Australian Government Department of Education
More Support for Students with Disabilities 2012-2014
Evaluation Case Study
Training for school teams
MSSD Output 5: Skills training in special education
Association of Independent Schools of NSW
Training for school teams
Abstract
This case study followed developments in two schools supported by consultants from
the Association of Independent Schools New South Wales (AISNSW) working with teams
of staff to analyse school needs for students with disability, and implement an action
plan. Their work included organising professional learning, supporting school teams to
prepare a situational analysis for their school and a draft plan, providing a common
format for plans, and mentoring school teams as they finalised and implemented their
plans. As a result, there was a strong sense of empowerment at schools, planning and
Individual Education Plan (IEP) processes were much-improved, and parents were more
confident about how the school was meeting their children's needs. The effectiveness
of the process hinged on the capacity and capabilities of the consultants in developing a
close working relationship with schools whilst ensuring that accountability for the
direction of change continued to reside with each individual school.
Key elements and actions
The Association of Independent Schools New South Wales (AISNSW) worked with teams of
staff in schools to analyse the needs of students with disabilities, and to develop an action
plan. This included:

conducting briefings and presentations for teams of staff in schools about the
legislative framework, that is, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and Disability
Standards for Education 2005

delivering professional learning through presentations by third-party providers

collaborative planning with school teams to develop, share and refine their plans

facilitating action research, with AISNSW consultants as mentors.
Following an initial phase of professional learning in 2012, AISNSW continued to support the
schools in 2013–14.
Independent sector schools typically refer to Individual Plans rather than Individual Education
Plans because their plans often address behaviour support, healthcare and attendance. This
case study report uses Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to emphasise the disability component
of the plans.
School teams
School teams included a school leader (a principal and/or deputy principal), school
counsellors, relevant teachers (such as professional development coordinators or school
executive members) and learning support staff. At one school, the team led the professional
learning sessions and the planning process. At the other, the team did the planning itself, then
worked with groups of staff to implement the plan. In both instances, the impetus for the
schools’ planning was the AISNSW statewide planning and professional development sessions.
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Planning and professional development sessions
During the July 2012 school holiday period, the University of Sydney provided a professional
learning programme for schools involved in the initiative. It covered how to do a situational
analysis, evidence-based practice in education and how to develop ‘Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound’ (SMART) goals and priorities.
After the professional learning, school teams worked with AISNSW consultants to prepare a
situational analysis for their school. One of the schools conducted a group discussion about
what it was doing to meet the diverse learning needs of its students; what it needed to do to
move from current practice to best practice; and what it wanted its practices to look like in
future. Its subsequent plan identified priorities for change and improvement, and the training
needed to implement it. Using the findings of their situational analysis, each school team
drafted a school plan, with the help of the AISNSW consultants.
In a second professional learning programme, teams from across the state came together to
assess the relevance and feasibility of their draft plans. AISNSW engaged a University of
Sydney expert to provide professional input and research to guide discussion about the plans.
Teams also learned about:

models of service delivery

evidence-based practice

the changing role of the special educator

coaching and mentoring.
School plans
Each school developed its plan for students with disability according to the findings of the
situational analysis. However, they have been structured according to a common format
designed by AISNSW, which included:

a school context statement

details of contacts, team members and project coordination arrangements

reference to the MSSD outputs relevant to the school's projects

the school's priorities, documented in the SMART format

detailed plans for each priority, including indicators, strategies, timeframes,
responsibilities and budgets

a budget summary.
Schools submitted their final draft plans to AISNSW for review and approval before it released
MSSD funds to them.
The plans identified areas of specific need and, in one case, aligned activity with the school's
educational philosophy. One school's priorities were:

establishing procedures for developing and managing IEPs

supporting students at key transition points
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
supporting staff to deal with parents as part of the individual learning planning
process

evaluating the school’s provision of life skills education

obtaining and developing tools and resources (and skilling staff to use them) for
early interventions for students with disabilities and special needs.
The other school's priorities were:

establishing a collaborative, responsive support team

educating the board, teaching staff and support staff about the Disability
Discrimination Act and Disability Standards for Education

linking the school’s educational philosophy to IEPs

developing a shared vision for inclusive practice in education.
Mentoring for planning
With the support of AISNSW consultants in Term 4, 2012, the schools put in place processes to
implement their plans at the start of the 2013 school year. The consultants worked with the
school teams to fine-tune plans, finalise roles and coordinate professional learning with other
staff. The professional learning included sessions for:

all staff, to help them understand the legislation

particular groups of staff to address specific issues

school leadership teams.
As schools became self-sufficient in implementing their plans, the consultants gradually
withdrew their direct support.
The consultants also helped school teams to build understanding (including by their peers,
board members and others in the school community) about their school’s plan, to translate
the plan into action, to collect data and to monitor activities.
The professional learning and support has improved how schools develop and use IEPs,
including by:

improving inputs to IEPs by involving allied health professionals and parents, and
using screening and diagnostic test data

skilling staff to develop IEPs

releasing class teachers to develop IEPs

monitoring and regularly reviewing IEPs and other plans for behaviour support,
health care and attendance

