Local Education Agencies Research Articles

Examining the Impact of PBIS Experience on MTSS Implementation in Secondary Schools: A Mixed Methods Study

This sequential explanatory mixed methods study with a complementarity rationale examined the differential experiences of MTSS implementation in three Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)-implementing and three non-implementing secondary schools in the Midwestern United States. Using a survey and follow-up interviews with a sample of 25 secondary school leadership team (SLT) members, this study sought to understand (1) their beliefs and attitudes toward MTSS prior to implementation and (2) unique barriers and facilitators to MTSS implementation in secondary education following initial MTSS implementation. Overall, the results of this study indicated that generally, SLT members had positive beliefs and attitudes toward MTSS prior to implementation which were maintained a year later at follow-up. Additionally, several differential barriers and facilitators to implementation emerged between PBIS and non-PBIS schools, though shared barriers and facilitators were also evident. Lastly, experience with PBIS differentially impacted the experiences of SLT members from PBIS and non-PBIS schools. Implications for secondary school practitioners, schools, and local educational agencies are discussed.

Understanding Implications of Varied State Policies Regarding Alternative Pathways to Licensure for Special Educators

Alternative pathways to licensure (APL) programs have proliferated nationally as a potential solution to the ongoing critical shortage of qualified special education professionals. Although these programs attract more diverse teacher candidates, they have been criticized for a lack of preparation and support provided to new professionals. This likely exacerbates teacher shortages and contributes to the pervasive underachievement of students with disabilities. Additionally, due in part to wide variations in APL programs, limited research is available on the structure and subsequent impact of APL programs. To gain a landscape view of the ways policy shapes special education APL programs in the United States, the authors analyzed state policies and regulations that guide licensure requirements for special education APLs. To do this, they identified policy and regulation documents and analyzed them for themes related to APL requirements. The authors found wide variability nationally regarding entrance and completion requirements for APL participants, including testing and pedagogical requirements, field experiences, and employment status. This type of policy incoherence has implications for state and local educational agencies, researchers, teacher educators, and policymakers as they seek to evaluate APL programs and determine which structures will most effectively support the recruitment and retention of special educators.

Reimagining the roles of state and local education agencies

Reimagining the roles of state and local education agencies

Exploring Innovative U.S. School Health Delivery Models: A Narrative Review.

School health services have been described as the "hidden healthcare" system because of their isolation within schools and from other healthcare providers. This isolation may inhibit innovations in school healthcare delivery. Hence, there is a need to identify and characterize various delivery models. This review examines models to identify innovative approaches and formulate suggestions for public health departments, local and state educational agencies, and policymakers. Toward this goal, published and gray literature were studied and synthesized, identifying three delivery models: the traditional model of school-based nursing and two alternative models: school-based health centers and community partnerships. Mechanisms of delivery included telehealth, mobile clinics, and system-level care. Although no innovative, comprehensive approaches to school health services models were found, innovation generally focused on improving equitable delivery to vulnerable populations. Policies must be formulated and funded to integrate such innovations into a comprehensive, preventative approach, including improved care coordination and data sharing.

Grow Your Own School Mental Health Specialists: A Policy Pilot to Address Behavioral Health Workforce Shortages in Schools.

The capacity of schools to address behavioral health concerns presents an emerging challenge, exacerbated by major shortages in the workforce. Schools across the U.S. are struggling to hire licensed behavioral health professionals, with additional barriers encountered when seeking to hire practitioners with experience in educational settings. In 2023, a school district in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, partnered with The Ohio State University to launch a "grow your own" policy pilot. The priorities focused on addressing workforce shortages and leveraging the experiences of current teachers/staff to support growing needs related to student mental health and well-being. More specifically, the district utilized COVID-19 relief funds to recruit, train, and transition 25 teachers/staff into school mental health positions by underwriting the costs of each professional's Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Here, we (a) describe the district-university partnership and the processes guiding the implementation of the "grow your own" model, (b) distill preliminary findings about district needs regarding behavioral health, and (c) explore facilitators, barriers, and outcomes associated with learning among participants in the program. The findings from a district-wide staff survey indicated a high level of need for individual counseling, crisis intervention, and small group interventions. Additionally, qualitative interviews revealed that learning among the program's participants was facilitated by effective classroom strategies and specific learning experiences integral to the program's design. These facilitators supported key learning outcomes, including general social work knowledge, self-awareness, and therapeutic skills that are foundational for engaging with students, parents/families, teachers/staff, and the broader school community. This innovative policy pilot and training model demonstrate how universities and local educational agencies can partner to address workforce development challenges at the intersection of behavioral health and education.

