1 The New York Higher Education Support Center for SystemsChange Peter L. Kozik & Gerald M. Mager School of Education Syracuse University Matt Giugno New York State Education Department VESID

2 Who’s on the HESC staff? Iris Maxon Administrative Secretary Steve Wirt Website & Technology Support Wilma Jozwiak SIG Project Coordinator Lori Alexander Budget Analyst

3 Your hosts for this presentation Matt Giugno VESID Program Manager Dr. Gerald Mager Project Director Chairperson, Task Force on Quality Inclusive Schooling Peter Kozik Project Coordinator

4 What is our history? Started with “Systems Change” Project Started with “Systems Change” Project Originally included about colleges Originally included about colleges Now includes over 70 colleges Now includes over 70 colleges Perceived inadequacies of teacher prep., especially with inclusive education Perceived inadequacies of teacher prep., especially with inclusive education Share project with other major NYSED offices (general ed. and higher ed.) Share project with other major NYSED offices (general ed. and higher ed.) 4

5 What is our history? Evolved over time Evolved over time Worked with SIG schools Worked with SIG schools Now with SPDG schools Now with SPDG schools Key player in many NYSED initiatives Key player in many NYSED initiatives Staff requests for additional participation Staff requests for additional participation 5

6 Who are we? The Task Force is a consortium of: Over 70 colleges and universities throughout New York Over 70 colleges and universities throughout New York State with teacher preparation programs Special Education Training & Resource Centers Special Education Training & Resource Centers Boards Of Cooperative Educational Services Boards Of Cooperative Educational Services Regional School Support Centers Regional School Support Centers Teacher Centers Teacher Centers Parent and Advocacy Groups Parent and Advocacy Groups Transition Coordination Sites Transition Coordination Sites Early Direction Childhood Centers Early Direction Childhood Centers

7 How are we funded? Through Federal Part B IDEA Discretionary FundsThrough Federal Part B IDEA Discretionary Funds 2nd 5 year cycle of funding through2nd 5 year cycle of funding through Vocational Education & Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) 2nd year of a present State Contract2nd year of a present State Contract Core mission remains the same

8 Statewide Connections for SystemsChange Early, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education P-16 Vocational & Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities Institutions of Higher Education Boards of Cooperative Educational Services Regional School Support Centers Teacher Centers Special Education Quality Assurance Special Education Training & Resource Centers Transition Coordination Sites Parent and Advocacy Centers Early Childhood Direction Centers 180 Faculty & Researchers at over 70 NYS Colleges & Universities

9 What colleges and universities are members of the Task Force? members of the Task Force? Public and Private Institutions Graduate and Undergraduate Programs General Education & Special Education separately certified Dually certified General & Special Education Programs Inclusive Programs 9

10 What colleges and universities are members of the Task Force? State University of New York Binghamton University Buffalo State College SUNY Brockport SUNY Cortland SUNY Fredonia SUNY Geneseo SUNY New Paltz SUNY Oswego SUNY Plattsburg SUNY Potsdam SUNY Stony Brook SUNY - University at Albany SUNY - University at Buffalo City University of New York Private Institutions Adelphi University Alfred University Canisius College Cazenovia College College of Mt. Saint Vincent College of New Rochelle College of St. Rose Daemen College Dominican College D’Youville College Five Towns College Fordham University Hartwick College Hofstra University Houghton College Iona College Keuka College LeMoyne College Long Island University - Brooklyn C.W. Post Westchester Manhattan College Manhattanville College Marist College Marymount College of Fordham Marymount Manhattan College Mercy College Molloy College Mount Saint Mary College National Technical Institute for the Deaf - RIT Nazareth College New York Institute of Technology New York University Niagara University Nyack College Pace University - Pleasantville New York City Roberts Wesleyan College The Sage Colleges Siena College St. Bonaventure University St. John’s University St. Joseph’s College - Brooklyn Long Island St. Thomas Aquinas College Syracuse University Teachers College Touro College University of Rochester Utica College Wagner College Wells College Brooklyn College - CUNY College of Staten Island - CUNY Hunter College - CUNY Lehman College - CUNY Medgar Evers College Queens College - CUNY 10

11 What are our purposes? Our Goals: To develop and sustain high quality inclusive teacher preparation programs To engage in and support the professional development efforts of selected schools and districts in the 7 regions of New York State 11

12 What has been the usual approach of engaging with high needs schools? Numerous points of contact for technical assistance “One shot’ consultation by professors & researchers Little or no program evaluation System addressed piecemeal No stakeholder buy in Parents and community left out Data misunderstood & misused Higher Education/Teacher Preparation on the periphery Multiple overlapping resources

