EDSD 7074 Walden Assessments in Improving Behavior and Academics Discussion & Memo
Three weeks into the school year, a problem-solving team meets to discuss several students. One student, Aleah, is a seventh-grader who had received Tier 2 interventions for most of sixth grade. By the end of the year she had shown progress academically and socially and, so, had been moved into the Tier 1 universal group. This year, however, Aleah has already been sent to the principal’s office twice for pushing other students in the classroom and has received several detentions for swearing in class. The teachers are concerned with her academics so far and want to prevent future problems, both behaviorally and academically. What kind of data might be collected about Aleah that would inform her teachers, family members, and other key individuals in her life about her behavior and academics? Is it more important to focus on her behavior, her academics, or both? For this Discussion, you explore the role of systemic assessment in developing interventions that improve both behavior and academics for students like Aleah. You also create a tool that will help you evaluate whether an assessment system is adhering to MTSS best practices. In addition, for Part 2 of this Discussion, you begin developing an assessment system checklist that you will submit for feedback early next week for Discussion 2. Part 1 To prepare Review the module Learning Resources on assessments that improve both academics and behavior.View media and how data is collected within the learning environment. A memo of your findings in which you will share with the principal that explains: The need for a systemic assessment approachHow and why you need to convene the group to create an assessment system.How you would lead the leadership team to create an evidence-based assessment system.How you would guide the team to assess the effectiveness of the system you designed. Part 2: Assessment System Checklist Preparation Prior to teaming efforts, collegiate conversations focused more on shared knowledge and experience as opposed to goal-oriented results for students. With the implementation of an MTSS, the role of teams has advanced from an exchange of information to the resolution of problems (Brown-Chidsey & Bickford, 2016). Ultimately, the group’s effectiveness depends upon their collaboration and communication skills. As a special education leader, you may find that leading collaborative efforts within a school MTSS can be challenging, as teachers are accustomed to the independence and ownership of implementing practices that they are comfortable with, within their own classrooms. Today, the push for implementing school-wide intervention models has become increasingly beneficial as models such as MTSS are driven by data and encompass evidence-based practices in improving educational experiences and learning for all students. For this Discussion, you will analyze several different assessment tools currently utilized within multi-tiered systems of support in both elementary and secondary schools. Begin drafting an assessment system checklist. To prepare Take the following steps to develop your initial draft of an assessment system checklist: Review the module Learning Resources. Pay attention to the collaborative efforts involved in data collecting and MTSS. Consider collaborative efforts discussed in previous module resources in implementing an MTSS.Review Chapter 3 of the Brown-Chidsey & Bickford text, identifying the use of assessment checklists.Consider the elements of a comprehensive assessment system.Select an academic area to focus on through assessment.Research multi-tiered interventions appropriate for the selected academic area.Examine elements of a comprehensive assessment system.Consider important aspects influencing academics and achievement, such as climate. How would the assessment system look within an MTSS? A draft of the assessment system checklist Learning Resources Note: To access this module’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus. Required Readings Brown-Chidsey, R. & Bickford, R. (2016). Practical handbook of multi-tiered systems of support: Building academic and behavioral success in schools. New York, NY: Guildford Press. Chapter 3, “The Importance of Details” (pp. 20–28) Chapter 8, “Effective Team Processing: Using Data and a Problem-Solving Approach” (pp. 71–84) Chapter 19, “Universal Screening” (pp. 195–211) Chapter 21, “Progress Monitoring” (pp. 230-238) Berry Kuchle, L., Zumeta Edmonds, R., Danielson, L. C., Peterson, A., & Riley‐Tillman, T. C. (2015). The next big idea: A framework for integrated academic and behavioral intensive intervention. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 30(4), 150–158. The Next Big Idea: A Framework for Integrated Academic and Behavioral ntensive Intervention by Kuchle, L.B., Edmonds, R.Z., Danielson, L.C., & Peterson, A. in Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 30 (4), 150–158. Copyright 2015 by John Wiley & Sons. Used with permission of John Wiley & Sons via the Copyright Clearance Center. McIntosh, K., Bohanon, H., & Goodman, S. (2011). Integrating academic and behavior supports within an RtI framework, Part 3: Secondary supports. Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/behavior-supports/integrating-academic-and-behavior-supports-secondary-supports Required Media Laureate Education (Producer). (2012d). Student behavior in a multi-tiered system of support [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes. Accessible player --Downloads-- Download Video w/CC Download Audio Download Transcript