State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG)

State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) Collaboration with the Parent Program Centers Jennifer Coffey, Nancy Prescott, Rich Robison, and Courtney Salzer Parent Strand Presentation # S1-206

Goals of this Presentation • Share the purpose and requirements of the SPDG program as they relate to Parent Program Centers • Provide ideas about innovative programs parent centers can enact in collaboration with SPDG projects • Demonstrate results from SEA and PTI collaborations • Provide an overview of strategies to create successful collaborative efforts between the SPDG projects and the PTIs/CPRCs

State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) Purpose, Requirements, and Possibilities Jennifer Coffey, Office of Special Education Programs Parent Strand Presentation # S1-206

Purpose of the SPDG Program • The purpose of this program is to assist State educational agencies (SEAs) in reforming and improving their systems for personnel preparation and professional development in early intervention, educational, and transition services in order to improve results for children with disabilities.

Requirements • 90% of funds received must go toward professional development activities • See (a) “Use of Funds” (IDEA Statute, Sec. 654) • Must choose at least one of these activities • Up to 10% of funds may be used for “other activities” • See (b) under Use of Funds • Must choose at least one of these activities

Requirements cont. • (c) Contracts and Subgrants—An SEA that receives a grant under this program— • (1) Must award contracts or subgrants to LEAs, institutions of higher education, parent training and information centers, or community parent resource centers, as appropriate, to carry out the State plan; and • (2) May award contracts and subgrants to other public and private entities, including the lead agency under Part C of IDEA, to carry out the State plan.

Program performance measures • Measure 1.1 – Evidence-Based Practices (Personnel): The percent of personnel receiving professional development through the SPDG based on scientific- or evidence-based instructional practices. • Measure 1.2 – State Performance Plan (SPP) Alignment: The percent of SPDG projects that implement personnel development/training activities that are aligned with improvement strategies identified in their SPP. • Measure 2.1 – Evidence-Based Practices (Training): The percentage of professional development/training activities provided through the SPDG based on scientific- or evidence-based instructional/behavioral practices.

Measure 2.2 – Sustained Practices: The percentage of professional development/training activities based on scientific- or evidence-based instructional/behavioral practices, provided through the SPDG program, that are sustained through on-going and comprehensive practices. (Long-term) • Measure 3.1 – Teacher Retention: In states with SPDG projects that have special education teacher retention as a goal, the statewide percentage of highly qualified special education teachers in state identified professional disciplines (e.g., teachers of children with emotional disturbance, deafness, etc.) who remain teaching after the first two years of employment. • Measure 4.1 – Scale-up Scientific- or Evidence-Based Practices: The percentage of SPDG projects that successfully replicate the use of scientific- or evidence-based instructional/behavioral practice in schools. (Long-term)

Current SPDG Investments • 45 States (FY 05, 06, 07, 09) • Range of funding: $500,000 to $2.2 million • $45 million annually

Current state activities and outcomes • Themes • Activities • Response to Intervention & Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports • Recruitment and retention • Populations • Elementary • Early Childhood • Outcomes • Decreases in office discipline referrals/suspensions • Improvement in academic achievement • Increases in parent involvement

The SPDG Program • SIGnetwork • www.signetwork.org • SIGnetwork Coordinator • Monthly Webinars • Regional Meetings • Low Incidence Affinity Group • Evaluator Meetings • Technology Focus Work Group • Implementation Discussions • Other strands and communities

What Works in SPDG/Parent Program Collaboration • Planning together for a new application and sharing in desire to reach the stated goals • Meeting regularly to ensure open communication and mutual satisfaction with the relationship • Measuring the effectiveness of the collaboration: both process and outcomes • Collaborating on the evaluation of SPDG activities and using the feedback to make changes

Questions?

