The Kansas State Coordinating Council requested technical assistance for English language learner (ELL) students to provide professional development on effective instructional strategies for its Regional Service Centers to assist classroom teachers, ELL instructors, and other ELL program staff members in meeting the needs of these students.  The MC3 Kansas TA team collaborated with the MC3 ELL and Migrant Education TA Coordinator  in developing a webinar series to respond to this request.

 Background:

These are difficult times for educators. Outside factors put a lot of pressure on teachers, such as high-stakes testing, preoccupied or uninvolved parents, influences of unsafe environments so on and so forth. The diverse population that is found in today's' schools include not only children coming from homes where they speak a language other than English, but also children coming from mobile, homeless, neglected or abused environments, and disrupted families. Many of these children who in most of the cases also come from low socio-economic status, perform at low levels and are at-risk of academic failure and potential drops-out (Mendler, 2002).

Identifying common characteristics of these populations and understanding the important role that the affective domain has on cognitive development will result in a better understanding in how to provide instruction to these children in a more effective way. MC3 will be presenting a series of two webinars based on scientifically based research that include behavior and performance patterns of different at-risk student groups as well strategies and suggestions for responsive pedagogy for practitioners.

The Response to Intervention (RtI) Regional Institute held in Springfield, Missouri (see background information below) to introduce interested districts and schools to the basic concepts of RtI was well received.  Participant feedback suggested that this event was valuable in guiding the initial work of schools and districts considering a total system change; implementing RtI.   The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Three-tiered Models of Intervention Director Thea Scott, in partnership with the Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center (MC3), the Midwest Equity Assistance Center(MEAC), the North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC), and DESE staff members from the Divisions of School Improvement, Career Education, and Special Education, and various Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs), determined that replication of this Institute in other regions of the state would be beneficial. 

This was the inaugural planning meeting of the Central Region's replication.  This institute, like the one in Springfield, Missouri, is intended to share vital RtI information with Central Region RPDC staff members as well as with central region district and school staff members exploring the potential implementation of an RtI system within their schools.

Background:

Missouri's Southwest RtI Summer Institute introduced the broad concepts of systems change using the RtI model to more than 270 participants representing 40+ school districts (mostly in the Southwest portion of Missouri). Participants gained the information and tools necessary to begin the systems change process in their home districts and buildings.

The Southwest Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) approached the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE) Division of Special Education with the concept of delivering a statewide Response to Intervention (RtI) Summer Institute in Springfield, Missouri.  As a result of the success of this Institute, other RPDCs across the state and DESE Special education staff members determined that a replication of this initial training would provide a framework for introducing RtI statewide.

DESE Special Education staff members supported the Southwest RPDC's idea and solicited additional, national support from the MC3, the National RtI Center, NCRCC, and MEAC.  The University of Missouri Positive Behavior and Instructional Support (PBIS) Center Director Tim Lewis was also engaged in supporting this effort.  All of the supporting partners participated in two conference calls that led to a successful statewide RtI Summer Institute held in Springfield, Missouri on June 15-16, 2009.

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Education's (ADE's) Academy of Pacesetting States team including Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement (ACSIP) Supervisor Kathy Lavender, ADE Professional Development Coordinator Deborah Coffman, ADE Director of Special Programs Dee Cox, ADE Science Instructional Specialist Stephen Brodie, ADE Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Learning Services Alice Barnes-Rose, ADE School Improvement Director Annette Barnes, ADE Federal Programs Manager Bernice Martin-Russell and MC3 Arkansas Technical Assistance (TA) Liaison Janie Russell participated in a distance learning event along with four other member states. MC3 Arkansas TA Coordinator Sharon Brooks participated remotely from the University of Oklahoma (OK), Norman, OK. The event was held at the ADE Distance Learning Center in Maumelle, Arkansas, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST on Friday, January 8, 2010.

Team members heard presentations from representatives from the Center on Innovation and Improvement (CII) regarding strategies to strengthen the statewide system of support (SSOS). In addition, a PowerPoint regarding the Colorado Growth Model was presented.

ADE Professional Development Coordinator presented a report on the ADE Pacesetter's progress toward the four action goals established during the 2009 Academy of Pacesetting States Summer Conference. Her report highlighted the emphasis on establishing an internal and external system of communication for ADE.

