1. Maximizing Student Outcomes through K-12 Alignment
Rebecca Sarlo, Ph.D.
Stephanie Martinez, Ed.S.

2. What is the Purpose of Our K-12 Systems?
FDOE Mission Statement
Increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient system, by providing them with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents, and communities, and to maintain an accountability system that measures student progress toward the following goals:
Highest student achievement (Full Option Graduation)
Seamless articulation and maximum access
Skilled workforce and economic development
Quality efficient services

3. “One Unified System”
Successful high school completion begins with kindergarten
Each grade/school level inherits an aggregate of student gaps, weaknesses, and strengths produced in the previous grade/school level
Most successful “intervention” is to ensure that students enter each grade/school level with as much strength as possible
With both the academic and social-emotional skills needed to be successful

4. “One Unified System”
Vertical Programming—articulation K-12- is the most effective way of ensuring that students graduate from the system as full-option graduates
An agreed upon “method” of vertical communication of student data/needs—that leads to vertical programming– is critical
All grades/school levels need to know student needs prior to their entry—preferably months ahead of time
The best “screening” tool is the compilation of student historical data
This becomes more evident as students move beyond elementary school

5. Every System Is Perfectly Aligned to the Results That It Gets
--George Batsche-ism

6. What Does this Data Seem to Tell Us?
“Low” Performing School
Without significant organizational
changes, the school should expect approx. 68% of its students to need support in Reading.
“High” Performing School
Without significant organizational
changes, the school should expect approx. 28% of its students to need support in Reading

7. What Does this Data Seem to Tell Us?
“Low” Performing School
Without significant organizational
changes, the school should expect approx. 40% of its students to demonstrate disengagement by missing school
“High” Performing School
Without significant organizational
changes, the school should expect approx. 21% of its students to demonstrate disengagement by missing school

8. Maximizing Student Outcomes
To improve student outcomes and allow for full-option graduation, districts must build systems which allow schools to more effectively…
Prevent disengagement and academic skill gaps from occurring in the first place
Respond more readily to student engagement and academic deficits when they do occur

9. Critical Elements of an MTSSS Model
District-Based Leadership Team (DBLT)
District Policies, Procedures, and Resources which allow for the development of effective:
School-Based Leadership Teams (SBLT)
Data-Based Problem-Solving
Multi-Tiered System of Supports which address students’ behavioral and engagement needs
Data Systems which allow for prevention and timely response to student skill gaps
Schedules to Support Multi-Tiered Intervention
Methods of evaluating Instructional/Intervention Fidelity
Student/Family/Community Involvement

10. Critical Elements of an MTSSS Model
SAME critical components should be present K-12
Implementation of the critical components will look different at the middle-and high-school levels
The differences are influenced by organizational structure, focus on content and credits, and the logistics of scheduling
District support of specific critical component development/implementation will likely need to differ based on the targeted school level

11. Similarities and Differences between School Levels
Same
Different
Consensus Building
Monitor Skills AND Content
Schedule Development
Integration of the Tiers
Parent/Student Involvement
Standards-Based Instructional Focus
Problem-Solving Process
School-Based Leadership Teams
Data Days to Evaluate “Health and Wellness”
Data Based Decisions
Multi-Tiered System which address students’ behavioral and academic needs
Importance of Fidelity

12. Building Consensus in a K-12 System
Consensus building at the elementary level typically centers around a need to improve literacy outcomes
Consensus is more difficult to develop at the secondary level
The “Compelling Why” of RtI Implementation is different for Secondary Schools
Most personnel are content specific and generally most interested only in their own content area
Even cross-content problems (e.g., student literacy) do not typically constitute a strong enough hook to build consensus
For behavior, there is often an expectation that students should already know how to behave and thus behavioral problems warrant discipline not intervention
Elementary consensus building typically begins with the identification of specific academic problems (e.g., Reading)
All teachers typically teach reading and thus reading issues are seen as relevant to everyone
Teacher autonomy and isolation reinforces the idea that even cross-content problems are someone else’s problem
For behavior there is the perception that students should already know how to behavior therefore we should not have to focus on teaching or rewarding behavior, it is just expected that they know how to behave

13. Building Consensus across a K-12 System
Districts can support consensus building around the implementation of MTSSS by at all levels by…
Establishing and communicating a K-12 vision
Sunshine State School District creates a sound educational environment that provides all students the academic and social emotional competencies and skills necessary to become full option graduates
And, supporting all schools in redefining their own mission statements to align with the K-12 vision
Redefining Elementary and Middle School’s mission to include preparing students to successfully transition to the next school level will help to strengthen vertical articulation and the effectiveness of feeder patterns

14. Building Consensus across a K-12 System
Providing ready access to data which can be used by schools to determine their contribution to realizing the K-12 vision is critical
Developing an Early Warning System will help to unite all staff members around a single goal (e.g., full option graduation) and emphasize the importance of all grades/school levels

