Developing Readiness to Implement a Scaleable Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

1. Developing Readiness to Implement a Scaleable Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Exploration and Adoption 8:30AM – 12:00PM June 27, 2012 Steve Goodman sgoodman@oaisd.org

2. Stages of Implementation Should we do it! Work to do it right! Work to do it better!

3. Exploration/Adoption • Big Ideas • Districts explore/adopt implementation at a district level • District are responsible for implementation supports (e.g., coaching, training) • Not all schools need to ultimately implement (but plan for over 60% in district) • Consensus/commitment from central administration • Agreements • Work to develop implementation plan • Develop leadership/implementation support teams • Large districts will invest in model demonstrations

4. Exploration/Adoption • Is MTSS the right thing for us to do? • Identifying Need • Determining Fit • Examining Evidence • Can we do it the right way? • Resource Availability • Assessing Readiness • Capacity to Implement

5. Practice Selection • Is it the right thing to do? • Identifying Need • Determining Fit • Examining Evidence

6. Identifying Need

7. Identifying Need Does the MTSS practice address identified student need? Does the MTSS practice address a staff need? Does the MTSS practice relate to an identified need within the school improvement process? Does the MTSS practice address needs broadly (across many individuals, multiple settings)? Is there community support for addressing this identified need?

9. Cost of Behavior Problems 1,792 office discipline referrals @ 15 minutes per incident = 26,880 minutes = 448 hours/8 days= 56 days lost instructional time

10. Determining Fit

11. Determining Fit Is the MTSS practice aligned with school/district values and culture? Is the MTSS practice compatible with the educational philosophy of the school community? Is the MTSS practice compatible with priorities identified by the school improvement process related to student performance? Would the MTSS practice fit within the current organizational structure? Are there other programs that may compete with the proposed MTSS practice?

12. Alignment with District Mission The Grand Haven Area Public Schools are committed to the expectation that all students will learn. It is our obligation to provide each student in our community a positive environment for learning so they will experience success and realize their fullest potential. This school district accepts the responsibility to work in partnership with the community to provide an excellent education that will prepare all learners for the challenges of a changing global society.

13. Alignment with District Goals ✔ ✔ ✔ All students will be connected to an extra-curricular or co-curricular activity Provide all students with relevant learning experiences that result in success. Design and implement a rigorous curriculum, with aligned instruction and assessment strategies, pre K-12 . Develop organizational structures that support relationships and learning.

14. Examining Evidence

15. We embrace explicitly the proposition that effective practice and popular practice are very likely two different things.Doug Reeves

16. Examining Evidence Do school personnel have the necessary skills required to: Examine research or scientific evidence? Analyze and use data to make decisions? Understand effect size, efficacy and effectiveness information? Is there sufficient evidence to suggest that the program or practice is successful with students/staff like us? Is there sufficient evidence to suggest that the program or practice is successful in settings like our (given similar resources)?

17. Take a moment to discuss with a colleague... How do you know if an intervention is research based? Your Turn

18. Understanding Scientifically-Based Instruction NCLB Defines Scientifically Based Reading Research as: • (A) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading difficulties; and • (B) includes research that: • (i) employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment; • (ii) involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn; • (iii) relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data across evaluators and observers and across multiple measurements and observations; and • (iv) has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review.     (20 U. S. C. § 6368(6)) adapted from B. Harn, 2010

19. Understanding Scientifically-Based Instruction Programs can be categorized into two groups: • Scientifically proven —meaning scientific results have already been published in peer-reviewed journals using the previously described scientific rigor • Right now only 5% or less of the available research evidence on school reform strategies have clearly demonstrated effects (National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, 2003) • Research-based —meaning the methods, content, materials, etc. were developed in guidance from the collective research and scientific community • “There is an abundance of promotional literature that is often presented as “evidence.”Buyer beware! Work to the highest standard possible.” (National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, 2003) • The responsibility is on each educator to examine and look for evidence before the money is spent and the program imposed on children adapted from B. Harn, 2010

20. Understanding Scientifically-Based Instruction • Resources of Different Groups that Have Reviewed a Range of Reading Programs: • Oregon Reading First • http://oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu/index.php • Florida Center for Reading Research • http://www.fcrr.org/ • The What Works Clearing House has reviewed math programs and is in the process of reviewing reading programs • http://www.whatworks.ed.gov/ • Resources for Research-Based Approaches • Peer refereed scientific journals such as Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, Exceptional Children, Journal of Learning Disabilities, etc. • University of Texas at Austin • http://www.texasreading.org/utcrla/ adapted from B. Harn, 2010

21. Practice Selection • Can we do it the right way? • Resource Availability • Assessing Readiness • Capacity to Implement

22. Resource Availability

23. Resource Availability Do we have the necessary fiscal resources will be needed to implement? Do we have the necessary personnel resources needed to implement? Do we have the necessary technology resources needed to implement? Do we have the necessary data and information resources needed to implement? Do we have the necessary training and coaching resources needed to implement? Do current practices require change, adjustment or elimination?

