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Inside this issue
Important Upcoming Events/Meetings
May 4 School Psychologist Cohort @ RBEC May 5 Principals Day May 8 Teacher Appreciation Day May 9 - 11 MASE Conference May 15 ADSIS Budgets Due May 16 Superintendent Council May 18 MDE Special Education Directors Forum May 21 SPED Leadership Team May 22 ADSIS/Coaches PLC (End of Year Report) June 4 SPED Leadership Team June 5 PBIS Tiers 2/3 Training @ RBEC June 11 - 13 CPI Instructor Enhancement Training June 14-15 PCM Instructor Enhancement Training June 20 Superintendent Council |
The Progress, May/June 2018: Volume 3, Issue 6
The Progress archive
Click here to view past issues from the current school year. Comments? Suggestions for new articles?
Contact Jillynne Raymond, jraymond@gced.k12.mn.us 
GCED Wide Spring Assessment Window is open May 14 to 25.
NOTE: The MTSS Section of the GCED Website will be updated in July. |
ESY Reminder
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Extended School Year (ESY) services are provided for students that qualify for ESY under Minnesota Statute 3525.0755. Every year a student's IEP team determines if a student is in need of ESY, given the student's unique needs.
Case Managers - please remember that this is an annual process. If a child qualifies for ESY in 2nd grade, it does not mean the child continues to receive ESY services in middle school. The child would only continue with ESY services if s/he qualified each and every year. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your special education coordinator or assistant director. |
MTSS Implementation for 2018-19
Our Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is a framework of everything we do as educators and is built on the premise that:
1. All children can learn. Differently yes, but the learning and growth potential exist.
2. Our actions as educators make a difference in the lives of our students.
These are important premises to keep in mind as we face the multitude of challenges in public education because we can do this! We need our system set up to support the children that are learning, while also supporting the adults that are learning how to best help their students learn. I hope that we are in agreement that we can't ask our teachers to work any harder; we are learning to work differently though. From a systems lens, this is essential. When it comes to our MTSS implementation, remember that this includes all of us - Cannon Falls, Goodhue, Goodhue County Education District, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Red Wing, and Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
We began the journey learning and building together. Then districts needed time to make MTSS their own, to have their own autonomy. Now it is time to come back together, build on the good work that has been occurring, and strengthen some system processes. To help with this process:
MTSS implementation at the elementary level continues to grow as districts identify and align their intervention supports in reading and math. With programs such as Title or ADSIS, elementary schools have clearer paths for intervening with at-risk students than at the secondary level.
The secondary level is tricky. Secondary principals have the option to use FAST beyond 8th grade to meet their site needs. Secondary sites were given the charge to develop their plan to identify, intervene, and progress monitor at risk students. For some that means offering reading and/or math interventions. For some that means assigning a one on one mentor to an at risk student (such as Check & Connect) and for others it is about programming. Schools use a variety of means to engage and/or re-engage students with learning including programs such as STEM, STEAM, robotics, project based learning, individual career pathways, and more.
Brian Cashman, GCED Coordinator of Alternative Programs and Secondary Coordinator of SE Minnesota Perkins Consortium, shares "Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers many features that serve to enhance student engagement through course work and programming that is relevant and personalized. Research points out the fact that CTE programs have the ability to increase student soft skills (problem solving, communication, etc.) and is a proven drop-out prevention strategy. More than anything, CTE education is 'real-world' education. With the shortage across all sectors in the labor market, students who have both technical skills and soft skills are in position to pursue a meaningful post-high school experience - whether that be a 2-year college, 4-year college, and/or employment." Although the secondary level can be tricky, it is never too late for our students; a new look at programming or an alternative approach may be needed to re-engage students.
1. All children can learn. Differently yes, but the learning and growth potential exist.
2. Our actions as educators make a difference in the lives of our students.
These are important premises to keep in mind as we face the multitude of challenges in public education because we can do this! We need our system set up to support the children that are learning, while also supporting the adults that are learning how to best help their students learn. I hope that we are in agreement that we can't ask our teachers to work any harder; we are learning to work differently though. From a systems lens, this is essential. When it comes to our MTSS implementation, remember that this includes all of us - Cannon Falls, Goodhue, Goodhue County Education District, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Red Wing, and Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
We began the journey learning and building together. Then districts needed time to make MTSS their own, to have their own autonomy. Now it is time to come back together, build on the good work that has been occurring, and strengthen some system processes. To help with this process:
- The School Psychologist Team and Jillynne Raymond will attend Dr. Kim Gibbons' MTSS Summer Institute in June. This team will have clear and common processes to follow. Each district still maintains its autonomy, but each district will follow the same process using the same forms.
- Principals Meetings for the 2018-19 school year will be combined with four of the school psychologist cohorts for continued MTSS/SAT professional development and team time. Principals may include others from their team as well.
