Florida Association of School Nurses 10th Annual Conference

January 29, 2005Orlando, FloridaFlorida Department of Education UpdateDianne Mennitt, MS, RNSchool Nurse ConsultantStudent Support Services Projecthttp://sss.usf.edu

Florida Department of EducationJohn Winn, Commissioner of EducationStrategic GoalsHighest Student AchievementSeamless Articulation and Maximum AccessSkilled Workforce and Economic DevelopmentQuality, Efficient Services

Jim Warford, Chancellorhttp://www.fldoe.orghttp://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/

K-12 Public Schools

Bambi Lockman, Bureau Chief, Exceptional Education and Student ServicesThe Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS) administers programs for students with disabilities and for gifted students. Additionally, the bureau coordinates student services throughout the state and participates in multiple inter-agency efforts designed to strengthen the quality and variety of services available to students with special needs.

Education Goal

All children with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment that promotes a high quality education and prepares them for employment and independent living.

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)The term FAPE means special education and related services that:Have been provided at public expense, under public supervision & direction, and without chargeMeet the standards of the State Education Agency (SEA)Are provided in conformity with the IEP

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with students who are not disabledRemoval of students with disabilities from regular education occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aides and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily

Floridas 2004 Hurricane SeasonTropical Depression BonnieHurricane CharleyHurricane FrancesHurricane IvanHurricane Jeanne

www.floridadisaster.org

Hurricanes & School ClosuresAll 67 school districts missed at least one day:29 districts missed 1-5 days24 districts missed 6-10 days14 districts missed 11-21 days

Hurricanes Flexibility to Make Up Missed DaysWaiver of 180-Day RequirementDelay in Administration of FCATHurricane School Grade Appeal OptionWorking with USDOE on an Appeals Process for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) due to HardshipsExtensions to Report Deadlines

Overview TopicsIDEA ReauthorizationGraduationMiddle Grades ReformThird Grade Student ProgressionAccountabilityVoluntary Pre-K Education Program

IDEA ReauthorizationIndividuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004H.R. 1350 Passed by Congress Signed by President Bush on December 3, 2004Public Law No: 108-446 http://thomas.loc.gov/

Amendment to IDEAPart A--General ProvisionsSec. 602. Definitions. (26) Related Services.-- (A) In general.--The term related services means transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services (including speech-language pathology and audiology services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, social work services, school nurse services designed to enable a child with a disability to receive a free appropriate public education as described in the individualized education program of the child, counseling services

State Improvement GoalsStudents with disabilities will have increased participation and improved performance in the general education curriculum, statewide assessments, and accountability systemsAll schools will provide positive, effective, and safe learning environments.Students with disabilities will achieve positive post-school outcomes

Are high school graduation rates and drop out rates for students with disabilities comparable to graduation rates and drop out rates for non-disabled students?Performance Indicators for Graduation

Middle Grades ReformRigorous Reading Requirement for Schools and Personalized Success Plans for Students are being implemented this yearWill examine data next year to determine any effects of these initiatives

Middle Grades ReformComprehensive Middle Grades Reform StudyDOE is completing the study this fallCommissioner will make recommendations for reform to SBOE and Legislative Leadership Report will include: Background on Florida middle schools, other states middle school initiatives, and national researchPublic input, public forums, and Task Force findingsCommissioners recommendations

Middle Grades ReformMiddle Grades Reform Task Force:Include middle school teachers, principals, assistant principals, superintendents, school board and parent representatives, district curriculum supervisors, Just Read, Florida!, FCRR, university facultyAre reviewing and deliberating information on middle grades areas specified in legislationReforms in Florida may include:Credit-base systemUniform grading scaleReading initiatives

FCAT Reading Performance

FCAT Mathematics Performance

2003 and 2004 Third Grade Data

Number of Students Taking 3rd Grade FCAT

2004 Third Grade Reading FCATThe percentage of third graders scoring Level 1 has dropped from 29 percent in 2001 to 22 percent in 2004In the same period, the percentage of third graders scoring at Level 3 or above has increased from 57 percent to 66 percent.

2004 Third Grade Reading FCATIncreases in students scoring at Level 3 or above (and corresponding decreases in Level 1) can be seen in all racial/ethnic categories, but most dramatically among minorities.

3rd Graders Scoring at Level 144,109 third grade students (21%) scored at level one in 2004. Of these students:82% were eligible for free/reduced lunch41% were in programs for students with disabilities31% were limited English proficient47% were limited English proficient and/or disabled53% were neither limited English proficient nor disabled

Student ProgressionProgression of Retained Third GradersEach district must provide a retained third grader who has received intensive instruction but is not ready for promotion, the option of being placed in a transitional setting.Such a transitional setting must be specifically designed to produce learning gains sufficient to meet grade 4 performance standards while continuing to remediate the areas of reading deficiency.

Accountability School Grades and AYP

Floridas Single Accountability SystemSchool Grades (A+)Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Measures Working Together

AccountabilityNo Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal law:Requires all states to utilize state assessments (FCAT Sunshine State Standards) to determine if a school has made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the proficiency of all students

Nine Groups are Evaluated for AYP Total School Population White Black Hispanic Asian American Indian Economically Disadvantaged Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students with Disabilities (SWD)

2004 Criteria for Measuring AYP Test 95% of the enrolled students

31% of students reading at or above grade level

38% of students scoring at or above grade level in Math Meet the States other criteria The school must improve performance in writing by 1%The school must improve the graduation rate by 1%The school must not earn a D or F

Accountability: http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org

Accountability - School Grades by School Type

Accountability

Accountability - Adequate Yearly Progress 2004

Accountability - School Grade ChangesChanges for 2004-05 Raise Writing proficiency to 3.5 Include students with disabilities and limited English proficiency in learning gainsFCAT scores only (not alternate assessments)Full academic year (enrolled in Survey 2 and 3) Changes for 2006-2007 Raise Writing proficiency to a 4.0Include FCAT Science proficiency, Grade 11

Accountability 2004 AYPFor the 2003-04 goal of 31% of students proficient in reading,14/71 districts met or exceeded this goal for students with disabilities.

