Laura Spenceley, Ph.D. State University of New York at Oswego Presented at the 7 th International Conference on Excellence in School Education Improving Outcomes for All Students Through A Collaborative Approach

Brief Goals What factors influence student achievement? How can we work to meet the needs of all students across a continuum of needs? Setting the table: Ensuring teachers, administrators, and leaders are involved

Student Achievement: The Interaction Between Home and School In school variables:  Academic factors:  Quality of academic instruction  Quality of curriculum  Availability of supportive resources  Teacher quality  Classroom factors:  Management  Support for all students/inclusive orientation  Physical environment  School safety  Class size Out of school factors:  Child factors  Physical and psychosocial health  Early childhood experiences  Aptitude, interest, motivation  Family/caregiver factors  Support for education  Participation in learning  Nutrition  Healthcare  Economic factors  Community factors  Safety  Physical barriers to attendance  Supports available  Competing opportunities Santhya, Francis Zavier, & Jejeebhoy, 2015; UNICEF, 2000;

Improving Teachers’ Ability to Support All Learners Instructional Pedagogy  Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)  Identifying academic and behavioral difficulties early  Providing intervention before problems magnify  Data-based, problem solving model  Inclusive Education  Differentiated instruction to meet needs of all students Key Supports  Administrators  Teachers  Multidisciplinary teams

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support MTSS:  Evidence based practices, implemented in a system, focused on (Dulaney, Hallam, & Wall, 2015):  Leadership  Professional development  Empowered action of assessment, curriculum, and instruction Personnel:  Classroom teacher  Special education teacher  Parent(s)/caregiver(s)  School administrator  Additional personnel: Reading specialists, language specialists, school psychologists, school counselors “MTSS is a data informed framework targeting not only the comprehensive service delivery of academic and behavioral support for individual students but also focuses on enhancing school climate, connecting the dots between learning and student mental health, and promoting transformative systemic change.” (NJASP, 2015)

MTSS, cont.

Core Features of A Successful Multi-Tiered System 1. Administrative leadership 2. Adequate training 3. Establishing a culture of collaboration and problem-solving 4. Reliance on high-quality curriculum 5. Use of dynamic instruction through multiple tiers of support 6. Frequent, formative, data collection 7. Data-based decision-making RTI Network, 2015, retrieved from

Supporting Teachers, Supporting Students Questions to consider:  How can key stakeholders align goals for collaboration to improved student outcomes?  Who is responsible for what – defining roles, spheres of practice, and collaborative priorities  How can systems be modified to meet the needs of the students, families, and communities being served?