ALeadershipView:Successes&PitfallsofaLargeDistrict’sApplicationofCheck&Connect

DarnellT.Logan,Ed.D.DeKalbCountySchoolDistrict– Atlanta,GA

MicheleR.Summerlin,Ed.S.DeKalbCountySchoolDistrict– Atlanta,GA

TamikaLaSalle,Ph.D.UniversityofConnecticut

Objectives

• DistrictBackground• WhyWeChosetoImplementCheck&Connect• ImplementationObjectives• DataMeasures• Outcomes• GrowingPainsandSuccesses• NextSteps

DEKALBCOUNTYSCHOOLDISTRICT

137SCHOOLS 102,000STUDENTS

15,000EMPLOYESS

(6500TEACHERS)

180NATIONS/140LANGUAGES

THIRDLARGESTSCHOOLDISTRICTINGEORGIA

Implementation– ProgramDesign- Roles

• 36full-timededicatedmentors(40studentspercaseload)• 1SchoolPsychologist• 2ProgramCoordinators• 1AdministrativeAssistant

WhoDoWeRepresent?

WhoDoWeRepresent?

WhoDoWeRepresent?

WhoDoWeRepresent?

SchoolsSupported

• Check&Connectisimplementedin35schools• 1AlternativeSchool(Middle&HighSchool)• 1ElementarySchool• 16MiddleSchools• 17HighSchools

• Morethan1450studentsarereceivingCheck&ConnectSupportforthe2017-18academicschoolyear.

WhyCheck&Connect?• CoordinatedEarlyInterveningServices(CEIS)

• In2004,Congressauthorizedtheuseofalimitedamountofadistrict'sfederalIndividualizedDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA)fundstobeusedforthepurposeofprovidingCEIStoreduceacademicandbehavioralproblemsinthegeneraleducationenvironment,therebyleadingtofewerandmoreappropriatereferralsforspecialeducationservices.

• TheCEISPlan• RequiresschooldistrictsthataredisproportionateinthenumberofsuspensionsAfricanAmericanstudentswithdisabilitiestouse15%oftheirfederalIDEAfundstosupporteffortstoaddressdisproportionality

DeKalbDisproportionalityData

Weighted RiskRatio RiskRatioCategories<2.99 At-Risk3.0 andhigher Disproportionate

DeKalbDisproportionalityData

PreviousEfforts• Collaboration• DepartmentofSpecialEducation• DepartmentofSafeSchools&StudentRelations• ProfessionalLearningDepartment• Curriculum&Instruction

• Training (Principals,Asst.Principals,LeadTeachersforSpecialEducation,Teachers,Dept Chairs,etc.)• SpecialEducationRules&RegulationsregardingDisciplineProcedures• ProceduralSafeguards• AlternativestoSuspension• BehavioralSupportsfromtheDepartmentofSpecialEducation

• BCBA,AutismSpecialists

ImplementationObjectives

• Increasestudentengagementfortargeted(disengagedstudents)• Increasestudents’progressiontowardsgraduation

TargetedStudents

-CEISCoordinatorsworkedwithManagementInformationSystems(MIS)

-DisciplineQuery

DataCollection

TrackingCheck&ConnectData

Whatwoulddatalooklikeforastudentat“highrisk”foracademicproblems?

Behavior Definition Example Non-Examples “HighRisk”

Tardy

Unexcusedabsence

Excusedabsence

Busreferral

Detention

Suspension (out-of-school)

Suspension(in-school)

sampledata

usethissheetasaguide-

NOTtobemodified

graphsarebasedondata

thatwasenteredtoleft

SchoolClimateData

6thGrade 7thGrade 8thGrade 9thGrade 10thGrade 11thGrade 12thGradeNotAtAll 88.00 86.00 85.00 77.00 73.00 69.00 69.00On5orMoreOccasions 2.00 3.00 4.00 7.00 10.00 12.00 13.00

88 86 8577

7369 69

2 3 4 7 10 12 13

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

PercentageofStudentsReportingLeastandMostFrequentThoughtsofDroppingOut

NotAtAll

On5orMoreOccasions

“Duringthepast12months,onhowmanyoccasionshaveyouthoughtaboutdroppingoutofschool?”

ValuesarePercentages*

68

11

17

22 22 23

65

5

5

4 44

7 5

3

2

1 11

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

6thGrade 7thGrade 8thGrade 9thGrade 10thGrade 11thGrade 12thGrade

PercentageofStudentsReportingReasonsforConsideringDrop-Out

BeingBullied

FamilyReasons

SchoolWork

• Trendsinthebarrierstoschoolcompletion?

ValuesarePercentages*

9 13 15 15 16 16 15

1419 20 21 23 22 20

33

3738 41

42 4240

4331 27 23 20 20

24

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

120.00

6thGrade 7thGrade 8thGrade 9thGrade 10thGrade 11thGrade 12thGrade

PercentageofStudentsReportingEachLevelofAgreement

StronglyAgree

SomewhatAgree

SomewhatDisagree

StronglyDisagree

Students’RatingsofPerceivedAdultSocialSupport

ValuesarePercentages*

Majorityofstudentsfeelsupportedbyadults- about23-39%donot

InfiniteCampus

• Grades• Attendance• ConductLogs• TeacherContactLogs• BehaviorReferrals

Trackinginformation

Checking&ConnectingWithStaff(StaffSupport)

• AccesstoLocalCheck&ConnectTrainers• MonitoringFidelityofImplementation• CoreComponents&ElementsSelf-Assessment• Check&ConnectMentorFidelityRubric“GoldStandard”• PerceptionSurveys(Parent,Student,Principal,StudentEngagementCoach)

• MandatoryScheduledProfessionalLearning--- Twice/Monthly• IndividualCoaching• MonthlyIndividualMeetings/SchoolVisits(TA)• Supportforsuccessfulimplementation(addressbarriers,timemanagement...)• Individualdatareviews(monitoringworkbook,monthlysummary,communicationlogs..)

