The Role of Comprehensive School Counseling Program

SpeakersLori LeBrun, Grade 7 School Counselor, Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School, Coventry, RI2012 RI School Counselor of the Year.

Background: 25 years in education, 20 years as classroom teacher, 5 years as school counselor , Coventry School District

Email: lebrunlori@coventryschools.netTwitter: @lorilebrun

Nicole Bucka, Northern RI Collaborative

Educational ConsultantRI Systems of Support,

Secondary RTI

Background: English, ELD, and Special Education teacher, as well as Special Education, ELD coordinator and teacher leader in Southern California

Email: nbucka@nric-ri.orgTwitter: @nbucka

Objectives

Answer the questions: What is Response to Intervention? What does it “look like” in secondary

settings (middle and high school)?“What is an Early Warning System (EWS)?”“What does this mean for the role of a

School Counselor?”

Resource= The Sophia Tutorial (Question and Answer Series), RTI Action Network, National Center on RTI

RtI is NOT Only a “student by student” process

TST…with a new name

FORMS

A verb- you don’t “RTI a kid”

A way to delay Special Education Services

Something that ONLY interventionists, RTI

Coordinators, or Special Educators do

Definition

Response to Intervention (RTI) is:

1) Providing high quality core instruction and intervention matched to students’ needs

2) Using data over time (rate of learning, level of performance, fidelity of implementation)

3) To make important educational decisions.(Basche et al., 2005)

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Essential Components of RTI

From the National Center on RTI

Understanding Secondary Implementation in K-12 ContinuumElementary Secondary

3-5 years for full implementation

Universal Screening tools are required

Students move from tier to tier sequentially

6-9 years for full implementation

Existing data and /or surveys may be effective screening

Students may need to jump more quickly or skip Tiers

(Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2010)

Understanding Secondary Implementation in K-12 Continuum

Elementary Secondary

Interventions, programs, screeners, etc. that are effective will be effective at secondary level

Move students towards more intensive inter-ventions

Not true. Needs to be more intensive with motivational aspect and peer involvement

Take most discrepant, try to move them towards the norm

(Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2010)

Contextual Factors Unique to High Schools

Focus Culture Instructional Organization Staff Roles Student Involvement

(from NCRTI “Secondary RTI”, LA 2011)

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Contextual Factors Unique to High Schools

Graduation Requirements Stakeholder Engagement Implementation and Alignment Instruction and Assessment Resources

(from NCRTI “Secondary RTI”, LA 2011)

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What is an Early Warning System?www.betterhighschools.com (National High School Center)

Implementation-Shared Responsibility

Interventions Led by School-wide Teams

Tiers 1 & 2•Students w/motivational issues•Students w/behavioral issues•Students w/attendance issues

Tier 3•Students in need of intensive remedial support in universal skills: reading, writing, number sense, English Language, attendance, and behavior

Interventions Led by Collaborative Teacher Teams

Tiers 1 & 2•Students in need of supplemental support in learning essential core standards and English LanguageTier 3

Intensive InterventionsIndividualized

Tier 2Supplemental

Interventions for Some Identified Students

Tier 1Effective Core Instruction for

ALL Students

From “Simplifying Response to Intervention: Four Essential Guiding Principles” by Buffum, Mattos, and Weber

Targeted Prob. Solving

Data Use PD, RIDE

RI Framework for Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Programs“Counselors design and deliver

comprehensive school counseling programs that promote student achievement…preventative in design…an integral component of a school’s academic mission. [It] is driven by student data and based on standards in academic, career and personal/social development, [to] promote and enhance the learning process for ALL students” (ASCA, 2005)

RI Framework for Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling ProgramsRole Responsibilities

School Counselors

Provide proactive leadership to ensure that EVERY student can succeed. They manage the comprehensive program and coordinate strategies and activities with others (teachers, support staff, parents, community members, etc) to meet the stated goals, standards, and competencies

Based on your professional standards.

Question #1: How is our core? Typically we want Tier 1/Core ALONE to

meet the needs of 80% of our students without any ADDITIONAL intervention needed.

SAMPLE DISTRICT• GRADE for Reading screening• Benchmark Exams for Math (no screening or

progress monitoring)• Course Failures and Attendance Data for Early

Warning

Create Norms and Protocols: first Predict

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin

Press. All rights reserved. Adapted from Wellman, B., & Lipton, L., 2004. Data-Driven Dialogue: A Facilitator’s Guide to Collaborative Inquiry. Sherman, CT: MiraVia, LLC. Used with permission.

Do 80% exceed the Benchmark? If so, do any of these receive interventions to meet this?

~92% meet or exceed

Is that validated by other sources?

~89% meet or exceed

How about for Math (no screen/PM)?

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin

Press. All rights reserved. Adapted from Wellman, B., & Lipton, L., 2004. Data-Driven Dialogue: A Facilitator’s Guide to Collaborative Inquiry. Sherman, CT: MiraVia, LLC. Used with permission.

Do 80% exceed cut scores? (70%)If so, do any of these receive interventions to meet this?

~25% meet or exceed

Any other sources of data?

