In 2022, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) recognized that across multiple initiatives – Student Investment Account, High School Success, Every Day Matters, etc. – there existed common elements for application processes and common goals for reporting. This led to ODE’s Integrated Guidance and last year’s efforts by districts to develop and submit integrated guidance plans to the State.
In reviewing Lane County districts’ plans, Lane Education Service District (ESD) recognized that across plans there were aims to implement or strengthen monitoring and intervention systems. Many plans also identified strategies or goals that more specifically address diversity, equity, and inclusion. Examples include:
Increase the safety and well-being of all students and staff
Create an intervention system based on data
Implement data-driven MTSS to address academic and behavioral outcomes
Implement K-12 MTSS to close the opportunity and achievement gap
Systematically collect and use data to inform decisions
In response, Lane ESD Integrated Guidance Administrator Maddy Ahearn partnered with WREN Continuous Improvement Coaches Erin Hayward and Kate Klein to launch a change project that resulted in a three-part learning series for district leaders – the Effective Secondary Teaming Community of Practice.
Districts had previously communicated a need to focus on the middle and high school levels, so learning sessions centered on protocols, data practices, and teaming structures (PLCs, data teams, MTSS groups, etc.) specific to the secondary setting. Ultimately, teams from Bethel, South Lane, Pleasant Hill, Junction City, and Eugene 4J gathered to collaboratively:
Identify their district team’s shared purpose
See, understand, and map their current system
Identify “bright spots” within the current system
Pinpoint a “problem of practice” to focus on first
Identify the root causes of that problem
Design a change or intervention to test with the goal of improving the system
Measure the change to see if it is working
Learn from, and with, other districts with similar goals
Feedback from participants of the community of practice has led to another round of sessions scheduled for the spring.
The planning team is looking forward to expanding beyond secondary schools and including either an elementary or district-wide focus. The aim is to support districts with two Integrated Guidance Progress Markers:
Progress Marker 2: Equity Tools
Progress Marker 7: Action Research
Interested Lane County school districts should contact Erin Hayward or Kate Klein at ehayward@lesd.k12.or.us or kklein@lesd.k12.or.us to get involved.
Article written by Maddy Ahearn and Cameron Yee. Download it as a one-page handout: