The following illustrates how SEEM Collaborative has been working with the Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Wilmington, and Woburn public school districts to improve inclusive practices through resource re-allocation and research.

REALLOCATING RESOURCES TO BETTER SUPPORT INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

Theory of Action

If we shift our professional development and contracted service resources to support an inclusion coach , who will provide job-embedded support to educators, specialists, and administrators, we will increase our capacity to effectively implement inclusive practices.

Sample analysis of RADAR data for each participating district

Investment Strategies:

Utilize grant funds to Implement a train the trainer model in the area of inclusive practices during FY18 & FY19.
Re-allocate existing resources to support an inclusion coach position that would be cost-shared across the seven districts.

Timeline:

2017-2018 School Year

- Each district identified teams of two staff from each building (teacher, instructional coach, counselor etc.) to be trained as trainers (110 total), and who were to function as mentors to the staff in their respective building.
- Along with mentors, building principals and members of each district's child study team also received training in inclusive practices (approximately 75-90 people.
- FY19 Budget Process - Reallocated resources invested in outside consultants and professional development providers to hire an Inclusion coach, which was cost share by the districts and hired by SEEM Collaborative.
- Recruitment of Inclusion Coach
- Dr. Katie Novak, UDL trainer and author, was hired to provide three one-day sessions of UDL training during at the end of June, 2018.

2018-2019 School Year

- Inclusion Coach hired to provide direct coaching, professional development, and consultation to mentors across the seven districts.
- Implementation of data collection process in order to measure impact of investments.

Anticipated Outcomes:

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

About Targeted, Job-Embedded Professional Learning...

Large-scale reform efforts are more likely to achieve scale if professional learning opportunities are closely connected to content of classroom practices; are sustained over time; and involve modeling, mentoring and coaching (Bryk, Camburn & Louis, 1999; Datnow, et al. 2005; Spillane, et al., 2009; Leithwood, 2010).

Click here to view Leithwood's synthesis of districts that were effective at closing the achievement gap

Click here to view findings from Spillane's "School Leaders's Opportunities to Learn: A Descriptive Analysis"

About Inclusion...

"Students with high incidence disabilities who had full inclusion placements, on average, performed better on the MCAS than students with high incidence disabilities who were in substantially separate placements in traditional public schools"

-Tom Hehir, Synthesis of Special Education in Massachusetts

Click here to view findings from Tom Hehir's "A Synthesis of Special Education in Massachusetts"

IMPLEMENTATION

ESTABLISHING A BASELINE

Utilizing the Inclusive Practices Guidebook, surveys were developed and administered to students (Grades Prek-2, Grades 3-5, Middle School and High School) as well as to Mentor Teachers. The Surveys were administered to students and teachers prior to receiving any UDL training or coaching support from the coach. The Surveys will be re-administered at the end of the year to measure gains.

Inclusive Practices Guidebook