1. Creating a Coherent MTSS for All: Baltimore City and SWIFT
When Baltimore City Public Schools established their districtwide school reform priority to install a multi-tiered system of support for all students, including those with disabilities, they were engaged in a partnership with the national SWIFT Center to transform schools. In this session, City Schools and SWIFT representatives discuss  how their partnership supports the reform effort to build district capacity to include students with disabilities and increase their academic proficiency.
Creating a Coherent MTSS for All: Baltimore City and SWIFT
Wendy Barnes, Janise Lane, Alisia Moutry & Wayne Sailor
OSEP Project Directors Meeting
August 3, 2016

2. Equity and Excellence for ALL
We believe that, together, we can transform education so that it benefits each and every student, their families, and ultimately the communities in which they reside. SWIFT Center uses their talents, passion, and resources to ensure that every child is a valued member of their school and given the supports they need to achieve academic and social success. What do we mean by “every child?” Students who are struggling readers, gifted, living in poverty, high achievers, children with disabilities, culturally and ethnically diverse students, and those with the most extensive needs. SWIFT Center is committed to eliminating the silos in education by bridging general and specialized education to create powerful learning opportunities for students and teachers and to promote active, engaged partnerships among families and communities.

3. The WHAT of SWIFT
SWIFT Domains and Featiures: Administrative leadership (Strong & Engaged Site Leadership; Strong Educator Support System); Multi-tiered System of Support (Inclusive Academic Instruction; Inclusive Behavior Instruction); Integrated Educational Framework (Fully Integrated ORganizational STructure; Strong & Positive School Culture); Family & Community ENgagement (Trusting Family Partnerships; Trusting Community Partnerships); Inclusive Policy Structure & Practice (Strong LEA/School Relationship; LEA Policy Framework)

4. School Characterization
Administrative Leadership
MTSS
Integrated Educational Framework
Family and Community Engagement
LEA Policy Framework
Teachers encouraged to teach to their strengths, take risks.
Co-Teaching experiences
Inclusive planning and collaboration across the curriculum/vertical and horizontal
ALL teachers and support staff responsible for teaching and unpacking instruction
Arts integration strategies and technology curriculum taught with meaning to enhance learning
UDL and backward mapping specific to curriculum and work stations
Teacher becomes facilitator
More small group instruction and exploration leads to stronger tier II instruction
Math grouping interventions
Through intense Professional Learning Communities classroom teachers, Instructional Assistants, special education, and resources come together to make lessons inclusive and engaging for all students
All instructional staff have a clear understanding of Common Core and UDL strategies
Measure success with student growth models, dive deeper into data and use the data to drive instructional decisions.
Student ownership and accountability for their own learning
Community and families recognize SP as an exceptional school with a compassionate faculty and staff and children that learn to the best of their ability
Parents take a more visible and meaningful role in their child’s education through more opportunities to be present during the school day and evening activities
We believe that support and strong relationship between the school and central office will help us more actively implement the SWIFT transformational practices
School Characterization
Alisia:
This is what it looks like in the school.

5. Baltimore City Public Schools’ MTSS Vision
cirlces with shared leadership; family, school, and community; climate and culture; data-based decision making; assessment practices; layered continuum of supportt—Universal, strategic and intensive. Underneath is a double headed horizontal arrow with All students, all staff, all families, all schools and all communities.
Adapted from Kansas State Department of Education
All Students, All Staff, All Families, All Schools and All Communities

6. Understanding MTSS and SWIFT

7. Multi-Tiered System of Supports in City Schools

8. Implementing City Schools’ MTSS Vision
SWIFT framework supports with implementing our MTSS’ Vision

9. District Implementation Team
MTSS
Office of Teaching and Learning
Office of Specialized Services
MSDE
SWIFT
Office of Family and Community Engagement
Office of Student Support
Schools
District Implementation Team
SWIFT DIT laid the foundation for planning for MTSS
Cross-Functional Team

10. Instructional Coaches Intervention Specialists
Build adult learners’ capacity to advance the achievement of all students and to close achievement gaps by providing targeted support to teachers to transform instruction
Intervention Specialists
Lead in dGresigning, implementing, and monitoring interventions.
Support teachers with implementing inclusive practices (UDL, small group, differentiating instruction, co-teaching, etc.)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Cohort
Establish UDL learning classrooms that will serve as models to support school- and district-wide UDL training and implementation.
Consists of at least one teacher per grade and representation from special education, gifted/advanced, ESOL, and resource teachers.
SWIFT Schools Support

11. MTSS Learning Centers
SWIFT Schools
MTSS
MTSS Learning Sites
6 schools implementing SWIFT Framework will become learning sites of MTSS

12. SWIFT FIT Domain Score Changes
Administrative Leadership: 33%, 58%, 78%
MTSS: 13%, 23%, 38%
Integrated Educational Framework: 25%, 32%, 48%
Family & Community Engagement: 57%, 57%, 58%
Inclusive Policy Structure & Practice: 40%, 43%, 57%

13. SWIFT FIT Core Feature Score Changes
Site Leadership: 33%-77%
Educator Suport: 33%-81%
Academic MTSS: 17%-45%
Behavior MTSS: 6%-25%
Org Structure: 8%-40%
Positive Culture: 42%-56%
Family: 67%-55%
Community: 33%-67%
LEA/School Relation: 53%-63%
Policy Framework:27%-50%
Total Mean Score: 32%-56%

14. Technical Assistance (TA)
The HOW of SWIFT
Technical Assistance (TA)
Practices

15. Matched Resources
Wayne will explain the TA process (slides 4 – 12 should take min.)

16. Team Structures & Communication
Boxes in loop:
Students, Familiies & Community, School Staff
School Transformation Team, Principal & Coach
District Implementation Team, LEA Coordinator
State Implementation Team, SEA Coordinator

17. SWIFT TA Practice Tools & Templates
Each TA Practice has:
Facilitator Guides
Templates
Forms
Practice Checklists

18. SWIFT Resources www.swiftschools.org Information in left 1/
guide.swiftschools.org
swiftschools.org/community
SWIFT Evaluation Tools SWIFT FIA & SWIFT FIT

19. COMMENTS AND /OR QUESTIONS

20. SWIFT Center produced the data for this presentation under U. S
SWIFT Center produced the data for this presentation under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Grant No. H326Y OSEP Project Officers Grace Zamora Durán and Tina Diamond served as the project officers.  The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education.  No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred.  This product is public domain.  Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. Please cite as: Wendy Barnes, Janise Lane, Alisia Moutry & Wayne Sailor (August 3, 2016). Creating a Coherent MTSS for All: Baltimore City and SWIFT. Presented at the OSEP Project Directors Meeting, Washington, DC.