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Quality Programs for Students with Significant Support Needs

Gina QuintanaSenior Consultant

Colorado Department of EducationNovember 15, 2010

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Questions

• How are states determining the extent to which professional development under the SPDG has impacted students that they were intended to benefit?  

• What activities are states involved with in order to collect this data?

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• Lack of expertise

• Lack of direction from administrators

• Site visits indicated need

• Need for quality field placements

• Focus on Life Skills as opposed to Academics

Programs for Students with SSN

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Colorado Model Autism and Significant Support Needs Programs (COMASP)

•Collaborative Initiative•Districts, IHEs and AUs•SSN Advisory and Autism Task Force

•Improving educational services and outcomes•Provide model sites•Field placements for teacher candidates•Professional Development and Coaching•1 Autism Site and 1 SSN Site per region

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Process

•Administrative Units (AU) self identify through an application process•Site visit is conduct•Sites are identified•Initial Meeting •Initial Evaluation (self and outside)•Action Plan Developed

•PD needs identifies•Weekly Coaching Sessions Planned•80% of the QI Fully Implemented

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State Advisory• Formed an advisory committee• Discuss

– Argue– Consensus building

• Definition of Student with Significant Support Needs• Developed Quality Indicators • Revised Quality Indicators multiple times• Rubric Developed

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Positive Behavior Support

Instruction

Communication

CollaborationTransition

Paraeducators

PrincipalSE

Teacher

Gen Ed Teacher

Parents / Families

ItinerantsStudents with SSN

Paras

Legislation Research Based Practices

Inclusive Culture

RtI / Progress Monitoring

Health and Safety

Self-Determination

Related Services

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Quality Indicators• Inclusive Culture

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Instruction

• Paraeducators

• Progress Monitoring

• Positive Behavior Support

• Self-Determination

• Health and Safety

• Transition

Quality Indicators Website

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• QIs have been very helpful for building level administrators.

• Team “buy-in” is crucial.

• Expert Coach is crucial.

• Progress Monitoring common need across programs (SSN and Autism)

• Increased Levels of Inclusion

Findings

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• End of Year one

• Follow through

• Staff turnover

• State Agency– Student specific consultation– Chavez vs. NMPED

Barriers

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Evaluation

• Common evaluation form / questions– Coaching Activities– Onsite professional development activities– Large state-wide PD activities– Follow Up Surveys

• Year 1 of implementation• Decisions about what data to collect

– IEP goals– State Assessment Data– Other

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Questions

• How are states determining the extent to which professional development under the SPDG has impacted students that they were intended to benefit?  

• What activities are states involved with in order to collect this data?

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Contact Information

• Gina Quintana

303-866-6605

quintana_g@cde.state.co.us

www.cde.state.co.us

SSN Website

Autism Website