MAXIMIZING STUDENT OUTCOMES THROUGH K-12 ALIGNMENT

Rebecca Sarlo, Ph.D.Stephanie Martinez, Ed.S.

What is the Purpose of Our K-12 Systems?

FDOE Mission Statement• Increase the proficiency of all students within one

seamless, efficient system, by providing them with the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents, and communities, and to maintain an accountability system that measures student progress toward the following goals:

• Highest student achievement (Full Option Graduation)• Seamless articulation and maximum access • Skilled workforce and economic development • Quality efficient services

“One Unified System”

• Successful high school completion begins with kindergarten

• Each grade/school level inherits an aggregate of student gaps, weaknesses, and strengths produced in the previous grade/school level

• Most successful “intervention” is to ensure that students enter each grade/school level with as much strength as possible– With both the academic and social-emotional skills

needed to be successful

“One Unified System”

• Vertical Programming—articulation K-12- is the most effective way of ensuring that students graduate from the system as full-option graduates

• An agreed upon “method” of vertical communication of student data/needs—that leads to vertical programming– is critical

• All grades/school levels need to know student needs prior to their entry—preferably months ahead of time– The best “screening” tool is the compilation of student

historical data – This becomes more evident as students move beyond

elementary school

Every System Is Perfectly Aligned to the Results That It Gets

--George Batsche-ism

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Percent of Proficient Readers

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What Does this Data Seem to Tell Us?

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Percent of Proficient Readers

Year

“Low” Performing School

“High” Performing School

Without significant organizational changes, the school should expect approx. 68% of its students to need support in Reading.

Without significant organizational changes, the school should expect approx. 28% of its students to need support in Reading

What Does this Data Seem to Tell Us?

1 2 3 4 510%

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Percent of Students with Excessive Absenteeism

“Low” Performing School

“High” Performing School

1 2 3 4 510%

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Percent of Students with Excessive Absenteeism

Without significant organizational changes, the school should expect approx. 40% of its students to demonstrate disengagement by missing school

Without significant organizational changes, the school should expect approx. 21% of its students to demonstrate disengagement by missing school

Maximizing Student Outcomes

• To improve student outcomes and allow for full-option graduation, districts must build systems which allow schools to more effectively…– Prevent disengagement and academic

skill gaps from occurring in the first place

– Respond more readily to student engagement and academic deficits when they do occur

Critical Elements of an MTSSS Model

District-Based Leadership Team (DBLT)District Policies, Procedures, and Resources which allow for the development of effective:

– School-Based Leadership Teams (SBLT)– Data-Based Problem-Solving– Multi-Tiered System of Supports which address

students’ behavioral and engagement needs – Data Systems which allow for prevention and timely

response to student skill gaps – Schedules to Support Multi-Tiered Intervention– Methods of evaluating Instructional/Intervention Fidelity– Student/Family/Community Involvement

Critical Elements of an MTSSS Model

• SAME critical components should be present K-12

• Implementation of the critical components will look different at the middle-and high-school levels

– The differences are influenced by organizational structure, focus on content and credits, and the logistics of scheduling

• District support of specific critical component development/implementation will likely need to differ based on the targeted school level

Similarities and Differences between School Levels

• Consensus Building• Monitor Skills AND

Content• Schedule

Development• Integration of the

Tiers• Parent/Student

Involvement

• Standards-Based Instructional Focus

• Problem-Solving Process• School-Based Leadership

Teams• Data Days to Evaluate

“Health and Wellness”• Data Based Decisions• Multi-Tiered System

which address students’ behavioral and academic needs

• Importance of Fidelity

Same Different

Building Consensus in a K-12 System

• Consensus building at the elementary level typically centers around a need to improve literacy outcomes

• Consensus is more difficult to develop at the secondary level – The “Compelling Why” of RtI Implementation is different

for Secondary Schools– Most personnel are content specific and generally most

interested only in their own content area– Even cross-content problems (e.g., student literacy) do not

typically constitute a strong enough hook to build consensus

– For behavior, there is often an expectation that students should already know how to behave and thus behavioral problems warrant discipline not intervention

Building Consensus across a K-12 System

• Districts can support consensus building around the implementation of MTSSS by at all levels by…

• Establishing and communicating a K-12 vision – Sunshine State School District creates a sound educational

environment that provides all students the academic and social emotional competencies and skills necessary to become full option graduates

• And, supporting all schools in redefining their own mission statements to align with the K-12 vision– Redefining Elementary and Middle School’s mission to include

preparing students to successfully transition to the next school level will help to strengthen vertical articulation and the effectiveness of feeder patterns

