I llinois ASPIRE A lliance for S chool-based P roblem-solving & I ntervention R esources in E ducation

1. Illinois ASPIREAlliance for School-based Problem-solving & Intervention Resources in Education ISBE Directors’ Conference August 1, 2008 Kathryn Cox, Illinois State Board of Education Jennifer Jewell, Illinois ASPIRE – Central

2. Illinois ASPIRE • 5-year State Personnel Development Grant from OSEP (in end of year 3) • $1.85 million per year • Primary Goal: Establish and implement a coordinated, regionalized system of personnel development that will increase the capacity of school systems to provide early intervening services [with an emphasis on reading], aligned with the general education curriculum, to at-risk students and students with disabilities, as measured by improved student progress and performance.

3. Illinois ASPIRE Objectives • Deliver research-based professional development and technical assistance. • Increase the participation of parents in decision-making across district sites. • Incorporate professional development content into IHE general and special education preservice curricula. • Evaluate the effectivenessof project activities.

4. Objective 1: Research-Based Professional Development & TA • 4 regional Illinois ASPIRE Centers • Illinois ASPIRE - Chicago: Chicago Public Schools • Illinois ASPIRE - North: Northern Suburban Special Education District • Illinois ASPIRE - Central: Peoria ROE #48 • Illinois ASPIRE - South: SIU-E & SIU-C • Collaboratives of LEAs, IHEs, regional providers and parent entities • Responsible for: • Training to districts and parents in region • General technical assistance (T.A.) • On-site T.A. to school demonstration sites

5. Illinois ASPIRE2006-2007 & 2007-2008 • Established data collection sites within at least 63 schools in 39 districts • Receive professional development, on-site T.A. and training of district problem-solving coaches • Serve as data collection sites for project evaluation • Required to identify one or more problem-solving coaches • Delivered extensive small- and large-scale training events • Conducted regional coaches meetings to expand and support the network of problem solving coaches

6. Recent Landscape Changes • January 1, 2008 – State RtI Plan • March 17, 2008 – Needs Assessment Available • May 23, 2008 – Needs Assessment due to ISBE • Fall/Winter 2008–RtI Training and Planning • January 1, 2009 – District RtI Plan Required • Academic Year 2010-2011 – District RtI Plan Implemented

8. Recent Landscape Changes • State Implementation & Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) • What: 5-year federally-funded project at University of South Florida (USF) • Illinois one of four states selected (Minnesota, Michigan & Oregon) • Who: • Principal Investigators: Drs. Dean Fixsen & Karen Blase at the University of South Florida • Collaborative Partners: Dr. George Sugai at the University of Connecticut & Dr. Robert Horner at the University of Oregon.

9. SISEP (cont.) • Purpose of SISEP Center: To promote students' academic achievement and behavioral health by supporting implementation and scaling-up of evidence-based practices in education settings. • Provide critical content and foundation for establishing a technology of large-scale, sustainable, high-fidelity implementation of effective educational practices. • Work with selected states to improve capacity to carry out implementation, organizational change, and systems transformation strategies to maximize achievement outcomes of all students.

10. 20 Regional Implementation Teams 9 coaching staff SIP Team ISBE Professional Development Projects IL ASPIRE ISTAC (CHOICES, Autism, PBIS, ISTAC-Parents, ISRC, Deaf-Blind) Reading First Standards Aligned Classroom (SAC) SEL/Mental Health ROEs/ISCs SISEP in IllinoisState Leadership(includes State Supt., Standards & Assess., Special Ed., Educator Prep. & Cert.)State Stakeholder Group  2 FTE  RtI Stakeholder Group

11. Working Smarter to Scale Up: 2008-2009 & 2009-2010 • Continuing: • Work with existing data collection schools & districts • Deliver large scale training • Conduct regional coaches meetings • Additional: • Technology-based training & T.A. • Enhance existing & add new training modules • Training & T.A. to intermediate level entities (e.g., ROE, joint agreement, multiple district partnerships) to expand cadre of external coaches to support districts

12. Technology-based Training & T.A. • Webcasts of training modules • Add advance organizers, readings, videos, quizzes & assignments to all modules to enhance web-based learning • Goal: Allow more schools to access information initially and/or to review/reinforce previous learning; decrease dependence on in-person large scale training • Web-based T.A./coaching support, e.g., discussion boards

13. Enhancing Existing & Creating New Training Modules • Reconfigure existing modules and incorporate examples for K-12, math, behavior, etc. • Proposed new modules: • Putting it All Together: Advanced RtI Implementation • Coaching • Middle & High School • Math • ELL

14. Training & T.A. to Intermediate Level Entities • Goal: Build a cadre of external coaches within each ASPIRE region to support district & school RtI implementation • Who: ROEs, ISCs, special education joint agreements, multiple district partners • What: Training & TA from ASPIRE on coaching skills and RtI content

15. Training & T.A. to Intermediate Level Entities (cont.) • How: Application to participate, including commitment to designate staff to be trained and serve as external coaches • When:Estimated timeline • Applications issued in late September • Applications due mid to late October • Notifications by mid November • Training/TA beginning in January 2009

16. Characteristics/KSAs of Coaches • Knowledge, Skills & Abilities with: • Curriculum-based evaluation (CBE) • Functional behavior analysis (FBA) • Reading programs • Scientific, research-based instruction & interventions • 3-tiered model • Instructional & behavioral coaching • Experience and skills in working with adult learners • Availability—able to impact multiple school buildings and districts • Commitment to participating in training events and providing XX number of days for external coaching

17. Accessing Project Services • Participate in scheduled trainings and coaches meetings in your region (regional calendars posted at www.illinoisaspire.org) • Utilize training materials and other resources currently posted on the ASPIRE website and future technology-based resources when available • Submit or partner in an application to serve as an intermediate level entity for external coaching within your ASPIRE region

22. Illinois ASPIRE – North Dr. Mark Shinn 847-275-7200 markshinn@mac.com Illinois ASPIRE – Central Jennifer Jewell or Christy Martino 309-673-1040 jrj@jewellzone.com Illinois ASPIRE – South Dr. Melissa Bergstrom 618-650-3182 mbergstrom@siu.edu or Michael McCollum 618-650-5182 mmccollum@siue.edu Illinois ASPIRE – Chicago Tonia Swoope 773-553-2209 tmswoope@cps.k12.il.us For More Informationhttp://www.illinoisaspire.orgISBE: Kathryn Cox 217-782-5589kcox@isbe.net