Nuts & Bolts of School Wide Problem Solving: An Overview

1. Nuts & Bolts of School Wide Problem Solving: An Overview Norma Cole, Principal Garden City Elementary School Shane McConnell, Asst. Principal, Ponaganset High School

2. Iowa’s Experience: How it all started • Began in 1986-1987 • Discussions with stakeholders • Parents • Teachers • Administrators • Area Education Agency Personnel • Policy Makers • Over 4000 persons contributed

3. A Series of Questions Were Asked • What is working with the current system? • What components of the system are in need of reconsideration? • What barriers get in the way of trying these changes? • Important - There was no presumption that what we were doing was not being done well.

4. Iowa’s Experience • Systematically piloted in late ’80s and early ’90s • Changed state rules in ’95 • Requires General Education Intervention • Defines systematic problem solving • Promotes assessments tailored to individuals’ needs • Assessment for identifying problems, analyzing them, planning interventions, monitoring progress and evaluating effectiveness

5. We have witnessed over the last 30 years numerous attempts at planned educational change. The benefits have not nearly equaled the costs, and all too often, the situation has seemed to worsen. We have, however, gained clearer and clearer insights over this period about the do’s and don’ts of bringing about change….One of the most promising features of this new knowledge about change is that successful examples of innovation are based on what might be most accurately labeled “organized common sense.” (Fullan, 1991, p. xi-xii) Fullan, M. G. (1991). The new meaning of educational change. New York, NY : Teachers College Press. Quote

6. Level IV IEP Consideration Level III Consultation With Extended Problem Solving Team • Define the Problem Level II Consultation with Amount of Resources Needed to Solve Problem Other Resources • Develop a Plan • Evaluate Level I Consultation Between Teachers-Parents • Implement Plan INTENSITY OF PROBLEM The Problem Solving Approach

7. If you teach the same curriculum, to all students, at the same time, at the same rate, using the same materials, with the same instructional methods, with the same expectations for performance and grade on a curve you have fertile ground for growing special education. Gary Germann, 2003

8. School-Wide Systems for Student Success Academic Systems Behavioral Systems • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • High Intensity • Of longer duration • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • Intense, durable procedures • Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Universal Interventions • All students • Preventive, proactive • Universal Interventions • All settings, all students • Preventive, proactive 1-5% 1-5% 5-10% 5-10% 80-90% 80-90%

9. The Problem Solving Process •Define the Problem (Screening and Diagnostic Assessments) What is the problem and why is it happening? • Develop a Plan (Goal Setting and Planning) • Evaluate (Progress Monitoring Assessment) What are we going to do? Did our plan work? • Implement Plan (Treatment Integrity) Carry out the intervention

10. Teacher Parent Level One • Consultation Between Teacher and Parent • Define the Problem Informal discussion focusing on behaviors of concern • Evaluate • Develop a Plan Parent and teacher determine effectiveness and need for additional resources Anecdotal documentation • Implement Plan Parent and teacher gather information and monitor

11. Level Two Strategic Instruction: Consultation with Other Resources • Define the Problem -Available Screenings -Further definition of the problem Teacher • Develop a Plan • Evaluate BAT -Data used to evaluate progress -Team offers strategies - Building Assistance -Solutions generated Team -Plan written -Success determined Parent • Implement Plan - Team assists with implementation - Data collected from naturally occurring sources if possible

12. Teacher BAT AEA Parent -Implement according to written plan -Ongoing systematic data collection -Follow-up as needed Level Three Strategic Instruction: Consultation with Extended Problem Solving Team • Define the Problem -Identify concern -Define behavior of concern -Problem validation -Problem analysis -Functional assessment -Write problem statement • Develop a Plan • Evaluate Generate possible solutions -Evaluate solutions -Select a solution -Collect baseline data -Set a goal -Write action plan -Select measurement strategy -Develop plan to evaluate effectiveness - -Data analyzed to determine effectiveness -Success determined by rate of progress & size of discrepancy -Recycle or determine need to consider entitlement for special education • Implement Plan

13. -Identify additional areas of concern -Develop assessment questions -Collect additional data necessary for entitlement decision Teacher BAT AEA Parent Level Four Intensive Instruction: Intervention and Entitlement Consideration (Due Process) • Define the Problem • Develop a Plan • Evaluate -Using all data gathered at all levels problem solving , determine if appropriate interventions and whether or not special education services are needed. -Team develops IEP -Success determined by rate of progress and size of discrepancy -Plan rewritten once per year or as often as data indicates the need - • Implement Plan -Implement according to IEP -Ongoing systematic data collection -Instructional changes made as needed

14. Elements of an Effective Model • Set of goals • Valid and reliable assessment system to monitor progress • Adoption of research proven materials and programs • Adequate, prioritized instructional time • Differentiated instruction, grouping, and scheduling • Strong instructional leaders maintaining focus and establishing support mechanisms • An integrated system of research-based professional development and resource allocation. Adapted from Kame’enui and Simmons

15. Why use a School-Wide Approach? • The best way to address problems is to prevent them before they happen • Achievement of all students is everyone’sresponsibility within a school. • Early intervention to promote success is critical to future school achievement. • Early intervention requires accurate identification of children at risk for failure. • Assessment, instruction, and meaningful outcomes for students must bealigned.

16. Why use a School-Wide Approach? • Some students will require intensive interventions. • Assessment data will be needed todetermine resourcesneeded to addressconcerns. • Ongoing monitoring should direct instructional decisions and be repeated with the frequency needed fortimelyinterventions. • “No matter how great the idea or how compelling the research, if an intervention is not working, something must change.”

17. Four Organizing Principles • Earlier rather than later -- Prevention and early intervention are supremely more effective and efficient than later intervention and remediation for ensuring reading success.

18. Four Organizing Principles • Schools, not just programs -- Prevention and early intervention must be anchored to the school as the host environment and primary context for improving student outcomes.

19. Four Organizing Principles • Evidence, not opinion -- Prevention and early intervention pedagogy, programs, instruction and materials should be based on trustworthy scientific evidence.

20. Four Organizing Principles • Each and All-- To teach all children to read, we must teach each child to read. Kame’enui, E. and Simmons, D. (2002) University of Oregon, Beginning Reading Institute