Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

Improving Special Education Services in the Providence School District

Report of the Implementation Plan in response to

Council of Great City Schools Audit

Presented by: Lisa Vargas-Sinapi

AgendaReview of Progress in Implementing CGCS

Recommendations

Review of Disproportionality Data

Review Implementation Plan for Birch Academy Mt Pleasant alignment with DoJ & CGCS

Review of Our Priorities, Needs and Strategic Plan

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 2

Context and Challenge

CEC Identifies Critical Issues Facing Special Education Assessment of Students with

Disabilities Funding Professional Development Staffing

Shortages Highly qualified teacher

requirement Teacher Retention

Practice Transition Discipline / Behavioral

Supports Research RtI Paperwork

Legal Cases Inclusion - LRE Disproportionate Representation

in Special Education Segregated Settings

CGCS – Audit (2011) Least Restrictive

Environment Over-identification: 16%

when National 12% Incomplete RtI model Expanding and Re-Design

Transition Programming – Birch Re-Design

Staffing Patterns, Training, Leadership

Comprehensive Assessments Technology Parent & Family Engagement Behavioral Supports /

Services Settings Reports

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 3

Special Education Strategic Plan

Special Education Management & Operations Leadership, Staffing

Patterns & Training

Student Identification of Students Eligible to Receive Special Education Comprehensive

Assessments Disproportionality

Instructional Program Delivery –LRE – Continuum of Services

Update on Birch Academy Mt Pleasant

Use of Technology & Data Systems

Parent Support & Involvement

Positive Behavioral Supports & Interventions

RtI Systems

Post-Secondary Transitional Activities and Service

Clinical Setting Data

Legal Cases/Compliance

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 4

Special Education Management & OperationsAreas to be Addressed

Administrators not organized for maximum effectiveness

Supervisors and Specialists

Recommendations

• Reorganization of Special Education Department

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 5

Implementation

2012 Reorganization (Transition Year)

Full Implementation 2013

Employ One Special Education Director

• Established Manager Positions• Pre K• Elementary• High School• Behavior Program• Related Services

• 3 - Supervisor Positions

Special Education Leadership Structure

1 Pre-K /Elementary

Director

1 Secondary Director

8 Supervisors Programs/Supervising

Schools11 Specialists

Previous Structure

1 Director

New Structure

5 Programmatic Managers

3 School Supervisors 12 Specialists

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 6

Special Education ManagersPreschoolElementarySecondaryBehavioral ProgrammingTransition/Related Services

Staffing Patterns/Ratios and Usage

Staffing PatternsSocial Workers, Speech, P/T, Psychologists – AverageOccupational Therapist Top Fifth Percentage – Low Ratio

Review Contractual ObligationsAs many Teacher Assistants as Teachers

Cost Neutral Change

• Lack of Available Teacher Assistant Training Increase Specific Training for Teacher Assistants

• Teacher Assistant Hiring - Needs Based CBH Hiring for TAs

Lack of Teacher Assistant SubstitutesProvide Teacher Assistant Substitutes

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 7

Implementation Plan

Staffing of

Teacher

Assistant

Positions

• 2013 – Reduced 12 TAs at Secondary Level and converted to 3 Special Education Teacher Positions

• 2014- Reduced 9 TA positions to support 3 additional Special Education Teacher Positions

Training of

Teacher

Assistants

• 2012 – Present Program Specific Training For Teacher Assistant• *Autism *Behavior Interventions *Strategies *Inclusion

Programming *Assistive Technology *Pre-K Standards *IEP Development *Disability Training *Instructional Strategies *Transition Job Coaching *Sensory Diets

Concerns/

Future Plan:

• Training is not mandatory Teacher Assistants • Training forthcoming on topics:

*Job Coaching *Confidentiality * Progress Monitoring• Substitutes for Teacher Assistants Remain An Issue• Upcoming Labor Contract

*OT Caseload * CBH for Teacher Assistants *Evaluation Process for TAs * Mandatory Training

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 8

Understanding the scope and nature of disproportionality in Providence School District

Disproportionate representation is the over/under representations of groups within specific categories of disability in special education.

It is about: improving the evaluation procedures that are used to determine disability and need for special education; more stringent application of the eligibility criteria, including exclusionary factors; improving early intervening services and strengthening student interventions prior to a referral.

