SPECIAL EDUCATION

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

January 2016

Theories that travel, include ambitious

goals, sharp focus, clarity and
transparency of data and a relentless
sense of urgency.

THE SECRETS OF CHANGE

BY MICHAEL FULLAN

The research
Drawing from these authors:
Michael Fullan
* Six Secrets of Change
* The Principal
Peter Johnston
* Choice Words
* Opening Minds
Marie Clay
Carol Dweck
*Mindset

http://rapaciouslearning.org/

Special Education
Overarching goal is to accelerate
progress for students being
serviced in special education.

The key is through alignment to

the CORE!

Burning Question

Is our special education

model aligned with our
beliefs as a district?

Discussion for today

Current

reality of special
education
Initial evaluation team update
T3 lead teacher positions
ASD licensure requirements
Space for center based programs
Para trade
Psychologist allocation

Peter Johnston Article

Interventions need to be about building

success in the CORE

Learning Disability is not a destiny, but it is one

of the roads open to children. Worse, now that it
has become institutionalized, the livelihood of
many well-educated people is dependent on a
goodly number of children walking down this
road.
(Varenne, McDermott, Goldman, Naddeo, & Rizzon-Tolk, 1998, p. 42)

Turn and Talk

Initial Evaluation Team

Accomplishments since inception:
2009-10 school year
Improved consistency identification, processes
Increased capacity for comprehensive
evaluations
Improved quality of evaluations
Increased professional development i.e. ASD and
EL evaluations
Reduced over-representation
Provided space to focus on quality instruction
Total % of sped is decreasing at elementary
Other.

Initial Evaluations Why

Change?
Capacity

Building MTSS Model

Pre-referral system evolving
Disconnect between outside
evaluation team and
interventions in the building
Need to move away from
discrepancy model of identifying
LD
Other

Proposal:
Current Evaluation Team:
3.0 Psych/ Sp Ed Teacher/ SLP = 9.0 total
Proposed:
.5 Psych/ Sp Ed Teacher/ SLP = 1.5 total
2 teams
.25 eval / .75 bldg for psych, teacher, SLP
Districtwide

support for:

EL
ASD
Complex cases

Flowchart of Special Education

Services

Does
Does Not
Not Qualify
Qualify

Pre-referral
Pre-referral
Intervention
Intervention

Continue
Continue
intervention
intervention

Setting
Setting II Services
Services
Initial
Initial Evaluation
Evaluation

Setting
Setting II
II Services
Services
Qualify
Qualify

Start
Start Special
Special
Education
Education Services
Services
Write
Write IEP
IEP

Co-teaching,
Co-teaching, pushpushin,
in, LLI,
LLI, reading
reading
and
and writing
writing
conferences
conferences
Social
Social Emotional
Emotional
Regulation
Regulation
support,
support, cocoteaching,
teaching,
academics
academics ,,
LLI(flexible
LLI(flexible
service)
service)

Setting
Setting III
III Services
Services

Regulation,
Regulation, cocoteaching, pullout
teaching,
pullout

Setting
Setting IV
IV services
services

Dakota
Dakota Ridge
Ridge

Resource re-allocation
Most

qualified professionals
working with our students with
high needs
Work flow for special educators

What was successful

Impact of student success
Barriers to making the change
Recommendations for future

Tier 3 Lead Teachers

You build capacity by attracting
talented people and then you help
them continually develop
individually and on the job
The Six Secrets of
Change

Tier 3 Lead Teacher

Position
Proposal:

Tier 3
Special Ed
Initial Evaluations

PSYCH ALLOCATION
Basic Allocation:
Elementary
.5
Middle School
.75
High School 1.0
T+/ ALC
.5
SES .25
Additional district allocation based on:
# of Students receiving special education services

1-100 = .5
100-150 = .75
150-200 = 1.0
200 + - 1.25

Unique

needs : programs/ students

ASD Licensure
Law

requires ASD licensure

Many of our CIP/ CID and
Resource teachers are licensed
We must ensure license areas
covered within each building
May require shifting staf

Center Based
Programming
Special Education students are not
only placed within a fixedperformance
frame but also are given frequent
evidence that they are not being
successful, a combination that is
particularly problematic.
~ Peter Johnston

Space and long term

planning
Center

Based Needs 16-17

Declining DCD numbers

Additional SPMI/ CID
2 additional classrooms needed

To maintain current programming propose

DCD / CID & DCD / SPMI classrooms

Proposal:
Space

that reflects beliefs

Students attending neighborhood/magnet schools

Cost efective transportation
Flexibility in settings as students progress
Shift

from disability based programs

Provide 2 center based classrooms in each of the
19 elementary schools
Flexible resource space

Michael Fullan The Principal

Chapter 5, Agents of Change
Challenge the status quo being
able and willing to question
common practice, take risks,
explore innovations, and not let
rules slow down action.

Reflections
Thoughts
Recommendations
Creative

Ideas
Communication Plan