Meeting the Educational Needs of Diverse Learners DeAngela Milligan and Sarah Bardack

1. Meeting the Educational Needs of Diverse Learners DeAngela Milligan and Sarah Bardack

2. Objectives Participants will: • Better understand the importance of individualizing service delivery to meet the needs of diverse learners • Discuss the barriers to and learn strategies for meeting the educational needs of diverse learners • Identify what to look for when monitoring programs in relation to diverse learners

3. Importance of Ensuring That the Needs of Diverse Learners Are Identified, Assessed, and Addressed • Assessing, identifying, and meeting the unique needs of students being served by Title I, Part D, is a requirement for Title I, Part D, funding and program evaluation • Failing to identify, assess, and address the needs of diverse learners could ultimately affect Federal monitoring reviews • Ensuring that diverse learners receive a high-quality education is essential

4. Importance of Ensuring That the Needs of Diverse Learners Are Identified, Assessed, and Addressed “Monitoring of programs administered by SASA is necessary to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education. Monitoring assesses the extent to which States provide leadership and guidance for local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools in implementing policies and procedures that comply with the statutes and regulations of Title I, Part A; Title III, Part A; N/D; and Homeless.” —SASA Monitoring Guide

5. Title I, Part D, Laws and Regulations Regarding the Education of Diverse Learners • Title I, Part D, Statute • Subpart 1: Section 1414 • Subpart 2: Sections 1423, 1424, 1425 • Subpart 3: Section 1431 • Title I, Part D, Nonregulatory Guidance • Subpart 1: Sections B–5, E–3, G–1, and J–4 • Subpart 2: Sections N–1, O–1, O–2, and P–1

6. Other Federal Laws Relevant to Diverse Learners • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—prohibits race, color, and national origin discrimination • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973—prohibits disability discrimination • Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972—prohibits sex discrimination • Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990—prohibits disability discrimination by public entities

7. Who Are Diverse Learners? Diverse learners are students from different backgrounds that include but are not limited to: • Cultural, linguistic, and racial or ethnic minority • Learning, emotional, or social disability • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ or LGBT)

8. One Size Will Not Fit All: Identify, Assess, and Address • Title I, Part D, coordinators should focus on providing leadership and guidance to subgrantees on meeting the needs of diverse learners by: • Reviewing data to identify diverse learners • Providing technical assistance (TA) to subgrantees during monitoring to help recognize gaps in providing instruction • Continually evaluate progress in meeting the educational needs of diverse learners through monitoring reviews • Subgrantees need to be able to: • Use data to assess the educational needs of diverse learners • Implement strategies based on individual needs

9. Identifying Diverse Learners Strategies for use by Title I, Part D, coordinators may include: • Using Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR) data to identify students who are struggling academically • Requesting that subgrantees report multiple measures of student progress • Communicating the importance of disaggregating program data Strategies for use by subgrantees may include: • Holding regular meetings with staff to discuss individual students • Working with facility staff to coordinate with other services that may have expertise with diverse learners (e.g., special education, English language learning)

10. Barriers to Meeting the Educational Needs of Diverse Learners Barriers faced by Title I, Part D, coordinators may include: • Inaccurate or incomplete data • Limited time to sufficiently identify diverse learners or take steps to address their needs Barriers faced by subgrantees may include: • Insufficient funding • Low capacity regarding teaching staff or facility space • Lack of staff awareness, antipathy, or lack of comfort with cultural diversity on the part of staff toward these students’ needs

11. Report Out: Strategies for Meeting Student’s Educational Needs Strategies may include: • Using data-driven decisionmaking to improve monitoring outcomes • Identifying monitoring indicators that promote better outcomes for diverse learners • Diversity awareness training for staff that includes learning how to identify and address students’ needs

12. Resources NDTAC Resources: • NDTAC Data Corner: The Data Corner provides indepth information on collecting, reporting, and analyzing Title I, Part D, data and can give you tools to identify diverse learners and assess their educational needs. http://www.neglecteddelinquent.org/nd/data/datacorner.asp • NDTAC Monitoring and Compliance Web page: The Monitoring and Compliance page contains multiple resources (such as tips sheets for preparing for Federal monitoring), which include strategies that can be adapted to focus on diverse learners. http://www.neglected delinquent.org/nd/resources/library/monitoring.asp • Upcoming NDTAC Literacy and Numeracy Toolkits: NDTAC plans to publish literacy and numeracy toolkits in the summer that will include strategies for direct instruction, which may be helpful for diverse learners.

13. Resources U.S. Department of Education Resources: • Access Center: Includes resources that focus on rigorous academic content areas—language arts, math, and science—as well as on instructional and learning strategies to provide instruction for students who have disabilities. http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php • Office for Civil Rights (OCR): OCR is responsible for resolving any complaints of discrimination and also can provide TA on preventing and addressing discrimination. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

14. Resources U.S. Department of Justice Resources: • Disproportionate Minority Contact Web site: The Disproportionate Minority Contact Web site provides information and tools on how to identify and reduce disproportionate minority representation in the juvenile justice system. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/dmc/index.html • The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) National Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Databook: This databook may include supplemental data to help you identify diverse learners in your facilities. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/dmcdb/index.html