15. District First Steps…
Schools will be empowered to prevent engagement/skill gaps and readily respond to them when they occur when the District establishes…
A K-12 vision and aligns the curriculum and instructional goals of each school level with the vision
Communication plans, protocols and practices for vertical and horizontal articulation of student needs, gaps, and strengths
A data system which allows for the integration and fluid analysis of engagement and academic data AND the vertical articulation of both engagement and academic data between grade/school levels

16. Developing a District-Wide Early Warning System
The best predictor of future failure is current failure and disengagement
Assessing risk across multiple variables allows teams to provide early intervention and prevent disengagement from school and course failures
At-risk and off-track students are identified through analyzing a combination of engagement and academic data.
Many students experience course failures as a result of disengagement (e.g., excessive absenteeism, lack of productivity, inattention)
Systematically assessing student engagement allows schools to identify students in need of support before they have failed courses or acquired skill deficits related to missed instruction
By the time students enter secondary schools they typically have years of data which indicates whether or not the student is at-risk for school failure and high school dropout.

17. Elementary and Middle School Risk Indicators
Academic and Engagement Indicators
Attend school less than 80% of the time
Due to absenteeism or discipline issues
Excused or unexcused absences
Receive a low final grade for behavior
Fail either math or English/Reading
Retention
64% of students repeating a grade in elementary school eventually drop out
63% of students held back in middle school eventually drop out
Mobility
Multiple schools during educational career
Kennelly & Monrad, 2007
More than half of 6th graders with the 3 criteria eventually left school
6th graders who received poor behavior marks were found to have only a one in four chance of making it to 12th grade on time and graduating
8th graders who miss 5 or more weeks of school during the year OR fail math or English more than a 75% chance of dropping out of school
Gender, race, age, and test scores did not have the strong predictive power of attendance and course failures for future drop out

18. High School Risk Indicators
Academic indicators
GPA less than 2.0
Course Failures
Behind in Credits
Behavioral/Engagement indicators
Attend school less than 80% of the time
Consistently miss instruction due to behavioral issues
Psychological or Social disengagement
Lack of peer group
Lack of involvement in school extracurricular activities
Low educational expectations
Lack of personal relationship with adults at school
Retention
Retained 1 or more years
Mobility
Multiple schools during educational career

19. Pasco County Schools Extreme Off Track 2-3 Years Behind
No chance for graduation in a traditional school setting
Disengagement
Example: Credits Earned
1st Semester
09-10 < 3 Credits
08-09 < 9 Credits
07-08 <15 Credits
06-07 < 21 Credits
High Off Track
Lacking 2 or more graduation requirements
Behind 4 or more Credits
Currently failing 3 or more classes
Excessive Referrals and/or Absences
Off Track
Lacking 2 graduation requirements
Behind 1-3 Credits
10% Absences
3 or less Level 2 referrals or 2 Level 3 Referrals
9th graders indentified “at high risk” (3 F’s in 8th grade)
First develop a generic system taking into account Florida’s graduation requirements
Second, apply the generic system to the specific grade levels using grad plan year. For example, see credits earned as an example in box
Third, identify off track for incoming 9th graders – use data from middle school – see bold for example
Fourth, determine the percentage of students that fall under each risk factors – by Grad Plan Year
Fifth, create master schedule with data in mind
At Risk for Off Track
Lacking 1 of 3 Graduation requirements
< 5%Absences
3 or less Level 1 or 2 referrals
On Track
Exceeding or Meeting all graduation requirements (Credits, FCAT Score, GPA)
6 or less Absences
No referrals
Pasco County Schools 19

20. 20

21. Early Warning Systems Data Targeted School Example
52.8% (210) of last year's 9th graders are off-track for graduation
19% (75) are off-track due to failed FCAT, Credits and GPA
13% (52) of exiting 9th graders failed 3 or more courses
Almost all of these students are part of the lowest 25%
Many of these students will count in the total graduation and at-risk graduation rates
These students have less than a 15% chance of graduating without significant intervention
Course Failures
Algebra %
Spanish %
World History- 29%
English %
Hope (Health and PE) - 58 students- 17%

22. Early Warning Systems and Vertical Articulation and Programming
While in Middle School, entering 9th graders…
Demonstrated disengagement through absenteeism (32%)
Demonstrated disengagement through excessive behavioral referrals/suspensions (22%)
Had a history of course failures in English/Reading (29%)
48% scored non-proficient on the Reading FCAT
Had a history of course failures in math (37%)
41% scored non-proficient on Math FCAT
Had a history of retention (24%)

23. The bottom line…
Disengaged students are likely to be disengaged at the next grade/school level in the absence of prevention and intervention support
Students with a history of academic underachievement or failure are likely to continue to fail without prevention and intervention support
Addressing academic and engagement issues earlier rather than later is more successful and more cost effective
Preventing disengagement and/or academic failure is more effective than reacting to them once they occur

