1. Effective Alignment for Better Outcomes
Tonya Rutkowski, M.Ed. – SSIP Coordinator: Vermont Agency of Education
Meg Porcella, M.A. – SPDG Director: Vermont Agency of Education
Steve Goodman, Ph.D. – Director: Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MIBLSI)

2. Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to identify what it means to align key initiatives and why this is important for efficient and effective educational systems.
Participants will be able to identify steps for aligning key initiatives.
Participants understand the initiative alignment process and application to their work.

3. Steve Goodman sgoodman@miblsimtss.org
Slide 3
Steve Goodman
Acknowledgements:
Rob Horner, George Sugai, Lucille Eber, Susan Barrett, Justyn Poulos, Sheree Garvey, Ashley Greenwald
miblsi.org

4. Waves of Innovation Focus on results / accountability
Focus on fidelity
Focus on systems for sustainability
Focus on alignment

5. Why Invest in Alignment?
Unaligned efforts are ineffective and inefficient
Doing many things, but none of them well
Assumption that New is better… .More is better
Political value of “touching” many efforts (“we have _______ in our school”)
Assumption that if we train individuals in many things THEY will do the alignment and integration on their own

6. Alignment and Integration
Different parts of a system are made a functional and structural whole
Resources are leveraged to build upon each other
Integration:
Cross Content
Cross Department
Cross Agencies
Alignment
Correct positioning for effective/efficient performance
Core features of practices and support of these practices are aligned across the system

7. Cascading Model of Support

8. Alignment of Effort Student Level of Analysis School
“Unit” of Implementation
Contextual Focus
Student
Level of Analysis
School
Level of Implementation
Local Educational Agency
Level of Management and Resources
Regional Agency
Level of Support
State
Level of Coordination

9. When to Consider Alignment?
When taking on new initiative(s)
When new leadership has priority initiative(s)
When there are new mandates
When there is initiative fatigue (Project 1= Monday, Project 2 = Wed., Project 3 =Thurs.)
When there are changes in funding

10. Steps for Effective Alignment
Define student outcomes
Identify the Organizational Unit with authority to lead alignment
Define what will be aligned
Conduct a “core features” summary for each initiative
Use core features to define ONE fidelity measure

11. Steps for Effective Alignment (cont.)
Build a single model for professional development
Resolve logic model conflicts
Implement, assess, adapt

12. Getting Started Start at the End
….First define the outcomes for children and families
Too often we start with the initiatives:
Given that you are already doing X, please add Y and Z
We are already implementing Positive Action and are now asked to add PBIS and Mental Health First Aid
New mandate / funding to add X, Y, and Z
Implement Restorative Practices, Bully Prevention, PBIS, and Ripple Effects

13. Features of Effective Alignment
Begin by defining the “unit” of impact (school, district, community)
Define WHO will own the goal of establishing alignment
Need a leadership team who operates at the point where budgets for all initiatives converge
Define the “problem” with precision
What is the difference between what we have and what we want?
Define a goal (or goals)

14. Features of Effective Alignment 2
Commit to using “evidence-based practices” that “fit” with the culture of the setting
Build an agreement to only adopt new initiatives (programs) if they meet standards for being evidence-based, logistically practical, culturally fit, better than what you already have
Require any new initiative to have a Measure of Fidelity and a Measure of Impact

15. Features of Effective Alignment 3
Conduct resource mapping to define what you are already are doing
Most context are already doing many initiatives as the plan to adopt something new
Organize “practices” around core features that achieve your goal
Get content experts to help define practices and core features

16. Getting Started Start at the End
….First define the outcomes for children and families
Too often we start with the initiatives:
Given that you are already doing X, please add Y and A
We are already implementing Positive Action and are now asked to add PBIS and Mental Health First Aid
New mandate / funding to add X, Y, and Z
Implement Restorative Practices, Bully Prevention, PBIS, and Ripple Effects

17. 1. Effective Alignment Begins with Student Outcomes
Define the benefits for students
Define the measure of student benefits
Office Discipline Referrals
DIBELS reading
Easy CBM Math
Course Grades

18. 2. Define What will be Aligned
Select initiatives that are supported by empirical evidence.
Evidence-based
Promising
Insufficient information
Documented as not effective or negative
If initiatives are mandated, then determine empirical support.

19. Effective Programs/Approaches/Practices
Practices are defined in a clear, operational manner
A measure of implementation fidelity is available
Published research (2 randomized controlled studies, or 5 single-case studies) documents the effectiveness of the approach
Demonstrations of application in similar contexts (e.g. high school)
Practices are designed to adapt across cultural contexts.

20. 3. Define the Organizational Unit with the authority to lead Alignment
The person/team should have the organizational knowledge to achieve impact.
The person/team should have budget authority for ALL of the initiatives to be aligned.
The person/team has access to the “Content Knowledge” needed to guide alignment.

21. 4. Define the Core Features of each Initiative
Outcomes, Practices, Systems, Data
What will be different about the school setting?
Requires content knowledge
Core features including outcomes, practices, systems and data must be defined when considering the alignment of PBIS and Literacy RtI or Restorative Practices, Mental Health First Aid, and PBIS.

