Embedding Early Intervention into the Culture of Daily Practice

(Adapted from Ortiz, 1987; Horner, 1998; Sugai, 2001) Intensive 1-7% (Specialized/Individual Support System) Intervention 5-15% (At-Risk System, Supplemental, Small Groups) Universal 80-90% (District, School-Wide, & Classroom Systems) School-Wide Individual Support All Students in School Continuum of Support

Components of EIP Leadership Collegial Support & Family Partnerships Strategic Decision-Making Assessment & Reflective Practice Instructional Repertoire Accountability & Documentation

Leadership Our Key to Success School-Wide Culture Individual Support

Leadership The principal is responsible for creating the conditions needed for each of the components. For example: –Organizational structures (e.g., scheduling, monthly Student Academic Reviews) –Aligning professional development with school improvement plans –Linking supervision and evaluation with implementation of effective practices

(Horner, 1998) Leadership Culture of School Common Planning School-Improvement Plan Professional Development Mentoring/Extra Support Time for Process Focused Assistance Allocation of Resources School-Wide Culture Individual Support All Students in School Family Partnerships Accountability Strategic Resources

Collegial Support & Family Partnerships Our Learning Community Culture Collaboration Consultation

Collegial Support & Family Partnerships Support operates on a continuum from collaboration to consultation depending on the level of need. Collegial support and family partnerships are necessary in order to support student success. The focus should be on school-family partnerships.

Continuum Collaboration Consultation Coaching MentoringCrisis Support Co-teaching Peer Coaching Specific Expertise Grade Level Teams Parent-Teacher Communication Parent Expertise of Child S. Gerber

A Staff Support Structure Stuart Gerber Information Delivery, Learning Styles Collaboration, Communication/Listening Coordinating & Co-planning Instruction (with colleague or team) Co-teaching Peer Coaching Mentoring Consulting: Prescriptive (team or individual) Consulting: Focus (individual) Consulting: Objectivity Enhancement (individual) Crisis Support

Portraits of Early Intervention School-wide options can include… –Core Team –Grade Level Teams –Primary & Intermediate Core Teams –Cross Grade Level Core Teams –Case Partner and Classroom Teacher –Ad Hoc Teams (based on student needs) –Family Partnerships

(Horner, 1998) Collegial Support & Family Partnerships All Students in School Collaboration Collaborative Consultant “Expert” Advice Specialized Assistance Mentoring/Modeling Specialized Support Parent to Parent Support Reflective Practice Collective Responsibility Shared Leadership Co-teaching Peer-Coaching Volunteer Programs Community & Parent Partnerships Communication & Information Sharing

Strategic Decision- Making Our Framework for Operation Universal Practices Specialized Strategies

A Paradigm Shift Reactive Proactive

Data to Verify From To Perception of an Issue Action What Makes it Strategic? Data Driven Action Action Based on SWIS Perception of an Issue

Indicators of Strategic Decision-Making Identify the focus area for improvement Determine the desired outcome Generate alternative strategies Examine strategies for impact & feasibility Develop a plan of action that includes a monitoring system Implement the plan & monitor student progress Evaluate student progress & the plan

What Can We Change? Context of learning What we teach Outcomes of Learning How we teach S tudent(s) I nstruction E nvironment C urriculum Adapted from Heartland Area Education Agency

(Horner, 1998) Strategic Decision-Making All Students in School Universal Practices Specialized Strategies In-Depth Analysis Interventions & Monitoring Intensive Interventions & Monitoring Data-Driven Decisions on Practice Monitoring & Ensuring Student Progress for All Students School-Improvement Process Ensuring Implementation Integrity

Assessment & Reflective Practice Our Cornerstone for Change Universal Assessment Focused Assessment

Assessment “Assessment is a process of collecting data for the purpose of making decisions about individuals or groups and this decision-making role is the reason that assessment touches so many people’s lives.” Salivia & Ysseldyke (2001)

What Data Do We Use? Looking at Numbers Quantitative data (Numbers) –Defining the gap between expectations and current performance –Monitoring the progress and growth Move Beyond Numbers Qualitative data (Descriptions) –Developing a focus area or the cause of a concern –Defining the context –Examining the implications of decisions

 Demands/ Skills Years in School  The Achievement Gaps KU-CRL Gap Baseline Expected Performance

Using Benchmarks Break down the time to meet a given goal in shorter increments Set a performance mark for each benchmark Build each benchmark on the previous one-interval monitoring Use to articulate the rate of progress

Demands/ Skills Time The Goal Line Expectations for All Students  Baseline/Current Level of Performance  Goal Student’s Projected Line of Growth Benchmark -4 weeksBenchmark -8 weeksBenchmark -6 weeks16 weeks

Monitoring vs. Evaluating Monitoring On-going and frequent Part of the implementation process Provide information for adjustments in plan Evaluating A specific point in time A review of the implementation process Provide information for decisions on next steps

Why Reflect? “If teachers are to become skilled at independently identifying and addressing idiosyncratic learning problems of their students, they must learn to reflect critically on student work as well as on their own teaching practices.” “Lifelines to the classroom: Designing support for beginning teachers”, by Kendyll Stansbury and Joy Zimmerman. Knowledge Brief, WestEd, 2000.

