Inclusion Institutes: A Way to Change Attitudes and Outcomes

Presented by:

Ms. Karen Daugherty, Dr. Angela Gilbert, and Dr. Denise Kerr Rose Tree Media SD

All students can learn and succeed, but not on the same day in the same way—William

Spady

About the Presenters

Administrators in Rose Tree Media SD

Located in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA Six schools – 1 HS, 1 MS, 4 ESs 3868 students – 85% Caucasian, 8% African

American, 5% Asian/Pacific, 2% Latino, 2% Hispanic and Indian/Alaskan

10.1% free or reduced lunch

RTM Strategic Goals: Achieve, Grow, Excel

By 2014, RTM students in all assessed grades will perform at the proficient or advanced level on PSSA Mathematics, Reading and Writing assessments.

By 2014, at least 85% of RTM students in all assessed grades will achieve a year's growth or more in a year's time.

By 2014, 50% or more of RTM students will increase skills and knowledge in core academic areas through participation in accelerated, enhanced, and/or advanced curricula.

Session Objectives

Obtain the skills and tools needed to conduct a needs assessment

Obtain the skills and tools needed to identify a variety of inclusive practices and be able to implement them

Obtain the skills and tools needed to build an action plan

Inclusion Institute: Four-Way Partnership

Arcadia University’s Inclusion Institutes

Pennsylvania Department of Education

Delaware County Intermediate Unit

Rose Tree Media School District

Framework

Arcadia took the lead and established some parameters

PaTTAN, through PDE, became a resource for our teams

Our local Intermediate Unit became a resource for professional development and team consultation

RTMSD created 7 teams, 1 for each school plus 1 from the Education Center

PDE provided grant money to fund much of our project

Inclusion

Provision of services to every student with disabilities

In their neighborhood school

In age-appropriate general education homerooms

With the necessary supports and services (for both students and teachers)

Inclusion

Inclusion is a set of values, beliefs, and practices by which all students participate as fully as possible in the life of a school and maximize their learning.

It challenges educational systems to rethink and restructure policies, curricula, cultures, and practices so that diverse learning needs can be met, whatever the origin or nature of those needs.

Inclusive education is a process of removing barriers and enabling all students, including previously excluded groups, to learn and participate effectively within general school systems.

Inclusion

To assure each child’s success—academic, behavioral, social and emotional

To prepare all children, with and without disabilities, to participate as full, contributing, and caring members of society

The Journey

Introductions: Arcadia University and RTM Administrative “Buy In” Communication Established Facilitated Needs Assessments and Interviews Professional Development via Summer Institute Action Plans Developed Lights, Camera, Action!

Paradigm Shifts and Other Realities

Yes! But…….

Achievement and opportunity gaps

can be closed De-tracking is a best practice All students are entitled to high expectations All teachers are responsible for all students

Inclusive Practices

Three Dimensions of Inclusive Practices:

Physical integration

Social integration

Instructional integration

Inclusive Practices

Middle and High School Physical integration – via co-taught classes

reducing the percentage participating in pull out model (RR)

Social integration – via exposure to the same curriculum which allows all students to discuss literature, themes and topics; decreases isolation

Instructional integration – via access to teaching strategies and learning experiences previously reserved for typical peers

Inclusive Practices

Elementary schools Physical and social integration – students with

IEPs already assigned to regular classrooms Instructional integration – 2 challenges

-adopting the secondary model without the personnel

-shifting of attitudes from “my students” or “your students” to “our students”

Inclusive Practices at Rose Tree ES

In addition to the three dimensions discussed on the last slide, RTE wanted to increase inclusive practices for:

New students and families

New staff, transferred staff

Community members

Essential Questions

How will the institute align with our district’s strategic goals?

How will this increase access to the core curriculum for all students?

How will this create a climate of belonging for all?

How will this improve the core learning context?

Objective #1

Obtain the skills and tools needed to conduct

a needs assessment.

Rose Tree Elementary

Needs assessment at the building level Our vision aligned with our district’s vision while

meeting our specific, building level needs Goals—We identified our basic goals during the

three day kick-off retreat. Action Plan—Most teams completed their action

plans at the retreat. We did not.

Needs Assessment

Prior to our first Arcadia meeting each team member completed an on-line needs assessment. Our results were shared at the Institute’s kick off meeting.

A copy of the assessment is included in your resource packet.

Our Perceptions

We also gave our faculty a survey to obtain information on teacher’s perceptions about inclusion. Those results are also included in the packet.

It was interesting for me to see that what my teachers were verbalizing was different than what they committed to paper.

Supports for Inclusive Practices:

An Evidence-Based Self-Assessment

Examining District Level Practices

Gail McGregor and Jeannine Brinkley

District:____________________

Date(s) Completed: __________

Timeline

Calendar of events

In-service opportunities

Visitations

In school activities

Objective #2

Obtain the skills and tools needed to identify a variety of inclusive practices and be able to

implement them

Analysis of Resources - Before

Two special educators for 35 students in resource room programs

Two assistants attached to the resource room programs

Parent volunteers White Horse Village partnership College student interns who came to observe Grade level planning opportunities every day for

50 minutes

Analysis of Resources - After

Two special educators with some scheduled co-teaching opportunities

Support from assistants and aids assigned to students based upon student need

Two part time aids originally hired for clerical work were reassigned to support students

Trained volunteers Actively recruited student interns from area

colleges and universities with the understanding they would be getting “hands-on” experience

Analysis of Resources - After (con’t.)