Toward Equity and Transparency: A Content Analysis of Florida Elementary Acceleration Policies

In 2012, Florida adopted the Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) statute establishing minimum requirements for local education agencies to provide access to accelerated learning options for eligible K–12 public school students. This study examined Florida public school district acceleration policies for elementary students one decade after the enactment of the statute. We analyzed Student Progression Plans, school board policies, and district websites to explore the status of acceleration policy in the state, compare the accessibility of acceleration information across districts, and identify policy elements that support equity and those that create potential barriers for elementary students with advanced learning needs who could benefit from acceleration. The findings of this study indicated several areas for improvement, including the accessibility of acceleration information, the service options available to K–5 students, the protocols districts use, criteria for decision-making, and the implementation of acceleration. In addition, we discuss implications for school districts developing or revising acceleration policies and several avenues for future research. The preregistration and open-access materials for this study are available at https://osf.io/yc3xd/ .

Teacher-Paraeducator Teams: Strategies and Systems to Improve Student Outcomes Through the Art of Collaboration

ABSTRACT Paraeducators have increasingly become an integral part of educational teams in the delivery of instruction to students with disabilities. The appropriate use of paraeducators in special education is essential to ensure students who need these supports can achieve in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The interplay among appropriate paraeducator roles, the co-delegation of tasks to paraeducators by general and special education teachers, the teacher’s ownership of and preparation for their supervisory role, and effective systems to support teamwork is a dynamic that continues to need clarification in the field. To support states and local education agencies, this article provides a conceptualization and supporting resources outlining a systematic approach to building collaborative Teacher-Paraeducator Teams (TPTs) that will ensure the safety, effectiveness, and cohesiveness of our students’ learning environment.

Influence of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania Rural Schools' Due Process Hearing Decisions

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, rural Pennsylvania Local Education Agencies (LEAs) were found to have failed to properly offer special education services in alignment with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ranks among the most litigated states in disputes over the proper facilitation of services as mandated by IDEA. Despite this high volume of litigation, there was no analysis of how being defined as a rural LEA influenced due process hearing officer decisions after the COVID-19 Pandemic. The current study addresses this research gap by reviewing special education due process hearing activity for rural LEAs and comparing activity for the two years before and after the COVID-19 pandemic-mandated office closures. Findings offer guidance on problematic practices by analyzing the relationship between the pandemic and hearing officer ruling outcome, activity frequency before and after the pandemic, and remedies owed by rural LEAs from post-COVID decisions.

Understanding policy reverberations across the educational ecosystem to effectuate change

ABSTRACT We outline a multidimensional ecological systems policy framework to better understand how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and patterns of racial disproportionality in special education relate. The framework engages with ideology, power, privilege, and context across the multiple layers of the policy-implementation process and educational ecosystem. It highlights how policy reverberates through the educational ecosystem via interpretation and implementation flows spanning from the exo-, macro-, and meso levels (e.g., federal policy, state education agency (SEA) guidance, local education agency (LEA) officials’ actions, educators) to the micro- level (e.g., families and students) and back up. The framework provides critical insights that can inform efforts to reduce racial and ability inequities.

Principal rotation in China: policy goals and succession strategies adopted by rotated principals

PurposeThis study examines principal rotation in China to gain empirical insights from the policy analysis and succession strategies that principals employ to gain internal and external support in their new schools.Design/methodology/approachWe employed document analysis and a case study approach. Interviews were conducted with officials in 5 local educational agencies and 40 principals from 5 different regions who were undergoing rotation. Thematic analysis was used to identify common patterns and themes in the interview responses.FindingsWe explored how the principal-rotation policy was implemented, including the goals, standards, targeted principals, tools and other aspects of the policy in China. The study revealed the challenges faced by the rotated principals and their succession strategies.Originality/valueOur study contributes to the field of educational leadership by shedding light on the implementation and impact of principal rotation in mainland China.

