FOCUSED MONITORING: FINDINGS, ISSUES AND BEST PRACTICES

1. FOCUSED MONITORING: FINDINGS, ISSUES AND BEST PRACTICES

2. FOCUSED MONITORING OVERVIEW

3. IDEA 2004 states The primary focus of Federal and State monitoring activities shall be on improving educational results and functional outcomes for all children with disabilities……

4. What is Focused Monitoring? A process that purposefully selects priority areas to examine for compliance/results while not specifically examining other areas to maximize resources, emphasize important variables, and increase the probability of improved results.

5. “Past” Compliance  Cyclical  Citation Focused  Corrective Action (effort focused)  Special Education Cooperatives “Present” Compliance  Targeted data  Solution Focused  Improvement Planning (results focused)  School Districts What is the difference?

6. Focused Monitoring in Illinois Centers around critical performance indicators from State Performance Plan (SPP) 2006-2007 • EE (Indicator 5) • Statewide Reading assessment gap and performance

7. District selection based on analysis of the following data: • Student Assessment Data Files • School Report Card • FACTS Report • Special Education Profile

8. Grouping of School Districts

9. Number of Districts Selected (2007-2008)

10. Number of Districts per Group and Indicator (2007-2008)

11. Focused Monitoring Focused Monitoring includes a review of: • Quantitative Data – Statistical Results • Qualitative Data – District Documentation

12. Pre-Visit Data Analysis Includes: Any data pertaining to goal/priority area such as: • Performance data • Parent/family participation and involvement • Complaints/previous monitoring information • Policies and Procedures • Part B application • District/School Improvement Plan • Professional Development Plan

13. Triangulation of Pre-Visit Data Performance data Possible Root Causes Complaints Previous monitoring information Part B Application Policies and Procedures District Improvement Plan

14. Illinois Focused Monitoring Teams Include: • Two ISBE consultants; one serving as team leader • LEA peer (from another district) • Parent

15. On-site activities Gathering information: • Public Forum • Teacher, administrator, service provider interviews • Classroom observations • Student file reviews And then…

16. Triangulation . . . . . . . . Public Forum Findings Observations and File Reviews Interviews

17. Post Visit Activities • District/ISBE collaboration on improvement plan • District completion of corrective actions within 12 months of final report issue date • Improved performance on critical performance indicator within 24 months of of final report issue date

18. All leading to • EVIDENCE OF CORRECTION AND CHANGE • IMPROVED RESULTS FOR CHILDREN

19. Focused Monitoring Historical Overview

20. 2005-2006 Focused Monitoring Findings

21. 2005-2006 Focused Monitoring Indicators

22. 2005-2006 Focused Monitoring Issue Mapping

23. 2006-2007 Focused Monitoring Indicators

24. 2006-2007 Focused Monitoring Findings

25. 2006-2007 Focused Monitoring Issue Mapping

26. BEST PRACTICES

27. ACCESS Access is the right for all individuals to be a member of an accessible educational community. Access in education provides academic accommodations and promotes universal design principles enabling students with disabilities the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of the educational environment as successful and independent learners.

28. ACCESS EXAMPLES Educational access Extracurricular access

29. ACCOMMODATIONS Accommodations could allow for the provision of equitable instructional and assessment access for students with disabilities. Accommodations reduce or eliminate the effects of a student’s disability and do not reduce learning expectations. Accommodations are practices and procedures in the areas of: • Presentation • Response • Setting • Timing/Scheduling

30. ACCOMMODATIONS EXAMPLES Accommodations in Presentations Accommodations in Response Accommodations in Setting Accommodations in Timing/Scheduling

31. COLLABORATION Friend and Cook's (2002) definition of collaboration states that it is a "style of direct interaction between at least two co-equal parties voluntarily engaged in shared decision making as they work toward a common goal". Through collaboration, ideas can be shared, new and better strategies can be developed, problems can be solved, student’s progress can be better monitored, and their outcomes evaluated more effectively. True collaboration will enhance effective inclusion and will be beneficial for all the individuals involved in the child’s education including parents. Establishing a strong collaborative ethic in a school has the additional benefit of enhancing teacher morale and providing teachers with a support network.