Our new schedule provided an additional 30 minutes for collaboration each day

One monthly awards assembly provided another 30 minute block for collaboration between all staff members

Inclusive Practices

Identification of inclusive practices Student in regular education setting with

additional assistance from the regular education teacher and follow-up from the special educator

Student participates in special areas with their classmates

Co-Teaching

Types of Co-teaching

• One Teach, One Observe• Station Teaching• Parallel Teaching• Alternative Teaching• Teaming• One Teach, One Assist

Inclusive Practices

Collection of baseline data via surveys and observation

Planning to increase opportunities for inclusion

Inclusion in our accelerated math program

Special areas adopt anchors

Checkpoint

Average daily number of inclusive experiences at

RTE 9/08

Average daily number of inclusive experiences at

RTE 5/09

11 34

Checkpoint

Average daily

number of minutes

for collaboration

9/08

Average daily number of minutes for collaboration

5/09

50 minutes for grade levels only

50 minutes for grade levels

30 minutes for entire faculty

60 minutes a month for entire faculty

Types of Co-teaching

Baseline 9/08 1 teach, 1 observe 0 Station teaching 6 Parallel teaching 1 Alternative teaching 0 Teaming 0 1 teach, 1 assist 5

5/09 1 teach, 1 observe 2 Station teaching 18 Parallel teaching 6 Alternative teaching 4 Teaming 1(Pilot) 1 teach, 1 assist 3

Objective #3

Obtain the skills and tools needed

to build an action plan

Building the Plan

The Institute had us build the action plan during the initial workshop

RTE chose to create only a portion of the plan because we wanted to obtain additional input from our whole staff

After we had confirmed with the staff the broader interpretation of inclusion, we built the plan

Action Plan

We presented the plan at our August In-Service

We included team-building activities, video clips and even had some speakers address the faculty

We also had evaluations to help us with future events

What did the plan look like?

Our plan had 3 goals, each with 3 objectives

We monitored progress along the way and reported regularly to the faculty, celebrating each small step forward

RTE Action Plan

First Long Term Goal: The school schedule supports collaboration and shared planning time between all staff members based on identified needs of students

1. First Measurable Short Term Objective: A school schedule will support collaboration and shared planning time between regular and special education teachers.

Short Term Objective1.a. A school schedule will support collaboration and shared planning time between regular education and special education teachers.

Present Levels

(Where are we now? Include data/Evidence)

Target

(Where do we want to be?)

Action Steps

(What do we need to do to get there?)

Resources

(What do we need to make it happen?)

Responsibilities

(Who will be assigned as lead person? Who else will work on it?)

Progress

(When will each action step be accomplished?)

There is no common planning time between these two groups at this time.

A school schedule that supports a shared planning time between regular and special ed teachers at least one time per week.

1. After bus dismissal procedures to allow common planning time.

2. Identify all teachers to be included in com-mon planning time.

3. Investigate use of assemblies, computer lab, and library to free up teacher time.

Time to review all options and develop plan.

Substitutes

Curriculum for pro-social skills

Lead: Karen

Rose Tree Elem Arcadia Inclusion Team

Complete steps 1-4 during fall 2008

Start pilot, step 5 by January 2009

Plan/recommend schedule for 2009-2010 in place by April 1, 2009

Share info with entire faculty by 5/31/09

Benefits

Students feel a sense of belonging New students, staff and families assimilate quickly All teachers are responsible for all students Increased collaboration Increased access to core curriculum Increased enrollment in accelerated classes

Continued Benefits

New shared beliefs:

1. Achievement follows effort—not just IQ

2. All staff—teachers, custodians, aids, secretaries, principal, food service workers, itinerants—are responsible for all students. All means all.

Benefits – District Wide

Tiered Response to Intervention Increased General and Special Education Collaboration Increased Strategic Use of Support Personnel Elementary Team Teaching Model Co-curricular Involvement Reduction of Out-of-District Placements Secondary Co-Teaching Model Communication with Parents

Inclusive Practice: Reduce Out-of-District Placements

Numbers of Students Out of District

94

65

20

40

60

80

100

2008-2009

2009-2010

Inclusive Practice: Reduce Out-of-District Placements

Early Intervention Transitions to Developmental and Inclusive Programs 2008/2009- 82% placed in RTM 2009/2010- 91% placed in RTM

School Age Transitions Back to Inclusive Programs 2009/2010- nine (9) students returned to RTM

Secondary Co-Teaching

Numbers of Co-Taught Sections

24

27

15

20

10

15

20

25

30

35

2008-2009 2009-2010

SLMS

PHS

Communication with Parents

All schools communicate with parents via the school website

Middle school publishes a special education newsletter

Elementary schools host parent dinner meetings Dr. Kerr holds The Superintendent’s Coffee

featuring special education topics Parents are members of inclusion teams and report

out at monthly PTG meetings

Contact Us

Ms. Karen Daugherty, Principal kdaugher@rtmsd.org

Dr. Angela Gilbert, Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning

agilbert@rtmsd.org

Dr. Denise Kerr, Superintendent

dkerr@rtmsd.org