A Psychometric Review of Universal Reading Screeners Approved by the State Board of Education

In 2023, the Georgia Legislature passed the Georgia Early Literacy Act (HB 538), representing a sweeping reform effort to improve the quality of early reading instruction in the state. HB 538 requires schools to screen children in kindergarten through third grade three times yearly. Related to this requirement, HB 538 requires that the State Board of Education approve a list of 16 universal reading screeners that can: 1) provide relevant information to target instruction, 2) measure foundational literacy skills, 3) identify students who are struggling to acquire reading skills, and 4) be used to monitor progress. The purpose of this review is to provide a supplement to the SBOE’s approved list so that Local Education Agencies (LEAs) can assess the relative psychometric strength of each screener as they select the most appropriate screener for the students they serve. We compiled information regarding each screener's reliability, validity, sensitivity, and specificity to create an exposition of their strengths and weaknesses. We found that GaDOE's approved list contains numerous tools with acceptable psychometric properties; however, large variability in the amount of psychometric data available for each screener is problematic. LEAs are recommended to consider psychometric strength as a critical factor when selecting an early literacy screener.

All Over the Map: State-Level Guidance for English Learners With Disabilities

All Over the Map: State-Level Guidance for English Learners With Disabilities

Investing in School Mental Health: Strategies to Wisely Spend Federal and State Funding.

In the context of the current youth mental health crisis, it is prudent to reconsider how resources are allocated to facilitate the delivery of effective and comprehensive supports and services to children and adolescents. Schools are the main delivery sites for youth mental health services. Many districts have adopted comprehensive school mental health systems (CSMHS) to provide a multitiered approach comprising mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention to students via partnerships between school and community health and behavioral health providers. COVID-19 relief funding and other new federal and state investments in school mental health have led to expansions of school mental health programming in most states. An impending federal funding cliff necessitates an examination of how to wisely invest now to achieve the greatest positive future impact on youth mental health. To capitalize on opportunities to sustain effective school mental health and maximize return on investment, states may consider four strategies: leverage cross-sector partnerships to advance school mental health policies and funding, strengthen and expand Medicaid coverage of CSMHS, establish and enhance data systems, and create state technical assistance and professional development support for CSMHS implementation through local education agencies.

Leveraging the stages of learning to optimize pre-employment transition service delivery

Pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) is a specific set of services outlined in Section 113 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended by WIOA, with the purpose of expanding career exploration, postsecondary training options, and the development of career readiness skills for students with disabilities through work-based learning experiences. Pre-ETS aims to facilitate the transition of students with disabilities from school to adulthood by equipping them with the essential skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to thrive in the workforce. However, there is great variability across states on how vocational rehabilitation agencies work with State and local education agencies to coordinate and sequence services to facilitate the development of a more comprehensive career pathway for students with disabilities. This paper provides insights and applicable guidance for practitioners seeking to optimize Pre-ETS by aligning interventions with the phases of learning. Grounded in experiential knowledge and effective practices for secondary transition and Pre-ETS, this paper offers a strategic framework designed to enhance the effectiveness of transition services for diverse individuals preparing to enter the workforce. It aims to equip practitioners with a toolbox of effective strategies and approaches, fostering a more dynamic and personalized delivery of Pre-ETS. By offering practical guidance on navigating the learning phases, this paper seeks to empower practitioners to create more impactful and tailored programs, ultimately enhancing the workforce readiness of individuals with diverse abilities.

Beyond a Transformative Approach and Deep Understanding: External Factors and Mid-Level Leaders’ Policy Implementation to Expand Equity for English Learners

Purpose: We examine the ways state education agency (SEA) and local education agency (LEA) leaders interpret and use educational policy to guide the provision of services for multilingual students classified as English learners (ELs) in their contexts. Our inquiry focuses on the external factors leaders describe that either enable or constrain their ability to interpret and implement policies designed to expand equity for EL students. Research Method: We conduct semi-structured interviews with 17 SEA and LEA leaders across three states. We use an interview-based approach to understand how educational leaders leverage policy to guide EL services in their states and districts. Findings: Three external factors (resources to serve EL students, networks to share EL expertise, and concrete policy monitoring and guidance from the state) interact with leaders’ individual understandings of and approaches to policy implementation to shape the ultimate degree to which equity is enabled or constrained for EL students in their contexts. Implications: Educational policy intends to provide SEA and LEA leaders with guidance to expand equity for ELs. However, our study suggests that the degree to which these policies expand equity for ELs in practice depends not only on the leader's understanding of the policy, but also their access to resources, human capital, and professional networks. SEA and LEA leaders that take a deep, transformative approach to implementation may partner to assess how SEAs can create external conditions that help to expand equity for ELs.