This teleconference was the fourth in a series provided for the MC3 Math Community of Practice (CoP). MC3 identified a regional need for a Math CoP to create a process for information exchange and sharing of research-based and best practices among key math staff members in the Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma state education agencies. This need emerged from discussions with state education agency representatives at national meetings. 

During the conference call, Center on Instruction Math Director Dr. Russell Gersten provided an overview of his publication, Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools.  MC3 Math CoP members had opportunities to engage in discussion and ask questions about the information presented by Dr. Gersten.  Topics of discussion included the use of screening, selection and implementation of interventions, and the identification of processes needed for solving word problems and understanding fractions.

The MC3 Regional Reading Community of Practice (CoP) Carnegie Reports Study Group (2) met on January 14, 2010, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT to continue discussion of the report Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Success. The watershed report from the Carnegie Council for Advancing Adolescent Literacy draws on recent research on adolescent literacy to make recommendations for best practices and how they are currently being implemented in districts and schools across the country to help students become more skilled readers as they enter college and careers.

Participants in the December 3, 2009, study group meeting decided to reconvene in January to allow additional time to read and consider further information in the report.  The group reached consensus on narrowing the focus for the discussion to the report's recommendations for interventions with middle and high school students, professional development, and standards. MC3 provided a discussion guide to serve as an advanced organizer and framework to guide participants' reading of Time to Act and focus attention on the discussion topics members requested.

Summary:

The Kansas State Coordinating Council requested technical assistance for English language learners students to provide effective professional development on effective instructional strategies for its Regional Service Centers to assist classroom teachers, ELL instructors, and ELL program staff members in meeting the needs of those students. The MC3 Kansas TA team collaborated with the MC3 ELL and Migrant Education Coordinator in developing a webinar series to meet this request.

Background:

These are difficult times for educators. Outside factors put a lot of pressure on teachers, such as high-stakes testing, preoccupied or uninvolved parents, influences of unsafe environments so on and so forth. The diverse population that is found in today's' schools include not only children coming from homes where they speak a language other than English, but also children coming from mobile, homeless, neglected or abused environments, and disrupted families. Many of these children who in most of the cases also come from low socio-economic status, perform at low levels and are at-risk of academic failure and potential drops-out (Mendler, 2002).

Identifying common characteristics of these populations and understanding the important role that the affective domain has in their cognitive development will result in a better understanding of how to provide instruction to students using best practices. MC3 will be presenting a series of two webinars based on scientifically based research that include behavior and performance patterns of different at-risk student groups as well strategies and suggestions for responsive pedagogy for practitioners.

Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) leadership invited the MC3 Kansas Technical Assistance (TA) Liaison to serve on the Kansas Title I Committee of Practitioners.

KSDE Title Program and Services Assistant Director Judi Miller welcomed participants to the January 2010 Kansas Title I Committee of Practitioners conference call and identified the goals for the meeting as the following:

• Consultation with the Title I Committee of Practitioners regarding the rules and policies of Section 1003(g) School Improvement Grants (SIG) Application of the Elementary and Secondary Act under Section 1903(b)
• Discussion of criteria for local education agency (LEA) applications for a SIG
• Description of how KSDE will prioritize SIGs to LEAs if KSDE does not have sufficient school improvement funds to serve all eligible schools for which each LEA applies (D4)
• Discussion of changes to the Accountability Workbook
• Update on Supplemental Educational Services (SES).

Agenda items included an overview and discussion of the SIG application including criteria for evaluation of the LEA application and LEA assurances. Committee members had an opportunity for discussion and clarification on the state education agency (SEA) SIG application, and input on the LEA application criteria.  Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 schools are defined in the application; the SEA will define "secondary schools."

The Title I SIGs will provide states and districts funds to leverage change and turn around schools. The funding provides an opportunity for states and districts to implement significant reforms to transform chronically low-performing schools.  These funds will be awarded by formula to states, which will then make competitive grants to LEAs.  State applications are due to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) by February 8, 2010.  Each state must give priority in awarding SIG funds to LEAs with persistently low-achieving schools (which states will identify in their applications for State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase II funding).  In addition to identifying the state's Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III schools, the state must establish criteria to evaluate the overall quality of LEA applications and LEA capacity to implement fully and effectively the required interventions.

