1. Using Data – Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
Federal Grant Programs Conference
November 2, 2018

2. INTRODUCTION
Background – with apologies to Dr. Seuss!
Who is the expert here?
Palmer School District
Demographics – last five years, increased diversity, higher ELL and SWD, increasing high needs, significant SEL needs

3. LET’S EVALUATE SPECIAL EDUCATION!!!

4. NEEDS ANALYSIS
Data and conversations, time in classrooms, grade level meetings, special education department meetings
High special education referrals, low eligibility ratio – reviewed all data for eligibility
High pullout ratio (approx. 3 to 1) – service delivery analysis data
High restraints…..
“Not enough Tier
3!!”

5. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

6. What we saw, what we did…
Lack of universal screeners and too many disparate assessments with no focus or system in place
Anecdotal information from teachers – phonics please!
Lack of a common, structured literacy program
Lack of a systematic data cycle for grade level teams
Lack of tiered systems (RTI) of support for academics or behavior
Lack of de-escalation skills and capacity for staff

7. What we saw, what we did…
Develop a Literacy Team, including teachers from each grade level
Listen, listen, listen
Change nothing immediately – to the chagrin of many!
Start training staff in trauma-sensitive approaches
Assess tiered systems of support in both behavior and academics – what data are we using to support our interventions?

8. A COHESIVE APPROACH –ROOT CAUSES
Look outside the Special Education realm
Do we really need more Tier 3????
Do we really need more specially designed instruction?
Who is doing what in the instructional core?
Sped eligibility is going up – teachers said “we need more help from sped!”

9. PAUSE TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
Identify and implement solutions
Decide on universal screeners – STAR, Dibels Next
Data cycles with data sources
Referral processes – Teacher Assistance Team (TAT)
Co-teaching SWAT teams – let’s infiltrate!
Training in Standards-based IEP’s to align with mainstream curricula
Structure for grade level meetings – collaborative and data-driven
Conducted Literacy Assessment Analysis – what are we currently using? What are we missing? (fun with Excel spreadsheets!)

10. RE-EXAMINING THE DATA!

11. LOOKING AGAIN Re-run the eligibility data after one year:
65% reduction in referrals to special education
Doubled our eligibility to referral rate
Ran monthly checks on restraint data
Re-ran the service delivery analysis after one year
Conducted an initial Dibels Next baseline and established an assessment schedule for STAR
Completed full literacy needs assessment (one year)

12. PRESENTING WHAT WE FOUND

13. COMMUNICATION IS KEY!! Let’s not feel bad about our work!
Teachers are caring and working hard!
Data isn’t the enemy!
Teachers already knew the answers!
Teachers need support, direction and necessary skills to make progress in a systematized manner
Data confirmed what we already know – i.e. lack of phonics instruction, too many assessments, no tiered system of supports for academics or behavior

14. THANK YOU!!!