Partnering with the State Personnel Development Project Enhancing Collaborative Relationships Between Families and Schools In CT Nancy Prescott Executive Director Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center S1-206-State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG)

Enhancing Collaborative Relationships Between Families and Schools In CT • Connecticut State Department of Education • Bureau of Special Education • Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center • State Personnel Development Grant

“Collaboration is not a simple process- every step from developing a shared vision to overcoming language and organizational groups is a series of give and take adjustments to some operating procedure.” “Collaboration is uniting organizations and individuals for the purpose of achieving common goals that would not be achieved by any single individual or organization acting alone.” 2006 OSEP Project Directors’ Conference - Best Practices in Parent Center-State Collaboration to Improve Student Achievement

History of Collaboration Between CT PTI and CT SDE • Long term member, Comprehensive System of Personnel Development Council • Regular communication between PTI staff and SDE staff about family concerns • Product development e.g. disability guidelines, parent guide on special education

History of Collaboration Between CT PTI and CT SDE • Mutual promotion of shared agenda..i.e. improved outcomes for students with disabilities e.g. Child Find, Focused Monitoring, Part C&B Parent Survey • Involvement in previous two State Improvement Grants (SIGs)

PTI activities in current SPDG are designed to enhance collaboration between families and schools. Shared work was designed to promote and enhance shared PTI/ SDE priorities at the district level: • Literacy, • Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI/RTI), • Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports • Transition from Birth to Three to Preschool and…

Model and Inform Collaborative Practices at the District and Regional Level Such As: • Involve families in decision making teams (Families and Schools Together (FAST teams modeled after work of Joyce Epstein) • Share research and support implementation of evidence based practices (data driven decision making, progress monitoring, family engagement)

Model and Inform Collaborative Practices at the District and Regional Level Such As: • Develop meaningful, on-going opportunities for professional development related to working with families (staff meetings, administrative council agendas) • Promote the inclusion of family members on improvement planning committees or other existing collaborative structures

Provide Feedback Loop to SDE About District and Parent Concerns • Used State Advisory Council as vehicle to reinforce statewide concerns and practices • Invited to present at state and regional groups of special ed directors, curriculum directors and superintendents to share info about how to engage families in all initiatives

Provide Feedback Loop to SDE About District and Parent Concerns • Requested to provide training to parents and staff in more districts and to assist in problem solving around family school relationship issues. • Shared information with SDE which was then reinforced in communication with districts • SPDG independent evaluator critical in helping to connect all activities

Opportunities to Enhance Sustainability of Collaborations • Legislative changes requiring greater parent involvement • Required improvement planning for all districts included in Race to the Top application • New PTI partnerships with general education staff at the State Department of Education • Proposed curriculum development and joint training of all district IEP Team chairs

Massachusetts Focus Academy The Massachusetts SPDG Collaboration for Success Presenter Name: Richard J. Robison, Executive Director Federation for Children with Special Needs Strand: Parent Presentation # S1-206-State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG)-Coffey-Doolittle/Prescott/Robison/Salzer

Massachusetts Focus Academy (SPDG): Collaboration for Success Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Office of Special Education Planning and Policy Development & The Federation for Children with Special Needs Boston, MA

Massachusetts SIG 1998-2007 Partners on “Project Focus and Project Focus Academy”: • Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Office of Special Education Policy and Planning • Federation for Children with Special Needs Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) • Institute for Community Inclusion University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) • Department of Public Health Lead Agency Early Intervention Program (Part C)

Massachusetts FOCUS Academy (SPDG):2007-2012 The Partnership continues with same Partners State Personnel Development Grant builds upon and extends Project FOCUS and Project FOCUS Academy. The vision of MFA is to provide an integrated statewide on-line professional development system that is accessible throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mass Focus Academy This system will have long-term impact on outcomes for students with disabilities, infants and toddlers served through EI and their families by: Improving the competencies of individual educators, family members, and adult service agency personnel; increasing the capacity of districts to support and retain educators; and building a statewide framework for professional development.

