1. MTSS Implementation: One District’s Journey
Wake County Public School System
Raleigh, North Carolina

2. Wake County Public Schools
Demographics
176 Schools
108 Elementary
34 Middle
27 High
3 Academies
4 Alternative Schools
Largest District in North Carolina
16th Largest District in the Nation
Multiple Instructional Calendars (traditional, year round, magnet, etc…)
31 Magnet Schools
28 STEM Schools

3. Wake County Pubic Schools
Demographics
157,180 Students and Growing
47.5% White
23.8% Black or African American
16.9% Hispanic or Latino
7.6% Asian
3.7% Two or More Races
34.2% FRPL
13.05% Special Education Students

4. Four-Year Graduation Rates
Board Work Session
Four-Year Graduation Rates

6. There is also data in our district that suggests a disparity in graduation rate based on race….

7. Now we have 8th grade. When students were in 3rd grade we already knew where our weak and hungry were. We didn’t do anything about it. How can we take data and make more successful outcomes for our students? This is what MTSS is all about. Look at the predictable gap. Every system is perfectly aligned for the results it gets. By end of chart you have a view of White and boom…you’ve lost the LEP…

8. This is not just about closing the achievement gap,
it’s about ending the predictability.
Our current 3rd grade for this year is showing the same trend.
This takes my breath away. This is not about throwing people under the bus. Now move to discussion. Two minute discussion about what hits you about this data after what we just learned.
This is not just about closing the achievement gap, it’s about ending the predictability.

9. Total Suspensions: 5 Year Trend
Reduction
-9,039 suspensions
45% Reduction in Total Suspensions

10. Suspension Gaps by Subgroup

11. Where We’ve Been Prior to 2012
As I share…..think about which of these exist in your district. Jot them down on sticky note…..
As a district we had to analyze, what were driving forces both in beliefs, infrastructures, practices, etc. that can support implementation and which of those are barriers to implementation. Here are a few of those to give you a quick baseline of where we were as a district when prior to implementation in 2012.

12. Infrastructures and Practices
4-Tier RtI Framework
Silos
Lone Soldier: Train the Trainer
Student Support Teams/Kid Talk
SIP
Legislation &
Policy
PBIS
Puzzle pieces not connected: Infrastructures and Practices
PBIS: Implementation began in Separate Silo from academics.
Data Literacy: Had pieces of a Balanced Assessment but not complete (Math, secondary)
Universal Screeners
Common Formative Assessments
Limited Data Access for Teachers
Did not have a common PS model
4 Tier RtI Framework:
Promoted Beliefs and Thinking of Gateway to SPED
WCPSS ‘wake-ized’ it and called it Intervention Alignment
Promoted deep beliefs it’s for only ‘at-risk’ students and ‘those’ kids who need intervention.
Leading the efforts came from Intervention Services
District Organization:
District Team with limited stakeholders and respresentation
District Team didn’t have decision makers on the team
RtI/MTSS was under SSS and IS rather than Academics.
Legislation and Policy:
PEP Legislation: Beliefs and Compliance
Paperwork driven
No WCPSS Policy for MTSS
SIP: Political Climate, Different PS model that wasn’t replicable or systemic beyond that team in the building.
District Organization
Discrepancy Model for SLD
Data Literacy
Pre-k-12

13. Beliefs and Thinking “This too shall pass.”
“It’s just for kids who struggle and need intervention.”
“Which kid are we talking about today?”
“This is just for literacy.”
“This is just another program or initiative.”
“What paperwork do I have to do to get this kid tested.”
Briefly Talk about:
Initiative Fatigue: “This too shall pass.”
Labeling Students: “Red and Yellow kids.”
Intervention rather than school improvement.
SPED: Gateway and compliance, hoops to jump through for testing. RtI slows down the process and delays the process of SPED identification.
Something you do to a child. Kid by Kid.
Academic and Behavior Separate Silos.
Buzz with your neighbor where is your district’s current thinking, beliefs, and practices that may or may not be barriers to implementation? Which of these may have resonated with you?
“He’s a red kid. She’s a yellow kid.”

14. It All Started With A Cocktail Napkin
Began at the Rti Innovations in 2012…..It all starts with a cocktail napkin. The organic beginnings…….what I am about the share with you has been a 4 year implementation journey and we aren’t exhaling yet.

