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District of Columbia Projects Year 7
2011-2012
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Establishing a System-Wide Response-to-Intervention Program |
This project continues MACC’s previous collaboration with the District of Columbia (DC) Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) and the Center on Response to Intervention to provide technical support/and assistance to a committee organized by OSSE’s Special Education Office as it develops a Response-To-Intervention (RTI) program that meets the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). MACC and the other collaborators will assist DC by helping to: (1) inventory existing information on RTI, (2) develop protocols to collect information from other sources/states, and develop information packages related to a general RTI initiative in order to scale-up initiatives already in place (including PBIS), and/or (3) expand existing RTI related programs. Additionally MACC will assist OSSE to improve and increase the success rate of students in the general education setting by providing research-based information for early intervention benefits by providing critical data needed to design, implement, and monitor high-quality instructional interventions. The continuing purpose of the RTI Committee is to inventory existing information on RTI, develop protocols to collect information from other sources/states, and develop a guide related to a general RTI initiative in order to scale-up initiatives already in place (including PBIS), and/or expand existing RTI related programs. MACC, the RTI Center, and REL Mid-Atlantic will continue to assist and promote provisions for greater internal and external collaboration and assist with training. MACC will act as a strategic partner to assist OSSE to help practitioners in using and sustaining progress monitoring techniques. |
| Launching the State Committee of Practitioners |
MACC will assist DC OSSE establish a Title I Committee of Practitioners (CoP) whose members include representation from the SEA, all DC local education agencies, including charter schools, and MACC staff. The CoP, as established under Section 1903, State Administration of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) amended by No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, is directed to be substantially involved in the review of and comment about any proposal or final State rules, regulations, and policies relating to Title I prior to their publication. MACC will provide OSSE with assistance and support to fulfill the goal of building an effective and fully functioning CoP. MACC will assist OSSE staff to develop the procedures and skills necessary to independently lead the CoP. MACC aims to facilitate the establishment of a general state committee and provide coaching to the CoP group as it evolves into a viable and sustainable entity within OSSE. In the short term, the CoP will provide a forum for addressing cross-office and department issues in a systematic manner as the office completes the process of becoming fully organized and staffed. With MACC support, the long-term value-added is that the state committee will become a permanent organizational structure represented by staff from all key offices and divisions in office, which will facilitate communication across offices and divisions. MACC is providing additional support to OSSE by helping the CoP become genuine stakeholders in the events that are related to expanded area of focus. |
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State of the State in Curriculum Standards
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MACC will assist DC OSSE Assessment and Accountability staff to identify, assess, clarify, revise, and implement SEA functions relative to academic content standards; verify the organizational structures that currently exist for the improvement; benchmark with other states the role of the office vis-à-vis the National Common Core Standards and related issues of test protocol for the State Test-DC CAS; and determine the most efficient means of supporting LEAs to effectively deliver and retrieve standards-based assessment information. MACC will facilitate the analysis of existing organizational structures and identify the missing components necessary for OSSE to provide technical assistance and support to the LEAs in the area of standards and curriculum. With the knowledge gained through this analysis, MACC will provide the content for supporting and training OSSE staff. OSSE will provide technical assistance to the LEAs in the use of the National Common Core Standards and curriculum adjustments. |
| Support for Development of a District of Columbia Statewide System of Support Planning System (Retreat) |
During Year 7, MACC will continue to work with OSSE to accomplish the following: (1) develop a vision around a state system of support, (2) determine priority needs based on the school reports, and (3) develop a theory of action around the type of support DC-SEA will provide to schools identified for improvement. MACC will work with OSSE to develop a special retreat that will utilize strategies to achieve the established goals for a state system of support. Although this project had been previously placed on hold, the assistant superintendent wishes to reactivate this project. MACC will assist OSSE in establishing planning and training for members of OSSE, regarding leadership development that will use the CII Self Assessment at a retreat. Expert Consultant Teams representing OSSE and DC local education agencies (including charter schools), will be trained to use resources including a self assessment document developed by CII. Additionally, a self assessment process will be engaged in by OSSE using a process field tested in Delaware. |