Integrity Did we do what we said we would do? Reasons why we tend not to follow through: –Lack of defined or appropriate focus –Plan was not clearly defined or comprehensive to include appropriate strategies –The skill levels needed to implement the plan were not adequate –The right resources (time, money, personnel) were not supplied

Measuring the Effectiveness of Implementation Did we achieve our goal for student outcomes? Did we do what we said we were going to do to promote student success? How do we know this? –Did we set a predetermined goal line? –Did we monitor student progress towards this goal line? –Did we examine why the goal was met or not met?

Assessment & Reflective Practice (Adapted from Ortiz, 1987; Horner, 1998; Sugai, 2001) All Students in School Universal Assessment Focused Assessment Lesson Study Observational-Based Curriculum-Based Observation-Feedback on Instruction In-Depth Analysis Increased Objectivity Focused Assessments Reflective Practice Examining Student Work Problem Validation Formal & Informal Monitoring Student Progress

Instructional Repertoire Our Impact on Student Learning Effective Teaching Practices Individualized Direct Instruction

 Accommodations & Modifications Demands/ Skills Years in School  Skills & Strategies The Achievement Gaps

Examining Impact High Impact on Learning High Access to General Curriculum Fosters Independence Low Impact on Learning No Access Fosters Dependence

High Confidence Qualified Skills Easy to Use Resources Low Confidence Lack of Skills Difficult to Use Resources Examining the Implementer(s) What changes in the current system/practice would move the selected strategies into the “ green zone ” ?

Most Like Peers Enriches Other’s Learning Easy to Put in the Routine Least Like Peers Deters Other’s Learning Difficult to Put in the Routine Examining the Integration with Universal Practice What changes in the current system/practice would move the selected strategies into the “ green zone ” ?

What Does This Mean? Essential or Critical Content –“Big ideas” –Needed to sustain life in the adult world Core Content –“Power Standards” –Support achievement on CMT/CAPT Extended Content –“Nice to Knows” –Enriches learning beyond core content Kansas University Center for Learning Research Center for Performance Assessment

Content Standards vs. Performance Standards Content standards What gets taught, the subject matter, the skills and knowledge, and the applications Set the broad curriculum goals Performance standards Set the levels of mastery that must be met in various subject matter Translate content into specific knowledge and skills that are expected to be demonstrated Defined at specific grade levels or benchmark years

Generating Alternative Strategies Brainstorming –Works well to develop creative and innovative ideas –Tends to focus on ideas that already exist –Becomes a “brain dump” Generating Alternative Strategies –Focuses on strategies that are different from what is currently being used –Requires new expertise –Structures the process on strategically developed ideas

What Needs to Be Learned? Strategies –Problem-solving and decision-making –Study skills –Coping –Compensation –Self-awareness –Self-management Skills –Able to do –Specific applications Concepts –Need to know –Abstract ideas

Accommodations vs. Modifications Accommodation A change made to the teaching or testing procedures in order to provide a student with access to information and to create an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY to demonstrate knowledge and skills (HOW) Modification A change in what the student is expected to learn and/or demonstrate (WHAT)

Three Types of Accommodations Alternative Acquisition Modes –Ways of acquiring knowledge (Input) Content Enhancements –Ways to process content, such as organization, comprehension, and memorization (Process) Alternative Response Modes –Ways of demonstrating learning (Output)

Two Types of Modifications Change in the amount of concepts or performance expectations within the grade level standard (less) Change of level of performance standard (lower or higher)

Three Components to Consider… Prevent Environment Instruction & Curriculum Social/ Interpersonal Teach Strategies Skills & Concepts Respond Reinforcement Cueing & Feedback Management Adapted from Ayers

(Horner, 1998) Instructional Repertoire Cooperative Learning Strategies Embedded Strategic Instruction School-wide PBS Specific Accommodations Skill &/or Strategy Instruction Intensive Skill Development Differentiated Instruction Effective Teaching Practices Individualized Direct Instruction All Students in School Sheltered Instruction Classroom Routines

Accountability & Documentation Our Responsibility Universal Documentation In-Depth Documentation

Tips for Documenting Student Progress Use the same assessment process and tools for baseline and monitoring Sensitive to small changes over time. Report the information in the same format (e.g. graphing). Align the assessment with the intervention (e.g. DRA, OBA). Monitor student progress on a frequent and regular basis in order to make quality judgments about the progress.

Is the Action Plan “Stranger- Proof”? Who is doing What, Where, When, (frequency & duration) How Often, and With what resources?

Demands/ Skills Time The Goal Line Expectations for All Students  Baseline/Current Level of Performance  Goal Examples of student progress

(Horner, 1998) Accountability & Documentation Record Keeping School-Improvement Plans Utilize School-wide & Classroom Data Documentation of Student Outcomes Grade Level Transitioning Graphing of Student Progress Individualized/ Group Action Plans Comprehensive Documentation Communication Universal Documentation In-Depth Documentation All Students in School