Overview of the Kansas Technical Assistance System Network: Using Technical Assistance to Facilitate Implementation of Evidence-based Practices Kerry Haag, Assistant Director/SPDG Project Director, Early Childhood, Special Education and Title Services, Kansas State Department of Education Crystal Davis, TASN Coordinator, Kansas State Department of Education

How did Kansas create TASN? Review of state data and existing resources Informed by: Experience Implementation science Anticipated future needs

Creating the system… From: Supports created around disability specific statewide personnel needs Degree & expectations for coordination with SEA and other providers inconsistent. Evaluation was project specific and not coordinated to afford system evaluation To: Supports aligned with State Board goals & policies and priorities for accountability Structure to ensure easier access to and coordination of TA that ensured a consistency of message Evaluation that leads to data driven decision making at all levels

Common Approach Capacity building with emphasis on fidelity & sustainability. An emphasis and support for utilizing the principles contained in the implementation research. Alignment and coordination regardless of funding stream. Standard operating principles.

KSDE Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) http://ksdetasn.org/

How is technical assistance accessed and provided through TASN? By request of districts, schools and families As directed by the KSDE

One common element of all TA efforts is that we focus on building district capacity. This is where we utilize what we have learned about the implementation research. We know that it is not TASN nor our providers that implement the interventions that are most likely to improve a district’s student outcomes. It is each individual school district that must ultimately plan, implement, support and sustain the practices that will support their students effectively. Our services must be designed to support them to do just that. It is not enough for us to provide a training or workshop and then simply wish them well! Our online resources, guidance, tools, as well as our workshops, webinars, conferences, consultation and direct support must always be presented in such as way as to assist districts to actually be able to implement the evidence-based practices that are most likely to match the needs of their students. This is not easy and we continue to work on how to ensure that everything we do supports implementation – not just knowing about a particular intervention or practice, but understanding the steps and considerations to implement that practice. Ultimately, as districts are better supported to implement evidence-based practices, we believe the results will speak for themselves. District data that represents improved student outcomes will improve. And it is that district data that then feeds back up into our state data and forms the basis for what we will do next in our system to support districts to reach even higher levels of performance until the results that we desire are achieved.

TASN Website – Single Point of Access Common Calendar Resource Depot TASN TA Request System TA Provider Service Tracking http://ksdetasn.org/

Accessing TASN Support

How are evaluations conducted through TASN? Guided by the logic model Data collected from internal providers Data collected from consumers On going review of state data

What is the connection between TASN and the ESEA flexibility work in Kansas? Students with disabilities are general education students first Structure of TASN allowed for shift in work Relationships with districts already established

What did the work look like? TASN providers assisted by: writing portions of the waiver collecting data in districts and schools creating a directory of technical assistance delivering TA to support priority and focus schools’ plans for improvement

TASN Belief System Priorities and resource allocation should, can, and will shift based on state data and other factors. All staff have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide the technical assistance outlined in project proposals and other KSDE directed activities designed to address priority areas. All services provided by TASN are focused on increasing district capacity to implement and sustain the identified evidence-based practices addressed in district improvement efforts. Intensity of TA (TASN resource commitment) is proportionate to district need.

Challenges & Future Directions Linking TA more closely with district and school improvement. Coordination among providers inside our system and establishing relationships with providers outside our system. Using the data to inform decisions as we refine TA supports. Internal PD for providers

Thank you & Questions