Mass Focus Academy The goal of MFA is to: Develop a framework for statewide professional development using a multi-faceted approach of web-based and direct training activities; Increase the knowledge and skills of family members, educators, and adult service agency personnel working with middle/high school students with disabilities that will result in improved outcomes for students with disabilities and the retention of qualified personnel; Increase the capacity of family members to engage meaningfully in the special education process through collaboration; Increase the knowledge and skills of allied health professionals and early intervention specialists, that will result in increased capacity to serve children in natural settings, improved functional outcomes for children, and the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel;

MFA Components Family Members: Successful Transition for Middle and High School Students based upon 3 primary principals: self-determination, tools for Independence, and collaboration with Schools and Agencies. Collaborative Leadership with LEAs: Parent/Professional Leadership Institute (A.P.P.L.E.): create a three-day collaborative experience of parents and district leaders to solidify partnerships and create a systemic planto improve family engagement in Special education. Educators: DevelopOnline 3-Credit Graduate Level Courses on topics such as: UDL; PBIS; UDT; & Transition - Teacher-Leadership Summer workshop on the principals of adult learning that that will support district-based leaders (train-the-trainer model) Early Intervention Specialists: - Self-directed modules in the areas of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy - Revised curriculum: “Implementing Early Intervention -Transition” and “Infant and Toddler Development”

Mass Focus Academy Courses Online 3-Credit Graduate Level Courses: Universal Design for Learning (2 Semesters) Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Creating and Sustaining Positive School and Classroom Learning Environments( 2 Semesters) Framingham State College Family Involvement: How to Partner with Families of Middle and High School Students with Disabilities to Achieve Success (2 Semesters) Federation for Children with Special Needs Post-Secondary Transition Planning (4 Semesters) Institute for Community Inclusion

MFA Courses Taught by FCSN Course 1: “How to Partner with Families to Achieve Student Success” (Average enrollment: 25/semester; 85% completion) Course 2: “Parent-Professional Partnerships: Transition Planning” (Average enrollment: 20/semester; 88% completion)

MFA Course One:How to Partner with Families Course Overview: The purpose of this course is to equip educators with the knowledge and skills required to develop and strengthen collaborative partnerships with families of middle and high school students with disabilities in order to assist students to successfully transition to adult life. Essential Questions: How can outcomes for you and for your students and their families be improved by developing and strengthening your partnerships with families? Which partnering strategies will work most effectively for you and your students in order to achieve success? Required Text:Families, Professionals, and Exceptionality: Positive Outcomes Through Partnership & Trust, 5th Ed. by Ann Turnbull, Rud Turnbull, Elizabeth Erwin, & Leslie Soodak

MFA Course Two: Partnerships for Transition Course Purpose : This course is to equip educators with the knowledge and skills needed to develop partnerships with families of middle and high school students with disabilities, to practice a universally designed approach to transition planning (UDT). Goal: To increase skills to create Transition plans for students with a wide variety of needs and with unique visions using Universal Design for Transition (UDT). Required Text : Thoma, C., Bartholomew, C., & Scott, L. (2009). Universal Design For Transition: A Road Map for Planning and Instruction. Baltimore , MD : Brookes Publishing.

Evaluation of MFA - FCSN Activities Course Participant Feedback: “The work in the course and the great discussion posts has awakened a voice and energy in me that I thought had disappeared.” (sped teacher 36 years) “This class has motivated me to start some professional development within our own school.” “Since beginning this class, I have become more mindful to involve students directly in goal setting.” What I have read is shaping the way I look upon family partnerships and will direct my future behavior.” “I feel that it will be very beneficial that I was able to take this course so early on in my career.”

MFA Parent Leadership Institute: APPLE “Advancing Parent-Professional Leadership in Education: APPLE” is a 2.5 day long, face to face training event for school district teams. Teams are collaborative in nature and consist of 4-5 Parent leaders along with at least one Special Education administrator. Activities focus on Reciprocal Outreach to all families; Effective Communication; Personal Leadership Styles and a Four-Step strategic planning process.

MFA: APPLE Institute Purpose To promote partnership between parents of children in special education and their school districts by: Improved parent-professional collaboration; Building parent leadership skills; Building the functional capacity of Sped Parent Advisory Councils Required by MA State Law to exist in each district. Their purpose is to advise the special education program at the district LEA level. Since 2007, 4 Institutes; 90+ participants from 20 LEA teams.

MFA-APPLE Institute Participant Feedback I feel we have a plan for our town and also I got ideas for my child. We have a vision and a draft strategic plan of action Developing relationships with peers & former adversaries. I hope that culture can change. I heard about ideas of what events other PACs have run. To be able to come up with a new vision & goals for the PAC’s future Working with our SPED Director-developing this relationship. Shifting the thinking of our PAC to a more positive role in the district.

