Supporting Students and Staff In Our Schools

CHARIS MCGAUGHY, Assistant Superintendent for InstructionCHERYL LINDER, Director of Student Services

BROOKE WAGNER, Director of Elementary EducationBJ BLAKE, Director of Secondary Education

LEILA SCHUCK, Student Services AdministratorSETH PFAEFFLIN, Student Services Administrator

TOM HORN, Student Services AdministratorSUSAN LOROW, Student Services Administrator

Objectives◦Understanding Behavior Needs:◦Trends◦Why are we seeing more behavior?◦Defining Key Terms (including Tier 1, 2 and 3)◦Exploring the Behavior Framework◦Adhering to Legal Requirements and the Identification Process◦Describing Current Practices and Partnerships◦Discussing Next Steps

Rising Behavioral Needs: Trends• More students coming to school with emotional and behavioral difficulties,

and more complex, verbal and aggressive behaviors• Includes general education students and students receiving special services• Increase in incidence and intensity of behavior needs is widespread, across

our community, state and country • Number of students identified with eligibility of emotional disturbance:◦ United States: grew ~23% between 1976 and 2014 (2016 Digest of Education Statistics)◦ Oregon: grew ~48% between 1990 and 2015 (Oregon Statewide Report Card)

Rising Behavioral Needs: Why?• No definitive causation • Current explanatory theories include:

• Increasing family stressors (e.g. homelessness, poverty, hunger, trauma)• Increasing school stressors (e.g. class sizes, fewer resources, academic pressures)• Changing early childhood environments (violence, screen time, nutrition, etc.)• Change in school–family relationships (availability, approach)• And/or ???

Definition of Key TermsMulti-tiered systems of support (MTSS): Systemic, continuous improvementframework of high-quality evidence-based instruction, intervention and assessmentpractices to provide every student the appropriate level of support to be successful

Social–emotional learning (SEL): Curriculum to help all students develop andapply knowledge, attitudes and skills to understand and manage emotions, set andachieve positive goals, feel and show empathy, establish and maintain positiverelationships

Child Find obligation: School districts are required to identify, locate andevaluate all children with potential disabilities, regardless of severity of disability

Inclusion: As much as possible, students with disabilities learn in classroomsalongside their nondisabled peers, aided by specific instruction andaccommodations to allow them to access their education

Understanding Tiered Levels of Support

4J Behavioral Framework

The purpose of the district’s behavior framework is to provide aconsistent, equitable, evidence-based, proactive and sustainablemulti-tiered system that empowers Eugene School District 4J topromote the development of academic and social emotional skills forall students.

Eugene School District 4J BehaviorFramework

Behavioral Framework

Behavioral Framework

Behavioral Framework

Addressing Behavioral Needs: CurrentEfforts

• Reducing class size of behavior programs

• Increasing staffing for social emotional and behavioral supports• Full-time counselors in elementary schools• Educational assistants for behavioral interventions • Project Pass pilot program

• Supporting positive environments and caring relationships• Positive behavior interventions and supports for safe, welcoming school climate• Social–emotional learning curriculum for K–8 implementation• Supports such as lunchtime student mentoring in all middle schools

Addressing Behavioral Needs: CurrentEfforts

• Tracking and using data for interventions•Implementing data teams: Staff teams at every school monitor student

progress and identify needs for academic and behavioral interventions

•Increasing consistency•Every school is using SWIS reporting system for database•Created districtwide referral form with codes aligned to SWIS categories•Created data dictionary of behavior categories•Adding new “room clear” code to be able to capture data•Considering changing to national school climate survey for comparable data

Addressing Behavioral Needs: CurrentEfforts

• Providing ongoing professional development•Aligning calendars to increase professional development opportunities•Trauma informed care practices•Systematic supervision for EAs (educational assistants)•Escalation cycles / de-escalation•Mandt training: Integrated approach to behavior de-escalation•Functional behavioral assessments and behavior support plans•Disability awareness•Instructional practices•Culturally responsive practices•Mindfulness practices

2016–17 Special Education NumbersMore than 2,200 students (~13%) identified as eligible for special education:◦ 292 students / 17% – Autism Spectrum Disorder◦ 442 students / 20% – Communication Disorder◦ 112 students / 5% – Emotional Disturbance◦ 91 students / 4% – Intellectual Disability◦ 802 students / 30% – Specific Learning Disability◦ 325 students / 15% – Other Health Impaired (e.g. ADHD, OCD)◦ 46 students / 2% – Other (Vision Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury) (Numbers reflect students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), not Section 504 Plans)

Evaluation and Identification Process

• “Child Find” Process• If we suspect a student might have a disability, a team

of staff, parents and others who know the child reviewthe social/emotional/behavioral/academic/health andpre-intervening services data to determine whetherspecial education services are needed

• Evaluation and Determination Process• Eligibility, IEP and Placement Process

• These are integrated systems

• ALL students begin as general education students

• Every adult is responsible for every student

• Special education exists to provide targeted and individualized instructionto fill in the gaps, making it possible for a student to access generaleducation instruction

• Providing access to general education directly supports 4J Vision 20/20Goal #1: Equitable Student Access and Outcomes

General Education & Special EducationRelationship

Addressing Behavioral Needs: WhyInclusion?