~ 68% meet or exceed

What Inferences/Questions? IS CA based on end of the year (9th) grade

expectations? Some 8th graders –not all had alg CA not easy or actionable data (see

strengths/needs) CA too cumbersome of a process (need to emp

trends/patterns); for SLO; “just tell me” What is lacking in our lowest group of math

NECAP (who are they? What do they need?) (tool issue)

What is happening between 7th/8th-11th (gr 8-10) Scheduling for cpt or coordination between

middle and high as well as across content areas

NECAP Proficiency (School Report Card-not just 9th grade)

There are other important indicators that show us the “health” of our core and offer us data about whether ALL students are learning.

Are 80% of our students meeting expectations?

20%

What inferences/questions did the EWS data generate? Are kids ready for HS? Transitions Support and Prep? Can we identify the individual kids-yes; what are we

systemically doing for those kids (core issue)? What courses are student failing? Do grading practices contribute to these issue? How much of not doing hw factoring into these grades? Do kids check out b/c they don’t feel they can pass or that

the hole is too deep? Do students know/understand the long term

consequences? Are any of these the same kids (# failing 1vs 2, 3, etc)? Are there trends in the group of kids> Is it a parent/home issue (treat like adults in resp) Is it due to lack of math skills (like in previous data)

What inferences did 9th grade teachers generate from Early Warning data?

Data Use PD, RIDE

Survey Works:

-different cohort (2011-2012), but stable population to look at trends

-70% student response rate (9th largest rep at 32.9% of responses)

Survey Works Data *2011-2012*Parent Engagement

Home/Family (student expectations after HS)

Student/Teacher Expectations & Classroom Relevancy

Motivation-Why skip class?

Students’ Perceptions of Teachers with regards to Motivation

Are there clear consequences?

Went to the Sources… Teachers felt root causes of

academic issues = motivation & home/parent Attendance issues = lack of consequences & home/parent

Survey Works data demonstrated (data had limitations) Home/Parent is there and strong They DO have post secondary goals (may not see

connection) Kids report they know the consequences, mostly fair and

consistent Kids report the ‘skip’ because bored or for ‘other’ (what is

other?) Many teachers do not keep them interested or inspire

them

“Other” Things to Consider

“Other” Things to Consider

What inferences/questions did the survey data generate? Maybe kids don’t know what it takes to go to college/why do they

not do it Do they ALL have regular career counseling/contact w

advisor/counselor Is there a process/trigger to identify kids who need support

proactively Do all stakeholders understand the impact of course failures Do kids have the skills (studying, planning, indep learning, self

monitoring, etc) Are we teaching these skills (as part of the K-12 pipeline) Teachers see Failures/Attdn as lack of motivation, kids say bored

(not challenging, too challenging, not relevant, still using old tech)

Why are kids bored? Why are kids not getting enough sleep? Our PD? Recent years not about teaching/instructional

practices-only about curriculum

What courses are student failing? Is it the same students?

A Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry © 2008 by Corwin

Press. All rights reserved.Adapted from Wellman, B., & Lipton, L., 2004. Data-Driven Dialogue: A Facilitator’s Guide to Collaborative Inquiry. Sherman, CT: MiraVia, LLC. Used with permission.

Inferences? Questions? 5 Whys What do our repeaters look like? Did they repeat in lower grades/middle/elem?

What impact does the alignment in math to CC have on students? (students in math didn’t have CC in 7th, but transitioned to CC in 8th/9th)

What impact (in Eng) is vertical articulation having, if any? Grading practices-Do teachers have any consistency with grading? How

different is it? For both the same subject and greater? What inherent grading policies and how

variable can they be? 9th grade required to do Alg, not ready? How do we know who is “ready’ vs ‘not’

and how could address this? How many algebra failures are in math lab and passing? What is the goal of math lab? How do we identify kids for math lab? What data indicates the areas of need? Eng-if kids CAN read and they are proficient? What are the students then

lacking (writing? Listening? Speaking? Or is it about a type of text?) Is this different from previous 9th grade years? The issue of the zero? The classes with less failures-more hands on, more sophomore classes, most

electives with student choice involved or is it more effort/behaviorally graded with less rigor/skills (rdg,writing, critical thinking, etc)

Phys Ed is an issue (with anxiety) even for 10th grade repeaters-have alternative phys ed placement; What data is there that this is the issue? Want to see if this year is any better now that they have created Adapted and Walking Club

Reflections

What role do you think a Guidance Counselor could play in the process and the related systems change/supports for students?

Questions

How do we make such a systemic change?

Aligning resources, structures, and supports

From “Alignment Nashville” from NHSC June 26, 2012: Aligning Resources, Structures and Supports for Actualizing College and Career Readiness

Stages of Implementation (Goodman—Adapted from FIXSEN)

FocusFocus StageStage DescriptionDescription

Exploration/Adoption Decision regarding commitment to adopting the program/practices and supporting successful implementation.

Installation Set up infrastructure so that successful implementation can take place and be supported. Establish team and data systems, conduct audit, develop plan.

Initial Implementation Try out the practices, work out details, learn and improve before expanding to other contexts.

Elaboration Expand the program/practices to other locations, individuals, times- adjust from learning in initial implementation.

Continuous Improvement/ Regeneration

Make it easier, more efficient. Embed within current practices.

Resources Referred To Tutorials-Question

and Answer Series (more to come)

RTI Action Network (have middle/high)

National Center on RTI (tool reviews, etc)

National High School Center (inc. middle)

Implementation Science

http://www.sophia.org/users/nicole-bucka/library/tutorials

www.rti4success.org http://www.rti4success

.org/ www.betterhighschool

s.org http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/

learn-implementation