Alachua 38%Brevard 33%Citrus 31%Clay 38%Leon 38%Martin 38%Okaloosa 38%St. Johns 34%Santa Rosa 39%Sarasota 35%Seminole 34%Wakulla 38%FSU Lab 50%UF Lab 39%

Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) Education ProgramDec 04-Florida House and Senate passed VPK bills Governor approved HB 1 on Jan 2, 2005 Authorizes parents to enroll their children in voluntary, free pre-kindergarten starting 2005 school year540 hour school-year program 300 hour summer program

Voluntary Universal Pre-KPreliminary estimates: For 2005-06, 152,796 children (70% of September 2003 census of 218,537 four-year olds) will be served through as many as 10,000 VPK providers in FloridaTransfers operation of school readiness system to Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) and renames school readiness coalitions to early learning coalitions.

VPK ActivitiesDevelop emergent literacy curriculum standardsAdopt Pre-K performance standards Statewide kindergarten readiness screening Consolidation to 30 or fewer coalitions to serve at least 2,000 childrenEducational credentials, Child Development Associate (CDA) or state equivalent credentials (www.cdacouncil.org), & background screening requirements

Problem-Solving InitiativeAYP Disaggregated Data (NCLB) focus attention to student progress, not student labelsBuilding principals and superintendents want to know if students are achieving benchmarks, regardless of the students typeAccurate placements do not guarantee that students will be exposed to interventions that maximize their rate of progressEffective interventions result from good problem-solving, rather than testing and placementProgress monitoring is done best with authentic assessment that are sensitive to small changes in student academic and social behavior

Problem-solvingA process that uses the skills of professionals from different disciplines to develop and evaluate intervention plans that improve significantly the school performance of students

Problem-solvingCan be applied to the student, classroom, building and county/district levelsStudent-academic and/or behavior problemClassroom- discipline, returning homeworkBuilding- bullying, attendanceCounty/District- over-/under-representationProblem- any problem shared by numbers of students

Problem-solving: What It Is and Is NotWhat it is.A process designed to maximize student achievementA method focused on outcomesA method to ensure accountability and intervention evaluationIt is all about student progress, regardless of where or who that student isWhat it is notA way to avoid special education placementsA less expensive way of schooling

Implications for Problem-solving TeamsServices must link with accountability systems (AYP, FCAT, NCLB)Intervention plans must attend to academic progress issues (Reading!)Response to intervention will be a primary eligibility criteria for access to additional servicesEffective problem solving process a high priority

Student OutcomesAssessment focus will move to authentic criterion http://www.fcrr.org/assessment/index.htmImplement evidence-based Interventions Program/intervention accountability a priorityLess process, more outcome

Steps in the Problem-solving ProcessIdentify replacement behavior2.Determine expectation level3.Develop hypotheses( brainstorming)4.Develop predictions/assessment5.Develop interventions in those areas for which data are available and hypotheses verified6.Collect data for hypotheses not verified7.Follow-up schedule and data sharing

Problem Solving Process

Multi-Level ProcessAmount of Resources Needed to Solve the ProblemIntensity of ProblemAdapted From Heartland, IA AEA Model

Enabling ComponentsSchool systems are not responsible for meeting every need of their students. But when the need directly affects learning, the school must meet the challenge.

Enabling Component #1 Classroom-based Approaches to Enable LearningPediculosis managementHand washing and personal hygiene instruction with students and staff to prevent the spread of germs Blood borne pathogens training to prevent disease transmission in the school population

Enabling Component #2Home & School InvolvementHealth assessment and care planning for students with allergies, asthma, diabetes, seizuresOngoing communication regarding students response to health interventions Facilitate family involvement to partner with school health staff

Enabling Component #3Student and Family AssistanceHealth screenings (vision, hearing, etc.)Medication administrationIndividual healthcare plans for students with health needs during school

Enabling Component #4Crises/Emergency Assistance & PreventionEmergency planning for students with physical/mental impairmentsCPR & First AidChild abuse prevention trainingEMS-C collaboration to prevent/reduce injuries at school

Enabling Component #5Community Outreach/VolunteersCommunity Health referrals and resourcesMultidisciplinary collaboration with health care providersSchool volunteer assistance Facilitate parent groups

Enabling Component #6Support for TransitionsFacilitate transfer of required school-entry health documentation (health exam & required immunizations)Developmentally appropriate health education to promote healthy lifestyles

Great things are done by people who think great thoughts and then go out into the world to make their dreams come true.

Ernest Holmes

Thank You!Questions/Commentsdmennitt@tempest.coedu.usf.edu

There is a strong connection between a schools grade and the number of adequate yearly progress criteria the school satisfied.

Of the 1262 A schools in 2004, 1157 of them satisfied at least 90% of the AYP criteria.

Of the 540 B schools, 499 satisfied at least 80% of the AYP criteria.

The statewide total of 'A' schools is 1,262, the largest amount in the state's history.There is a strong connection between a schools grade and the number of adequate yearly progress criteria the school satisfied.

Of the 1262 A schools in 2004, 1157 of them satisfied at least 90% of the AYP criteria.

Of the 540 B schools, 499 satisfied at least 80% of the AYP criteria.

In 2004, 716, 23.3%, of Floridas schools made AYP.

There were 418 schools that did not receive a school grade in 2004 that received an AYP designation.