24. Assessing Readiness

25. Assessing Readiness Is there a commitment to the practice ? Has that commitment been assessed and quantified? Do we meet personnel requirements regarding implementation readiness? Do we meet organizational requirements regarding implementation readiness?

26. Doing the same thing but expecting a different result

27. How to Use the Data to Get Buy-in:for District and Building Level Staff • Share visuals (graphs) on a regular basis • The visuals are a powerful tool: • To let staff know the extra work they are doing is paying off • To show specific areas that may need a more intense focus • Emphasize the “Team” process

28. Challenges to Obtaining Commitment • Reasons for making changes are not perceived as compelling enough • Staff feel a lack of ownership in the process • Insufficient modeling from leadership • Staff lack a clear vision of how the changes will impact them personally • Insufficient system of support

29. Possible Solutions to overcoming commitment challenges • Develop a common understanding • Enlist leaders with integrity, authority, resources and willingness to assist • Expect, respect and respond to resistance (encourage questions and discussion) • Clarify how changes align with other initiatives • Emphasize clear and imminent consequences for not changing • Emphasize benefits • Conservation of time/effort • Alignment of processes/goals • Greater professional accountability • Stay in touch with peer leaders during the change process- create constant source of feedback!!

30. Central Considerations • Who are the stakeholders (internal & external)? • Who will be participating in implementation? • Who will be impacted? • Who is in a position to facilitate/hinder implementation?

31. Central Considerations • How and by who will information be shared and reinforced? • Inservice? • Staff meetings • Public meetings? • Newsletters? • Other?

32. So, begin to think about… • Who needs to be on board • What information they need • How to communicate that information • How you’ll know when you have consensus Don’t let perfection become the enemy of good!

33. Strategies to Develop “Commitment” • Use the existing database • Conduct staff surveys • Develop an “election” process for the moving forward

34. Use the Existing Database • Where behaviors are occurring (i.e., setting) • What types of behaviors are occurring • What types of consequence was delivered to discipline students • When problems behaviors occur most frequently • How many discipline referrals, suspensions, and/or expulsions occurred last school year • How many faculty are absent daily • Other (loss of instruction time, student absences, etc.)

35. How to Use the Data to Get Faculty Buy-in • Share visuals (graphs) with faculty on a regular basis • The visuals are a powerful tool: • To let staff know the extra work they are doing is paying off • To show specific areas that may need a more intense focus • Emphasize the “Team” process

36. Time Cost of a Discipline Referral(Avg. 45 minutes per student per incident)

37. Instructional Days Lost (August-March)

38. Average Referrals Per Day Per Month

39. Conduct Staff Surveys Staff surveys are an efficient way to: • Obtain staff feedback • Create involvement without holding more meetings • Generate new ideas • Build a sense of faculty ownership

40. Sample Staff Survey Items Check the OUTCOMES below that you would like to achieve at our school… • Increase in attendance • Improvement in academic performance • Increase in the number of appropriate student behaviors • Students and teachers report a more positive and calm environment • Reduction in the number of behavioral disruptions, referrals, and incident reports

41. What Other Schools Have Found Effective • Key staff present SWPBS information at staff meeting, describing benefits (and potential challenges) to rest of staff • After the overview at a faculty meeting staff signs on chart paper labeled Yes/No/Need More Information • Show sections of the school-wide video

42. Other Examples of Obtaining Commitment Voice-over powerpoint Coopersville Schools Survey linked to email message Peach Plains Sand Creek

43. What does 80% buy in mean? Consensus means that I agree to: • Provide input in determining what our school’s problems are and what our goals should be • Make decisions about rules, expectations, and procedures in the commons areas of the school as a school community • Follow through with all school-wide decisions, regardless of my feelings for any particular decision • Commit to positive behavior support systems for a full year - allowing performance toward our goal to determine future plans

44. Your Turn Take this time to write some thoughts on the “Considerations for Building Commitment” worksheet

45. What if the practice is Mandated? • Need to communicate importance of the practice based on selection criteria, • Why is this good for kids? • How does it improve what we do? • What results should we see?

46. So, as central administration, what are we committing to? • Promoting visibility of the project • Securing and protecting resources & time from competing activities • Providing encouragement and acknowledgement for the team’s efforts

47. So, as a building administrator, what am I committing to? • Attending the trainings and meeting with your team at least monthly. • Combining teams and initiatives that have the same focus. • Protecting team members and staff from competing initiatives and tasks

48. So, as a building leadership team member, what am I committing to? • Attending the trainings and meeting at least monthly as a team? • Using data and information to identify areas of focus and make decisions. • Developing steps for implementation of activities and seeing that they are accomplished. • Providing ongoing information to staff regarding activities, results, and training opportunities.

49. So, as school staff, what am I committing to? • Implement MTSS practices as directed by the building leadership team • Collect information on student outcomes • Use data for decision making

50. Your Turn • Are the staff committed to implementation of MTSS for the next 3-5 years? • Do they know what they are committing to?