15. Leadership Drivers
Restructured Representation of District Team to Actively Engage All Key Stakeholders to Develop Vision, Mission, and Plan
Ongoing Collaboration with Dr. Judy Elliott to Develop District Implementation Plan
Strategic Plan Integrated MTSS
Clearly Defined Consensus and Decision-Making Protocol
Created a Moniker and Brand
Clearly Defined the Roles and Responsibilities, Skills, and Outcomes of the School-based MTSS Leadership Team
Lead through Resistance and Adaptive Challenges
District Reorganization: MTSS is under Academics rather than Intervention/Student Support Services
Make connections to SAM

16. Organization Drivers Completed a District Capacity Assessment
Adopted Policy
Developed a Logic Model for Evaluating and Monitoring MTSS
Identified Single Problem Solving Process
Ongoing Problem Solving around Multiple Measures of Implementation Data
Beliefs Data
Self-Assessment of MTSS Implementation (SAM)
Walk-Throughs
Student Outcome Data
Developed a Digital Tool for Academic and Behavior Data Access and Planning for Schools (EWS)
Changed Resource Funding Allocations
Created Feedback Loops
Built and Leveraged Capacity Infrastructures to Develop Common Language and Understanding of MTSS
Make connections to SAM……
Capacity Infrastructures: School Psychologist work, etc.

17. PL and Coaching Drivers
Developed Coaching Support Structures
Developed Professional Learning Plan for Cohort Schools
Differentiated Support and Professional Learning for Schools
Developed a Common Framework for Tier I Core Instruction Pedagogy
Revisited Professional Learning for PLTs
Currently Revising Professional Learning for District Leaders and Staff
Refining MTSS Coach Selection and Interviewing Process
Funding Resources for Materials, Subs, etc.
Plan-Do-Study-Act
Make connections to SAM……

18. Lessons Learned Begin with the Compelling Why
Efforts to Build Consensus is Ongoing
Ongoing Reflection: Plan Do Study Act
Can be Done with Minimal Additional Funds
Lead from Academics/Curriculum & Instruction
Build a District Implementation Team – All Departments
Ensure Senior Leadership Understands and Believes
Tier and Differentiate Support for Implementation Rates
Go Slow to Go Fast
Accessible Data for Stakeholders
CELEBRATE

19. Celebrations & Moving Forward \

20. Essential MTSS Components
Leadership
Building the Capacity/ Infrastructures for Implementation
Communication and Collaboration
Data-Based Problem-Solving
Three-Tiered Instructional/Intervention Model
Data-Evaluation

21. Implementation Growth: SAM Domains for Cohort 1 Schools
Implementation Celebration
Not Implementing Yet
Emerging/Developing
Operationalizing
Optimizing
Implementation Growth: SAM
Domains for Cohort 1 Schools
24/28 Cohort 1 schools increased their overall school average domain
15/28 schools increased stages of implementation
13/14 ES
6/7 MS
5/7 HS

22. Implementation Celebration
Implementation Growth: SAM Domains for Cohort 1 Schools
Not Implementing Yet
Emerging/Developing
Operationalizing
Optimizing
Explain how the data is laid out: the scale, the overall category, the 6 domains; how the two blue columns represent growth over the course of the first year of implementation as measured by SAM: Self Assessment of MTSS Implementation.
Click: Leadership Domain demonstrated the greatest growth
Click: Overall district is Emerging/Developing across all 6 domains.
Click: 3/6 domains increased from Not Implementing to Emerging/Developing stage.
If we continue at this rate of improvement, then we are poised and ready to be fully optimizing in all six domains.
Conclude with: not only is it important to stop and celebrate our progress and our steps forward, but it is also essential to return to WHY we are doing this. WHY are we striving to grow and improve in the domains that SAM identifies and seek continuous school improvement?
So Let’s keep that momentum going as we approach 2020.
Optimizing
Operationalizing
Emerging/Developing
Not Implementing Yet

23. Initial Student Outcome Celebration
Sanderson High School had the largest increase in graduation rate in the state for (7.7%)
Garner High School reduced dropout from 5.62 in 2011 to 1.42 in 2016, a 75% decrease.
West Millbrook Middle School increased Math 8 proficiency from 38% to 52% in one year.
Explain how the data is laid out: the scale, the overall category, the 6 domains; how the two blue columns represent growth over the course of the first year of implementation as measured by SAM: Self Assessment of MTSS Implementation.
Click: Leadership Domain demonstrated the greatest growth
Click: Overall district is Emerging/Developing across all 6 domains.
Click: 3/6 domains increased from Not Implementing to Emerging/Developing stage.
If we continue at this rate of improvement, then we are poised and ready to be fully optimizing in all six domains.
Conclude with: not only is it important to stop and celebrate our progress and our steps forward, but it is also essential to return to WHY we are doing this. WHY are we striving to grow and improve in the domains that SAM identifies and seek continuous school improvement?
So Let’s keep that momentum going as we approach 2020.

24. Questions and Resources:
Alicia Miller Wake County Public Schools Senior Administrator for MTSS