RangelEquityPlanPage1

EquityPlan
EDLD6000
OliviaRangel
Winter2016
DepartmentofEducationalLeadership
CaliforniaStateUniversity,EastBay

RangelEquityPlanPage2

Introduction
NewarkMemorialHighSchoolistheonlycomprehensivepublichighschoolinthe
NewarkUnifiedSchoolDistrictlocatedinNewark,California.NewarkMemorialserves
approximately1,850ethnicallyandsocioeconomicallydiversestudents.Theethnicbreakdown
ofthestudentsofNewarkMemorialislocatedinFigure1.Outofthe1,924studentswhoattend
NewarkMemorial:47%receivefreeorreducedlunch,7%areclassifiedasEnglishLanguage
Learners,and8%ofthestudentsreceivespecialeducationservices.Fortheapproximately170
studentswhoreceivespecialeducationservicesoncampus,NewarkMemorialHighSchool
offersoneselfcontainedclassforstudentswithmoderatetoseveredisabilities,one
selfcontainedclassforstudentswithemotionaldisorders,twoselfcontainedclassesfor
studentswithmildtomoderatedisabilities,andfiveteacherswhoruntheresourceprogramin
selfcontainedclassroomsforstudentswithmildtomoderatedisabilitiesorspecificlearning

disabilities.In2017,NMHSwillmovetocoteachingandmoreinclusivepractices.
Figure1:DemographicsofNewarkMemorialHighSchool

DescriptionofDataAnalysis

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Anareaofinequityidentifiedthroughdataisthenumberofsuspensionsforstudentswith
specialneedsatNewarkMemorialHighSchool.Inaquesttounderstandtherelationshipof
suspensionsordetentionswithstudentsreceivingspecialeducationservices,thedatafromthe
fall2015towinter2016ofthestudentsofNewarkMemorialHighSchoolincludingthesetwo
demeritsandtotalnumberofstudentsreceivingspecialeducationwerereviewed.Figuresof
dataareasfollows:

Figure2:
NumberofDetentionsbyStudentsReceivingSpecialEducationServices

DataAnalysis
ThedatafoundinthesefiguresshowussometrendsinregardstodisciplineatNewark
MemorialHighSchool.In
Figure2:Detentions
,itisnotedthatoutofthe634detentionsgiven
atNewarkMemorialHighSchool,studentswithspecialneedsreceive114ofdetentionsgiven.
Mathematically,thatequatestoapproximately14%ofthedetentionsgivenoncampus.

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Figure3:
NumberofSuspensionsbyStudentsReceivingSpecialEducationServices
In
Figure3:Suspensions
,itisillustratesthatoutofallthesuspensionsgivenatNewark
MemorialHighSchool,studentswithspecialneedsreceiveapproximately41%ofsuspensions
givenwhichissignificantlyhigherthanthosegivendetentions.Eachnumberaboveindicatesan
entiredayofsuspension.Meaningthatwhenastudentissuspendedforoneday,theyarelosing
6hoursofqualityinstructionaltime.

Figure4:LossofInstructionalHoursduetoSuspension.DatatakenfromNMHSSynerg
y

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In
Figure4:LostInstructionalHours
,thegraphillustrateshowmanyhoursof
instructionaltimewerelostbetweenFall2015Winter2016bynonspecialeducationstudents,
specialeducationstudents,andthetotalfortheschool.Bysuspendingthespecialeducation
studentsofNewarkMemorialHighSchoolforanentireday,theyarelosing6hoursof
instructionaltime.Thislossoftime,highlyaffectsstudentslearningandgrowth.Thetotal
numberofinstructionalhourslostbystudentswithspecialneedsduetosuspensionsis474hours
betweenFall2014andWinter2015.Thehourslost,includethelossofvitalresourcesand
minutesindicatedforspecialservicespertheirIndividualizedEducationPlan.Per
California
SchoolLaw
,inasuspensionthatlastsfewerthantendays
a(specialeducation)studenthasno
righttoeducationalservicesduringthestudentsdisciplinaryremoval(KemererandSamson,
2013,pg.375).Thus,thestudentsaremissingqualityinstructionsandtheservicesdeemed
necessaryintheirIndividualEducationPlanssuchasspeechtherapy,occupationaltherapy,
socialskills,andmore.