Background:  The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires each SEA create a committee of practitioners to review and advise the SEA in carrying out its duties under NCLB [Public Law 107-110, Section 1903(b)]:

Section 1903. State Administration

(b) COMMITTEE OF PRACTITIONERS-

(1) IN GENERAL- Each State educational agency that receives funds under this title shall create a State committee of practitioners to advise the State in carrying out its responsibilities under this title.

(2) MEMBERSHIP- Each such committee shall include -

(A) as a majority of its members, representatives from local educational agencies;

(B) administrators, including the administrators of programs described in other parts of this title;

(C) teachers, including vocational educators;

(D) parents;

(E) members of local school boards;

(F) representatives of private school children; and

(G) pupil services personnel.

(3) DUTIES- The duties of such committee shall include a review, before publication, of any proposed or final State rule or regulation pursuant to this title. In an emergency situation where such rule or regulation must be issued within a very limited time to assist local educational agencies with the operation of the program under this title, the State educational agency may issue a regulation without prior consultation, but shall immediately thereafter convene the State committee of practitioners to review the emergency regulation before issuance in final form.

On January 14, 2010 the Missouri Integrated Model (MIM) Advisory Group met in conjunction with the MIM Mid-year meeting.  Participants included representatives from MIM pilot schools, the Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs), the Missouri Departmetn of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center (MC3), the National RtI Center, the University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC), and the University of Kansas (KU).

Practioners heard reports from UMKC and KU on the data collection and analysis and the data-driven decisions that were guiding the continued development of MIM.  In addition, National RtI Center representative Daryl Mellard briefly provided updates from the national perspective, and Dr. Stacey Huefile Stockdill presented on the importance of collecting adequate, accurate data and doing quality analysis.  Her presentation, "Clearing the Fog:  A Map to Successfully Navigate the MIM Across 4+ Years", provided DESE administrators and district practioners with new insights into the data collection process.

Background:

On January 8, 2008 in Jefferson City, Missouri, an invited group of educators gathered to listen to DESE staff charged with developing the Missouri Integrated Model (MIM) framework.  The Missouri Technical Assistance Coordinator and Liaison particpated in this event. This framework is being developed using federal grant funds from the State Personnel Development grant (SPDG) administered by the US Department of Education.  The central theme of this framework emphasizes the develpment of a coordinated intervention services system based upon prevention and intervention rather than reaction to failure. 

MC3 Oklahoma Technical Assistance (TA) Liaison and MC3 Oklahoma TA Coordinator participated in the Oklahoma Response to Intervention (RtI) Stakeholders meeting to provide support to the group as it designs and implements RtI statewide. The Oklahoma RtI Stakeholders Group includes participants from multiple divisions at the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), interested stakeholders in other organizations, and experts in the field.  The Stakeholders are leaders with OSDE in promoting the RtI framework for overall school improvement that focuses on increasing student achievement for all students.

Stakeholders reviewed the draft Oklahoma RtI Guidance document and discussed plans to impllement RtI statewide.  The MC3 Oklahoma TA Team supported the event through their participation in the work group that planned the meeting and through participation during the meeting.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) appointed a Three-tiered Model of Intervention Director in an effort to further advance the introduction and implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) concepts, strategies and best practices in districts and schools statewide.  This position is a full time FTE, and serves the Divisions of School Improvement, Special Education, and Career Education equally.

The Three-tiered Models of Interventions Director has been working closely with the National RtI Center's Daryl Mellard and Bruce Passman who suggested selecting 4 to 5 school sites to become RtI development sites.  Their suggestion included DESE and National RtI Center providing intensive services and support to the development sites in exchange for insights learned from the experiences that the sites have in implementing RtI.

The Three-tiered Models of Interventions Director requested additional services and support from MC3.  The MC3 Missouri TA Liaison planned and facilitated this conference call between DESE's Three-tiered Model of Interventions Director, MC3's Missouri Technical Assistance Coordinator, MC3's Director, and MC3 Associate Director to explore the benefits of a potential partnership and collaboration between DESE, MC3, the National RtI Center, North Central Regional Resource Center, Midwest Equity Assistance Center, and the selected RtI development sites in Missouri.

