THE DISTRICT ACTION
PLANNING AND PROBLEM
SOLVING (DAPPS) PROCESS:
BAKER COUNTY
Florida Association of School Psychologists
Annual Conference
November 6, 2014
Welcome!
• Introductions
• Current Responsibilities to Implement MTSS?
• Expectations?
• Questions?
2
Organizational Improvement
Through a MTSS Framework
FRAMING THE CONTEXT
3
Parallel RtI:A & RtI:B?
Integrated MTSS?
Parallel System
Academic
Integrated System
“MTSS”
Behavior
4
Leading Implementation
• Both PBIS & RtI Share ideas of:
– Developing organizational capacity to…
– …establish a three-tiered model of service delivery…
– …that is driven by a data-based approach to decisionmaking, and…
– …evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of using
evidence-based practices with fidelity on student
performances and outcomes
• Context of multiple initiatives to implement and critical
budget reductions
• Implications for and impacts on educational practices –
particularly those driving implementation resources
5
Alignment and Integration
are Needed
• Many concurrent initiatives with limited
resources commonly needed to implement all
with sufficiency
• Organizational “silos” as a barrier to efficient
integration of resources
• MTSS as a framework for alignment and
integration of multiple initiatives that have
common goals and implementation needs
6
MTSS Inter-project Vision
• Enhance the capacity of all Florida school districts to
successfully implement and sustain a multi-tiered system
of student supports with fidelity in every school;
• Accelerate and maximize student academic and socialemotional outcomes through the application of data-based
problem solving utilized by effective leadership at all levels
of the educational system;
• Inform the development, implementation, and ongoing
evaluation of an integrated, aligned, and sustainable
system of service delivery that prepares all students for
post-secondary education and/or successful employment
within our global society.”
Multi Tiered System of Supports
Critical Components
Multiple Tiers of
Instruction &
Intervention
Leadership
Problem Solving
Process
Data Evaluation
Capacity
Building
Infrastructure
Communication
& Collaboration
MTSS is a framework to ensure successful education outcomes for ALL students by
using a data-based problem solving process to provide, and evaluate the
effectiveness of multiple tiers of integrated academic, behavior, and social-emotional
instruction/intervention supports matched to student need in alignment with
educational standards.
What Does MTSS Look Like At The
District Level?
• MTSS is a way of work for the district, not the
implementation of a program
• Leadership prioritizes the implementation of
MTSS throughout its evaluation models.
• District level organizational structures mimic
and support the integrated model at the
building level.
What Does MTSS Look Like At The
District Level?
• Decisions are made using a data-based
problem-solving process
• Policies inform and support data-based
decision-making
• Funding is aligned to support the
implementation of MTSS
What Does MTSS Look Like At The
District Level?
• Resources are allocated based on need and
effectiveness of implementation
• Professional development is the engine that
drives and sustains improvement
• Communication with stakeholders include
data that reflect performance outcomes
that are “standards-based”
Leaders as Coaches as Leaders…
System Alignment & Integration
We Coach
Student
(State)
Classroom
Leaders who Coach
Building
(District)
Leaders who Coach
(Principals &
Coaches)
District
State
Leaders who Coach
(Teachers)
Students &
Parents
Change Model
Consensus
Infrastructure
Implementation
Organizational Improvement
Through a MTSS Framework
WHAT IS THE DAPPS?
15
Systems Coaching
with Baker
• 7 PBS/RtI Staff
• District Action Planning &
Problem-Solving Process
(DAPPS)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
•
Application/Readiness
Needs Assessment
Action Planning/PS
Service delivery (Train/TA)
Evaluation
Not our goals; District
Goals!
Professional
Development
Shared Leadership
Support
ProblemSolving
Facilitation
Skills
Content
Knowledge
What is the DAPPS?
(District Action Planning and Problem Solving)
• A systems-level problem solving process that
districts can use to guide the implementation
and evaluation of MTSS
• Data-based problem solving is used to inform
all decisions and to evaluate the
impact/outcomes of those decisions
• It is an open-ended process, NOT A GENERIC
PRESCRIPTION for the implementation of MTSS
What are the Strengths of the
DAPPS?
• Provides districts with a systematic way in
which to problem-solve the implementation
of MTSS
• Uses data to guide implementation and
evaluation
• Professionalizes, rather than personalizes,
decision-making around difficult issues
What are the Strengths of the
DAPPS?
• Brings an inclusive, rather than exclusive,
process to the district leadership team
• Increases the probability of sustaining
implementation practices
• The DAPPS is customized to the needs,
goals, culture, capacity and pace of
individual districts
Important Considerations
• The DAPPS is not MTSS or school reform. It is a
tool designed to facilitate the implementation of
MTSS.
• The DAPPS is designed to facilitate the
attainment of district-specific goals
• The DAPPS was never designed to implement
OUR agenda. It was designed to improve the
implementation and effectiveness of the
DISTRICT agenda.
Important Considerations
• The DAPPS is content and philosophy
“neutral.”
• The DAPPS could be used to facilitate the
implementation of very diverse concepts of
schooling.
Systems Coaching
with Baker
• 7 PBS/RtI Staff
• District Action Planning &
Problem-Solving Process
(DAPPS)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
•
Application/Readiness
Needs Assessment
Action Planning/PS
Service delivery (Train/TA)
Evaluation
Not our goals; District
Goals!
Professional
Development
Shared Leadership
Support
ProblemSolving
Facilitation
Skills
Content
Knowledge
DAPPS
1. Application/Readiness
DLT Composition
Superintendent Signature
Accountable Officer
District-Project Liaison
Integration of Academic and Behavioral Supports
Assurance of DLT understanding of roles and
responsibilities
• District RtI Implementation Plan
• District Organizational Chart
• Current Initiatives
•
•
•
•
•
•
DAPPS
2. Needs Assessment
• Academic / Behavioral Achievement &
Growth
• MTSS Implementation Fidelity – Acad &
Behavior
• Capacity for Implementation /
Infrastructure
• Consensus
• MTSS Self-Assessment Survey
DAPPS
3. Action Planning
• Pre-Meetings
• Action Planning – Structured Process
• Debriefing
Problem Solving Crosswalk
4-Step Process
8-Step Process
1. Is there a problem and what is it?
1. Determine a priority, describe the problem,
set a goal/outcome and ID how you will
measure that goal/outcome
2. Why is the problem happening?
2. Identify resources & barriers to attaining
that goal.
3. Prioritize the barriers.
3. What can be done about the
problem?
4. Identify strategies to eliminate or reduce
the barrier
5. Develop action plan to implement
strategies.
6. Develop follow-up plan.
4. Did the intervention work?
7. Evaluate reduction/elimination of barrier.
8. Evaluate progress on original goal.
DAPPS
4. Service Delivery/Training/TA
Long Term Goal: Develop the capacity of school-based
leadership teams (SBLTs) to fluently engage in the 8step problem-solving process with fidelity within an
MTSS framework
– Co-Developed & Executed
– Simultaneous Coaching & Training
• Building layers of systems capacity
– Gradual Shift in Responsibilities Over Time
Explicit Instruction
Modeled
Instruction
Guided Practice
Independent
Practice with
Feedback
DAPPS
5. Evaluation
Self Assessment of MTSS Implementation
– SAM
–
–
–
–
–
–
Multiple Tiers of Instruction & Intervention
Data Based Problem Solving
Data & Evaluation
Leadership
Building Capacity / Infrastructure
Communication & Collaboration
The Beginning of DAPPS
 What
we learned?
 What
was difficult?
 What
was beneficial?
 Some
of our Action Plans
What we learned?

