Using the Power of Teaming to Advance Implementation Fidelity
Melanie Upright, Program Director for Leadership and Impact, Maryland
Considering improvements in student achievement have stalled, there is an urgent call for finding efficient ways to replicate positive research findings in real-world school environments. Unfortunately, successfully implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) with fidelity is where many missteps occur when walking over the bridge from research to practice. Attending to how practices are delivered in less controlled environments and to what extent they are implemented with fidelity is a key lever for achieving predicted outcomes and making positive impact on teacher performance and student progress. Since moving that lever requires more than a little push, administrators and teachers need processes that maximize momentum to cross the planks of the research-to-practice bridge. At minimum, the bridge includes five planks: 1. a well-defined EBP with clear goals, critical components, checklists, and evidence of impact; 2. a tiered structure of implementation teams (i.e., state, district, and school) to “make it happen” in the real-world context; 3. EBP resources for instruction and learning; 4. high-quality professional development with coaching for teachers; and 5. a team-directed continuous improvement process that includes a high performance-team protocol with decision-making techniques. This last plank is especially challenging for administrators to crossover successfully, even when they convene implementation teams to provide additional support to teachers. Often, the implementation teams formed are too weak to handle obstacles at this point on the bridge, causing collaborative help for teachers to diminish. This presentation will focus on how to establish high-performance teams as a strategy for promoting high quality implementation of EBPs, such as the Routines-Based Model.
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Teacher Turnover: Why It Matters and What We Can Do About It
Becky Jo Evers-Gerdes, Minnesota Grant Coordinator and Ryan Siegle, Minnesota Assistant Principal
Retention of teachers is a notable problem, often considered one of the greatest educational concerns of this time. This session will examine how educational leaders can support teachers and curb teacher attrition. Drs. Ryan Siegle and Becky Evers-Gerdes will address: Why does teacher retention matter? What are ways to provide needed support to educators? and How can you build your leadership skills to develop collective efficacy schoolwide? This webinar will offer practical tools and suggestions that will enhance what you are already doing and recharge your efforts toward making a long-lasting impact on those you serve.
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Tools and Resources for Sustainable Implementation
Stacy Riccio, Arizona SPDG Project Coordinator
Increase achievement for all students! The Arizona Professional Learning Series (AZPLS) provides schools/districts with a comprehensive self-paced website, including tools and resources to engage staff, students, and parents in professional learning leading to systems change and increased literacy achievement for all students. The progressive modules provide a step-by-step process for collaborative and inclusionary practices in all content areas.
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Effective Communication Methods and Practices
Correy Watkins, Implementation Specialist
Communication protocols are a key structure in reaching desired implementation outcomes. In this session, Mr. Correy Watkins will share a practical tool for mapping communication loops between partners. Participants will learn to use communication protocols to outline strategies for communicating effectively and efficiently.
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Family Engagement in the Mail?
Tracy Whitlock, Maine SPDG Director, and Anne-Marie Adamson
In the Maine Math4ME program, participating educators use an old school approach to connecting with families and caregivers – the mail. Math4ME in the mail serves as one way educators connect with caregivers about mathematic concepts and routines. During the session we will share examples of the postcards and welcome the chance to discuss creative ways to communicate, engage and partner with caregivers and families.
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Adapting Interventions to Accelerate Learning: A Look at The Taxonomy Of Intervention Intensity
Sarah Benz, Senior Researcher, American Institutes for Research
In this session, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the National Center on Intensive Intervention and the data-based individualization (DBI) process. DBI is a research-based process for individualizing and intensifying interventions. that involves the systematic use of assessment data, evidence-based interventions, and research-based adaptations. Evidence suggests that providing specialized interventions that emphasize individualized, intensive instruction can accelerate learning and reduce achievement gaps (Fuchs et al., 2015). To individualize instruction, the DBI process relies on a tool – the Taxonomy of Intervention Intensity. The Taxonomy can help educators select or evaluate an intervention platform (e.g., Tier 2 intervention or standard protocol) and also serve as a “menu” for intensifying, or tailoring – interventions. The Taxonomy includes the following dimensions: strength, dosage, alignment, attention to transfer, comprehensiveness, behavioral/academic support, and individualization. In this 15 + 15, participants will learn about the Taxonomy and supplementary resources. Participants will also have an opportunity to ask questions to learn more about the utility of this important resource.
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Reading Tiered Fidelity Inventory Reporting System
Anna Harms, Evaluation and Research Administrator, Michigan
Is your SPDG helping schools to implement the reading components of an MTSS framework? Consider using the Reading Tiered Fidelity Inventory (R-TFI) to measure implementation fidelity. If you use the measure, then you’ll also want to use the free-access R-TFI Reporting System, a web-based tool to enter scores and immediately generate reports. It’s way better than paper-pencil scoring or entering your data into a spreadsheet, even if your spreadsheet is fancy. Learn more about the features and benefits in this session!
Round 2, 3:35 – 4:05: NJTSS-ER Framework, Tools and Resources for Early Reading Consultative Supports
Jennifer Bender, New Jersey State Early Reading Literacy Coach and Consultant and Cynthia Mackowicz, New Jersey NJTSS-ER Project Manager and State Early Reading Literacy Coach and Consultant
A walkthrough of the NJTSS-ER website, which includes an overview of the NJTSS-ER Framework and access to all supporting tools and resources to promote sustainability and scalability of a research-based, effective multi-tiered system of supports for early reading, K-3.
Standards for Professional Learning: Actionable Resources
Elizabeth Foster, Vice President, Research and Standards, Learning Forward
The Standards for Professional Learning were updated and released in April 2022, revised to reflect new and emerging research and expertise from the field. This session will provide a quick overview of what is new in the 2022 Standards, and then dig into key resources such as action guides for state policymakers, and innovation configuration (IC) maps that describe the actions that lead to achieving the Standards. Links to additional resources will be provided.
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Operationalizing High Quality Professional Development Indicators for Asynchronous Learning
Elaine Miller, Marilyn Ault, Amy Gaumer Erickson
Asynchronous professional development has increased exponentially since 2020, first to meet public health recommendations, and now as a solution to meet the challenge of severe staffing shortages that prohibit many educators to take time out of the classroom for professional development. This presents a challenge for those charged with meeting the needs of adult learners through asynchronous trainings (e.g. online modules, recorded webinars, etc.). The tool shared during this presentation is a companion to the Observation Checklist for High Quality Professional Development (HQPD Checklist) and provides concrete examples of how indicators can be met in asynchronous environments. Presenters will share how they recently used this document to examine the reliability of evaluating a one-hour recorded webinar. The results may surprise you!
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Lessons Learned and Future Plans: Comprehensive Literacy State Development
Michael Berry, Team Leader, US Department of Education
Michael Berry is the Team Leader for the US Department of Education’s largest literacy program, Comprehensive Literacy State Development. He will present lessons learned and resources, as well as future plans for the program.