Lynn McCoySimandle, Ph'D'

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• Lynn McCoy-Simandle, Ph.D.
• Research Associate
• Shannon Means
• Associate Director

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Purpose of Visit

• To discuss statewide data collection efforts in
  KY
• To present most recent findings
• To Share Lessons Learned

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House Bill 330The most comprehensive school
safety legislation in recent Kentucky history!
Designed to address

• No single state organization for school safety
• Pre-Service training for educators
• Lack of statewide data
• Shortage of funds designated for school safety
  efforts

• Lack of local needs assessments
• More expelled students more local crime
• Lack of communication between courts, law
  enforcement and schools
• Lack of collaboration between schools and
  community

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Mission
The Center for School Safetys mission shall be
to (in collaboration with several
organizations) Serve as a focal point for
a. Data analysis b. Dissemination of
information c. Research d. Technical
assistance
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Collecting Data

• A State Partnership
• Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)
• Kentucky Center for School Safety (CSS)
• Collaborative Approach
• Composition of Center for School Safety
• Relationship with all schools

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The Collection Process

• Kentucky Department of Education
• Determines definitions via collaborative process
• Establishes protocol
• Provides training for data collection and entry
• Provides on-going technical assistance
• Receives data from 1400 schools

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Rally Around the Data

• Center for School Safety
• Receives data from KDE
• Cleans data
• Verifies data with school districts
• Analyzes data
• Produce report via a collaborative process

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From where the data came

• 179 districts
• 1407 schools
• 626,179 students

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Primary Audiences Include

• School Personnel
• Superintendents and Central Staff
• School Boards
• Site Based Decision Making Councils
• Parents
• Media

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Releasing Data(Needs to be School Sensitive)

• Establish Focus Group
• Which might include- Principals, Assistant
  Principals, Superintendents, DPP, Researchers,
  Director of CSS, KDE (State Department)
• Establish format
• Decide when and how to release report
• Extend courtesy time to school districts
• Report delivered to Superintendents two weeks
  prior to media release.
• Provide school districts ample time to prepare
  their response.

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Releasing Data Contd.

• Media Release
• Press conference
• Release on web site
• Caution media about making
• broad and misleading inferences
• School-to-School Comparisons
• District-to-District Comparisons
• Repeat Offenders
• Zero Tolerance Policies
• Cultural Sensitivity (FERPA)

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Using the DataHow will this Process Help My
School?

• Comparative Data
• State - Regional District
• Correlation between student achievement and
  discipline data
• Assessing effectiveness of instructional staff
• 90 of Referrals generated by 5 of staff
• Assessing offenses
• 90 of Reported behavioral incidents are
  created by 3-4 of the students

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Conceptual Framework
1-3 of Students INTENSIVE INTERVENTION Individua
lized Attention
7-9 of Students TARGETED INTERVENTION Individual
and Small Group Strategies
90 of Students UNIVERSAL INTERVENTION School-Wide
Systems of Support
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Schools
Report Data

Impact
District Reports

Cumulative

Implementation
State Reports


Appropriate

planning based

on the data
Center for School
Safety

Needs Assessment
Consumer


by Schools
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What the2000-2001 data reveals
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Data Collection Year 3 Ensuring Accuracy

• Receipt of Data from KDE
• Database review and cleaning
• Verification sheets mailed to Superintendents
• Draft report mailed to superintendents in
  embargoed format before its release to the press

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In Summary

• The Good News
• Less than 10 of students are offenders
• Board policy violations showed overall decline
• Most serious law violations also showed decline
• Expulsions declined
• Prevention services provided by over 80 of
  schools
• Number of SROs increased

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In Summary

• Questions for further consideration
• Drug abuse violations - increased use or
  increased supervision?
• Out-of-school suspensions - zero tolerance or
  better enforcement?
• School, cultural and societal influences in
  overrepresentation of males and African-Americans?

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Lessons Learned

• Accuracy is the key
• (have a pilot year)
• Include a verification process
• Let the data drive your planning process
• Address all issues openly and honestly

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Lessons Learned contd.?

• Never lose site of who the consumer is
• THE SCHOOL
• Make holistic comparisons of
• Academic Trends and
• School Safety Trends
• WRAP strategies around identified Risk Factors
• Trends of School Disengagement
• Which could include
• Suspensions
• Truancy
• Drop-out
• Expulsions
• Substance Abuse

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Future Directions in KY

• Statewide MAX System
• Case by Case data collection
• (unique identifier)
• Correlation with academic progress
• Continued consumer input from schools

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Center for School Safety Eastern Kentucky
University 105 Stratton Building 521 Lancaster
Ave. Richmond, KY 40475 Toll Free
1-877-805-4277 Lynn.McCoy-Simandle_at_eku.edu Shannon
.Means_at_eku.edu