Building Consensus across a K-12 System

• Providing ready access to data which can be used by schools to determine their contribution to realizing the K-12 vision is critical

• Developing an Early Warning System will help to unite all staff members around a single goal (e.g., full option graduation) and emphasize the importance of all grades/school levels

District First Steps…Schools will be empowered to prevent engagement/skill gaps and readily respond to them when they occur when the District establishes…• A K-12 vision and aligns the curriculum and instructional

goals of each school level with the vision• Communication plans, protocols and practices for vertical

and horizontal articulation of student needs, gaps, and strengths

• A data system which allows for the integration and fluid analysis of engagement and academic data AND the vertical articulation of both engagement and academic data between grade/school levels

Developing a District-Wide Early Warning System

• The best predictor of future failure is current failure and disengagement

• Assessing risk across multiple variables allows teams to provide early intervention and prevent disengagement from school and course failures– At-risk and off-track students are identified through

analyzing a combination of engagement and academic data.

• Many students experience course failures as a result of disengagement (e.g., excessive absenteeism, lack of productivity, inattention)

• Systematically assessing student engagement allows schools to identify students in need of support before they have failed courses or acquired skill deficits related to missed instruction

Elementary and Middle School Risk Indicators

Academic and Engagement Indicators– Attend school less than 80% of the time• Due to absenteeism or discipline issues• Excused or unexcused absences

– Receive a low final grade for behavior– Fail either math or English/Reading

Retention– 64% of students repeating a grade in

elementary school eventually drop out– 63% of students held back in middle school

eventually drop out

Mobility• Multiple schools during educational career

Kennelly & Monrad, 2007

High School Risk Indicators

Academic indicators– GPA less than 2.0– Course Failures– Behind in Credits

Behavioral/Engagement indicators– Attend school less than 80% of the time– Consistently miss instruction due to behavioral issues– Psychological or Social disengagement

• Lack of peer group• Lack of involvement in school extracurricular

activities• Low educational expectations• Lack of personal relationship with adults at school

Retention– Retained 1 or more years

Mobility– Multiple schools during educational career

High Off TrackLacking 2 or more graduation requirementsBehind 4 or more CreditsCurrently failing 3 or more classesExcessive Referrals and/or Absences

Extreme Off Track 2-3 Years BehindNo chance for graduation in a traditional school settingDisengagement

At Risk for Off TrackLacking 1 of 3 Graduation requirements< 5%Absences3 or less Level 1 or 2 referrals

On TrackExceeding or Meeting all graduation requirements (Credits, FCAT Score, GPA)6 or less AbsencesNo referrals

Off Track Lacking 2 graduation requirementsBehind 1-3 Credits10% Absences3 or less Level 2 referrals or 2 Level 3 Referrals9th graders indentified “at high risk” (3 F’s in 8th grade)

Example: Credits Earned

1st Semester

09-10 < 3 Credits

08-09 < 9 Credits

07-08 <15 Credits

06-07 < 21 Credits

Pasco County Schools

On TrackAt Risk

Off TrackHigh Risk

Extremely off Track

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Grad Plan 09-10

Grad Plan 08-09

Grad Plan 07-08

Early Warning Systems DataTargeted School Example

• 52.8% (210) of last year's 9th graders are off-track for graduation– 19% (75) are off-track due to failed FCAT, Credits and GPA– 13% (52) of exiting 9th graders failed 3 or more courses

• Almost all of these students are part of the lowest 25%• Many of these students will count in the total graduation and at-

risk graduation rates• These students have less than a 15% chance of graduating

without significant intervention

• Course Failures– Algebra 1 - 43.5%– Spanish 1 - 45%– World History- 29%– English 1 - 28%– Hope (Health and PE) - 58 students- 17%

Early Warning Systems and Vertical Articulation and Programming

• While in Middle School, entering 9th graders…• Demonstrated disengagement through

absenteeism (32%)• Demonstrated disengagement through excessive

behavioral referrals/suspensions (22%)• Had a history of course failures in

English/Reading (29%)– 48% scored non-proficient on the Reading FCAT

• Had a history of course failures in math (37%)– 41% scored non-proficient on Math FCAT

• Had a history of retention (24%)

The bottom line…

• Disengaged students are likely to be disengaged at the next grade/school level in the absence of prevention and intervention support

• Students with a history of academic underachievement or failure are likely to continue to fail without prevention and intervention support

