Unpacking the Infrastructures and Roles for Effective MTSS Implementation

1. Unpacking the Infrastructures and Roles for Effective MTSS Implementation Ingham ISD September, 2012

2. Here’s why you are here… • Your buildings continue to work to implement the practices, programs, and assessment systems that fall under the MTSS umbrella • The ease of implementation is neither consistent across practices nor is it typically consistent across buildings

3. Here’s why you are here… • District infrastructures are necessary for supporting what happens at the building level • Inherent in those infrastructures are essential roles who provide: • Leadership for MTSS implementation efforts (MTSS Administrator) • Coordination for district MTSS implementation efforts

4. District Cabinet District Implementation Team • Vision • Priority • Policy • Providing for implementation supports (coaching, training, evaluation) • Barrier busting • Create materials • Collect and summarize data • Identify barriers to implementation MTSS Administrator Coordination MTSS Coordination Implementation Supports Direction Training Coaching Content Expertise Materials Evaluation Schools

5. Activity • Select one thing that your buildings are working to implement well. • What are some of the current and/or past challenges that the buildings faced? • What information would you need to know to effectively act on those challenges? • When would you like to have that information?

6. Key Elements of Implementation Science • Implementation Stages • Implementation Drivers • Improvement Cycles

7. Stages of Implementation Should we do it! Which focus area are your buildings relative to the practice or program you identified in the previous slide? Work to do it right! Work to do it better!

8. FALSE STARTS

9. False Start Should we do it! Our work this year and your work next year with the district Implementation Teams will create a host environment for the data, systems and practices in a MTSS model to be successfully implemented. Work to do it right! Work to do it better!

10. Key Elements of Implementation Science • Implementation Stages • Implementation Drivers • Improvement Cycles

11. Successful Student Outcomes Program/Initiative (set of practices that are implemented with Fidelity) Incentives Coaching Resources Capacity • Adaptive Competency Training Information Technical Integrated and Compensatory Decision Support Data System Selection Leadership Facilitative Administration Vision Management/Coordination Adapted from Fixsen & Blase, 2008

12. Outcomes • Unpack the concepts of the district infrastructures necessary to support the buildings across the district • Deepen knowledge around critical roles necessary for supporting implementation efforts • RtI/MTSS Administrator • MTSS Coordinator • Confirm district team (implementation team) members • Define IISD and MiBLSi supports

13. Building Specific vs. District Model Building Model District Model Still develop content and materials to support building level implementation Assist ISD’s and districts in the development of infrastructures to support implementation efforts Assist in developing local capacity for training, coaching, and data supports Intentional focus on fidelity of implementation • Emphasis was on assisting buildings in developing systems for a MTSS model • Main point of contact was with school buildings. • Districts agreed to provide coaching support to the participating buildings • Main point of contact at the ISD’s was through consultants and main contact at the district level were principals, and coaches, teams

14. Where we are heading… • Monthly sessions are designed to provide technical assistance around the big ideas necessary for supporting a durable MTSS model • There will be time allocated throughout the day for you and your District (Implementation) Team to apply the big ideas to your district’s context • This will be the only session where your district team will not be present

15. Key Topics • RtI/MTSS Administrator and MTSS Coordination responsibilities (Oct) • District (Implementation) Team set-up and responsibilities (Nov)

16. Upcoming Dates • 11/15/12 • 1/17/13 • 2/21/13 • 3/21/13 • 4/18/13 • 5/16/13

17. Infrastructures for Successful Implementation

18. District Cabinet District Implementation Team • Vision • Priority • Policy • Providing for implementation supports (coaching, training, evaluation) • Barrier busting • Create materials • Collect and summarize data • Identify barriers to implementation MTSS Administrator Coordination MTSS Coordination Implementation Supports Direction Training Coaching Content Expertise Materials Evaluation Schools

19. Defining “Cabinet” • “Cabinet” is a term used to describe the individuals who have executive leadership within the district • Example Roles: • Superintendent • Assistant Superintendent • Director of Curriculum and Instruction • Director of Special Education • Director of Finance • Director of Human Resources

20. Cabinet • Oversees all aspects of the district • Establishes the vision for what and how supports will be provided to school buildings • Identifies priorities • Establishes policies • Allocates resources to support priorities • Actively removes obstacles and barriers One of the priorities includes assisting buildings in implementing an integrated academic and behavior MTSS model. Policies to support achieving the priority are established along with allocation of resources and removal of barriers impeding the attainment of priorities.