We were unaware of our current state

Our District work was primarily in silos

We desired better communication and
collaboration-but how?

False starts on System Improvements
What was difficult?

Completing the District Leadership Team
(DLT) Self-Assessment

Facing the current state of our District’s
way of work.

All members actively participating

Time for all team members to be present
and “at the table”.

Accepting gradual release
What was difficult?

Belief in our own capacity

School level resistance to MTSS

Not sharing a common language/common
understanding of MTSS

Finding time for Professional
Development for our School-based
Leadership Team
What was difficult?
Changing how things are done
Changing how decisions are made
◦ All decisions are driven by data
Changing the environment
What was beneficial?
Changing how things are done
Changing how decisions are made
◦ All decisions are driven by data
Changing the environment
What was beneficial?

Partnership with DAPPS

Effective implementation of MTSS at most
of our schools.

Expanding the scope of our work

Utilizing DAPPS in many state level plans,
grants, and projects.

Helps district resources reach the
appropriate students (and schools) at the
appropriate levels
Vision
Mission
Expectations

The District needed a plan—a vision and a
mission for Multi-Tiered System of Supports
(MTSS), a structured process, a common
language/common understanding, and the sense
of urgency.

The District can better support effective
implementation at the school level by modeling
Small Group Planning and Problem-Solving
Processes. The District’s way of work should
match the expected schools’ way of work.
Vision

Mission
Expectations
Working under the Small Group Planning
and Problem-Solving Process, the DLT
developed a vision, mission, and District
Expectations for MTSS.
Vision
Mission
Expectations
Baker County School District Expectations for Effective
Multi-Tiered System of Supports Implementation

Using a Structured Planning and Problem-Solving Process to
Reach District and School Goals
Vision
Baker County School District will have the capacity to accelerate
and maximize student academic achievement and social-emotional
outcomes through successful implementation and evaluation of
Multi-Tiered System of Supports and application of Data-based
Problem-solving.
Vision
Mission
Expectations
Using a Structured Planning and Problem-Solving Process to
Reach District and School Goals
Mission
The Baker County School District Leadership Team will:
*Develop, implement, and sustain a comprehensive system of
Professional Development, at all levels, for
*Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Data-based Problemsolving, as identified by Needs Assessments.
*Develop and Implement a system of accountability that will ensure
fidelity and implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports
(MTSS) and Data-based Problem-solving.
Vision

Mission
Expectations
The goal of professional development is to
enhance the capacity of our schools to
successfully implement and sustain a system of
student supports that will ultimately accelerate
and maximize positive student academic and
social-emotional outcomes.
Questions?
Contact Information:
Susan Voorhees – susan.voorhees@bakerk12.org
Tom Hill – Thomas.Hill@bakerk12.org
Beth Hardcastle - Hardcast@usf.edu
Clark Dorman – dorman@usf.edu
floridarti.usf.edu