West Virginia Achieves Professional Development Series

1. West Virginia Achieves Professional Development Series Volume XIX Valuing All Students and Addressing Social, Emotional and Physical Needs

2. West Virginia Department of Education Mission The West Virginia Department of Education, in conjunction with the Regional Education Service Agencies and the Office of Performance Audits, will create systemic conditions, processes and structures within the West Virginia public school system that result in (1) all students achieving mastery and beyond and (2) closing the achievement gap among sub-groups of the student population.

3. Robert HutchinsThe Conflict in Education in a Democratic Society “Perhaps the greatest idea that America has given the world is education for all. The world is entitled to know whether this idea means that everybody can be educated or simply that everyone must go to school.”

4. What We Know… • An emerging body of research identifies characteristics of high performing school systems. • These school systems have made significant progress in bringing all students to mastery and in closing the achievement gap. • These systems share characteristics described in The West Virginia Framework for High Performing Schools.

5. HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEM SYSTEMIC CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS CURRICULLUM MANAGEMENT STUDENT/PARENT SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS CULTURE OF COMMON BELIEFS & VALUES Dedicated to “Learning for ALL…Whatever It Takes”

6. OVERVIEW Segment 1: Culture that Accepts Responsibility for ALL Students Segment 2: Support Systems for Students’ Physical, Social and Emotional Needs Segment 3: Research-based Approaches for meeting needs of sub-groups

7. Segment 1 Culture that Accepts Responsibility for ALL Students

8. Think-Pair-Share • What are some measures for determining if your district truly accepts responsibility for all students? • How does your district examine, disseminate and utilize data to examine this issue?

9. Measuring Your Expectations • Do all students feel safe in the classrooms, hallways, and lunchroom? • Does the school challenge anyone making generalizations about racial and ethnic groups? • Are examples of diverse cultures, authors, and thinkers woven into the curriculum and displayed in hallways, the library and classrooms? (adapted from Confronting the Racism of Low Expectations, Landsman, 2004)

10. Does Your School Have High Expectations for All Students? • Do teachers expect ALL students to complete and turn in work, know the answers to different levels of questions, work in class, follow class guidelines, and respond to structure? • Do parents of the diverse ethnic groups feel welcome at conferences, parent advisory group meetings and school events? • Do students of all ethnicities and backgrounds successfully participate in all academic courses and programs? (adapted from Confronting the Racism of Low Expectations, Landsman, 2004)

11. Steps for Change • Exploring the Issues Intellectually • Engaging in Dialogue • Immersing Ourselves in Other Cultures • Creating a Safe Environment • Committing Ourselves to Activism White, J.L. & Cones, J. H. (1999). Black man emerging: Facing the past and seizing a future in America. New York: W. H. Freeman

12. Case Study: Boston Schools Background • Adopted Standards-Based Approach Reform Efforts (1996-2001) • Results: Students scoring in upper three performance levels of state test increased in reading from 75% to 81% and in mathematics from 52% to 63% “The Bottom Line: Closing the Achievement Gap”In every grade, every student will reach Proficiency on MCAS: regular education students, special education students, and English language learners.” • http://boston.k12.ma.us/teach/offices.pdf

13. Case Study: Boston Schools • 5 Year School Improvement Planning • The Six Essentials (2001-2006) (3 Essentials relate to Curriculum and Instruction) • Focus on literacy and mathematics 3. Focus professional development to improve instruction 4. Identify & replicate best practices for instruction

14. Case Study: Boston Schools Six Essentials of 5 Year School Improvement Plan (3 Essentials relate to Student/Parent Support) 2. Use Student Work/Data to identify student needs, improve instruction and assess progress 5. Align all resources with instructional focus 6. Engage families, community and partners to support school improvement

15. Jigsaw Activity • Distribute the 1 page description for each of the following “Essentials” http://boston.k12.ma.us/teach/offices.pdf • using student work/data to identify needs, • aligning resources and • engaging families/community • Summarize how the expectations for each reflect a culture that accepts responsibility for all students

16. Segment 2 Support Systems for Addressing Student Physical, Social, and Emotional Needs

17. ? ? ? ? ? ? z z z z 7th Grade Class of 25(Typical Instructional Day)

18. Social and Emotional LearningA Coordinating Framework

20. Healthy Kids MakeBetter Students.Better Students MakeHealthy Communities.

21. Comprehensive School Health Education Family & Community Involvement Physical Education School-site Health Promotion for Staff School Health Services Nutrition Services Healthy School Environment Counseling, Psychological & Social Services Coordinated School Health