13 What is the HESC/Task Force approach to engaging with high needs schools? Single point of contact for technical assistance Coordination of services Begin solution with most vulnerable students Involve higher education from the start for partnership development Focus on capacity building Professional Development Schools Pre-service teacher involvement Expertise in parent/community relations Combine NYSED initiatives Program evaluation

14 How do we work? Statewide Structure and Task Force Meetings Statewide Structure and Task Force Meetings Regional Liaison Structure and Regional Activities Regional Liaison Structure and Regional Activities Funded Initiatives: Funded Initiatives: Summer Action Grants for Effective Practices Symposia on Supports for the Academic and Behavioral Performances of Learners Building Partnerships between SPDG-Identified High Need Schools and Teacher Preparation Institutions Study Groups for Literacy, Positive Behavior Supports, & Special Education Practice Investigating Promising Practice Website Website 14

15 What are Statewide Task Force Meetings? Topics at the semi-annual one day meeting might include: IHE-School Partnerships SIG Evaluation Standards for Quality Inclusive Teacher Preparation Low Incidence Disabilities UDL Collaboration for Change Transition for Students with Disabilities Scientifically Based Research Behavior and Reading Web-Based Resources for Inclusive Practice 15

16 How is funding used for the Regional Liaison structure? Identification of liaison(s) in each of the 7 NYS regions Identification of liaison(s) in each of the 7 NYS regions Setting Statewide and regional agendasSetting Statewide and regional agendas Overseeing regional collaborationsOverseeing regional collaborations and partnerships Regional needs assessmentRegional needs assessment Recruit colleges and universitiesRecruit colleges and universities Visit, observe, and report on efforts for inclusiveVisit, observe, and report on efforts for inclusive teacher preparation Supporting ongoing professional developmentSupporting ongoing professional development Orient new faculty to the Task ForceOrient new faculty to the Task Force 16

17 Lower Hudson Valley Mid-West Eastern Western Mid-State Long Island 6 New York State Regions and New York City

18 Current Task Force member institutions: Alfred University * Houghton College Keuka College Nazareth College National Technical College for the Deaf/RIT Roberts Wesleyan St. John Fisher SUNY Brockport SUNY Geneseo University of Rochester The Midwest Region * Midwest Liaison

19 What is the history of funded initiatives? From 2001 – 2006 Over $1,200,000 provided for Co-Teaching Faculty Fellowships High Needs Partnerships Designing Inclusive Adolescent Teacher Prep & Leadership Groups on: Teacher Decision Making UDL Preparing Teachers to Engage with Families Teacher Retention Low Incidence Disabilities Transition 19

20 What initiatives are being funded currently? Regional Task Force, Partnership & Symposia Continue regional Task Force structure Coordinate regional partnerships between effective practice & high needs schools Host a summer symposium on regional promising practices 20

21 What initiatives are being funded currently? Study Groups for Literacy, Positive Behavior Supports, And Effective Special Education Practice in Schools Develop recommendations for how field documents can be integrated into Task Force teacher preparation programs 21

22 What initiatives are being funded currently? Investigating Promising Practices Faculty to join teams of professionals in the field to document and validate regional promising practices 22

23 How does the website work? inclusion-ny.org

24 What information and services does our website include?

25 Summary… Ensuring quality teacher preparation programs focused on inclusion. Ensuring quality teacher preparation programs focused on inclusion. Facilitating IHE relationships with local school districts, BOCES units, various staff development networks, and the New York State Education Department Supporting the development of guidelines and models for partnerships between IHEs and schools Developing resources and materials for the support of quality inclusive teacher preparation and practice Supporting web site communication, forums, discussions, electronic media, resources, and research focused on inclusion and evolving general education practice 25

26 What is the value of the HESC/Task Force approach to school districts? Access to current research and thinking on inclusion and promising practices Problem specific solutions to issues of AYP and State Performance Plan Indicators Connection to resources at over 70 institutions of higher education Opportunities for Action Research On site continual learning and professional development opportunities 26

27 What is the value of the HESC/Task Force approach to institutions of higher education? Continuing institutional research conversation around best practices for inclusion Connecting teacher preparation with the challenge and opportunity of high needs school and districts Flexible and timely response to changing needs and conditions Sharing resources, curricula, assistance with State and National accreditation processes Like-minded colleagues; research and publication 27

28 What is the value of the HESC/Task Force approach to the State of New York? SystemsChange – Whole system work with whole system results and effect Connection with districts, institutions, and technical assistance networks at a grass roots level Capacity building within the system on both the statewide and regional levels Audience and sounding board on policy for issues such as certification, accreditation, and dissemination of innovation and research 28

29 Where are we located? Syracuse University 030 Huntington Hall Syracuse, New York phone fax Located on the World Wide Web at 29

30 Questions? Contact: Peter Kozik