Consequential Intersections: Examining Equity Expressions and Experiences Within Special Education Ecosystems

We employ the metaphor of an educational ecosystem to explain how racial inequity in special education manifests in a midsized urban school district via equity expressions and experiences. We focus on two ecosystems operating at the mesol-evel within school districts:1) special education and 2) equity ecosystems. We show how these educational ecosystems converge and diverge when a state education agency (SEA) cites a local education agency (LEA) via federal disability legislation for racial disparities in special education outcomes—commonly referred to as racial disproportionality. Using document analysis and semistructured interview data, we empirically examine how equity and special education ecosystems converge and diverge and discuss the implications for addressing racialized inequities. We highlight that there was limited equity absorption across the two ecosystems and how racism and ableism are implicated in the convergences and divergences between the two systems. We conclude with recommendations for policy and practice.

Ensuring Educational Continuity in the Midst of Crisis: Policy and Planning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As the COVID-19 crisis disrupted schooling, recovery efforts in California included the adoption of Senate Bill (SB) 98, which mandated local educational agencies to complete Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans (LCPs). These plans act as critical snapshots of sensemaking and local policy implementation during crisis; however, their details have yet to be explored statewide. Through a multiphase, mixed methods approach, this study examines the legislative requirements of a state-level policy that orchestrated large-scale local planning. Results reveal that SB-98 recombined prior educational routines to fit the pandemic context. Moreover, district plans generally adhered to policy guidance and described a range of resources to support students. However, the limited details contained in most plans—particularly about the actions and services for students that may need additional supports—proffer suggestive evidence of local capacity and will during the global pandemic and the implications for those seeking to implement similar policy measures.

We have an SEL policy! Now what?

States have made tremendous growth within the last decade developing and implementing statutory, regulatory, and non-regulatory policies and practices that center student and adult social, emotional, and academic development. Almost all states have some form of guidance or support for local education agencies (LEAs) to implement social and emotional learning (SEL) and over half of states have SEL standards or competencies. Even with this growth, empirical evidence is limited on how state SEL policies and practices influence local implementation. To begin to address this gap, the authors interviewed 16 state education agency (SEA) staff from 13 states to explore what they perceive as effective SEL implementation and any evidence that supports their claim. Through exploring the arc of the development, implementation, and evaluation of their state SEL policies and practices, SEA staff uplifted the significance of engaging with multiple stakeholders (e.g., educators, families, and communities), the critical lever that statutory and regulatory policies hold in supporting locally-driven SEL implementation, key non-regulatory policy and practice efforts (e.g. embedded and explicit instruction, adult SEL, and systemic SEL), the importance of SEL being both a standalone effort and embedded with other pertinent initiatives, and the need for more robust data systems that help determine which policies and practices best support student and adult social, emotional, and academic development.

Evaluating the validity evidence surrounding use of value-added models to evaluate teachers: A systematic review

Local education agencies (LEAs) continue to use value-added models (VAMs) for teacher evaluation policies and purposes, often with consequences attached. Although the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides more flexibility to LEAs, few have discontinued VAM use, suggesting they interpret VAMs as a valid measure of teacher effectiveness. In this systematic review, we used a framework built on the Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA et al., 2014) to examine validity evidence contained in 75 articles published in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals in which article authors supported or challenged user interpretations and uses of VAMs. Results with implications for educational policy are presented.

Stop the shame and the hunger: The need for school meal program reform

The current School Meal Program (SMP) system has existed in the U.S. for more than seventy years, with the intent to offer free and reduced-price meals to students in need. However, after decades of state and local-level implementation of SMPs, the programs today are ineffective at fully addressing students’ physical, social, and emotional needs. State and local education agencies have struggled to carry out successful eligibility, enrollment, and debt-collection processes, ultimately resulting in harmful practices, including lunch-shaming. Such practices impede the success of the program to fulfill its goals and may negatively impact students’ social and emotional development. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and with increased levels of food insecurity, state and local education agencies should consider adjusting their practices to fully meet student nutrition needs. In this unique time, education agencies are presented with an opportunity to move beyond the current SMP model to better fulfill the program’s ultimate goal of providing students with the nutritional support needed to thrive both in and outside the classroom. Here we suggest modern reforms for the SMP landscape through greater levels of federal regulation, guidance, and review processes to support effective SMP implementation at the state and district level; reevaluation of state and local education agencies’ use of available federal options to increase access to school meals; and further research on SMP implementation, debt-collection practices, and costs of a universal free meals program to better understand their effects on student outcomes.