24. Integrated, Multi-Tiered Prevention/Intervention Supports
It is not enough to simply identify at-risk students, leadership teams must follow identification with effective and appropriate intervention
Schools need to provide prevention supports which act to prevent students from becoming disengaged or developing skill deficits
Schools need to develop a continuum of intervention supports which are readily accessible as soon as a student is indicated as at-risk or off-track
Creating a comprehensive prevention/intervention program which addresses academic, behavioral, and social-psychological disengagement and academic skill deficits as indicated by data is critical
There will be cases in which students are flagged for at risk based on one indicator (e.g., they fail one or more courses) but not the others (e.g., their overall GPA is higher than a 2.5 or their attendance patterns are not a concern). In these cases, it is likely these students are struggling with particular subjects or areas (e.g., literacy) and specific academic interventions may be the most appropriate.
In cases where the early warning signs all converge and indicate a general disengagement with school, the provision of comprehensive drop-out prevention programs that aim to get the student re-engaged in school activities and academics may be needed. Are you going to identify what a “comprehensive drop-out prevention program is?”

25. Supports for ALL (Core)
Academics
Behavior
All students
Evidence‐based core curriculum & instruction
Assessment system and data‐based decision making
All students, All settings
Positive behavioral expectations explicitly taught and reinforced
Consistent approach to discipline
Assessment system and data‐based decision making

26. Supports for SOME (Supplemental)
Academics
Supplemental targeted skill interventions
Small groups
Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention design
Behavior
Supplemental targeted skill interventions
Small groups
Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention design

27. Support for FEW (Intensive)
Academics
Behavior
• More intense targeted skill interventions • Customized interventions • Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention design
• Student centered planning • Customized function based interventions • Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention design

28. At all levels multi-tiered supports should focus on…
Pre-teaching skills critical to successful transition to the next grade/school level
Horizontal alignment of instruction and curriculum for teaching grade-level standards and behavioral expectations
Teaching missing skills or providing necessary supports (e.g., mentoring, advisement) for student who arrive with or acquire skill/engagement deficits

29. District First Steps…
Communicate the need and expectation of instructional/intervention plans to address student engagement barriers while simultaneously addressing student skill deficits and learning needs
Provide professional development and coaching for SBLT to ensure their understanding of the relationship between instruction, curriculum, and environmental variables and student engagement and achievement
Provide professional development and coaching for instructional personnel to support their ability to improve student engagement and academic outcomes through the manipulation of instructional, curricular, and environmental variables

30. Example Protocol for Vertical Articulation of Academic Standards
Overview of Benchmark
MA.3.A.1.1
Model multiplication and division including problems presented in context…
Required Prior Knowledge as Identified in Prior Year(s) Standards
Grade-Band Content as identified in current grade level standards
Expected Student Knowledge as Identified by Standards for next grade levels

31. District First Steps…
Designing multi-tiered supports which prevent and respond effectively to academic/engagement deficits will be greatly facilitated if the District…
Sets clear expectation for vertical articulation between grade/school levels
Establishes protocols, procedures, and processes for articulation
Allocates resources necessary to support articulation between grades/school levels
Data systems that allow for sharing of data both vertically and horizontally
Time for collaboration between grade/school levels
Trained facilitators/coaches
Support for unpacking of standards

32. Scheduling of Multi-Tiered Supports
Districts should support school’s efforts to…
Maximize academic engaged time in critical areas
Develop master schedules that reflect the needs of students
Maximize use of all staff
Ensure time allocated for Tiers 1, 2 and 3
Provide meeting time for tier integration work
Be flexible enough to provide timely intervention and re-integration

33. Scheduling of Multi-Tiered Supports
District’s should support school’s efforts to…
Direct a significant amount of resources to critical transition years (6th and 9th) to prevent academic and behavioral problems
Provide opportunities for mentoring, advisement, and academic support within the master schedule for all students
Include classes which provide instruction in organization, study skills, note-taking, problem solving, and communication in the school’s master schedule
Intensify instruction by providing additional time and personnel or smaller class sizes for classes which typically result in high rates of courses failures

34. Scheduling of Multi-Tiered Supports
District’s should support school’s efforts to…
Build time into the school’s master schedule to allow for weekly common planning/PLC time for content teams and for cross content teams at least monthly
Intervention teachers plan with core content teachers and align intervention strategies with core instruction
Develop school leadership team members who can monitor and participate in the work of all other school teams

35. Monitoring the Effectiveness of the K-12 System
DBLTs should monitor the impact of the k-12 system by evaluating…
The difference between the expected outcomes (vision) and the district-wide current levels (student full-option graduation outcomes)
The percent of schools/feeder patterns accomplishing the predetermined goals

36. Questions?