In support of the interests of the Northern Rhode Island Collaborative's Board of Superintendents and Operating Committee, we are able to offer the following professional development services at our new Professional Development Training Center to support the needs of school districts. Please contact Robert E. Wall, Director of Educational Services, at 495-2000, Ext. 2011, for more information on the following:
•1. Fostering a Culture of High Performance: Changing Practice by Using Data. (30 hrs)
Content: Schools that successfully improve student achievement do so by regularly using data to guide decisions about instruction, student support and professional development. Using the districts own data, this module of the Southern Region Educational Board (SREB) will provide protocols for dialogue about culture and equity, tools for the analysis of structural inequity, and recommendations of school and classroom practices to educate all students to succeed in school, college and the workplace.
Audience: School Improvement Teams, including principal and key teacher leaders; Administrators.
•2. Using Data to Lead Change. (30 hrs)
Content: Improving student learning by changing classroom and school practices both requires and results in changes to a school's culture. Culture also impacts how and what improvements are made to benefit student learning, and data can be a powerful lever to explore inequity, expose systemic biases and change beliefs and practices needed to improve the achievement of disenfranchised students. Through the use of their own district's data, participants will gain analytical tools to uncover the "real" problems that school leaders need to address to close "success gaps" in schools.
Audience: School Improvement Teams, including principal and key teacher leaders; Administrators.
•3. Becoming Familiar with the Data Warehouse. (2 hours)
Content: Through an introduction of the RIDE Data Warehouse, participants will be able to filter and disaggregate student information to assist in making data-driven decisions.
Audience: School Improvement Teams, including principal and key teacher leaders; Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents/Curriculum Directors, Special Education Directors.
•4. Planning for Success to Meet Students Diverse Academic Needs I: Understanding the Foundations of a Structured Learning Environment. (2-3 hours)
Content: Participants will learn the foundations of learner needs and how environmental strategies and clear expectations can limit student behaviors including off-task disruptive behaviors.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•5. Planning for Success to Meet Students Diverse Academic Needs II: Meeting the Needs of the More Intensive Student Behaviors. (2-3 hours)
Content: Participants will learn about Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) & Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) process as best practice Response to Instruction (RtI) tools as support the social, emotional and behavioral needs of students. Explained within this course are the processes to be utilized for students with disabilities (SPED & 504) is when these tools are recommended and when they are required.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•6. Planning for Success to Meet Students Diverse Academic Needs III: Creating FBAs & BIPs. (2-3 hours)
Content: Utilizing district's own student data (with the personally identifiable information redacted) Participants will learn how to complete Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) & Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP).
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•7. Teaching Diverse Learners in Inclusive Environments I: The Foundations to Academic Accommodations & Modifications. (2-3 hours)
Content: Participants will develop an understanding of Special Education Law through an presentation and explanation of the landmark special education case law and current learning theory.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•8. Teaching Diverse Learners in Inclusive Environments II: Scaffolding, Cooperative Learning, Graphic Organizers, and Rubrics. (3-4 hours)
Content: Participants will be introduced to the principals of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how they can be applied utilizing time-tested successful teacher techniques. The techniques will be developed from a student efficacy approach and examples as well as resources will be provided.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•9. Teaching Diverse Learners in Inclusive Environments III: Inclusive Models of Service Delivery & Collaborative Instruction (4-6 hours)
Content: Participants will develop an appreciation for the differences between mainstreaming and inclusion, discuss the multiple models of inclusive service delivery, and acquire an understanding of one of the most utilized and misunderstood models, collaborative instruction.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•10. Teaching Diverse Learners in Inclusive Environments: Foundations, Academic & Behavior Supports as Universal Design & Collaborative Teaching. (20 hours)
Content: The Participants will become versed in the provision of specialized instruction in the least restrictive environment. This college level course will delve into the philosophy and case law of least restrictive environment and appropriate education; universal design for learning as it applies to all students, including those with special needs; and multiple models of collaborative teaching will be explored with opportunities to observe effective methods that are frequently under-utilized.
Participants: General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers
•11. The New Elementary IEP: Guided Review (2 hours)
Content: The new RI Elementary IEP presents some challenges in how information is documented and progress reviewed with parents. Utilizing the IEP Guidebook as a guide, the participant will leave with an improved understanding of why certain changes have been made and how to complete the new form to meet regulatory requirements.
Participants: General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers
•12. The New Secondary IEP: Guided Review (2 hours)
Content: The new RI Secondary IEP presents some foundational differences in the focus of instruction for individuals with disabilities for the future. With the emphasis on transition to post-school activities, the Secondary IEP presents many new challenges in how information is documented and progress reviewed with parents. Utilizing the IEP Guidebook as a guide, the participant will leave with an improved understanding of why certain changes have been made and how to complete the new form to meet regulatory requirements.
Participants: General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers
•13. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Implications for Educators (2-3 hours)
Content: Section 504 has historically provided challenges for educators as a stand-alone method of insuring individuals with disabilities are free from discrimination. At the conclusion of this in-service, the participant will have a clearer understanding of the historical perspective, determination of discrimination protection, and implementation in light of RIDE guidance.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•14. Procedures for Non-violent Crisis Intervention. (2-3 hours)
Content: Participants will develop an understanding of the RI Regulations regarding Non-Violent Crisis Intervention. Discussed topics will include what interventions are allowed, what are prohibited, and techniques to assist individuals in keeping student acting-out behavior at the lowest, least threatening levels. This in-service can be tailored to meet the specific needs of bus transportation staff, as required by Special Education regulations. This training does NOT include methods of non-violent physical intervention.
Audience: All professionals working with students
•15. Non-violent Physical Intervention Training. (12-15 hours)
Content: Our staff of certified Crisis Prevention Institute trainers will instruct your staff in the research-based methods of de-escalating student behavior and methods to safety physically intervene if de-escalation methods are not successful.
Audience: Administrators, General & Special Education Teachers, Related Service Providers, Teacher Assistants
•16. Adaptive Physical Education (APE) Assessments and Service Qualification (3-4 hrs)
Content: Participants will be presented with the Battelle (gross motor component, for students ages 3-6) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (for students 6-12) as research-based methods of current levels of student performance.. Participants will then learn the steps to determine requirement of APE services.
Audience: Administrators, Adaptive Physical Education Teachers, Evaluation Team Participants.
•17. The Rhode Island Alternate Assessment (RIAA) & Classroom Instruction (3-4 hours)
Content: Frequently the RIAA is presented as a departure from daily classroom instruction; however, since the IEP is aligned with the Alternate Assessment Grade Span Expectations (AAGSE) this should NOT be the case. In this workshop participants will learn how to have students complete the RIAA as an embedded part of their everyday classroom experience.
Audience: Administrators, Special Education Teachers.
