Special Education Task Force Report

Meeting Dates

•March 14, 2016

• April 18, 2016

• June 8, 2016

Stakeholders include general educators, building administrators, special educators, EACC representatives, Central Office personnel.

What’s Working?

• Administrator assigned to Special Education is knowledgeable.

• Special Education website.

• High Quality professional development for general and special education teachers.

• Case management days.

• Regionalized programs.

• Instructional assistant participation in select professional development sessions.

• Regular case management time built into schedules.

Challenges

• Teacher retention

• Teacher workload

• Teacher caseloads

• Co-teaching consistent implementation

• Co-ownership of all students by special and general educators.

• Planning time

• Administrative support/beliefs that ALL students deserve the best instruction available.

New Special Educator Evening Staff Development

New Special Educator Evening Staff Development

Purpose

Build the capacity of new special educators and improve retention rates

Skills Addressed

1. The implementation of key instructional practices2. The development, planning, and implementation of high quality IEPs

Logistics

1st and 2nd year special educators met once a month from 5-7 pm for the first 6 months of school

Data - New Special Educator Evening Staff Development

2014 – 2015sy 2015-2016sy

• In the 2014-2015 SY, the retention rate for all special educators was 88.7%

• 70% of 59 new special educators attended at least one evening staff development session

• 19 attended at least three out of six sessions

• 61 new teachers attended at least one session.

• Only 2 new special educators did not return to the SPED department in the 15-16 SY

• 97% retention rate for those in attendance

• The average rating for the overall PD opportunity was 3.7 out of 4

2016/2017 New Special Educator Evening Staff Development

• Up to 30 new special education teachers will meet after school 6 times in the 16/17 SY for two hours per session

Sessions 1 – 3 (Case Management)9/8, 10/6, 11/3

Sessions 4 – 6 (Instruction)12/1, 1/12, 2/9

• Strategies for time and case management to improve self-efficacy • Coaching on how to proactively identify

educational barriers through the use of Universal Design for Learning and how to

develop differentiated solutions • Best practices for collecting, compiling,

and analyzing data specific to student deficits in context of LRE discussion

• Practical experience with writing high quality IEPs in a guided format

• Evidence – based instructional and behavioral strategies for the classroom

Special Education Academy

Special Education Academy Purpose

Expand the toolbox of strategies for general educators to meet the needs of diverse learners

Skills Addressed

1. Instructional strategies for perception, for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols, and for comprehension

2. Instructional strategies for physical action, for expression and communication, and for executive functions

3. Instructional strategies for recruiting interest, for sustaining effort and persistence, and for self-regulation

Logistics

• 72 participants chose one course to attend from a list of 9 organized by UDL framework • Academy took place on April 6, 2016

Special Education Academy –April 6, 2016

3.8 out of 4.0 – 72 participants

Title of Course Instructor(s)

Practical Classroom Strategies for Students with Visual and Hearing Impairments

Matthew Petricion, Vision Specialist, Olivia Hill, Hearing Specialist, Niya Costley, Special Education Teacher

Utilizing Multiple Points of Entry to Increase Student Access and Achievement

Melanie Upright, SLP Team Leader

Teaching Fraction Computation So Students Get It! Jane Thoman, Content Specialist for Math and Chris Kernozek, Specialist for Math

Practical Reading Strategies for Diverse Learners John Tompkins, Content Specialist for Reading

UDL and Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners with Communication Deficits

Amanda Mastran, Resource Teacher for Autism

UDL and Strategies to Support Executive Function Skills in Diverse Learners

Scott Paterson, School Psychologist and Matt Werner, Special Educator

2016 /2017 Special Education Academy • A cohort of 60 special educators will be trained in the use of UDL strategies for the collaborative

development and implementation of high quality IEPs

• Nine classes addressing each of the three networks will be offered

October 12, 2016Recognition Network

Options for perception, for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols, and for comprehension

November 15, 2016Strategic Network

Options for physical action, for expression and communication, and for executive functions

December 6, 2016Affective Network

Options for recruiting interest, for sustaining effort and persistence, and for self-regulation.

Co-teaching: Planning and Implementation

Co-teaching: Planning and Implementation Purpose

• Build the capacity of co-teaching teams to collaboratively plan and implement high quality instruction

• Provide much needed TIME for collaborative planning

Skills Addressed

1. Identify potential barriers for diverse learners in traditionally planned lessons through Universal Design for Learning (UDL),

2. Differentiate instruction to meet the individual needs of all students, and 3. Identify the most effective co-teaching models to facilitate instructional flexibility

throughout lessons

Logistics

• 30 co-teaching pairs at the secondary level were identified to participate. Emphasis on new special education teachers and pairs without built-in collaborative planning

• Pairs received unannounced baseline session and two facilitated co-planning sessions

3.52 out of 4.0 – 52 participants

2016/2017 Co-teaching: Planning and Implementation

• Up to 40 co-teaching teams at the elementary school level, 32 co-teaching teams at the middle school level, and 28 co-teaching teams at the high school level will receive one half day per quarter of planning time

• As part of the planning time, a portion will be dedicated to the following:

Quarter 1 Barriers to Co-teaching and Solutions / Co-teaching Models

Quarter 2 Integrating UDL and Differentiated Instruction

Quarter 3 Best Practices/ Strategies for Differentiating the Content

Quarter 4 Best Practices/ Strategies for Differentiating the Process/ Product

New for the 2016/2017 School Year:Reading Intervention Training

Reading Intervention Training Purpose

Build the capacity of reading intervention teachers

Skills Addressed

Within the context of the Response to Intervention framework, Intervention specific guidance will be provided in the areas of

1. organization, 2. assessment, and3. implementation

Logistics

• Up to 40 interventionists for the Fundations Program will attend two full days of training in August or September of the 2016-2017 SY

• Up to 16 interventionists for the Wilson Program will attend three full days of training in August or September of the 2016-2017 SY

• Up to 40 interventionists of various reading interventions (Edge, LLI, Just Words, etc.) will attend evening staff development for the first 4 months of the school year (9/15, 10/13, 11/10, 12/8)

New for the 2016 – 2017 School Year:SPED Pilot Program

SPED Pilot Program Purpose

Provide relief in the area of case management size to maximize active in-class instruction in inclusion classrooms.

Pilot Schools

1. Thomas Stone HS 2. Mattawoman MS 3. John Hanson MS

Definitions for Purpose of Distinguishing Roles

Instructional Case Manager – Smaller caseloads and more co-teaching opportunities in inclusion classroomsCompliance Case Manager – Larger caseloads and greater IEP meeting responsibilities

Summary of Sped Pilot Program

1. Two regular special education staffing positions will be redefined as Compliance Case Managers• These positions are designed to assume the case management and IEP

responsibilities for the majority of students with disabilities.

2. The caseloads of Instructional Case Managers will be reduced resulting in more instructional time for special education teachers.

Benefits to the Sped Pilot Program

More balance between case management and instructional responsibilities.

More special educators in inclusion classrooms with greater consistency for more effective co-teaching.

Stronger collaborative development, planning, and implementation of IEPs.

4th year College Level Math Course Mandated for all students in 17-18sy. More flexibilitycreated to offer inclusion version.

Greater SPED teacher retention with more opportunity to be effective in all aspects of position.