Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative

1. Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative Evaluation of Special Education Services to Students with Disabilities in the Kent School District  A Report of the External Core Team

2. The Collaborative • The Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative was founded in 1994 • Sponsored by the Education Development Center, Inc. • The Collaborative’s Mission: To improve educational results and life’s opportunities for students with disabilities and other diverse learners • Current Membership: Approximately 100 large, medium, and small school districts across the country

3. External Core Team • Ronald Felton, Associate Director • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative • Former Associate Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Schools • Orla Higgins Averill, Senior Training and Technical Assistance Associate • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative • Caroline Parker, Senior Research Scientist • Education Development Center, Inc. • David Riley, Executive Director • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative • Claudia Rinaldi, Assistant Director • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative • Kimberly Willingham, Senior Training and Technical Assistance Associate • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative

4. Purpose of the Review • Kent School District commissioned this review to examine its programs, policies, and practices with the intention of improving the educational performance and post-school outcomes of students with disabilities.

5. Evaluation Context • Pursuit of best practices • Efficient and effective systems • Meeting the needs of students with IEPs • Access to rigorous curriculum and quality instruction • Capacity building of schools and personnel • Response to Intervention (RTI) and Positive Behavioral • Interventions and Supports (PBIS) • Alignment of special education services and supports with school district’s strategic goals

6. Methodology • Document review • Stakeholder interviews and focus groups • School visitations • Parent focus group and meeting • Data analysis • Report development • Debriefing and presentation of findings

7. Focus Areas of Report • Special Education Eligibility Determination • Student Achievement in the Least Restrictive Environment • Best Practices • Use of Resources

8. Strengths • Expansion of inclusive practices throughout the district • Commitment to changing the nature and identity of special education • Adoption of an RTI model in academics • Efforts to produce meaningful, compliant, and standards-based IEPs • Emphasis on culturally responsive practices • Partnerships with families, community, and business

9. Report Recommendations • Special Education Eligibility Determination • Policy & Procedures Manual • Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Framework • Communication • Student Achievement in the LRE • MTSS Framework • Graduation • Dropout • Suspensions • Best Practices • Professional Development To Support MTSS Implementation • IEP Development • Family and Community Engagement • Use of Resources

10. Report Recommendations:Special Education Eligibility Determination • Policy & ProceduresCreate a comprehensive and cohesive KSD policy and procedural manual for the provision of special education services under IDEA. • Response to Intervention RTI & Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports PBIS (MTSS) FrameworkIntegrate efforts in the areas of RTI and PBIS to develop a robust and systemic MTSS framework for both academic and behavioral instruction and intervention.

11. Report Recommendations:Special Education Eligibility Determination • Communication Develop a strategic communications plan for the Office of Inclusive Educational Services to be shared with stakeholders throughout the district – teachers, school leaders, central office administrators, parents, and community partners – that delineates specific expectations and procedures for communication between the district and schools about IES initiatives, policies, processes, and practices.  

12. Report Recommendations:Student Achievement in the LRE • MTSS Framework Integrate efforts in the areas of RTI and PBIS to develop a robust and systemic MTSS framework for both academic and behavioral instruction and intervention that incorporates ongoing self-assessment of implementation. • GraduationUse data to determine which students are not on track to graduate. For students not on track, use a collaborative problem-solving structure to activate interventions and supports available through the MTSS framework.

13. Student Achievement in the Least Restrictive Environment: Recommendations • DropoutEnsure that no student with an IEP drops out of high school by activating five strategies proven to help prevent dropout among students with disabilities. • Establish persistence, continuity and consistency in the message to stay in school • Monitor student’s risky behavior • Establish a connection between a school-based adult and the student • Foster a sense of belonging to school through participation; and • Develop student’s problem-solving skills

14. Student Achievement in the Least Restrictive Environment: Recommendations • SuspensionsCollect and analyze suspension data comparing students with/without IEPs to determine the extent to which MTSS and specially-designed instruction is effectively reducing the time the students are out of school or classes because of misconduct.

15. Best Practices: Recommendations • Professional Development To Support MTSS ImplementationThe district should develop a Professional Development plan that supports the systemic implementation of an MTSS framework, with the first steps being a focus on increasing all students’ access to rigorous, effective, and differentiated Tier 1/ Core instruction and with explicit attention to the following: • Co-teaching • Multi-tiered behavioral instruction and intervention • Use of data • Impact evaluation • Culturally responsive pedagogy

16. Best Practices: Recommendations • IEP Development The district should continue to provide a mix of in-person and online training opportunities related to using IEP Online to develop quality, standards-based, and instructionally-relevant IEPs. These training opportunities should be available to all schools. • Family and Community Engagement Expand existing practicesto increase family and community engagement, with a particular focus on addressing the concerns of parents of students with IEPs.

17. Use of Resources: Recommendation Central Office Alignment and Coordination Align the work and structures of central office departments to support the vision of Inclusive Educational Services. Attend specifically to: • Establishing cross-functional design team to guide MTSS implementation • Establishing support for district-wide implementation of PBIS • Considering an alternate methodology (e.g., workload analysis) for establishing caseload configurations of related service providers and develop guidelines for students to exit related services • Developing a protocol for paraprofessional allocation

18. Contact Information • David Riley • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative • driley@edc.org • Claudia Rinaldi • Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative • crinaldi@edc.org

19. District Response • Creation of a District Response Taskforce • Careful review of recommendations by various stakeholders (teachers, administrators, district staff, parents/guardians, community members, etc.) • To connect and build on previous work • To enhance response to students’ and staff’s needs • Taskforce expected outcome: • Create an action plan with deliverables • Update to Board in March 2014 • Established a district “Programming for Student Success” committee

20. District Response • Created of a comprehensive Inclusive Education procedures manual (currently in draft form) • Plans to work with stakeholders in developing a comprehensive department communication plan • Paraeducator allocation protocol developed • Exit guidelines for related services under development by workgroups • Workload/caseload pilot with occupational/physical therapist workgroup

21. Questions • We appreciate the partnership with the Urban Collaborative in helping us ensure best practices in the Inclusive Education department and the district.