[PPT] - Review of Special Educational Services Spokane Public Schools PowerPoint Presentation

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Review of Special Educational Services Spokane Public Schools Spokane, Washington

Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative Education Development Center, Inc. November 2017

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Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative

National network of 100 school districts committed to improving outcomes for students with

disabilities and other culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

Over 20 years of experience in providing leadership development and networking opportunities
Organized and delivered technical assistance to more than 50 local education agencies and state

departments of education

Approaches its work as a “critical friend” by asking probing questions, examining data through

multiple lenses, and offering concrete recommendations with a full appreciation of what is already in place and working well.

Goal is to assist education agencies in their efforts to improve outcomes and opportunities for

students with disabilities and other culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

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What is Special Education?

SPECIAL EDUCATION IS A SERVICE, NOT A PLACE

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What is Special Education?

Minimizing the impact of disability and maximizing the

pportunities for children with disabilities to

participate in general education in their natural community (Hehir, 2005).

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Spokane Public Schools

Approximately 31,000 students
16.6% receive special education services under IDEA
68.2% White
13.0% two or more races
10.2% Hispanic
3.1% Black/African American
2.6% Asian
1.3% American Indian
56.7% FRL

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Spokane Public Schools

The mission of Spokane Public Schools is “To develop each student’s talents and skills to their

full potential through high standards, rigorous academics, real-life applications, and supportive relationships.” The district’s guiding principles are as follows:

Each student can learn and deserves our best efforts.
High expectations and rigorous standards are essential to prepare students for their future success.
Accountability is essential to ensure excellence for everyone.
Diversity in people and ideas enhances learning and strengthens our community.
A variety of learning environments, educational options, and instructional techniques creates a setting

where all students can succeed.

Education is a partnership involving students, parents, staff, and the community.
Transparent communication with all stakeholders is essential.
All decisions must be student-focused and data-driven.
Fiscal stability strengthens our schools and community.

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Methodology

In order to conduct this study, during the fall and spring of 2016–2017, we
Collected district, state, and national data
Examined district documentation
Interviewed approximately 110 central office and school level staff and families
Visited 13 schools and approximately 40 classes
Sent a survey to staff and received 792 responses and one to parents where we received approximately 60

responses

Received emails from parents and staff.
The data represent a snapshot of special education at that time.

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Methodology – Interviewee Roles

Superintendent
Associate Superintendent
Directors
Curriculum Directors
Special Education Director
Special Education Program Directors
Chief Financial Officer
Special Programs Director and Coordinators
Special Education Program Assistants
Special Education Techs and Secretaries
Director of English Language Development
Director of Safety
Student Services
Chief Human Resources
Systems Data Analyst
Behavior Interventions and Coordinators
Education Specialists
Teachers – General and Special Education;

Elementary and Secondary

Principals
Speech and Language Pathologists
OT/PT
Psychologists
Parents

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Organization of the Report

I. District Organization and Internal Structures to Support Student Learning II. Demographics – Classification and Educational Environment

III. High Quality and Inclusive Instruction Within a System of Tiered

Supports

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Areas of Strength

1. The district has been innovative and proactive in training campus resource officers working within the schools. Additional trainings have been provided so officers understand how disability impacts behaviors and how to respond appropriately in crisis situations. This work has led to a significant decrease in the number of students who are arrested while at school. 2. It is clear that Central Office staff, specifically the Department of Special Programs understand multi-tiered systems

f support (MTSS).

3. The superintendent’s leadership team is knowledgeable and capable of building a culture that is supportive and innovative in bringing the district closer toward meeting the goals in the district’s strategic plan goals. 4. The Special Education Department has a standard operating procedure manual (SOPM) that is not only comprehensive and consistently revised, but includes video clips from the Special Education Department. The interactive SOPM reviews special education law and regulations, as well as, new information district staff (e.g. Central Office, building administrators, teachers, etc.) must be made aware. 5. Secondary transition services have been in the district for over 20 years with a growing set of options and positive

utcomes.

6. The district has implemented a program in Franklin Elementary School for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. District staff are trained to work with these students and provide them with inclusive educational opportunities. The program has been so effective that three area school districts have decided to contract with Spokane and send students to Franklin Elementary.

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I. District Organization and Internal Structures to

Support Student Learning

Central Office

Observation 1: Changes in district leadership and organizational structure are not always clearly defined

and clearly communicated to staff, both in and outside of Central Office.

1a: Changes in leadership in the Special Education Department, specifically the Director of Special Education, have

created a culture and climate of uncertainty among staff and families. Staff’s roles and responsibilities are unclear and sometimes duplicates roles and responsibilities in other departments.

Observation 2: Minimal collaboration exists between departments responsible for academic and social-

emotional instruction regarding tiered interventions. Central office appeared to operate in silos, but all are doing important work that should be shared across departments.

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I. District Organization and Internal Structures to

Support Student Learning

Department of Special Education

Observation 3: A strategic plan and vision, independent of the district’s plan, was not clearly defined in the

Special Education Department in Central Office to improve special education services and outcomes for students with disabilities.