21. Points About the Cabinet • Do not create a “Cabinet” for the sake of supporting MTSS • The infrastructures of the Cabinet and Implementation Team can/should support anything that is being implemented (e.g. data system, initiative, practices) • Right now, we are attending to MTSS implementation efforts • Do not call yourselves the “Cabinet” if you already are known as something different (Executive Team; Director’s Meeting)

22. Points About the Cabinet • In smaller districts, the “cabinet” may be only two people.” Don’t add additional people for the sake of creating a “cabinet” team. • The main point is the purpose those individuals serve • Ability to allocate resources (authority over budgetary decisions) • Ability to establish and approve policies

23. Activity • Take a moment to discuss the membership of your district’s cabinet • How many people participate? • What are their roles? • What is the group commonly referred to as? (e.g. cabinet, executive team, etc.) • Do those individuals have ultimate decision making authority (barring the board) or are there people that need to go to others higher up in the hierarchy to get approval/answers?

24. District Cabinet District Implementation Team • Vision • Priority • Policy • Providing for implementation supports (coaching, training, evaluation) • Barrier busting • Create materials • Collect and summarize data • Identify barriers to implementation MTSS Administrator Coordination MTSS Coordination Implementation Supports Direction Training Coaching Content Expertise Materials Evaluation Schools

25. Purpose • Responsible for planning, monitoring, problem solving, and continuous improvement of MTSS implementation efforts. • MTSS can be broadly defined to encompass all academic and behavioral components • Any initiative, program, or practice requires implementation supports and can fall beneath the MTSS umbrella • There wouldn’t be multiple District Implementation Teams created to support different practices, program, or initiatives

26. Intended Outcomes • Operationalize the district’s goals around the desired outcomes or intended future state of MTSS • To ensure sufficient capacity exists for the district to implement with fidelity the data, systems and practices necessary in an integrated MTSS model • Comprised of a reasonable sized group (5-7) people

27. Distinctions Between a Stakeholder Group and Implementation Team

28. Key Distinctions Stakeholder Group Implementation Team Individuals who will have knowledge about the data, systems and practices necessary for an integrated academic and behavior MTSS model Time is allocated for individuals to meet and engage in activities Actually “rolls up sleeves” to implement the Implementation Support Plan Provides input and feedback related to the implementation plan to the MTSS Administrator and individual(s) providing MTSS Coordination • Individuals who represent various departments/focus areas • Provides input and feedback related to how priorities will impact their department/focus area • Serves as a vehicle to disseminate information and collect/generate ideas for support

29. Activity • Read the “Expectations of the Implementation Team.” • Discuss with your MTSS Administrator who the District Implementation Team membership is and/or will be. • Given the Implementation Team expectations you just read, do you foresee any risks associated with team members (yourselves included) being able to fulfill those responsibilities?

30. Important Role of the MTSS Administrator

31. District Cabinet District Implementation Team • Vision • Priority • Policy • Providing for implementation supports (coaching, training, evaluation) • Barrier busting • Create materials • Collect and summarize data • Identify barriers to implementation MTSS Administrator Coordination MTSS Coordination Implementation Supports Direction Training Coaching Content Expertise Materials Evaluation Schools

32. Defining “MTSS Administrator” • Person who is a member of the “cabinet” • Responsible for overseeing the work of the District Implementation Team by ensuring the vision for MTSS and the priorities associated with that vision are translated into action

33. Defining “MTSS Administrator” • Active member of the District Implementation Team but does not necessarily have assigned action items involving product development and other tasks associated with supporting the implementation support plan

