Victoria White, PhD Ann George, EdD Associate Professor Assistant Professor Director of KC Metro Center SSLS

Strategies for improving the performance of students with special needs

How can school leaders make a difference in improving the performance of students with special needs?

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) The goal is proficiency in reading and math for all students but what about the student who has been identified with a disability?

Presentation will  Review best practices for improving academic performance  Explore solutions

Improving Performance Letter from Alexa Posney, Kansas Commissioner of Education December 14, 2007  It has been determined that education must be approached in an integrated and systematic manner to ensure all children, who are struggling to learn, receive the support and interventions they need as early as they are needed. 

Multi-Tier System of Support Definition  MTSS is a coherent continuum of evidence based, system-wide practices to support a rapid response to academic and behavioral needs, with frequent data-based monitoring for instructional decision- making to empower each Kansas student to achieve to high standards.

MTSS Core Beliefs  Every child learns and achieves to high standards  Learning includes academic and social competencies  Every member of the education community continues to grow, learn and reflect  Every leader at all levels is responsible for every student  Change is intentional, coherent and dynamic

How to Achieve the Core Beliefs  Every child will be provided a rigorous and research-based curriculum  Every child will be provided effective and relentless teaching  Interventions will be provided at the earliest identification of need  Policy will be based on evidence based practice  Every leader will be responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating

Academic SystemsBehavioral Systems 1-5% 5-10% 80-90% Intensive, Individual Interventions Individual Students Assessment-based High Intensity Intensive, Individual Interventions Individual Students Assessment-based Intense, durable procedures Targeted Group Interventions Some students (at-risk) High efficiency Rapid response Targeted Group Interventions Some students (at-risk) High efficiency Rapid response Universal Interventions All students Preventive, proactive Universal Interventions All settings, all students Preventive, proactive Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

MTSS Implementation  Website:  Overview  Resources  Training materials

Innovation Configuration Matrix  Leadership and Empowerment (LE 1-19)  Assessment (A 1-10)  Curriculum (C 1-7)  Instruction (I 1-8)  Data-Based Decision Making (DBDM 1-13)  Integration and Sustainability (IS 1-7)

Advocate for All Students  MTSS Core Beliefs- Every leader at all levels is responsible for every student

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  LE1 The district has a leadership team that is known throughout the district and meets regularly to address student academic and behavioral success in an integrated manner.

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  LE4 The district leadership team clearly identifies multiple indicators of academic and behavioral success and formally communicates them to buildings as areas to be measured.

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  LE17 Student learning experiences are customized in ways that make content relevant and enable students to learn.

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  A8 Progress monitoring of students receiving supplemental instruction occurs as follows: Every two weeks for academics For behavior, monitored by behavior team on a regular basis

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  A9 Progress monitoring of students receiving intensive instruction occurs as follows: Weekly for academics Monitored by behavior team on a regular basis as determined by the needs of the

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  A10 The teams have clearly documented and consistently follow decision rules to ensure early identification and intervention for students in both academics and behavior...

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  C1 The staff has formally evaluated and documented the adequacy of all the academic and behavioral curricular materials used across tiers aligned to student needs, state standards and evidence base.

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  C5 The staff members select academic curricula, behavior and social skill instructional materials, and programs/processes for supporting student behavior that are an appropriate match for the needs of the students at all tiers based upon student data.

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  DBDM3 All staff members are actively involved and have been trained in the problem solving process and use it consistently to guide decisions related to academics and behavior...

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  C7 A process is in place to check the fidelity of academic and behavioral curriculum and program implementation at all tiers with feedback and coaching to teachers provided throughout the year.

Innovation Configuration Matrix (ICM)  DBDM8 A clearly identified team meets at regularly scheduled times to analyze student academic and behavioral data from groups receiving supplemental and intensive instruction, including students receiving support from entitlement programs for instructional decision making.

Guiding Questions