MTSS implementation at the elementary level continues to grow as districts identify and align their intervention supports in reading and math. With programs such as Title or ADSIS, elementary schools have clearer paths for intervening with at-risk students than at the secondary level.
The secondary level is tricky. Secondary principals have the option to use FAST beyond 8th grade to meet their site needs. Secondary sites were given the charge to develop their plan to identify, intervene, and progress monitor at risk students. For some that means offering reading and/or math interventions. For some that means assigning a one on one mentor to an at risk student (such as Check & Connect) and for others it is about programming. Schools use a variety of means to engage and/or re-engage students with learning including programs such as STEM, STEAM, robotics, project based learning, individual career pathways, and more.
Brian Cashman, GCED Coordinator of Alternative Programs and Secondary Coordinator of SE Minnesota Perkins Consortium, shares "Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers many features that serve to enhance student engagement through course work and programming that is relevant and personalized. Research points out the fact that CTE programs have the ability to increase student soft skills (problem solving, communication, etc.) and is a proven drop-out prevention strategy. More than anything, CTE education is 'real-world' education. With the shortage across all sectors in the labor market, students who have both technical skills and soft skills are in position to pursue a meaningful post-high school experience - whether that be a 2-year college, 4-year college, and/or employment." Although the secondary level can be tricky, it is never too late for our students; a new look at programming or an alternative approach may be needed to re-engage students.
2018-19 GCED Wide FAST Assessment Calendar
The 2018-19 GCED Wide Assessment Calendar is now available. As a consortium we use our data for state and federal reporting, grant applications, and planning. We universally benchmark kindergarten through 8th grade students in reading and in math. All districts will follow the same fall and spring window. The fall assessment window is open from 8/29/18 through 09/21/18 and the spring assessment window is open from 5/1/18 through 5/24/18. For the winter window, each district may select a window in January OR March. We will then use the data from 2018-19 to determine which winter window districts will use in 2019-2020.
FASTbridge™ Assessment 2018-19: Which Ones
by Weston Johnson, GCED Instructional Coach
Summer is coming up FAST. It seems like yesterday the 2017-18 school year started, and FASTbridge™ testing is here to wrap things up. During the year, there was a lot that went on between assessment periods. It is amazing how much planning and work goes into supporting learning. Our assessment periods give us a general perspective on the learning occurring with our students and effectives of our support. As each of the assessment periods came and went, feedback was provided on what worked and did not work when assessing and analyzing FASTbridge™ data, so the GCED-wide assessment list was updated for the 2018-19 school year.
Changes:
FASTbridge™ has great overall characteristics: simple, quick, reliable, valid, inexpensive, easily understood, can be given often, and sensitive to growth. It makes for a great assessment system for reading, math, and behavior which are all stored at one site online. There many positives to FASTbridge™, but there are things that just don’t work out right. This is why the GCED-wide benchmark assessment list is being improved, and we continue to improve our assessment and data use across the Goodhue County Education District.
Summer is coming up FAST. It seems like yesterday the 2017-18 school year started, and FASTbridge™ testing is here to wrap things up. During the year, there was a lot that went on between assessment periods. It is amazing how much planning and work goes into supporting learning. Our assessment periods give us a general perspective on the learning occurring with our students and effectives of our support. As each of the assessment periods came and went, feedback was provided on what worked and did not work when assessing and analyzing FASTbridge™ data, so the GCED-wide assessment list was updated for the 2018-19 school year.
Changes:
- Remove universal benchmark screening with CBMmath Process for grades 4-5
- Difficult and time consuming to score
- Data did not add value to teams when reviewing benchmark data
- Still available for multi-gated screening (testing specific students when additional data is desired) and progress monitoring
- Assessment period windows
- Reduce variability from district to district
- Support data analysis across GCED
FASTbridge™ has great overall characteristics: simple, quick, reliable, valid, inexpensive, easily understood, can be given often, and sensitive to growth. It makes for a great assessment system for reading, math, and behavior which are all stored at one site online. There many positives to FASTbridge™, but there are things that just don’t work out right. This is why the GCED-wide benchmark assessment list is being improved, and we continue to improve our assessment and data use across the Goodhue County Education District.
| GCED Wide Fastbridge Assessment Framework - Updated May 2018 |
Behaviors: What is the function?
Behaviors include all that a person says or does. Behavior is:
The basics to remember about behavior include:
Antecedent Conditions and events occurring just before the behavior (internal or external).
Ex: The teacher is monitoring students as they work.
Behavior Anything a person says or does. Must be observable and measurable.
Ex: Jake stops working and lays his head down on his desk.
Consequences Conditions and events occurring immediately after the behavior, intentional or not.
Ex: From across the room, the teacher tells Jake to sit up.
