districts Most in Need

Cyndi Besig Acts as a liaison between NYSED/VESID leaders, BOCES District Superintendents, Big 5 District Superintendents, NYSED Special Education Quality Assurance officials, regional specialists & local SESIS and other NYSED funded technical assistance networks Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE-TASC) A VESID funded network supporting & improving instructional practices & outcomes for students with disabilities. RSE-TASCs are located in nine Joint Management Team Regions of New York State and in New York City (Regional) Nondistrict Programs Technical Assistance Specialist Provides training and technical assistance on special education to selected approved private schools and other nondistrict programs (Regional) Transition Specialist Provides training and assistance to school districts identified to improve transition planning and services (Regional) Behavior Specialist Provides training and technical assistance to districts on positive behavioral supports and establishing & sustaining PBIS (Regional) Bilingual Special Education Specialist Provides regional information & technical assistance related to effective practices for students with disabilities who are bilingual/ English language learners (Regional) Special Education Training Specialist Provides training & information to school personnel from multiple school districts in region related to special education compliance & effective practices (Local) Special Education School Improvement Specialists (SESIS) Provide targeted technical assistance to school districts designated by VESID focusing on improving instructional practices for students with disabilities in the areas of literacy, behavioral supports, special education instruction RSE-TASC Coordinator (42 SESIS in NYC; 73 Rest of State) 56 Regional Specialists Statewide – 13 NYC; 43 Rest of State

Supported by research-based tools and high quality professional development Research-based Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides State Professional Development Centers –PBIS –Transition –School Improvement –Response to Intervention

Identifying and Promoting What Works Effective Practices - S³tair Project Regional facilitators in 7 regions of the State to identify and document practices of schools with high quality, effective instructional practices for students with disabilities. Grant funds to effective practice schools and districts in need of assistance/intervention to promote replication and mentoring relationships among the schools.

Key State Policy Issues IEP diploma Safety net options for graduation with a local diploma