32. CO TEACHING Co teaching is a process that involves two or more professionals who jointly deliver instruction to a diverse group of students in a shared classroom space. Types of co-teaching: • One teaching, one drifting • Station teaching • Alternative teaching: • Team teaching: • Parallel teaching:

33. CURRICULUM MAPPING A plan where the curriculum is aligned throughout the entire district for use by all students. A curriculum map should be a document developed by all instructional staff working together to clearly map out, month-by-month, what instructional objectives will be taught by whom, through what activities and measured by what assessments. This map should ensure that all students in the district, horizontally and vertically, regardless of age or disability, have access to all aspects of the Illinois Learning Standards for that subject matter area.

34. CURRICULUM MAPPING CONSIDERATIONS 1. Aligned text 2. Supplemental materials 3. Assessments 4. Data

35. DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING STRATEGIES Data driven decision making strategy • provides easy access to quality data • provides teachers tools to monitor and shape student progress • helps administrators identify what’s working and where more resources are needed • allows the district to demonstrate compliance with NCLB requirements.

36. DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophy based on the premise that teachers should adapt instruction to accommodate the full diversity of academic needs. Differentiation can occur in various forms including • Content • Process • Product • Environment

37. DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION EXAMPLES Differentiation of Content Differentiation of Process Differentiation of Product Differentiation of Environment Selected differentiation strategies should always be based on the curriculum taught and the needs of the students.

38. DIVERSITY The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizes individual differences.  Diversity can occur in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. For example, one educator, Dr. Ruby K. Payne is well known for her work in how to interact effectively with individuals living in poverty by understanding their social cues or "hidden rules" that govern how they think and interact in society -- and the significance of those rules in a classroom.

39. EQUITY Equity in education is the fair and equal treatment of all members of society. All individuals are entitled to participate in and enjoy the benefits of an education. All students have the opportunity to participate fully and to experience success and human dignity while developing the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to contribute meaningfully to society. A commitment to the principle of equity means working to ensure that each person is able to reach his or her full potential and make a positive contribution to the community.

40. MODIFICATIONS Modifications change, lower or reduce learning or assessment expectations. Modifications are more instructional or program-centered. They ask the questions: "What is the array of interventions necessary for the student to master a topic or subject?" Is this all that can be employed to ensure the best learning environment?" The modifications are thus instruction or program-centered interventions that best provide optimal opportunity for learning.

41. MODIFICATION TYPES Adaptation Parallel Curricular Outcomes Overlapping curricula

42. RTI Response to intervention encompasses three essential components: • Provides high quality, research based instruction/intervention matched to student needs • Uses learning rate over time and level of performance • Results in important educational decisions

43. STANDARDS ALIGNED CLASSROOM (SAC) SAC is a rigorously tested research-based program featuring proven strategies for aligning classroom instruction and assessment with the Illinois Learning Standards. SAC involves both teachers and students in the standards process by empowering them to create high quality classroom assessment together. Research has shown that when teachers involve students in the assessment process, students are more engaged, perform better, and gain greater confidence.

44. SURVEY OF ENACTED CURRICULUM (SEC) The SEC is a practical, reliable set of data collection tools being used with teachers of Mathematics, Science and English Language Arts (K-12) to collect and report consistent data on current instructional practices and content being taught in classrooms. Teachers complete the survey questions though an online, web-based system. Upon completion, the group data are reported in user-friendly charts and graphs to facilitate analysis of differences across classrooms, schools, or districts.

45. EXAMPLES OF DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES Access Accommodations Collaboration Co teaching

46. EXAMPLES OF DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES Curriculum Mapping Data Driven Decision Making Differentiated Instruction Diversity

47. EXAMPLES OF DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES Equity Modifications RTI Standards Aligned Classroom (SAC)

48. EXAMPLES OF DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES Survey of Enacted Curriculum

50. Contact Information Sally Tudor studor@isbe.net Betty Hendrickson bhendric@isbe.net Melanie Fleenor mfleenor@isbe.net Illinois State Board of Education Division of Special Education 100 North First Street Springfield, Illinois 62777 217/782-5589