ProfessionalDevelopment• AnnualMentorTrainingrefresher• AnnualSchoolAdministratorOverview(Individualand/orGroup)• RubyPayneseries

• UnderstandingPoverty,dropoutprevention,BoysinCrisis&NarrowingtheAchievementGapforUnder-ResourcedStudents

• YouthMentalHealthFirstAid• MotivationalInterviewingseries• EngagingFamilies• SchoolClimate/CultureandCheck&Connect• Sociallycompetentleadershipandmodelingforengagingyouth• CommunityResourcesandSupports• CulturalCompetencies

Successes&Stresses

Region2

Region1

Region5

Region4

Region3Connections

Total Connections

Connections per Student

31,189ConnectionsDistrictwide

28

28

28

3328

4,866

8,667

8,165

1,8387,653

#StudentsServed

Year1:1,771

Year2:2,116

Year3:1,460

InSchoolSuspensions

OutofSchoolSuspensions

District-WideStudentSuspensionPercentageSince2007

IncreasedVisibility• Check&ConnectontheRadar(DistrictBuyIn)

• Superintendents(Regional,Deputy,District)• SchoolAdministratorsarerequestingCheck&Connect• District’sRTICoordinators

• Completethisworksheetusinggraphsfrom“Month”tabs

• Usetoanalyzegroupdataandchangesovertime

AnsweringQuestions1,2&3

Usethisgraphtocomparetotalcheckandconnecteventsbycategory

INTERVENTIONSCOMMUNICATIONS

BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

AnsweringQuestions1,2&3

Usethisgraphtoseetheaveragenumberoftimeseachstudentis

tardyorabsent

ONCEONCE

AnsweringQuestions1,2&3

Usethisgraphtocomparethepercentageoftimespentonbasicand

intensiveintervention

48%52%

AnsweringQuestion4

Usethisgraphtoseethepercentageoftimethateachproblembehavioris

occurring

TARDYUNEXCUSED/EXCUSED ABSENCESBEHAVIOR REFERRALS/INFRACTIONS

AnsweringQuestion5

Usethisgraphtoseethepercentageoftimethatyouarecommunicatingwithstudents,families,

schoolstaffandoutsideagencies

STUDENTS / INFORMALSCHOOL STAFF

FAMILIES / PHONEOUTSIDE AGENCIES

Usethe”Communication”cellstoseethespecificwaysyoucommunicatedwith

studentsandfamilies

AnsweringQuestion6

Provide regular feedback – individual meetings

Share “check” data – review data in excel sheet and individual data worksheetDiscuss staying in school – small group meetings to review attendance

Problem solve about risk – make action plans for student’s top problem behaviors

Makesurethecirclenextto“Top5” isshaded

Lookatthefiveinterventionactivitiesthatyouspendthe

mosttimeon

Teach problem solving skills – small group problem-solving scenarios

**Ifyourgraphshowsabarlabeled“N/A”,youhaveatiebetweentwoormoreinterventionactivities.Lookatthedatacolumntolocatethoseactivities.

AnsweringQuestion6

Small group instruction – discuss upcoming IEP meeting with student

Facilitate SST – group social skills training using structured programFacilitate tutoring – after school homework help time

Discuss what it means to be a student – go over the basic steps to success (attendance, participation, work completion)

Makesurethecirclenextto“Bottom5”isshaded

Lookatthefiveinterventionactivitiesthatyouspendthe

leasttimeon

*Ignoreactivitiesyourecorded“0”for*

AnsweringQuestion1-3:OverallData

Describe trends in your data over time (e.g., across months). There was an increase in time spent talking about the importance of school (e.g., reviewing grades, credits, etc.)

No- or yes for some students Refer to total number

Decrease in intensive interventions because students are maintaining goals

AnsweringQuestion4-6:OverallDataThe number of absences have decreased by approximately 20%; however, the number of tardies has increased. Essentially, students are coming to school more often but are either skipping parts of class or are late to class

Yes- explain how Stayed the same- explainYes- explain how Yes- explain trend

What are your top 5 activities- next to them, mark whether they have increased decreased or stayed the same

What are your top 5 activities- next to them, mark whether they have increased decreased or stayed the same

BarrierstoImplementationwithFidelity• SeveralLayersofApproval• Delayedstart• Communication• Gradelevelselections– yearone• Mentormobility– yeartwo• 40studentsvs50students• Differencesacrossbuildingadministrators• Assignmentofadditionalduties• StudentReferrals

NextSteps

• RefiningAppliedSkillsofMentors• Targetedprofessionalrelatedto:

FamilyEngagement

Mentor/StudentEngagement Sustainability

LinkingDatatoIndicators

Data Indicators

Absences/Tardies

Grades,Homework&AssignmentCompletion

DisciplineReferrals

Attendance

AcademicIndicators

BehavioralPerformance

Data-basedconclusionsshouldbeinformedbymeasuringappropriateindicators ofstudent

behaviors.

NextSteps

• Increaseddatamonitoring• Check&ConnectApp• Increaseddatamonitoring

NextSteps

• SupportforMentors• Increasedindividualmonitoring(tieredsupports)

• Datalogs• Assessinghowtimeisdistributed• LinkingofC&Ctostudentneeds

ThankYou!!!

Questions/Comments?