Act 117:“Every Child A Learner”
Presented by:
Vermont Department of Education
Vermont School Boards Association
Workshop Goals
Review goals and activities of Act117
Define school board’s role inoverseeing the creation andmonitoring of an effective educationsupport system for all learners
What Is Act 117?
Passed in the spring of 2000
Strengthen capacity of educationsystem to meet the educationalneeds of all Vermont students
Act 117 Goals
Increase capacity of generaleducation
Improve consistency ofimplementation of special education
Promote cost containment andeffectiveness
2002 Report to Legislature
Status report on early outcomes andactivities to implement Act 117
www.state.vt.us/educ/
History of ESS
1990 Act 230
1996 Act 157
1997 Act 60
2000 Act 117
Increased Flexibility in Useof Special Education
Students with IEPs only
Core Staff
IEPs
Section 504 Accommodation Plans
EST Plans
Students without any plans undercertain conditions
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Why Students Aren’t Succeeding
Think tank approach
What can we do about it
Do we have data to support?
Why Students Aren’t Succeeding
What does Child Count data tell us?
Incidence rate
Most common disability categories
Age/grade when identified
Gender differences
Profile or evaluations
One School’s Story
Obstacles to student success
We can change this
We might be able to change this
We probably cannot change this
One School’s Story
Contributors to student success
Characteristic causes studentsuccess
Characteristic is teachable
Characteristic can be developed orcompensated for
One School’s Story
Critical next steps
What we can and can’t control
Prioritize student needs
What currently exists to meet theneeds
Is it working
One School’s Story
Critical next steps
Identify matches and gaps
Prioritize unmet needs
Put into Action Plan
Keys to Ed. Support System
Comprehensive system
School board policy
Clear system for discipline
Supports students to meet standards
Ongoing assessment and evaluation
Keys to Ed. Support System
Training to increase generaleducation capacity
Collaboration with community
Described annually to parents
Includes Educational Support Team
Keys to the Ed. Support Team
Meets regularly
Members from variety of positions
Method to refer to team
Keeps a record of actions
Develops individual plans
Keys to the Ed. Support Team
Assures follow-up
Provides for transitions
Reviews, revises, ends plan
Keys to the Ed. Support Team
Timely referral to special education
Looks for patterns
Informs Action Plan
Information to ESS
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Keys to Ed. Support Team Plan
Clarifies who/what/when/how
Includes follow-up on effectiveness
Provides for transitions
Keys to Ed. Support Team Plan
Reviewed, revised, or ended
Shared with parents and appropriatestaff
Part of student file/record
Guiding Principle
What would you want to have
happen if this were your child?
Role of the School Board
Work with administrators to definegoals for educational supportsystems
Establish accountability systems
Direct creation of time lines
Monitor progress throughbenchmarks
Role of the School Board
Understand and use student data
Receive periodic Action Plan reports
Recognize and support staff effortsto improve student achievement andsuccess
Role of the School Board
Ask right questions – provideinformed oversight
Direct reallocation of funds whendata supports it
Look for ESS funds from MedicaidIEP, EPSDT, Act 60 Poverty, Title I,BEST, others
Role of the School Board
Support efforts by allowing andencouraging reallocation of funds toprograms that match needs,priorities, and that are effective
Adopt key policies (ESS,professional development,assessment, action plan, evaluation,curriculum….)
Act 117 Resources &Power Point Slides
www.vtvsba.org