Special Education Opportunities Review
Planning Retreat
Best Practices for Raising
Achievement of Students
who Struggle
FEBRUARY 4, 2014
© 2013 THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
Let’s begin by defining “best practice.”
What is and is not a “Best Practice”
A best practice is a strategy that:
1. Has been proven effective in multiple settings
2. Fits within budget realities
3. Fits within the district’s culture
4. Is practical, given the complexities of the public school system
A best practice is:
1. Not one amazing school or teacher
2. Not a program
3. Not a slogan
4. Not a hope
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In most districts, the biggest surprise around best practices are how
unsurprising they can be.
Best Practices for Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities
• Best practices for students with mild to moderate special needs are not very different
from best practices for struggling students
• They cost no more (often less) than current practices
• They are common sense and are not radical
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That said, implementing best practices is not easy.
Challenges of Implementing Best Practices
• The role of the special education teacher is impacted the most
• Practices are most effective when implemented district wide
• Change is never easy or fun
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Six interconnected best practices can help struggling students achieve at
high levels, at lower cost.
DMC Framework for Supporting Struggling Students
1 Rigorous general
education curriculum
3 Extra time to
learn
2 Coordinated and
sustained focus
on reading
Higher
achievement
for struggling
students
4 Targeted
interventions
5 Content strong teachers
6
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Data to track progress and inform improvement
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When thinking about implementation, it is important to remember that
joint efforts work best.
Implementation Planning
Departments
Service Providers
•
Not special education ONLY
•
Not core classroom ONLY
•
Not general education ONLY
•
Not extra help ONLY
•
Not related services ONLY
•
Not resource teachers ONLY
•
Not tutors ONLY
•
Not paraprofessionals ONLY
Both must work together
All must be connected
The most common pitfall is the failure to plan and implement as a
part of a comprehensive system
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A focus on reading is critical.
Reading as a Best Practice
• Reading drives performance in ALL subject areas, including social studies, English,
science, and even math
• Reading is the primary academic challenge of 40% of special education students
nationally
Reading is the key to raising the achievement of
students with special needs
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Divided leadership, rigid schedules, and a desire for autonomy can
prevent districts from implementing effective reading practices.
Best Practice and Typical Reading Programs for Struggling Students
National Reading Panel (NRP)
Typical Program
1.
Grade-level expectations
Varying expectations
2.
Frequent measurement
Assessed only a few times a year
3.
Identification starting in
kindergarten
Not identified until first grade or
later
4.
30 minutes of Additional
instruction a day
Provided during class time or less
than 5 times a week
5.
Remediation and intervention
connected to class instruction
Instruction and curriculum seldom
coordinated
6.
90-minute/day literacy block
Often left to the discretion of the
individual teacher
7.
Phonics in early grades and
comprehension in later grades
Often left to the discretion of the
individual teacher
8.
A skilled teacher trained in
reading instruction
Special education teachers and
others rarely trained in teaching
reading
Consistent
with NRP?
DMC analysis
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Time is often fixed, and learning is the variable.
Typical Intervention Strategy for Struggling Students
Non-Struggling
Student Schedule
Struggling Math
Student Schedule
Period 1
Math
Math
Period 2
English
English
Period 3
Elective
Period 4
Social Studies
Social Studies
Period 5
Science
Science
Period 6
Spanish
Spanish
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vs.
Elective
• Co-teaching
• Paraprofessional
support
• Lower level curriculum
For many students “extra
help” happens during
core instruction or
instead of core
instruction
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But learning should be the constant, and time the variable.
Best Practice Intervention Strategy for Struggling Students
Non-Struggling
Student Schedule
Struggling Math
Student Schedule
A Best Practice
Schedule
• First presentation
of content
Period 1
Math
Math
Math
• 100% current year
material
Period 2
English
English
Period 3
Elective
Period 4
Social Studies
Social Studies
Social Studies
Period 5
Science
Science
Science
vs.
Elective
English
vs.
• Learn from peer
questions
Elective
• Pre-teach
• Reteach current year
Period 6
Spanish
Spanish
Extra Math
Support
and prior year content
• Address missing
foundational skills
• Unteach
misconceptions
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Deep content knowledge by teachers helps students unlearn
misconceptions and master needed skills.
Instructional Support for Struggling Students
Generalist
Support
Content Strong
Support
vs.
• Review test questions
and show correct
answer
• Associate each
• Provide homework help
• Infer
• Quiz in preparation for
future tests
incorrect answer with
underlying concept
C-
misunderstandings
from incorrect answers
• Teach prior,
fundamental skills
• Teach correct material
using 2 or 3 different
approaches
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Many struggling students learn from staff who are not teachers.
Special Education Teachers and Paraprofessionals per 1,000 Students
2001-2009
80
Special education
teachers
66
65
62
Paraprofessionals
52
40
SY01 SY02 SY03 SY04 SY05 SY06 SY07 SY08 SY09
Source: Thomas B. Fordham Institute, “Shifting Trends in Special Education,” 2011.
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Staff assigned to instruct struggling students often do not have deep
knowledge of the content they teach.
Selected Review of Teacher Preparation Programs
Elementary Teachers’ Schools:
Teach National Reading Panel (or similar program)?
Reading
25%
75%
Yes
No
Special Education Teachers’ (Undergraduate) Schools:
Cover math instruction in depth?
Math
24%
76%
Yes
No
Special Education Teachers’ (Graduate) Schools:
Cover math instruction in depth?
Math
100%
No
Source: National Council on Teacher Quality, “Teacher Prep Ratings,” 2013.
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What has not worked on a large scale.
Strategies That Have Not Shown Replicable Results on a Large Scale
Paraprofessionals for academic support
Replacement classes
•
•
•
•
•
•
Limited content expertise
Less time from teacher
Caring, does the work for the student
No content expertise
Less rigor
No extra time
NOT BEST
PRACTICES
Resource room
Co-teaching
•
•
•
•
•
•
No connection daily instruction
Limited content expertise
Homework help or homework answers
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Hard to do well
No extra time
Financial constraints
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The District Management Council
If you have any comments or questions about
the contents of this document, please contact
The District Management Council:
•
•
•
•
•
© 2013 THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
www.dmcouncil.org
Tel: (877) DMC-3500
Email: info@dmcouncil.org
Fax: (617) 491-5266
Web: dmcouncil.org
Mail: 70 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110