After some discussion and a brief description of DESE's vision for RtI statewide in Missouri, MC3 Director expanded upon the initial collaboration, suggesting that this might be an excellent opportunity for all of the National and Regional Technical Assistance providers in the network to coordinate their expertise and resources to provide the most efficient and effective support to DESE and the RtI development sites.  The result of this collaboration would be far greater than the sum of its parts; a model of collaboration amongst the network's providers that could be adopted and adapted for use in future initiatives.  The MC3 Director also suggested a one or two-day long face-to-face meeting of DESE and the various collaborators in order to strategically plan and develop the implementation of a statewide scale up of RtI.

Background for Missouri RtI Collaborative

The Missouri RtI Collaborative had its beginnings during a regional meeting hosted by the North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC), the Center on Instruction (COI), the Region VII Midwest and Region V Equity Assistance Centers (MEAC), the National Response to Intervention Center (NCRtI), the State Implementation and Scaling up of Evidenced based Practices Center (SISEP), the IDEA Partnership and five regional comprehensive centers served by NCRRC.  These centers are a part of the North Central RtI Collaborative created in 2006 when OSEP offered the collaboration challenge. The meeting took place in October 2008 in Rosemont, Illinois and was attended by 120 participants from nine states that the NCRRC serves, including Missouri. This was the first North Central RtI Collaborative Meeting and where the impetus for the Missouri RtI Collaborative was born.

With a Missouri team of eleven members, the conversations between staff from various departments within the state agency began around how best to collaborate and plan statewide RtI efforts.  It was the beginning of how Missouri is developing, in a true collaborative spirit, a comprehensive, integrated plan to scale-up a statewide RtI initiative.  Since that initial meeting in Rosemont, Missouri has experienced peaks and valleys in their expansion efforts, however, has kept the initiative out front as a priority for the state.  The Missouri Three-tiered Model of Intervention Initiative has survived and today has a full time Three-tiered Model of Intervention Director dedicated to the program.  The Director works closely with DESE staff members in Special Education, Curriculum and Assessment, Teacher Quality and Urban Education, and Accountability Data and Accreditation to further communication, cooperation, coordination and collaboration within DESE.

In January 2010, the Director contacted MC3 to request support from MC3 to further this work.  A relationship with the National RtI Center had already been established but she felt it necessary to garner additional support from MC3 as well.  MC3 suggested that this could be an opportunity for all of the national and regional technical assistance providers to coordinate their expertise and resources to provide the most efficient and effective support to DESE and the Three-tiered Model of Intervention Initiative.  The result of this collaboration amongst the network's providers would be a model of collaboration amongst and across the Technical Assistance & Dissemination (TA&D) network providers that could be adopted and adapted for use in future initiatives. MC3 offered to organize key TA provider and DESE staff into a collaborative focused on assistance to DESE.  The Missouri RtI Collaborative was formed in April 2010 with the first face-to-face meeting in Jefferson City, Missouri in May 2010.  Membership in the Missouri RtI Collaborative from the technical assistance network includes NCRRC, NCRtI, COI, CII, IDEA Partnership and MEAC, and the National Content Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center).

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Education's (ADE) Academy of Pacesetting States Team including Science Specialist Stephen Brodie, Professional Development Coordinator Deborah Coffman, Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement (ACSIP) Supervisor Kathy Lavender and Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center (MC3) Technical Assistance (TA) Liaison Janie Russell participated in a teleconference with a representative from the Center on Innovation and Improvement (CII) Nancy Protheroe in preparation for the fourth Academy of Pacesetting States monthly distance learning event. The teleconference was conducted in the ADE third floor conference room in Little Rock, Arkansas on January 28, 2010.

The topic of the teleconference revolved around the newly introduced Indistar on-line Statewide System of Support (SSOS) State Evaluation Rubric Improvement Tool. The on-line tool was developed following the introduction of the Evaluating the Statewide System of Support document during the Academy of Pacesetting States Summer Conference held in Princeton, New Jersey in July 2009. Participants in the teleconference scheduled a meeting to start working on the new on-line tool at 10:00 a.m. prior to the fourth Pacesetters' distance learning event to be held from noon to 2:30 p.m. on February 5, 2010.