Observation 4: The collaboration between special education and building administration was minimal,

creating challenges with oversight and the planning, staffing, and programming for special education at the building level.

Observation 5: The Special Education Department lacks a unified data management system for writing,

reviewing, and managing data involved in the special education process, including evaluations and individual education programs (IEPs).

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

Observation 6: Spokane’s classification rate of students with disabilities is higher than rates for the state and the nation.

12.90% 13.50% 16.82%

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% Nation Washington Spokane

Exhibit 1: Students with Disabilities as a Percentage of All Students: Nation, State, District

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

6a: Spokane’s rate of students with health impairments, developmental delays, and communication disorders is higher than rates for the state and the nation and students with emotional/behavioral disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and specific learning disabilities are lower than rates for the state and the nation.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Autism Communication Disorders Developmental Delays Emotional/Behavioral Disability Health Impairment Intellectual Disability Multiple Disabilities Specific Learning Disability Other*

Exhibit 2: Percentage of Students with Disabilities by Disability Classification: Nation, State, District

Nation Washington Spokane

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

6b: Spokane’s rate of students with disabilities disaggregated by race are similar with the state and the nation.

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 African-American Asian Caucasian Hispanic Multi-Racial Native American Pacific Islander

Exhibit 3: Percentage of all Students by Race/Ethnicity and Disability Status

Percent SWD Percent all students

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

6c: Spokane’s rate of students with disabilities disaggregated by English learner status shows that English learners have lower rates of students with disabilities than the general population.

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 EL students All students

Exhibit 4: Percentage of Students with Disabilities by EL Status

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

6d: Spokane’s rate of students with disabilities disaggregated by gender shows a higher rate for boys than for girls.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Female Male

Exhibit 5: Percentage of Students with Disabilities by Gender

Female Male

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

6e: Spokane’s students with disabilities show great variations when disaggregated by grade span.

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 PK-K Grades 1-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12

Exhibit 6: Number of Students with Disabilities by Disability Category SLD HI Comm Dis Dev del Aut Int Dis Mult Dis Emot/Beh Dis Other

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The more time students with disabilities spend in a general education classroom,

the:

◼higher their scores are on standardized tests of reading and math; ◼fewer absences they have from school; ◼fewer referrals they have for disruptive behavior; and ◼better outcomes they have after high school in the areas of employment and independent

living.

This was found for all students with disabilities, regardless of:

◼their disability label; ◼the severity of their disability; ◼their gender; or ◼their family’s socio-economic status.

(Wagner, Newman, Cameto, Levine, & Garza, 2006)

Why are Inclusive Services Important?

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Continuum of Special Education Services

(as required in IDEA)

Move this way only as necessary Return this way as rapidly as appropriate

Out-of-District Substantially separate Partial inclusion Full inclusion

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

Observation 7: In general, Spokane educates their students with disabilities in educational environments similar to those in the state and nation.

*Other: homebound or hospital, private/home school, separate day school

0.7% 0.8% 5.3% 16.8% 13.3% 13.5% 24.0% 31.8% 19.0% 58.2% 53.5% 62.6% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Spokane Washington Nation

Exhibit 8: Educational Environment: Nation, State, District

Other setting* 0-39% in general education 40-79% in general education 80-100% in general education

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

Observation 7a: While close to 80% of elementary school students with disabilities are in the general education classroom 80-100% of the time, this drops to 42% for middle and high school students.

59.0 35.2 35.9 77.7 14.5 42.1 42.3 10.5 17.9 22.3 21.4 11.5 8.5 0.3 0.5 0.3

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Other: Option/Alternative High school Middle school Elementary school

Percentage of Students in Educational Environment by Gradespan Other setting 0-39% in general education 40-79% in general education 80-100% in general education

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

7b: Students with disabilities in Spokane are placed in similar educational settings regardless of their race, except for White students who have a higher likelihood of being placed in other settings outside of Spokane public schools.

3.01% 7.74% 4.36% 5.12% 2.75% 16.27% 15.39% 14.26% 15.21% 15.93% 28.31% 19.84% 21.98% 22.44% 27.47% 52.41% 57.02% 59.40% 57.23% 53.85%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% African American Caucasian Hispanic or Latino Multi-racial Asian/Native American/Pacific Islander

Exhibit 9: Educational Environment by Race

Other* 0-39% Regular Class 40-79% Regular Class 80-100% Regular Class

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II. Demographics –

Classification and Educational Environment

7c: Students classified with developmental delays, emotional/behavioral disabilities, autism, and intellectual disabilities are educated in more restrictive settings than those classified with other disabilities.

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Communication Disorders Specific Learning Disability Health Impairment Developmental Delays Emotional/Behavioral Disability Autism Other* Intellectual Disability

Exhibit 10: Educational Environment by Disability Category

Other 0-39% in general education 40-79% in general education 80-100% in general education

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