using IEPs to improve consistency between class and specialist programmes.
Schools improved IEPs to include background information and objectives, strategies,
responsibilities and adjustments/modifications. They also made space to record assessment
data, records of reviews and timelines, to improve monitoring of the plan's impact and
effectiveness.
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The two case study schools made plans for more effective use of teacher aides. This bridged
the school’s planning into Output 11, which involves engaging paraprofessionals (or teacher
aides) to strengthen their skills in supporting students with disabilities.
Empowering teams
AISNSW's model ensured that ownership of the change process clearly resided with each
school, and that the school team controlled activity. Both schools had a learning and support
team, a hallmark of AISNSW's approach. There was also a strong sense of empowerment in
the schools. Leaders and staff acknowledged AISNSW's guidance and support and recognised
how its consultants have improved their capabilities. School principals noted that other
independent schools were regularly using their school's knowledge, expertise and resources
to improve educational outcomes for their students with disabilities. In addition, support staff
and teacher aides now work more closely on planning, particularly planning for adjustments.
A standout feature of the impact of the MSSD initiative at both schools relates to the
assurance they now give to families that the schools understand the social and learning needs
of their children and this has empowered staff to meet these needs in a planned way.
Staff at both schools better understand their responsibilities under the Disability Standards for
Education. As one school leader remarked: ‘They clearly understand that this is not going to go
away. They know that their planning and teaching needs to be responsive to all students in
their class.’ This is illustrated by the teacher who observed that:
The professional learning experienced over the last 12 months has expanded my field of
knowledge. It has shifted my thinking away from kids being naughty to seeing behaviour
as a form of communication, and I now understand that learning needs are not being
met. Just the same as understanding that passive, compliant behaviour could equally
signify students being disengaged.
Whole school planning
Significant outputs were generated by planning at the whole school level. AISNSW's approach
enabled schools to develop, refine and implement school planning across several MSSD
outputs with emphasis on maximising the relevance and functionality of IEPs. The key features
of the improved IEP process were:

an evidence-based approach to determining which students would benefit with an
IEP

a standardised format for IEPs, and standardised terminology about disabilities

involving parents (and students, where appropriate) in decision making

prompt completion of IEPs and making them available to all relevant people

teachers actively participating in IEP meetings

clear responsibilities, and monitoring and reporting about them

the ongoing availability of AISNSW consultants for advice

teacher aides participating in planning for classroom delivery and, at one school, a
teacher aide being responsible for administering IEPs

clearly defined processes to support student transitions in and beyond the school.
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For students without an IEP, teachers reported an increased emphasis on differentiating
curriculum delivery, to maximise learning for all students. One teacher commented:
I have always had students operating at different levels within my class but now it is
much more fluid and open-ended, particularly in terms of extension.
Role development
The professional learning and planning sessions encouraged a rethinking of the role of the
teacher aide, to make more effective use of them. As the principal of the larger case study
school said:
I am sure that in the past, we would have simply deployed the aide across the school to
support individual students on a 1:1 basis. Instead, this aide has proved to be invaluable
in driving our IEP process.
This teacher aide now administers the IEPs and, working with the school counsellor, has
responsibilities for:

coordinating IEP meetings to ensure all relevant stakeholders are available to attend

managing relevant documentation (such as reports, work samples, planning
materials and meeting minutes)

ensuring systems and processes operate so plans result in action, there is effective
communication and data is available for monitoring.
This approach fosters a high level of efficiency as well as strong accountabilities. Agreed
actions are followed up to ensure full compliance and time is created for counsellors, teachers
and school leaders to focus on their professional roles.
Lessons learned
Key observations
Engagement
There has been a high level of engagement with this initiative. Evidence of this includes a large
function room full of principals, teachers and support officers who attended a day session
during the school vacation to review the school plans. Participants reported increased
collaboration within teams, and networking between schools, and it has reinforced an
emerging understanding of the need for professional learning, planning and processes to
better meet the needs of students with disabilities.
The initiative has also increased ownership by class teachers of IEP meetings and their
outputs. Class teachers at one school now chair IEP meetings for their students, implement
actions arising and monitor and report on outcomes at the next meeting.
Parent confidence
Parents report being more confident as a result of the improved IEP process. They cited the
way that teachers make adjustments for their children's learning needs as evidence of greater
understanding of those needs. They also appreciated how knowledge of their children as
learners was passed on at transition points within the school—from class teachers to
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specialists, and from one year level to the next—and when they transition to secondary
school.
Strengthened planning processes
Planning processes for student learning have been strengthened especially where it was
agreed through collaboration with parents, that student engagement and learning would
benefit with an IEP. Parents felt that everybody who needed to be involved in the IEP process,
including external professionals, was involved, and that the IEPs improved teaching and
learning.
Sustainability
AISNSW's approach to this initiative is sustainable. It is consistent with the Association's
current practices and largely reflected its service delivery model for schools.
The approach adopted in each of the case study schools is also sustainable. While one school
used MSSD funds to deploy a teacher aide to manage the IEP process, it was now budgeting to
ensure the deployment continues.
Potential for adoption in other contexts
While professional learning and support are not new or necessarily innovative, the intensity
and specificity of AISNSW's approach is uncommon. For other schools to benefit from
AISNSW's approach, they would need to:

recognise the need for better school and teacher capabilities to improve educational
outcomes for students with disabilities

have access to skilled consultants who can engage stakeholders in professional
learning and change processes

ensure buy-in to the change process

allocate time for planning, implementation and reflection.
AISNSW has guarded against schools being dependent on its consultants: at both schools,
there was a strong sense of empowerment, and staff were confident they could plan for and
deliver programmes for all their students. At both schools, parents and staff emphasised the
importance of school leaders, particularly school principals, setting the agenda for inclusive
practices. As one parent said: ‘It all starts at the top. [The principal] gets it, and the staff follow
this lead.’
Notes
The case study was based on observations and interviews at two schools during the
September/October vacation in 2012, site visits to the two schools in November 2012 (to
observe professional learning delivered by the consultants and the school teams working with
staff to translate the plans into action), and a return visit to both schools in May 2014.
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