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 9

Student Identification – Comprehensive Assessment

Implementation Plan

Creation of revised our referral and

screening guidance - 2011 Provided Training - (2012) Developed Parent Brochure –

(2012)

Created Comprehensive Evaluation Data Guides

Emotional Disturbance (2012) Intellectual Disability (2013) Autism Spectrum Disorder (2013) Learning Disability (2011–Present)

In Process: Other Health Impairment (2014) Guide to Identifying ELL Students

with Disabilities (2013 to Present)Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 10

Areas of Concern Comparatively high special

education prevalence Disproportionate

representation continues

Recommendations• Improve consistency of

eligibility determinations • Improve the Special

Education Referral and Screening Process

Percentages of Students with Disabilities

2011 2012 201316.2

16.4

16.6

16.8

17

17.2

17.4

17.6

17.4. %

17.2%

16.6%

Percentages

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 11

Students with Disabilities 3-5 Years of Age

Preschool420

440

460

480

500

520

540

465

481486 484

530

2010201120122013Jun-14

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Disproportionality Data 2009-2013

White African American Hispanic0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

54.53

4.21

1.78

4.46

3.9

1.56

3.49

4.02

1.46

3.853.64

1.42

2.63

3.34

1.15

Emotional Disturbance

20092010201120122013

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 13

Disproportionality Data 2009 -2013

White African American Hispanic0123456789

1011

9.93

8.558.18

9.799.32

8.298.22

9.25

7.827.41

8.37

7.237.15 7.446.73

Learning Disabilities

20092010201120122013

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 14

Disproportionality Data 2010-2013

White African American

Hispanic0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

1.52 1.51

1.1

2.2

1.74

1.27

3.33

1.89

1.53

2.72

1.77

1.47

Other Health Impaired

2010201120122013

Percentage

Office of Special Populations Providence School 15

Student Identification Issues

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Evaluation Teams

Moving To

Moving To

Utilizing

Assessment for EligibilityAssessment for Instruction

Instructional Practices & Support Areas to Address

Expansion of co-teaching Inconsistent effective co-teaching implementation Inconsistency on differentiating instruction Low general education setting rates

Recommendations Establish vision of PPSD as inclusive district Establish visible general education presence to lead

initiatives Improve general education setting rates

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Instructional Practices & Support Least Restrictive Environment Data

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

0 30 60 90 120

63.00

62.85

64.11

64.93

3

5.72

6.15

5.73

31

31.33

29.74

29.34

General Education 70% or MoreGeneral Education 40- 70%General Education less than 40%

Percentage

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 18

Implementation PlanImplementation Plan Our Vision for Inclusion

2012 – 2013• Development of Collaborative Teaching Guidance Document• Specialists and Supervisors received training on differentiating

instruction and UDL.• Analyzed our data – Social/Emotional – Medical Issues • Developed Behavioral RtI Guidance Document

2013 – 2014• Set up work groups to review Collaborative Teaching• Provided professional development UDL• LRE Process Developed• Pilot inclusive classroom at - Mt Pleasant • Training on Behavioral RtI Model

2014 – Release Collaborative Guide and Professional Development and Training.• Monitor Implementation –professional development• Department Goal – Developing Greater Inclusive Models

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Future Needs o Greater Social / Emotional Supports in Schools

6 times the National Average – Emotional Disturbance Poverty Kindergarten Students

2014 – 2015 School Year 12 cases Increase number of Psychologist/Social Workers Behavioral Resource Centers in High Schools Work collaboratively with SAO department to

implement RB Social Emotional programs in our Safe-Caring PBIS framework at all level –Restorative JusticeResponsive Classroom

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 20

Provisions of the DoJ Interim Settlement Agreement

PPSD required to shut down the sheltered workshop;

All students in Birch target population receive supportive employment services in integrated settings;

All students in Birch target population receive transition and vocational assessments;

Person Centered Planning Process for each student (MAPS);

Employment Planning Teams;

Creation and Implementation of Career Development Plans;

Each student required to complete two 60 day trial work experiences;

Mutually Responsible for Work Placements of our 2011-2014 Graduates – December 1, 2014

Work Placements2011-2014 Graduates

N Size Employed

Job Trials Engaged

Not Engaged

Returned to the District

40 7 13 7 11 2

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department

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Highlights Implementation Plan

New Monitor – Charles Moseley

Employment First Policy

Expanded our Inclusion Programming – English, Math, Phys. Ed, Art, Music, Computer Classes

Official Members - Best Buddies Program

Unified Athletics – Basketball - Volleyball

90% Career Development Plans have been written

50% Students have completed a MAPs

Hired our own Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Project Search

Parent Support for Birch AcademyOffice of Special Populations Providence School Department 23

Project Search Cox Gamenight on the Birch Academy.

http://www.coxhub.com/articles/mount-pleasants-birch-academy-integrates-into-a-total-community

Thank you for making Mount Pleasant a school for all. 

Office of Special Populations Providence School Department 24

Thank you.

Presented by:

Lisa Vargas-Sinapi

Director of Special Education

456-9100 extension 11321

Lisa.Vargas-Sinapi@ppsd.org

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