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Parkway School District and Special School District

Parkway School District and Special School District. Special Services Department & Special Education 2011-2012 Program Evaluation March, 2012. Program Evaluation.

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Parkway School District and Special School District

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  1. Parkway School District and Special School District Special Services Department& Special Education2011-2012 Program Evaluation March, 2012

  2. Program Evaluation • Dr. Nathan Tyson, Special Services Department staff, and SSD administrators met with school and district administrators regarding whichissues and questions were most important and relevant to the evaluation. Additional discussion was held with the Board of Education, Project Parkway Special Education Advisory, and the Special Education Action Team. • A variety of guiding questions/issues served as the basis for the evaluation. These were organized under the following topics/headings: • Instructional Practice and Progress Monitoring • Student Outcomes (Academic and Social/Emotional/Behavioral) • Collaboration (Parents, Students, & Districts) • Student/Faculty Profile • Process (i.e., IEP, Transitions, & Services)

  3. Special Services Department • Director • Coordinator • School Psychologist • Secretary/Assistant Prior to the 2011-2012 school year, the department developed and led Parkway's Progress Monitoring & Intervention Program, which includes the Progress Monitoring Coaches. The coordinator working directly with this program is now part of TLA.

  4. Special Services Department Primary Roles/Responsibilities • Parkway's compliance with and implementation of disability laws for students (ages 3 to 21), parents, and patrons • Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • Ensuring access to and benefit from educational programs (Free Appropriate Public Education - FAPE) for students with disabilities • Designated liaison to the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County • SSD provides ALL special education and related services, staff, and programs in Parkway.

  5. Special Services Department Department Survey - Administrators and Counselors [N = 99] (Fall 2011) • The fifteen (15) positively worded survey items covered topics such as: • responsiveness to students, parents, and staff • knowledge, expertise, problem solving, and technical assistance • compliance with and procedures/forms/materials/information regarding disability laws • assisting with students receiving needed services and access • acting collaboratively, professionally, ethically, and effectively • 128 comments were included with the survey responses. The vast majority were positive to very positive. Some concerns were expressed regarding: • the backlog of referrals for Section 504 evaluations and the need for more staff/help related to Section 504 • the need for an improved, collaborative working relationship with the SSD.

  6. Special Services Department Department Survey - Administrators and Counselors (Fall 2011) • There was significant agreement (either agree or strongly agree) with the positively worded items. All items had 85 - 96% agreement except for: • “effectively collaborate with the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County” (77.7%) • “have effectively contributed to the district keeping IDEA child complaints, due process, and Section 504 Office for Civil Rights complaints to a minimum” (80.8%) • For every item, the “strongly agree” was at least twice as large a percentage as “agree” and, in some cases, was as much as 8 or 9 times as large a percentage.

  7. Special Services Department Department Survey - Administrators and Counselors (Fall 2011) • There was little disagreement (either disagree or strongly disagree) with the positively worded items. No item had more than 5% disagreement except for: • “provide significant assistance ensuring students with disabilities receive needed services in a timely manner” (7.1% disagreement) • “effectively collaborate with the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County” (7.1% disagreement) • The percentage of responses of “Neutral/No Opinion” ranged only from 1% - 9.1% on the items, with only the same two items above exceeding 5.1%. This suggests that most of the 99 respondents felt both knowledgeable and strongly enough to have an opinion.

  8. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008 significantly and "intentionally" expanded the eligibility criteria for the ADA and Section 504 and, as a result, have had a significant impact on the department and District. • As a result of the changes that went into effect in January 2009, the number of students referred for Section 504 evaluations and identified with a disability under that law has increased significantly. • Some students with mental and/or physical impairments who are now eligible under Section 504 receive accommodations and have written plans, while other students require no accommodations even though they meet the criteria for eligibility and are protected under the law.

  9. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act • As of the end of February, 2012, there were 173 students attending Parkway schools diagnosed with disabilities under Section 504. • There were approximately 72 evaluations under Section 504 pending/not completed following referrals to the Special Services Department. • When a student is “SUSPECTED” of having a disability (i.e., following parent request, awaiting evaluation), the school is required to: • provide the student and parent/guardian with their procedural safeguards, and • if needed, develop/implement a “Interim Suspected Disability Plan” to ensure the student is not denied needed accommodations due to a delay in evaluation. • Most evaluations are initiated by parent/guardian requests and many are recommended to the parents/guardians by private professionals.

  10. Section 504 and Suspected Disabilities Parent Survey [N=71] - Section 504 and "Suspected" Disabilities (January, 2012) • The majority responded positively (agree/strongly agree) that: • the Section 504 referral/evaluation and eligibility process is appropriate (67.6%-71.9%) • accommodations, supports, and interventions contribute to students being capablelearners (57.7%) • studentsreceive meaningful benefit (63%)and make progress in general education and social/emotional/behavioral areas (55%) • general education teacher participation in the Section 504 process is appropriate(62%) • The climate in district for students with disabilities is supportive (60.6%) • communication, responsiveness, and parent participationrelated to Section 504/suspected disabilities is positive (63.4%-84.1%)

  11. Section 504 and Suspected Disabilities Parent Survey - Section 504 and "Suspected" Disabilities • The majority of respondents had concerns about: • accommodations, supports, and interventions contributing to curiosity, self-direction, confidence, and preparation for the next educational challenge (52.1%-57.7%) • the accommodations, supports, intervention process (57.8%) • the process allowing educators to provide their child with access to appropriate curriculum and instruction (54.9%) • communication about assignments and student progress from general education teachers (57.8%-62%) • amount of support from Parkway for students with disabilities (55.9%) • overall quality of the general education program for students with disabilities (53.5%)

  12. Section 504/Suspected Disabilities& Special Education Program Parent Survey [N=583] - No Children with Disabilities (January, 2012) • More than 67% of parents never had a child with a disability or suspected disability • A majority(57.8%-56.2%) of parents felt: • Parkway provides an appropriate climate, curriculum and program for students with disabilities • the districts provide services for students with IEPs that provide meaningful benefit academically and/or in social, emotional, & behavioral areas (32.6% were neutral or had no opinion) • A minority(39.3%) felt students with Section 504 or suspected disabilities received meaningful benefit academically and/or in social, emotional, & behavioral areas from the evaluations and accommodations/supports provided by Parkway(46.1% were neutral or had no opinion; only 7.2% disagreed)

  13. Discipline - Students with Disabilities MO DESE Special Education Compliance "Discipline Review" • Significant "discrepancy in the rate of suspensions and expulsions for greater than 10 days in a school year for children with disabilities as compared to nondisabled peers based on race/ethnicity…based on a analysis of …2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 district data for students who are Black." • Parkway and SSD submitted a number of student files, a "Discipline Discrepancy Self-Assessment Rubric," and extensive information related to Parkway's discipline process (for both students with and without disabilities) for DESE Review. • DESE also conducted a number of follow-up interviews with Parkway principals.

  14. Discipline - Students with Disabilities MO DESE Special Education Compliance "Discipline Review" • DESE concluded (February, 2012): "Sufficient evidence to demonstrate that there is NO evidence of inappropriate policies, practices and procedures when suspending/expelling students with disabilities greater than 10 days in a school year; however noncompliance was identified in the file reviews." • From the principal interviews, DESE concluded the information matched the "District Self-Assessment and Data Analysis." • Items of non-compliance were all in SSD's special education process and documentation - only two of those were related to the discipline process. Non-compliance items did NOT appear to be systemic or pervasive.

  15. Special School District (SSD)of St. Louis County SSD Vision Partners for every student's success SSD Mission In collaboration with partner districts we provide technical education and a wide variety of individualized educational and support services designed for each student's successful contribution to our community. SSD "Parkway Region" Mission In collaboration with the Parkway School District community, the mission of our region is to increase achievement of students receiving special education services (Kindergarten - age 21) by utilizing research-based/validated, data-driven interventions and implementing them with fidelity. Through a continuum of services and continuity among interventions, we will use ongoing diagnostic assessment to engage students in active, multisensory learning opportunities which will lead to their overall success.

  16. Special Education DataDecember 1, 2011 Child Count Parkway Students Receiving Special Education Services* # of Kg. - 21 year olds with Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) disabilities attending Parkway schools 2,869 % of Kg. - 21 year olds with IDEA disabilities attending Parkway Schools 16.52% (December 1,2010: Parkway 16.72%/State 12.75%) * MO DESE "verified" Parkway C-2 School District December 1, 2011 "child count" NOTE: Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) students and those attending programs outside of ParkwayNOT reported by/attributed to Parkway. Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County provides ECSE services to eligible Parkway residents and reports students not in Parkway schools.

  17. Special Education DataDecember 1, 2011 Child Count • "Level of Service" of the 2,869 IDEA students in Parkway schools:* • Inside the "regular classroom": • 80 percent or more of the day 72.88% of IDEA students (State "target" 59.50%) • 40 percent to 79 percent of the day20.49% of IDEA students • less than 40 percent of the day 6.31% of IDEA students ( State "target" < 10.2%) • Homebound/Hospital 9 IDEA students * MO DESE "verified" Parkway C-2 School District December 1, 2011 "child count" • Other placements/programs of Parkway IDEA students: • Placed by IEP outside of Parkway 3.82% (113) ALL Parkway IDEA students (Includes 35 students in post-high school work programs, Homebound Instruction, and court programs and 78 in SSD schools and "purchase of service" placements) • Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) 301 IDEA students

  18. Special Education Data* 2010-2011 School Year Graduation Rate Percentage of students with IDEA disabilities Parkway 91.34% State Of Missouri 81.50% Dropout Rate Percentage of students with IDEA disabilities Parkway1.72% State Of Missouri 3.98% * MO DESE Parkway C-2 School District November, 2011"Special Education Profile"

  19. Special Education Program SSD Special Education Staff Assigned to Parkway • 243 certified staff (includes teachers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, school psychologists, and adaptive physical education teachers) • 190 paraprofessionals • 76 applied behavioral analysis (ABA) staff (63 K-12; 13 ECSE) • 9 area coordinators (administrators supervising special education staff) • 1 director

  20. Special Education Program 2011-2012 Special Education Teacher Caseload Comparisons ParkwaySt. Louis County • Average # of students per teacher 14.0 11.2 • Average "weighted caseload" per teacher 33.3 30.7 2011-2012 Speech/Language Pathologist (SLP) Caseload Comparisons ParkwaySt. Louis County • Average # of students per SLP 13.0 14.0 • Average "weighted caseload" per SLP 31.7 30.5

  21. Special Education Program Achievement Data for Students with IEPs • MAP/MAP-A Communication Arts • The performance/scores of students with IEPs at all grade levels are consistently belowALL students, both with and without IEPs, in Parkway • Especially recently, most scores for students with IEPs have increased, EXCEPT the scores of 2010-2011 6th and 7th grade students with IEPs dropped in 2010-2011 (scores also dropped for ALL 6th grade students, but increased for ALL 7th graders) • MAP/MAP-A Math • The performance/scores for students with IEPs at all grade levels are consistently belowall students, both with and without IEPs, in Parkway • Scores for students with IEPs have increased for 2010-2011 4th, 5th, and 10th graders, but either dropped or remained relatively constant for all other grade levels in 2010-2011, while the scores for ALL Parkway students have shown increases in recent years (with the exception of 2010-2011 6thand 8th graders)

  22. Special Education Program Achievement Data for Students with IEPs • MAP/MAP-A Communication Arts AND English End of Course (EOC) exams • The percentage of Parkway students with IEPs scoring proficient or advanced is (10% or more) higherat all grade levels than those of ALL students with IEPs in Missouri • MAP/MAP-A Math AND Algebra I End of Course (EOC) exams • With one exception (3rd grade MAP in 2006), the percentage of Parkway students with IEPs scoring proficient or advanced is (10% or more) higher at all grade levels than those of ALL students with IEPs in Missouri

  23. 2011 MAP Communication Arts Scores Parkway IEP Compared to State IEP

  24. 2011 MAP Mathematics Scores Parkway IEP Compared to State IEP

  25. Special Education Program Achievement Data for Students with IEPs • Biology End of Course (EOC) exams • The percentage of Parkway students with IEPs scoring proficient or advanced is (10.2% - 17.2%) higher than those of ALL students with IEPs in Missouri • Government End of Course (EOC) exams • The percentage of Parkway students with IEPs scoring proficient or advanced is (10.4% - 18.2%) higher than those of ALL students with IEPs inMissouri

  26. Special Education Program Achievement Data for Students with IEPs • ACT • Parkway students with IEPs in the graduating class of 2011 had lower ACT composite and subtest (English, Math, Reading, Science) scores than ALL students (with and without IEPs) in Parkway and the State of Missouri • Parkway students with IEPs had subtest and composite scores 5 – 7 percentage points less than ALL Parkway students, both with and without IEPs • Parkway students with IEPs had subtest and composite scores 3.6 – 5.5 percentage points less than ALLMissouri students, both with and without IEPs

  27. ACT 2011 Graduating Class Parkway IEP Students Compared to Parkway Students and State of Missouri Students

  28. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator [N=68], Teacher [N=523]*, and Counselor/Social Worker/School Psychologist [N=59] Surveys (January, 2012) • Respondents rating the SPECIAL EDUCATION program as good to excellent: • 48.5% of administrators • 54.3% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 66.8% of teachers • Respondents rating the GENERAL EDUCATION program to support students with IEPs as good to excellent: • 55.9% of administrators • 49.2% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 60.4% of teachers * 191 of the teachers reported they were special education teachers

  29. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator, Teacher, and Counselor/Social Worker/School PsychologistSurveys • The majority of all employee groups surveyed feel the districts are addressing Mission/Vision for students with IEPs, but administrators tended to express less agreement than other groups. • Respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing the IEP process needsimprovement: • 73.5% of administrators • 52.5% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 46.3% of teachers • More teachers (79.6%) agreed general education teacher participation in the IEP process is appropriate than did administrators (60.2%)

  30. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator, Teacher, and Counselor/Social Worker/School PsychologistSurveys • Respondents reporting special education teachers have sufficient TIMEwith respect to teaching students with IEPs: • 42.7% of administrators • 28.8% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • Respondents reporting general education teachers have sufficient TIME with respect to teaching students with IEPs: • 30.8% of administrators • 20.3% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 39.8% of teachers agreed they have enough TIME with respect to teaching student with IEPs

  31. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator, Teacher, and Counselor/Social Worker/School PsychologistSurveys • Respondents reporting special education teachers have sufficient INSERVICE with respect to teaching students with IEPs: • 54.4% of administrators • 33.9% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • Respondents reporting general education teachers have sufficient INSERVICE with respect to teaching students with IEPs: • 27.9% of administrators • 16.9% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 43.6% of teachers agreethey have enough INSERVICE with respect to teaching student with IEPs

  32. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator, Teacher, and Counselor/Social Worker/School PsychologistSurveys • Respondents reporting students with IEPs are making meaningful progress on academic goals, on social/emotional/behavioral goals, and in the general education curriculum often or very often: • 35.3%-42.7% of administrators (about ½ responded “sometimes”) • 39%-54.2% of counselors/social workers/psychologists (progress on “academic goals” was only area with agreement above 50%) • 50.3%-55.5% of teachers • Respondents reporting special education and general education instruction and activities are effectively integrated to meet the needs of students with IEPs: • 26.5% of administrators • 49.2% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 55.4% of teachers

  33. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator, Teacher, and Counselor/Social Worker/School PsychologistSurveys • Respondents reporting there is sufficient collaboration between special education and general education staff: • 25% of administrators • 39% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 46.5% of teachers • Respondents reporting general education teachers differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students with IEPs: • 55.9% of administrators • 59.3% of counselors/social workers/psychologists • 92.5% of teachers (78.2% feel confident in their ability to do so)

  34. Special Education Program SUMMARY of Parkway and SSD Administrator, Teacher, and Counselor/Social Worker/School PsychologistSurveys • 45.6% of administrators agree co-teachingis meeting the needs of students with IEPs • 60% or more of teachers and counselors/social workers/psychologists agree co-teaching is meeting the needs of students with IEPs • All groups reported they feel special education and general education staff work well together (54.3%-66.3% agreement) • All staff groups reported Abilities Awareness is beneficial to staff and students (62.8%-76.5%) and more should be done (59.4%-67.6%) • All groups reported they feel the special education identification and evaluation/re-evaluation processes are appropriate (54.5%-70.9% agreement)

  35. Special Education Program Parent Survey [N=373] - Students with IEPs (January, 2012) • Respondents: • 42.9% Elementary School • 23.4 Middle School • 30.8 High School • 50% of parents felt Abilities Awareness benefitted students and staff and about 45% felt more Abilities Awareness should be done • Almost one-third of parents of students with IEPs have never heard of Abilities Awareness • 67% or more of parents rate the special education and general education programs for students with IEPs in Parkway as good to excellent

  36. Special Education Program Parent Survey- Students with IEPs • A majority (55%- 75%) of parents who have one or more child with an IEP felt positively (agree/strongly agree) about all survey items, including those about: • Parkway's Mission/Vision • helping students feel safe, challenged, and that they belong • receiving meaningful benefit and access to appropriate curriculum • meaningful progress on IEP goals and in the general education curriculum • generaleducation teacher participation in and implementation of IEPs • balance and integration between special education and general education

  37. Special Education Program Parent Survey- Students with IEPs • A majority (57%- 75%) of parents who have one or more child with an IEP felt positively (agree/strongly agree) about all survey items, including those about: • special education and general education staff work well together • special education teachers know enough about general education • general education teachers know enough to address needs of children with IEPs • special education evaluation/re-evaluation and eligibility processes • special education communication with/responsiveness of school staff • special and general education teachers communicate sufficiently with parents about assignments and progress

  38. Special Education Program Parent Survey- Students with IEPs • A majority (56%- 80%) of parents who have one or more child with an IEP felt positively (agree/strongly agree) about all survey items, including those about: • their input was fully considered and appropriately included and feel they are an equal partner in special education decision-making • supportive climate in Parkway for students with IEPs • supportin Parkway for students with IEPs • sufficient special education and general education time, support, and resources from both Parkway and the SSD • the IEP process

  39. Special Education Program Survey - Students with IEPs [N=214] (February, 2012) • 9.77% of students with IEPs in 4th – 12th grade responded • 10.56% (123) of all 4th -8th grade students with IEPs responded • 8.87% (91) of all high school students with IEPs responded • 42.5% of the 214 respondents were high school students, who completed an additional five (5) items that were more applicable to high school students • Students from eight (8) elementary schools, all five (5) middle schools, and four (4) high schools (including Fern Ridge) completed the survey • Respondents represented all grade levels 4th – 12th, with less than 10% of the respondents from 8th, 10th, and 12thgrades

  40. Special Education Program Survey - Students with IEPs • The majority (65.5%-85.1%) of students reported positively (agreed/strongly agreed) with the following items: • They feel safe and like they belong at school • Kids at school like them • Their teachers believe they can learn and understand they learn in different ways • Adults at school treat them fairly and with respect • Resource room and "other" teacher(s) help them with work when needed • Teachers respond quickly when they ask for help, ensure they understand what is being taught, and give them all the help they need • They can participate in activities when they want to do so

  41. Special Education Program Survey - Students with IEPs • The majority of high school students with IEPs reported (agree/strongly agree)… • …the help they are getting at school is preparing them for life after they graduate (69.3%) • …they are able to participate in any of the extracurricular activities they like (56.1%) • …their guidance counselors do all they can to help them (62.7%) • …their guidance counselors are actively preparing them for life after high school (50.6%) • 49.5% of high school students with IEPs reported they feel like they "connect" with their guidance counselors

  42. Special Education Program Survey - Parkway Graduates with IEPs [N=17] • Results disaggregated from Parkway Graduate Follow-Up Survey • 82.4% said "college prep" was the goal of their high school program • 76.5% are currently enrolled in an educational program (college, career/tech school) • 100% were full-time • 76.9% were four year • 15.4% qualified for AP or college credit • 38.5% were required to enroll in developmental courses • 92.3% anticipated earning mostly As and Bs for the semester • 23.5% said they were currently employed or in the military

  43. Special Education Program Survey - Parkway Graduates with IEPs • Percentages agreeing Parkway helped him/her become a… • …capablelearner (76.5%) • …curiouslearner (70.6%) • …confidentlearner (64.7%) • Percentages agreeing Parkway helped him/her… • …be fully prepared for next educational challenge (58.9%) • …offer creative, thoughtful solutions to problems (70.6%) • …act out of a strong sense of personal, social, and civic responsibility (64.6%) • 70.6% responded they were either mostly or completely satisfied with the Parkway School District

  44. Special Services/Special Education Recommendations • Continue working with and disaggregating the survey and outcome data in order to gain a deeper understanding of what issues exist for which groups, develop more defined hypotheses about why problems exist, and generate plans for addressing concerns/problems.Involve Parkway’s Special Education Action Teamin this process. • Review and improve staff development for special education and, especially, general education teachers with respect to teaching students with disabilities. • To the extent possible, address the problem of time (or lack thereof) for all staff to address the needs of students with disabilities. This includes time for collaboration, staff development, making/implementing adaptations and modifications, and attendance at meetings.

  45. Special Services/Special Education Recommendations • Continue development of a comprehensive progress monitoring and intervention model/framework that includes all students, with the ability to monitor and address students with disabilities specifically, and includes special education staff. • Continue development of PLCs and ensure that all special education staff are effectively trained and included. • Continue development of tiered interventions for students, including those students receiving special education services, and identify specific staff responsibilities for initiating problem solving when progress monitoring demonstrates lack of appropriate outcomes academically, on IEP goals, and in social/emotional/behavioral areas.

  46. Special Services/Special Education Recommendations • Continue working on ways to make the IEP process more efficient, effective, collaborative, and meaningful. Explore ways to increase participation and input while reducing the amount of time in meetings. • Explore and, if possible, implement ways to decrease the back-log of and time delay for Section 504 evaluations. Continue supporting schools' efforts to effectively plan and provide accommodations, including for students awaiting evaluation, and expand implementation of Section 504 in Parkway's Early Childhood programs. • Continue to explore and implement ways for the two districts to more effectively and seamlessly collaborate and integrate services, resources, initiatives to meet the needs of and improve the outcomes for students with IEPs.

  47. Special Services/Special Education2011-2012 Program Evaluation QUESTIONS???

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