22. 5. Define one Fidelity Measure
Use Core Features to guide design of one fidelity measure that can be used to assess implementation across different initiatives

23. 6. Build a Unified Professional Development Model
Integrated Training Models use training from different initiatives to build a desired set of core features.
Sequential training models build layers of competence

24. Align Professional Development
Define core features of effective environment
Define contributions from each initiative to the core features
Define how Professional Development will focus on core features across initiatives

25. 7. Resolve Logic Model Conflicts
When logic models are in conflict…build a narrative that indicates either how these can co-exist or will be managed
Cultural standards
Use of rewards
Reading instruction

26. Logic Models Matter Resolve Logic Conflict at the Highest Level
Consider not only what is being recommended but the assumptions about WHY recommendations should work
Remember nearly all initiatives have a useful contribution
Initiatives with conflicting logic models are more difficult to align
Discovery Learning vs. Explicit Instruction
Teach emotions to guide behavior vs. Teach the behaviors you want
Rewards damage intrinsic motivation vs. Rewards build intrinsic motivation
Facilitated Communication
It is worth taking time to find common ground
Restorative justice

27. Effective Alignment of Initiatives
Every initiative within a district should have a fidelity and outcome measure and the core features summarized. A single professional development plan should guide the work that the Organization Unit oversees.

28. Align Initiative A and B
Define and link core features for Alignment
Rule: Separate “core features” from practices. Select common core features, link professional development

29. Integration of Vermont’s SSIP and SPDG
Presenters: Tonya Rutkowski, M.Ed. – SSIP Coordinator
Meg Porcella, M.A. – SPDG Director
Additional Members of Vermont’s Core Team:
State Director of Special Education: Cindy Moran, Agency of Education Consultants: Laura Baker, Tracy Harris, Tracy Watterson, PBIS Consultants: Sherry Schoenberg, Amy Wheeler-Sutton, Evaluator: Pat Mueller, Arlene Russell, Consultants/Coaches: Sue Cano, Lisa Lovelette, Judi Maynard

30. State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG)
The focus of the current SPDG is summarized in these three (3) goals:
Early vtMTSS
Build capacity for providers to support early reading, numeracy and social-emotional development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
School Age vtMTSS
Enhance the capacity of general and special education teachers to provide instruction and intervention within a Multi-Tier System of Support across grade, disability, behavior and academic content.
Secondary vtMTSS
Provide articulated professional development to develop competency in evidence based secondary transition practices that will result in an increase of IEPs with appropriate transition plans.

31. State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)
Vermont’s State Identified Measurable Result (SIMR):
Improve proficiency of math performance for students identified as having an emotional disturbance in grades 3, 4, and 5.

32. Background SPDG4 SSIP Started in 2012 MTSS implementation (Goal)
TA and Coaching
Systems coaching with school leadership teams
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Literacy
Math
Behavior
SSIP
SIMR aligned with SPDG4 in
Professional Learning focus
8 Math Teaching Practices
Three (3) pilot schools from SPDG joined in
Pilot schools implementing:
MTSS with math focus
PBIS with fidelity

33. 5 Steps for Successful Integration
Identify the needs and resources.
Step 2
Identify commonalities
Step 3
Determine most efficient resources.
Step 4
Utilize stakeholder input.
Step 5
Continuous improvement cycle.

34. Identify the needs and resources for each initiative.
STEP 1
Identify the needs and resources for each initiative.
SPDG
Develop leadership teams
Provide training for coaches
Provide professional learning in math teaching practices
6 cohorts/school districts per year
SSIP
Develop leadership teams
Utilize coaches in schools
Increase math scores for students with ED in grades 3, 4, and 5
1 cohort for pilot

35. STEP 2
Identify commonalities and examine areas where these needs and resources intersect.

36. STEP 3
Determine which resource most efficiently supports both initiatives. Provide a rationale for this decision.
Rationale
Limit disruption in student/staff routines
Better data sharing capability
Reduces burden on schools
Resources
Trained coaches
Shared Cohort/district
Focus on leadership team development

37. STEP 4 Communication SSIP Google Site Timing is everything!
Utilize stakeholder input to decrease redundancies and determine the most effective methods for using available resources.
Communication
SSIP Google Site
Timing is everything!

38. STEP 5 Coaches Communication Core Team
Go through a PLAN, DO, STUDY, ACT cycle.
If something isn’t working – review it, then revise or ditch it!
Coaches
Communication
Core Team

39. Thoughtful Planning

40. Practice Makes Perfect
Take 2 minutes to reflect on the integration of two (2) projects and write down your thoughts on the template provided.
Take 3 minutes and turn to someone next to you and share what you wrote.
Share your ideas with a colleague back in your workplace.
Begin to thoughtfully make a plan to implement these ideas.

41. Discussion Questions What benefits do you see in aligning initiatives?
What are risks of not aligning initiatives?
What have you found to be helpful in aligning key initiatives?
What collaboration is needed between your leadership teams and stakeholders to build capacity at state and local levels?