Before addressing a behavior, it is important to first determine why the behavior is occurring. Possible functions of behavior include:
- Functional: People behave for a reason. Most behavior serves a purpose.
- Predictable: Behavior does not happen out of a context. Environmental events can set up, set off, or maintain problem behaviors.
- Changeable: By altering environmental conditions you can alter the behavior. Behavior can be taught and learned.
The basics to remember about behavior include:
Antecedent Conditions and events occurring just before the behavior (internal or external).
Ex: The teacher is monitoring students as they work.
Behavior Anything a person says or does. Must be observable and measurable.
Ex: Jake stops working and lays his head down on his desk.
Consequences Conditions and events occurring immediately after the behavior, intentional or not.
Ex: From across the room, the teacher tells Jake to sit up.
Before addressing a behavior, it is important to first determine why the behavior is occurring. Possible functions of behavior include:
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Behavior Function: GAIN
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Behavior Function: ESCAPE/AVOID
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Behavior Function: AUTOMATIC
This behavior is reinforcing in and of itself
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Notice that this list does not include as functions of behavior: power, control, revenge, the student is 'bad', the student is from a 'bad' family, or a student's disability itself. As a part of our commitment to continuously improve, GCED will re-train and emphasize Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) with our staff in the 2018-19 school year. An FBA is a systematic means of identifying variables that may control a behavior identifying the function of the behavior. It allows a team to determine the function of the behavior, or what it is accomplishing for the person.
An FBA examines 4 main areas: (1) Setting events, (2) Behavior, (3) Antecedents, and (4) Consequences. For a complete assessment, multiple data sources are used including interviews (parent, teacher, student), observations (ABC, running records, etc.), and records review. A complete FBA is necessary in order to design an intervention that connects to the behavior. Research is clear that linking the function of the behavior to the intervention increases the effectiveness of the intervention. Recent findings demonstrated FBA-based interventions in schools reduce problem behaviors by 70.5% for students served for EBD (Gage et al., 2012). Function based interventions not only address the problem behavior, but they help us avoid unintentionally reinforcing the problem behavior. This is true for students served in general education or special education. We will work on improving FBAs countywide in 2018-19 in an effort for (1) better Behavior Intervention Plans and (2) improved behavior outcomes.
An FBA examines 4 main areas: (1) Setting events, (2) Behavior, (3) Antecedents, and (4) Consequences. For a complete assessment, multiple data sources are used including interviews (parent, teacher, student), observations (ABC, running records, etc.), and records review. A complete FBA is necessary in order to design an intervention that connects to the behavior. Research is clear that linking the function of the behavior to the intervention increases the effectiveness of the intervention. Recent findings demonstrated FBA-based interventions in schools reduce problem behaviors by 70.5% for students served for EBD (Gage et al., 2012). Function based interventions not only address the problem behavior, but they help us avoid unintentionally reinforcing the problem behavior. This is true for students served in general education or special education. We will work on improving FBAs countywide in 2018-19 in an effort for (1) better Behavior Intervention Plans and (2) improved behavior outcomes.
READ 180 Universal
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Students served in general education and special education need extra help with literacy at times. One program to help is READ 180, which our member districts have been using since the 2007-08 school year.
According to GCED teacher and READ 180 coordinator, Emily Grobe, the benefit of this program is "student engagement due to high interest readings and multiple work stations that allow for movement around the classroom and access to technology." An additional benefit for students and staff is "the student dashboard that tracks progress on learned skills and student accomplishments." Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, we will make the transition to READ 180 Universal. The program includes the latest on instructional practices including:
SAVE THE TRAINING DATES
READ 180 Universal Teacher Training August 2 - 3, 2018 8:00 am to 4:00 pm River Bluff Education Center |
How does READ 180 Universal compare to READ 180 Next Generation?
Both programs include react and write prompts, multi-paragraph writing, and 21st century literacy instruction. READ 180 Universal also has:
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GCED Hosts Training Sessions at RBEC
Both of the following PBIS training will take place at River Bluff Education District with Megan Gruis.
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PBIS - Tiers 2/3
Tuesday, June 5 8:30 am to 11:30 am Space is available for teams that wish to continue their work together following the training. |
PBIS - Tier 1
Thursday, August 16 8:30 am to 3:00 pm This condensed training will include the PBIS framework and guided work time for teams to develop their action plans. Box lunch provided. |
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FASTbridge Assessments
Facilitated Online Training Thursday, 8/16/18 8:30 am to 11:30 am and/or 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm River Bluff Education Center Register for either session or both. An instructional coach will guide you through online training and help with your questions. |
Daily 5
Thursday, 8/16/18 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm River Bluff Education Center Daily 5 is a framework that promotes independent readers, writers, and learners. |
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Marked for Life |
Teaching Dreams |
Thanks to all the teachers....for all that you do!