• Addressing academic and engagement issues earlier rather than later is more successful and more cost effective

• Preventing disengagement and/or academic failure is more effective than reacting to them once they occur

Integrated, Multi-Tiered Prevention/Intervention Supports

• It is not enough to simply identify at-risk students, leadership teams must follow identification with effective and appropriate intervention

• Schools need to provide prevention supports which act to prevent students from becoming disengaged or developing skill deficits

• Schools need to develop a continuum of intervention supports which are readily accessible as soon as a student is indicated as at-risk or off-track

• Creating a comprehensive prevention/intervention program which addresses academic, behavioral, and social-psychological disengagement and academic skill deficits as indicated by data is critical

Supports for ALL (Core)

Academics• All students• Evidence‐based core

curriculum & instruction

• Assessment system and data‐based decision making

Behavior• All students, All

settings• Positive behavioral

expectations explicitly taught and reinforced

• Consistent approach to discipline

• Assessment system and data‐based decision making

Supports for SOME (Supplemental)

Academics• Supplemental

targeted skill interventions

• Small groups• Frequent progress

monitoring to guide intervention design

Behavior• Supplemental

targeted skill interventions

• Small groups• Frequent progress

monitoring to guide intervention design

Support for FEW (Intensive)

Academics

• More intense targeted skill interventions• Customized interventions• Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention design

Behavior

• Student centered planning• Customized function

based interventions• Frequent progress monitoring to guide intervention design

At all levels multi-tiered supports should focus on…

• Pre-teaching skills critical to successful transition to the next grade/school level

• Horizontal alignment of instruction and curriculum for teaching grade-level standards and behavioral expectations

• Teaching missing skills or providing necessary supports (e.g., mentoring, advisement) for student who arrive with or acquire skill/engagement deficits

District First Steps…• Communicate the need and expectation of

instructional/intervention plans to address student engagement barriers while simultaneously addressing student skill deficits and learning needs

• Provide professional development and coaching for SBLT to ensure their understanding of the relationship between instruction, curriculum, and environmental variables and student engagement and achievement

• Provide professional development and coaching for instructional personnel to support their ability to improve student engagement and academic outcomes through the manipulation of instructional, curricular, and environmental variables

Example Protocol for Vertical Articulation of Academic Standards

Overview of BenchmarkMA.3.A.1.1

Model multiplication and division including problems presented in context…

  Required Prior Knowledge as Identified in Prior Year(s) Standards

Grade-Band Content as identified in current grade level standards

Expected Student Knowledge as Identified by Standards for next grade levels

  

   

District First Steps…

• Designing multi-tiered supports which prevent and respond effectively to academic/engagement deficits will be greatly facilitated if the District…– Sets clear expectation for vertical articulation between

grade/school levels– Establishes protocols, procedures, and processes for

articulation– Allocates resources necessary to support articulation

between grades/school levels• Data systems that allow for sharing of data both vertically and

horizontally• Time for collaboration between grade/school levels• Trained facilitators/coaches• Support for unpacking of standards

Scheduling of Multi-Tiered Supports

Districts should support school’s efforts to…

• Maximize academic engaged time in critical areas

• Develop master schedules that reflect the needs of students

• Maximize use of all staff

• Ensure time allocated for Tiers 1, 2 and 3

• Provide meeting time for tier integration work

• Be flexible enough to provide timely intervention and re-integration

Scheduling of Multi-Tiered Supports

District’s should support school’s efforts to…• Direct a significant amount of resources to critical transition

years (6th and 9th) to prevent academic and behavioral problems

• Provide opportunities for mentoring, advisement, and academic support within the master schedule for all students

• Include classes which provide instruction in organization, study skills, note-taking, problem solving, and communication in the school’s master schedule

• Intensify instruction by providing additional time and personnel or smaller class sizes for classes which typically result in high rates of courses failures

Scheduling of Multi-Tiered Supports

District’s should support school’s efforts to…• Build time into the school’s master schedule to

allow for weekly common planning/PLC time for content teams and for cross content teams at least monthly

• Intervention teachers plan with core content teachers and align intervention strategies with core instruction

• Develop school leadership team members who can monitor and participate in the work of all other school teams

Monitoring the Effectiveness of the K-12 System

DBLTs should monitor the impact of the k-12 system by evaluating…

– The difference between the expected outcomes (vision) and the district-wide current levels (student full-option graduation outcomes)

– The percent of schools/feeder patterns accomplishing the predetermined goals

Questions?