• Inclusion in general education classrooms results in better outcomes for students. • Exclusionary discipline practices can have negative effects, including:

• Increases student shame, alienation, rejection, breaking of healthy adult bonds• Exacerbates negative mental health outcomes, high rates of depression, drug

addiction and home-life stresses• For students with mental health concerns, suspensions can increase stress and

may predispose them to antisocial behavior and even suicidal ideation• Disproportionately impacts boys, students of color, economically disadvantaged

Continuum of Special Education Placements

The IEP team, including the parents, must determine the leastrestrictive environment for a student to be able to access theirinstruction and participate with their general education peers

less restrictive (access to gen ed) more restrictive GenEd

LC

SpecialClass

( 100% removed )

(shortened day)

ResidentialHome InstructionDay TreatmentSpecialSchool

( > 80%)

( 41-79%)

( < 40%)

Students with Behavioral Needs: PlacementOptions

General Education with Supports: Students are in general educationclassroom with “push-in” supports for their individualized instruction

Learning Centers (LC): Students are in gen ed classroom much of thetime (80%+ or 41–79%, depending on needs), with some “pull-out”instruction for individual behavior/academic goals such as social skills

Comprehensive Learning Center (CLC): Students are in gen edclassroom some of the time (41–79% or < 40%); reduced depth andcomplexity of instruction, more time to generalize skills (academic,social/emotional/behavioral)

Comprehensive Learning Center–Behavioral (CLB): Students are ingen ed classroom some of the time (41–79% or < 40%); students receive

Students with Behavioral Needs: PlacementOptions

More restrictive placement: More rarely, a placement with 100% removalfrom gen ed peers is needed for student to access education.Placements include:

•Lane School: Special school with specialized instruction onsocial/emotional/behavioral goals

•Fox Hollow: Special school with therapeutic component—specializedsocial/emotional/behavioral instruction with access to mental health services

•Day Treatment (e.g. Jasper Mountain): Special school with specializedsupports for mental health needs that limit access to education

Fox Hollow Campus 4J/LESD Comprehensive Services Program K–8 ~ 20 studentsHome Instruction K–age 21 ~ 20-40students

Fox Hollow Instructional Program 6–8 ~ 20-30 studentsLane ESD Tier III Life Skills Program ~ 4-6students

Location of Current District Programs

Sheldon Region

Holt: CLC x2 + DHHGilham: CLC + LS

Willagillespie: CLC +LS

Cal Young: CLCMonroe: CLC + LS +

DHHSheldon: CLC + DHH

North Region

Spring Creek: CLC +LS

Awbrey Park: CLBHoward: CLC x2 + LS

Corridor/YG: CLC

Madison: CLCKelly: CLBNorth: LS

South Region

Edgewood: CLCEdison: CLB

Camas Ridge: CLB

Roosevelt: CLBSpencer Bte: CLC + LS

S Eugene: CLC + LS

Churchill Region

Chávez: CLC x2 +DHH

Adams: CLC + LSMcCornack: CL

Kennedy: CLC

Arts & Tech: CLCChurchill: CLC

CLC = Comprehensive Learning Center • CLB = Comprehensive Learning Center–BehavioralLS = Life Skills • DHH = Deaf & Hard of HearingLC = Learning Center Locations not listed; every school has a learning center level of supports

Location of Special Schools & Programs

• Lane School (ESD): Westmoreland Campus in Eugene (special school K-8)

• The Child Center Day Treatment K-5: Springfield• Safe Center Day Treatment K-5: Springfield• Jasper Mountain Day Treatment 6-8: Jasper (east of Springfield)• Center Point Day Treatment 9-12: Eugene

Community Partnerships Lane County Human Services via a grant provides mental health therapists in ourschool-based health centers

Direction Service Family Supports, CAP and WRAP Around supports forstudents

Looking Glass and The Child Center have therapists who work in our schoolsPeaceHealth operates our school-based health centersUniversity of Oregon & Lane Community CollegeEarly Childhood (EC) Cares & Head StartOregon Social Learning Center – Kids In Transition to School (KITS) ProgramLane County Developmental Disabilities

Community PartnershipsSchool Partners◦Wellsprings , River Front, Bridgeway House, Jasper, SAFE, The Child Center,

Center Point, Asperger Support Network, Lane Tutoring

United WayEugene Education FoundationInfleXion (formerly EPIC)Willamette FamilyEugene Police Department & our School Resource OfficersLane County Public Health…and others

Partnerships with Neighboring DistrictsFox Hollow – collaboration between 4J and Lane Education ServiceDistrict (ESD)

Special education student placements – 4J, Bethel, Springfield,Junction City, Fern Ridge, Creswell, Cottage Grove, McKenzie (BlueRiver)

Lane Education Service District – provides lifeskills and behaviorslots for all Lane County school districts

Special Education Directors Consortium through the ESDSuperintendent’s Lane County Consortium through the ESD

Next StepsThe district’s Behavioral Leadership team continues to work onimplementation of the Behavioral Framework. This includes:• Developing a multi-year implementation plan to be incorporated into the

district’s strategic plan and budgeting process• Creating a comprehensive network of tiered levels of supports and

interventions implemented with fidelity across the district• Continuing professional development and training, with a strong focus on

improving universal supports• Continuing community and family outreach, partnerships and communication• Improving internal systems and structures to improve efficiency and

effectiveness of current practices

Questions&

Discussion