| Comprehensive State Services for ELLs |
MACC will assist DC OSSE in analyzing how the state is addressing the needs of English language learners (ELLs).The goal is to develop a coordinated approach to providing support to schools in DC with a student population that includes ELLs. MACC has assisted the District of Columbia Office of English Language Learners to establish an approach to serving ELLs by aligning disparate activities into a comprehensive and coordinated system of supports. In addition, MACC will assist in defining and developing each of the activities such as establishing an advisory committee, designing a policy guidebook for charter schools, and designing professional development that is integrated with other OSSE professional development. |
| Refinement of District of Columbia State Assessment Policies for Accommodating English Language Learners | In Year 7, MACC will increase OSSE’s capacity to appropriately address the unique needs of ELL students by supporting them in improving their assessment accommodation policies so they are more responsive to the individual needs of each ELL child. MACC will improve OSSE’s capacity to develop a cohesive statewide system of support by providing SEA staff from the Assessment, Title I, and Title III offices with opportunities to collaborate, discuss, and refine state assessment policies for accommodating ELLs. MACC will increase OSSE's capacity to develop and deliver training to LEAs on the state assessment policy for accommodating ELLs. This project is designed to address shortcomings in state assessment policies for accommodating English language learners (ELLs) by providing DC with information and guidance about policy design, appropriate accommodations, and assistance to develop/use trainings for the implementation of state policy and, where applicable, protocols for monitoring ELL accommodation administration. |
| District of Columbia Teacher Equity Project | This project is designed to review, address, and provide technical assistance for the OSSE teacher equity/teacher quality plans and provide professional development related to policies regarding all students, especially English language learners (ELLs), others with special needs, charter school programs and the District of Columbia Public Schools. For this project, MACC will aim to achieve the following: (1) increase OSSE's capacity to appropriately address the needs of equitable teacher distribution by supporting them in improving their plans and policies so they are more responsive to the individual needs of charter and DCPS schools, (2) improve OSSE's capacity to collaborate across programs and offices, especially the certification and the Title programs, and (3) increase OSSE's capacity to develop and deliver training to LEAs on policies for recruitment and retention of teachers that meet the needs of all LEAs. MACC will also assist in planning and monitoring the use of professional development for the improvement of instruction and for the equitable distribution of teachers. |
| State Literacy Team Project | MACC will assist DC OSSE staff in establishing a State Literacy Team (SLT) whose members must represent different agencies and organizations including the SEA, local education agency, higher education, and the research community, and possess “expertise in literacy development and education for children from birth through grade 12”. The SLT, as established under the FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P. L. 111-117), is to assist the state to develop a comprehensive literacy plan that will advance students’ literacy skills from birth through grade 12. MACC will provide OSSE with assistance and support in the development and implementation of the literacy plan, including assistance in developing professional development and technical assistance plans. MACC will also provide coaching to the SLT as it evolves into a viable and sustainable entity within OSSE as required by the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program State Formula Grant Application (CFDA Number: 84.371B). In the short term, MACC will provide input into the development of a required state literacy plan and assist in the development of professional development and technical assistance plans. In the long term, MACC will provide ongoing technical assistance in the areas of assurances, implementation, reporting, professional development, coordination with other related teams, RTI, licensure, etc. |
| OSSE School Improvement Grant Project | MACC will assist the staff of the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education to develop, refine, and implement all aspects of School Improvement Grant (SIG) requirements. This will begin with the development of materials to use in monitoring the schools and include the periodic check-ins and formal monitoring visit to assess the implementation of the restructured programs at the designated SIG schools-transformation, restart, or other site. The SIG schools will have a designated liaison from the LEA in order to reinforce efforts to help the SIG schools succeed. |
For more information regarding MACC's work in the District of Columbia please contact MACC's DC Project Coordinator Emily Crandall at ecrandall@ceee.gwu.edu