34. Defining “MTSS Administrator” • Collaborates with the individual(s) providing MTSS Coordination to: • Identify possible District Implementation Team members • Identify relevant agenda items for team meetings • Discuss the benefits and risks for decisions that need to be made to enhance MTSS implementation • Discuss implications of decisions

35. Defining “MTSS Administrator” • Effectively communicates to relevant groups within the district (e.g. cabinet, board, all staff, relevant councils/committees, or groups) and to other constituents • Serves as the first level of approval for components included in the implementation support plan developed by the District (Implementation) Team

36. Activity • You should have a document entitled, “Defining Essential Roles for MTSS Implementation.” • Read the portion entitled, “Expectations of the MTSS Administrator.” • Which category of expectations seem to be more heavily emphasized? • Which categories would you say are most critical to supporting implementation efforts?

37. The project has developed tools and resources to assist in clearly defining the critical components for essential roles and team structures necessary for supporting MTSS implementation efforts.

38. Practice Profiles

39. Defining Practice Profiles • Identifies critical components of a particular practice, program, role, team function, etc. • Clearly articulates the practice(s): • Ideal implementation • Acceptable variation • Unacceptable variation • Harmful variation

40. MTSS Administrator Critical Components • Selection of individual(s) providing MTSS Coordination • Selection of District Implementation Team membership • Implementation of MTSS Goals • Collaboration with individual(s) providing MTSS Coordination • Effective Communication The MTSS Administrator Practice Profile will elaborate on each of the components briefly defined on the “Critical Roles…” document you just read by identifying the varying degrees of how each component could be implemented (ideal implementation through harmful variations)

41. Defining Practice Profiles Anything to the left of the line (emerging practice/acceptable variation or ideal) is okay!

42. Reading a Practice Profile

43. Why so much detail? • There is a balance between being clear about the critical components and the importance of keeping the document short. • One of the biggest challenges for implementation is the high level of ambiguity for the roles, team structures and practices. • The compromise is to provide enough information within each critical component but not too much that it would take days to read.

44. Activity • Read the second critical feature of the MTSS Administrator Practice Profile entitled, “Selection of District (Implementation) Team Membership.” • Each person takes turns reading one row for that critical feature • What are the key distinctions between “ideal,” “acceptable,” and “unacceptable,” “harmful?” • Refer back to the list you created of potential District (Implementation) Team members. • After reading the practice are there people you might add or remove from the potential list?

45. Important Role of MTSS Coordination

46. District Cabinet District Implementation Team • Vision • Priority • Policy • Providing for implementation supports (coaching, training, evaluation) • Barrier busting • Create materials • Collect and summarize data • Identify barriers to implementation MTSS Administrator Coordination MTSS Coordination Implementation Supports Direction Training Coaching Content Expertise Materials Evaluation Schools

47. Defining “MTSS Coordination” • Responsibility of one or more individuals • Collaborates with the MTSS Administrator to ensure necessary people are considered for Implementation Team membership • Organizes, coordinates, and co-facilitates the District Implementation Team meetings

48. Defining “MTSS Coordination” • Collaborates with team members (remember the team also includes the MTSS Administrator) to develop a District MTSS Implementation Support Plan • Applies knowledge about the data, systems and practices necessary in an integrated MTSS model • If knowledge needs to be deepened, a plan is developed with the MTSS Administrator to acquire the necessary knowledge

49. Defining “RtI/MTSS Coordination” • Analyzes and summarizes implementation data (program quality/fidelity and outcome) • Applies the problem-solving process in order to guide the District Implementation Team in making data-based decisions • Gathers the necessary information, tools and resources for District Implementation Team meetings

50. Defining “RtI/MTSS Coordination” • Meets with the RtI/MTSS Administrator on a regular basis to plan for future meetings, discuss next steps, and to provide status updates around the completion of action plan items • If MTSS coordination responsibilities are shared, one person is identified to ensure all assigned responsibilities are completed as intended and in a timely basis