External Evaluation Each semester the Project evaluates: On-line courses for quality and effectiveness Reviews course topics Parent Institute (beginning 2009) Evaluation purpose is to better understand participant: - Experience in the course (tech issues, instructor, etc) - What they learned (pre-post on content) - How they applied this knowledge in their work with SWD - How this increased knowledge may impact their career plans - Feedback on how the course can be improved and marketed. Methods: - Survey via Web (invitation with up to 3 reminders) Phone follow-up to non-responders Target 80% response rate Qualitative Interviews

Findings: Partnering with Families Course evaluation: 28 items on content, delivery, instructor, impact on work with Students with Disabilities Participants spent avg. 7 hrs / week on course Majority: this was first online course Limited in ability to participate in weekly online discussions Concerns about volume of course work expected High levels of satisfaction with course content and delivery Impact / application: increased cultural sensitivity, improved awareness of resources available for communication with families, development of daily communication systems

Findings: Partnering with Families Post Test on Content Knowledge Gained: Most able to answer 11 of 13 correctly (mean 9.4 SD 2.4) Most challenging item was on cultural reciprocity General Feedback: Most heard of opportunity through SPED Director. Most applied to learn best practices in this area. Vast majority reported faculty to be supportive, knowledgeable, approachable. Vast majority confident in ability to apply what was learned & course had impacted their work with SWD.

Conclusions: Parents (PTI) as SPDG Partners Parent Center (PTI Rep) co-authors of SPDG Grant with SEA/Partners. Parent Center Representative serves on SPDG Management team. Parent Center implements specific activities of SPDG. Parent Center contributes to evaluative feedback.

Conclusions: SEA and PTI Collaboration Makes Good Sense and the Evaluation data supports it. Is a Promising Practice that requires continual support and development. Demonstrates a positive model for the LEAs to follow. Ensures improved student/parent outcomes.

State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) Collaboration with the Parent Program Centers Courtney Salzer Parent Strand Presentation # S1-206

Wisconsin FACETS SPDG Collaboration • Noteworthy Aspects of our Collaboration: • Our collaboration with our SEA has taken time – things haven’t always been the way they are now. • The focus of our collaboration has shifted and evolved to be more focused on outcomes and long term impact and less focused on how many widgets we produced. • We work very hard to sustain our collaboration. Our collaboration has endured because we put great effort towards maintaining and preserving the progress we’ve made.

Wisconsin FACETS SPDG Collaboration The History of our Collaboration: Collaborative relationship since 1999 First SIG application in 2001 was not funded, in part because parent involvement was absent. Second SIG application identified content hubs, developed with specific funding commitment from each hub for related parent involvement activities Significant PTI input into 2007 SPDG application and work plan

Wisconsin FACETS SPDG Collaboration Our Collaboration Activities Personnel development Collaborative development and implementation of several training modules for parents and educators Training of trainers to expand available trainers for modules Mixed teams of parent and educator to model collaboration Leadership opportunities for parents Stipends offered for parents to assume membership on boards or attend first conference Focus on reaching “hard to reach” populations Infusion of parent perspective in other hubs, initiatives and communities of practice Conversation changes when parents are at the table Parents take on part of the work, builds mutual respect Models collaboration for school districts

Wisconsin FACETS SPDG Collaboration Lessons Learned… Parent centers possess valuable commodities, learn how to package and market this value Be patient if you are just beginning to work with your SEA – but continue to seek opportunities for greater collaboration. What parent centers can bring to SIG/SPDG projects is valuable and should be adequately compensated. Be deliberate about sustaining your collaboration once it’s established.

Wisconsin FACETS SPDG Collaboration Ideas for Sustaining the Collaboration Regularly scheduled meetings/check-ins As expectations and personnel development changes, build on previous work and products Share opportunities for growth with each other: collaborative staff meetings, conferences, distance and online personnel development Collaborative information dissemination: (1) joint emails or newsletters; and (2) collaborative product dissemination and displays at

State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG)