ERIC ED461620: Suggestions for Implementing Instructional Support Teams and Student Assistance in Middle Schools.

14 Pages·1995·0.24 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SP 037 543
ED 461 620
Kovaleski, Joseph F., Ed.
AUTHOR
Suggestions for Implementing Instructional Support Teams and
TITLE
Student Assistance in Middle Schools.
Instructional Support System of Pennsylvania, East
INSTITUTION
Petersburg.
Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg.
SPONS AGENCY
IST-105
REPORT NO
1995-00-00
PUB DATE
12p.; For related IST documents, see SP 037 535-545.
NOTE
Guides Non-Classroom (055)
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Inclusive Schools; *Instructional Improvement; Middle
DESCRIPTORS
Schools; Models; Partnerships in Education; Program
Implementation; Special Education; *Special Needs Students;
State Programs; State Standards; Student Evaluation; *Team
Training; *Teamwork
*Instructional Support; Pennsylvania; *Student Assistance
IDENTIFIERS
Programs
ABSTRACT
The Instructional Support Team (IST) process is mandated in
all Pennsylvania schools that include any grade from kindergarten through 6.
Middle schools that house grade six or below are required to enroll in IST
training and ultimately achieve IST validation. In addition to the IST
requirement, all secondary schools are required to have a Student Assistance
Team. In grades K through 6, Student Assistance functions are incorporated
into the IST. This document offers suggestions to middle schools beginning to
address the task of providing both Student Assistance and Instructional
Support within their buildings. The underlying theme is to clarify the
requirements while providing sufficient flexibility for the creation of a
site-specific process that is sensible for each individual school. Rather
than conceptualizing students as Instructional Support cases or Student
Assistance cases, the goal is to see each student as a child with a variety
of needs that can be met by a variety of resources working together. Sections
of the document address initial planning and decision making, training
issues, validation issues, implementation issues, and record keeping.
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INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
Suggestions for Implementing
:
Instructional Support Teams
And
Student Assistance
in
Middle Schools
Joseph F. Kovaleski, editor
Instructional Support Team
Project of Pennsylvania
1110 Enterprise Road
East Petersburg PA 17520
A Systematic Search
`12.7-ZA.
for What Works!
#105
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND
STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS
IN
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
BACKGROUND
mandated in all schools of the
The Instructional Support Team (1ST) process is
through 6. Middle
Commonwealth that indude any grade from kindergarten
enroll in 1ST training and
schools that house grade six or below are required to
In addition to the IST requirement, all
ultimately achieve IST validation.
(SAP) Team. In grades
secondary schools are required to have a Student Assistance
incorporated into the 1ST.
K through 6, Student Assistance functions are
mandates are particularly
The implementation of these different initiatives and
of elementary grades (5
challenging in middle schools that house combinations
the potentially
and/or 6) as well as secondary grades (7 and/or 8). In addition to
particular challenges to
confusing array of requirements, middle schools present
levels among the
implementation due to the wide diversity of developmental
styles that fit neither
students and the differences in organization and teaching
document to offer
elementary nor secondary models. It is the intent of this
task of providing both
suggestions to middle schools as they begin to address the
buildings. The
Student Assistance and Instructional Support within their
while providing
underlying theme of this document is to clarify the requirements
sensible for each
sufficient flexibility for the creation of a site-specific process that is
individual school.
scrutinized and input received
In developing these suggestions, regulations were
middle school
from middle school staff from around the Commonwealth. As
such matters as the
planning teams use this document to make decisions about
them in identifying
number of teams in their buildings and the interface between
school will provide the
students and planning interventions, it is expected that each
than conceptualizing
best possible service for all students. It is hoped that rather
that each student
students as Instructional Support cases or Student Assistance cases,
by a variety of
is seen as a whole child with a variety of needs that can be met
resources working together.
3
INITIAL PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING
for middle schools in Instructional
Through the 1994-95 school year, training
by the 1ST Project and by the Secondary
Support has been provided to school districts
school year, the 1ST Project is
Instructional Support (SIS) Project. As of the 1995-96
house grade 6 or below.
responsible for training in all middle schools that
above that have started instructional
Secondary schools that house grade 7 and
been advised to seek further technical
support programs prior to 1995-96 have
of their local intermediate unit.
assistance from the Statewide Support Initiative
middle school administrators to
During the Fall of 1995, 1ST consultants met with
needs assessments for future
ascertain implementation plans and to conduct
the training history of the
training. The planning was oriented according to
individual school, as indicated below.
Middle Schools Trained by the "Elementary" IST Project
received their training through the
There are a number of middle schools that have
have achieved validation, while
"elementary" IST Project. Many of these schools
training toward validation. Follow-
the remainder are due for their second year of
is being scheduled to proceed as planned through the
up training for these schools
IU SSI programs.
Training
Schools That Have Received No Instructional Support
middle schools that have not received
As a result of the Fall, 1995 meetings, many
for the 1995-96 training
Instructional Support training of any kind have enrolled
decided to postpone the initiation of 1ST training to a
program. Other schools have
indicated the date by which all
future school year. (At this time, PDE has not yet
of entry into IST training, a
schools must initiate the 1ST process.) At the point
according to the unique
comprehensive two-year training program will be provided
activities anticipated for the second
aspects of the middle school, with validation
year of this process.
Support Project
Middle Schools Trained by the Secondary Instructional
with principals of middle
During the Fall of 1995, IST consultants have also met
school districts' intentions
schools that were trained by the SIS Project to discern the
that are receiving
for putting in place a validatable 1ST program. Middle schools
will be starting their official
unit funding for the development of the IST program
the 1995-96 school year. School
two-year training program toward validation in
the middle school
districts that are not receiving funding for the initiation of 1ST in
training/validation cycle in 1995-96
have the option to initiate the official two-year
validation to a future year.
or to postpone training toward
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Page 2
4
Operation of IST in Grades 7 and Above in Middle Schools
extend the Instructional
If middle schools that house grades 6 and below wish to
will provide training to
Support program to all grades in the school, IST consultants
the program
the school as a whole. However, the school is only required to operate
through grade 6.
TRAINING ISSUES
cycle begins, the 1ST
When the district requests that the IST training/validation
the implementation of
consultant will conduct a needs assessment of the status of
validation. In the
the 1ST program and of the training needed to prepare for
SIS program should be
training needs assessment, training provided through the
the
acknowledged as sufficient for instructional support training according to
be repeated, rather a
judgment of the 1ST consultant. Successful training need not
that has not been
training plan should be developed that incorporates any training
provided to date.
training has been
The assessment of training needs should be based on what
of that
undertaken by the middle school as well as the level of implementation
attended training in
training feature. For example, if members of the 1ST have
adaptations are
instructional adaptations, but there is no evidence that instructional
this area may not have
used in the IST process, attendance at large group training in
indicated. The results of the needs
to be repeated, but on-site guided practice may be
training experiences to be
assessment should be an action plan that specifies the
provided and a timeline toward validation review.
Some specific issues related to IST training components follow.
Collaboration
the SIS
Training in collaboration has been highly similar in the 1ST Project and in
Entry-Hypothesis
Project. Middle school staff should be familiarized with the
Development-Verifying-Outcome language.
Instructional Assessment
academic
Teams should be trained to provide instructional assessment of student's
that
skills in an age-appropriate manner. In fifth and sixth grade, the procedures
and
indude curriculum-based assessment are pertinent. For training with seventh
Reading in
eighth grade staff, material from the Mastery Learning Components and
the Content Area component of the SIS Program may be useful in understanding
instructional assessment with older students.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE nAms IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Page 3
5
Instructional Adaptation/Learning Strategies
instructional adaptation (e.g., ADAPT) are
For all middle school grades, strategies in
strategies also applies to this age
pertinent for all teachers. Training in learning
and
comprehensive training in instructional adaptations
range. Consequently,
include both instructional adaptations
learning strategies for middle schools should
and learning strategies.
Student Assistance/Elementary Student Assistance
place a SAP team that has received
It is expected that middle schools will have in
students in fifth and sixth grade,
secondary SAP training. In order to accommodate
also attend Elementary Student Assistance
team members from these grades should
the SAP program and the 1ST and
training. The building administrator assigned to
is strongly recommended that a
the support teacher must attend the training. It
teachers attend as well.
member of the pupil services staff and two classroom
Principal's Training
validation-based training program, the
When the middle school begins the two-year
and the two-day session of
principal should attend a one day orientation to 1ST,
initiation of the program.
PPTM, which is generally held the summer before
Training for principals of middle
However, IST consultants may waive Principals'
training through the SIS program.
schools if the principal has received extensive
Team Training
training, the middle school team
Midway through the first year of validation-based
Training. This training may be waived if a similar
or teams typically attend Team
training has been completed through the SIS program.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Page 4
VALIDATION ISSUES
training
Validation in the IST process is dependent upon the completion of the IST
of the 1ST process according to the
sequence and the successful implementation
features,
Special Education Regulations and Standards. In terms of implementation
model
all middle schools should be called upon to be validated according to an 1ST
Two
that is appropriate for middle schools and meets Regulations and Standards.
IST program found in elementary schools
common deviations from the traditional
for validation in middle schools:
are considered acceptable alterations
Middle schools may use a grade level team that provides
separate standing
support rather than
instructional
a
Instructional Support Team.
Middle schools may use a full-time equivalent (FTE) rather than
schools where the
a full-time support teacher model. In middle
number of students in grades 6 and below is substantially less
than 500 students, prorating of the FTE would be acceptable. For
example, a middle school with 250 sixth graders might use a 1/3
FTE rather than a full-time teacher.
These or other acceptable deviations should be reviewed during the needs
amend
assessment. When an approvable plan is ascertained, the district should
their IST application and agreement and submit them for approval to BSE.
As indicated above, once the school embarks on its validation-based training, a
validation visit occurs toward the end of the second year of training. While it is
only required that the validation team visit and report on the fifth and/or sixth
grade, the middle school may opt to have the whole school reviewed in order to
receive feedback on its entire operation of instructional support. If this arrangement
school but only hold
occurs, the validation team will give feedback for the whole
the school responsible for meeting required items in fifth and sixth grades.
In reviewing the service delivery model in place at a given middle school, the
visiting validation team will need to note the allowable variations of procedures for
middle schools when making their report. The model in place in each middle
school will need to match the description provided by the school district to the
Bureau of Special Education in its IST application/agreement. An approved IST
application/agreement signals to the school district that its IST model is approvable
under existing Regulations and Standards.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Page 5
7
IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
Decisions on Team Structures
middle schools is how to organize a
The foremost implementation issue faced by
of both Instructional Support and
team or teams to address the requirements
should be aware of the pitfalls
Student Assistance. In making this decision, schools
addition to 1ST and SAP functions,
of having too many teams. In many schools, in
departments, teams for inclusion of
districts also have grade level teams, subject
evaluation teams, etc.
students with disabilities (GATEWAYS), multidisciplinary
critical decision that
Organizing all of these functions in a coherent manner is a
middle schools face.
grade-level teams to undertake the
Many middle schools have effectively utilized
It should be
functions of IST, rather than having separate teams for these purposes.
approaches but may also
noted that such deviations may not only be effective team
with Special Education
be acceptable from a Regulations perspective. Compliance
requirements of 1ST are
Regulations can be accomplished by assuring that all of the
should consult with
incorporated into the grade-level team process. Middle schools
integrate SAP with grade level
the SAP Regional Coordinators with any plans to
teams.
number of factors need to be
In making the decision on how many teams to have, a
functions tends to
weighed. First, proliferating numerous teams with overlapping
overloading already busy teams
induce system fragmentation. On the other hand,
In any case, it is
with too many functions may seriously inhibit effectiveness.
articulation and
recommended that all teams have flexible membership so that
facilitated.
communication between different teams and professional staff is
Meeting the SAP Regulations
recommendations apply if
For compliance with SAP requirements, the following
the school decides to use two or more teams:
the
There should be some team members who are common to
required
SAP team and other teams that will receive all training
by IST and SAP (e.g., principal, guidance counselor, support
teacher, classroom teacher, etc.). If grades 5 and/or 6 are induded
attend
in the middle school, some team members must also
Elementary Student Assistance training.
The central office administrator responsible for each initiative
joint planning and
should develop a mechanism for
It would be optimal if the same
communication for teams.
administrator coordinated both functions.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
SCHOOLS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS IN MIDDLE
Page 6
plan regarding
Both teams should meet to cross-train and jointly
flow charts, a
functions, roles/responsibilities, procedures (e.g.,
communication
joint assessment process), and a process for dose
between both.
and a joint
A mechanism for simultaneous data collection
student success
assessment for identification of the barriers to
should be developed for all referrals.
both teams
It is appropriate for a student to receive services from
benefit
if the joint assessment determines the student could
from an instructional support and a student
assistance
intervention. A process for on-going communication and case
management will be important in these cases.
All existing SAP guidelines must be followed.
the following
If one team to cover both SAP and 1ST functions is chosen,
recommendations apply:
been that
In considering a single team, one recommendation has
be developed until two separate
a combined concept should not
allows the 1ST
teams have functioned for at least two years. This
the teams integrate into one
process to be fully developed before
Buildings who choose to combine
unit.
functioning
instructional support and student assistance must allocate
for
sufficient time (beyond what is noted in the SAP Guidelines)
and
the team to develop and carry out the instructional support
student assistance functions.
All team members should attend training in all components of
instructional support and student assistance. If grades 5 and/or 6
least the building
are included in the middle school, at
administrator assigned to the team and the instructional support
teacher must receive training in the Elementary Student
Assistance component. Again, it is strongly recommended that a
member of the pupil services staff and two classroom teachers
attend as well.
A mechanism for self/peer referrals must be established.
All SAP and IST data collection processes must be followed.
In many cases, a two-pronged intervention plan may be
This might include both an instructional support
appropriate.
and student assistance intervention plan.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Page 7
the needs of academic,
One assessment process for integrating
behavioral, and affective areas should be developed.
All existing SAP Guidelines should be followed
Employment of the Support Teacher
that each school have in
The Special Education Regulations and Standards indicate
because IST is only
place a support teacher or full-time equivalent. However,
different school districts.
required to grade 6, how this position is staffed may vary in
teacher or full-time equivalent
In complying with the requirement for a support
through sixth grade, the following options can be considered:
grades at the
A support teacher may be employed to cover all
middle school.
utilized in
A support teacher from an elementary school may be
fifth or sixth grade.
throughout the
A full-time equivalent model might be utilized
middle school.
It is seen as unwise
is critical.
In making this decision, coherence of programming
than exist at seventh or
for different structures to exist at fifth and/or at sixth grade
this document indicated
eighth grade. Most middle schools that provided input to
school is preferable. For
that a consistent staff organization throughout the middle
all grades or the full-
this reason, either the model of the support teacher working in
equivalent model is
time equivalent models may be preferred. If a full-time
equivalent to be
selected, it is critical for personnel who are part of the full-time
functions of
freed from classroom and other duties in order to provide the
students in grades 6
instructional support. In middle schools where the number of
of the FTE would be
and below is substantially less than 500 students, prorating
model is
acceptable. A separate document on use of the full-time equivalent
available from the IST Project.
Level III Screening
validation-based
At the point at which the middle school begins its two-year
training, provisions must be made for the instructional support process to serve as a
screening).
screening vehicle for potential eligibility for special education (Level III
who display
Any student being considered for MDE with the exception of students
language disabilities, must first go through a
severe sensory, physical, or speech and
period of instructional support.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS
AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE TEAMS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS
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