Addressing Disproportionality through Technical Assistance: A Case Study of New York

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Addressing Disproportionalitythrough Technical
Assistance A Case Study of New York
Metropolitan Center for Urban Education

• Project 405 Team
• Metropolitan Center for Urban Education
• New York University

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• Part I New York State Chapter 405 Laws
  on Disproportionality
• Part II NYU Chapter 405 Project Overview
• technical assistance in piloted districts
• Part III Preliminary Field Experiences

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Part I New York State Chapter 405 Laws on
Disproportionality
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New York State Chapter 405 Laws of 1999 required
provisions

• Collect and examine special education data from
  all school districts.
• Identify school districts that have
  overrepresentation in one or more areas of
  disproportionality.
• Address and improve results in identified
  problem areas.

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Problem Areas

• High rate of classification
• Low declassification rate of preschool students
  ages 4-5
• Low declassification rate of school-age students
  ages 6-12
• High rate of placing school-age students in
  separate education settings
• Disproportionate overrepresentation based on
  race/ethnicity, of students with particular
  disabilities
• Disproportionate overrepresentation based on
  race/ethnicity, in the placement of preschool
  students with disabilities in separate education
  settings
• Disproportionate overrepresentation based on
  race/ethnicity, in the placement of SWD in more
  restrictive settings

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What is Disproportionality in NY State?

• Inappropriate overrepresentation and
  over-identification of sub-groups in special
  education. 
• Relationship or association between a child's
  race or ethnicity, special education
  classification, and placement. 

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New York State--the number of Identified Schools
Districts with Disproportionality
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• As a result of identification,
• school districts are provided specific technical
  assistance

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Technical Assistance Provisions

• Technical assistance to identified school
  districts for planning and professional
  development through State Education Technical
  Assistance networks.
• Regional technical assistance on pre-referral and
  intervention strategies, team building and parent
  training.
• Technical assistance through New York University
  contract to six identified school districts.

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NYU Project Overview Technical Assistance in
Piloted Districts
Part II
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Project Overview

• Develop, implement, and assess a process of
  providing comprehensive technical assistance to
  six pilot school districts addressing issues of
  disproportionality.
• Build capacity of regions and districts on
  understanding the root cause and systemically
  addressing the disproportionate assignment of
  various subgroups into special education.
• Provide professional development trainings,
  coaching, training follow-ups, and materials and
  resources.

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Two-Tiered Capacity-Building Approach
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Two-Tiered Capacity Building Approach

• Tier 1 Provide schools and districts with a
  content and assessment framework for identifying,
  understanding, and addressing disproportionality.
  
• This includes
• Root cause analysis, strategic planning process,
  resource inventory, collaboration with regional
  networks, and an assessment of interventions
  (fidelity and impact).
• Collaborative alignment, implementation,
  assessment, and identification of further areas
  of improvement.
• Align with other equity initiatives (e.g.,
  achievement gap, high school graduation)

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Two-Tiered Capacity BuildingApproach (Cont)

• Tier 2 Provide regional networks with the tools
  for continuously identifying disproportionality
  issues, assess the implementation and impact of
  research-based strategies identified and
  implemented by districts and schools.
• This involves
• Incorporating the content, process, and protocols
  developed by the Professional Development
  Initiative of State Education Department.

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What Does NYU Provide to Piloted Districts?

• Training Modules on Data Analysis
• Service Plan
• Web-based clearinghouse
• On-site Coaching/Technical Assistance
• Professional Development
• Fact Sheets on disproportionality related topics
• Disproportionality related tools and resources

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Six New York State Piloted Districts

• Cheektowaga Central School District--Western
  Region
• Haverstraw-Stony Point Central School
  District--Hudson Valley Region
• Hudson City School District--Eastern Region
• New York City--Region 7
• Patchogue-Medford UFSD--Long Island Region
• Utica City Schools--Mid-State Region

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Selection Criteria for Identified School Districts

• Data District data indicated at least two 405
  problem areas out of the seven possible
  categories
• Readiness District demonstrated a readiness to
  address issues of disproportionality
• Capacity Regional TA networks supporting the
  district have the ability to build capacity
• Pilot District could provide schools for
  piloting the program

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Training Modules

• A- Understanding Disproportionality
• B-Disproportionality Data Repository (DDR)
• C- Data Analysis
• D-Root Cause Identification
• E- Root Cause Research
• F- Service Plan (Summer Institute)

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Year 1 Activities (04-05)

• Building district and regional team membership
• Connect technical assistance network providers

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Year 2 Activities (05-06)

• Provide technical assistance training modules
• Identify root cause in piloted districts
• Develop professional development service plan for
  2006-2007

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Year 3 Activities (06-07)

• Professional Development based on root cause in
  piloted districts
• Provide technical assistance training modules in
  unidentified districts
• Conduct project evaluation of piloted districts

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Year 4 Activities (07-08)

• Professional Development based on root cause in
  pilot districts and unidentified districts
• Continue project evaluation
• Develop best practices publication

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Year 5 Activities (08-09)

• Continue professional development in piloted and
  unidentified districts
• Finalize best practices publications
• Finalize Evaluation

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Part III Preliminary Field
Experience
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Year 1 Experiences

• Getting to root cause too quickly
• A need for hunches
• Difficulty establishing district and regional
  membership teams
• General Education and Special Education teams did
  not know each other
• Summer Institute 2005

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Year 2 Experiences

• Technical Assistance module
• Website
• DDR
• Higher Education Institutions
• Coaching to piloted districts
• Supporting Superintendent Conferences
• Summer Institute 2006
• Development of service plan

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• Project 405 Team
• Metropolitan Center for Urban Education
• New York University
• Steinhardt School of Education
• 212.998.5100
• http//nyu.edu/education/metrocenter