22. The Solution--CSH is about- Involving parents- Keeping kids healthy over time- Supporting a student’s capacity to learn- Imparting skills, knowledge, & judgment to help kids make smart choices for life- Reinforcing positive behaviors- Connecting good health & learning

23. CSH is also about • Helping young people grow into healthy, productive adults- Focusing on physical & emotional well-being- Coordinating parents, schools, administrators, & communities as key partners

24. “Schools could do more thanperhaps any other single institutionin society to help young people,and the adults they will become,live healthier, longer, more satisfying,and more productive lives.”— Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development

25. Segment 3 Research-based Approaches to Meeting Specific Needs of Subgroups

26. Legal Requirements • All students are provided an equal opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging academic achievement standards and state academic assessments. (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001) • For students with disabilities, access to the general education curriculum is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (formerly IDEA ’97).

27. 2004 WESTEST Data

28. The Challenge for All Teachers • Providing access to challenging curriculum • Using research-based instructional practices for all students • Making decisions based on evidence of documented progress

29. Research-Supported Practice Student Needs Addressed Practice Description Accessibility Improved SupportingResearch Practice Implications INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS AND PRACTICES Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) Application to Math Reading Writing Science Fine motor challenges Attention deficit Minimal organizational strategies Difficulty decoding and comprehending text Communication delays Weak problem-solving skills Difficulty with abstract concepts Computer programs or high-tech equipment provide content instruction to students to enable them to meet standards and goals. Sample features– Independent instruction for student May measure student skill and progress Interactive Immediate feedback Allows multiple means of interacting with curricular materials Allows teachers to individualize lessons to meet children’s specific goals while helping them meet state and local standards CAI may be an academic motivator for students with disabilities (Hitchcock & Noonan, 2000). CAI increases wait time and builds on mastered skills (Hitchcock & Noonan, 2000; Zimmerman, 1998). Effectiveness is attributed to the higher interaction required for responses and active learning (Lahm, 1996). Varying results of effectiveness from research (Kroesbergen & Van Luit, 2003) Allows great flexibility in use because it is not subject specific Requires professional development for use in classrooms Requires purchase of technology and software, if not currently available Requires that individuals with expertise be available for trouble shooting Requires time for teacher planning and instructing students to use software

30. Successful Student Access to the Curriculum for All Students • School engages in a paradigm shift that includes • Changes in attitudes and beliefs • Parent involvement • Pre-service training and professional development • Support from district leaders and state legislators • Staff commitment and collaboration • Shared responsibility for learning outcomes of special education students

31. What is Access to the General Education Curriculum for Students with Disabilities? • Active learning of the content and skills that define the regular education curriculum. • Participation in age-appropriate standards based instructional activities. • Implementation of validated programs and practices. • Utilization of documented progress for educational decision-making.

32. Minority/Low SES • The Development Environment • Home Learning Conditions • Student Mobility • The Home-School Connection • School Factors

33. African American Children • What do schools do wrong? • Pushing the Curriculum Down • Ignoring (or ignorance of) Student Background • Having inequality in Preschool Experience

34. LEP • High-Quality Instruction • The SIOP Model • ELLs' Academic Literacy • ELLs School Success

35. ACTION PLAN • In light of the NCLB requirements that all sub-groups will achieve mastery, how is your district/school improvement plan designed to implement research-based approaches that equalize opportunities for all students, especially those at risk with regard to the following: • A culture that accepts responsibility for all students regardless of background • A support system for addressing student physical, social and emotional needs • A planned approach to meet the specific needs of the sub-groups

36. Sources of Additional Information Lahm, E. (1996). Software that engages young children with disabilities: A study of design features. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 11(2), 115–125. Hauser, J., & Malouf, D.B. (1996). A federal perspective on special education technology. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(5), 504–512. Hitchcock C.H., & Noonan, M.J. (2000). Computer-assisted instruction of early academic skills. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20(3), 145–159. Hutinger, P.L. (1996). Computer applications in programs for young children with disabilities: Recurring themes. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 11(2) 105–115. Kroesbergen, E.H., & Van Luit, J.E.H. (2003). Mathematics interventions for children with special educational needs: A meta-analysis. Remedial and Special Education, 24, 97–115. Office of U.S. Special Education Programs (2000). Twenty-second annual report to Congress, (Chapter 3, pp. 37–48). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education Zimmerman, S.O. (1998). Problem-solving tasks on the microcomputer: A look at the performance of students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21(10), 637–641. Web Resources: The Access Center: Improving Outcomes for All Students K – 8. Available at http://www.k8accesscenter.org. Go to Resource, then Universal Design. CAST. Available athttp://www.cast.org/