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Figure5:NewarkMemorialHighSchoolStudentsReceivingSpecialEducationServices

Thepercentagesofsuspensionsandlossofinstructionalacademichoursarehigh
especiallywhentakingintoconsideration
Figure5:SpecialEducationServices,
whichexhibits
thatonly8%approximately170studentsoftheNMHSstudentpopulationreceivespecial
educationservices.Eventhoughstudentswithspecialneedsaccountforonly8%ofthe
population,theyaccountfor41%ofsuspensionsand18%ofdetentions.

Cum
Census

Enrollmen

Suspension

Level

Enrollment

StudentsSuspended

Rate

Expelled

ExpulsionRate

NMHS
Total

1,849

1,927

134

7.0

0.3

Alameda
CountyTotal

222,681

231,272

8,806

3.8

129

0.1

StateTotal

6,236,672

6,405,954

279,383

4.4

6,611

0.1

Figure6:
NumberofSuspensionsandExpulsionsComparedtotheStatefrom20132014schoolyearcourtesyof
DataQuestontheCDEwebsite

Finally,inreviewing
Figure6:State/CountyComparisons,
itdemonstratesthatNMHS
suspensionrateisat7%whilethethestateisaverageisatalowerpercentagerateof4.4%and
thecountysrateisevenlesswith3.8%.ThismeansthatNewarkMemorialHighSchoolis3.2%
morelikelytosuspendastudentthanotherschoolslocatedinAlamedaCountyand2.6%more
likelytosuspendthanotherschoolslocatedintheStateofCalifornia.Furthermore,NMHSgoes
throughtheprocessofexpulsionfor0.3%ofourstudentbody.Thisrateofexpulsionis0.2%
higherthanotherschoolsinthecountyandstate.Teacherpracticesinregardstohandling

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behavioraswellasreducingseverebehaviorsneedtoimproveatNewarkMemorialHighSchool
incomparisontotheotherschoolslocatedinAlamedaCountyandtheStateofCalifornia.The
focusshouldbeginwithdisciplinarypracticestakenwithstudentswithspecialneedsand
determiningwhatthecausesforthosebehaviorsareinordertoreducethenegativeconduct.
SubjectPosition
Asthespecialeducationteacherfortheoneselfcontainedclassforstudentswith
moderatetoseveredisabilitiesandafutureadministratorinspecialeducation,itisimportantfor
metounderstandtheequityissuessurroundingthehighratesofreferralsandsuspensionsof
studentswithspecialneeds.Furthermore,itisvitaltoresearchstrategiesandcreateapotential
actionplantoattempttorectifythisareaofinequity.Throughreducingbehaviorsandincreasing
theknowledgeofstrategiesonhowtoaccommodatestudentswithspecialneeds,Ibelievethat
thenumberofsuspensionsanddetentionsforstudentswithspecialneedswillreduce.
DefiningtheProblem
Thesuspensionanddetentionratesofstudentswhoreceivespecialeducationservicesare
disproportionatetotheirpeersnotreceivingservices.Asastaffthereareresearchbasedpractices
thatwillhelpresolvethisinequityanddecreasethenumberofsuspensionsanddetentionsof
studentswithspecialneeds.Itisimportanttodeterminetheappropriateresources,trainingand
supportsneededtobetterserveourstudentswithspecialneeds.Whenastudentreceivesa
suspension,itisapparentthattheywillmissvitalacademicinstructionandthosewithspecial
needswilllosethequalityservicestheirindividualeducationplansdenote.Justinthefirst
portionof20152016schoolyear,studentswithspecialneedslost474hoursofinstructional
timeduetosuspensionsalone.

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Astudentreceivingadetentionmaymissthesocialelementsofaschoolsuchas
extracurricularactivities,tutorial,andsportingevents.Studentswithspecialneedsgreatly
benefitfrombeingdirectlyengagedinthecurriculumandthesocialaspectsofschoolinorderto
positivelyaffecttheirprogresseducationally,functionally,andsocially.Thus,itisvitalto
decreasethenumberofdetentionsandsuspensionsbyprovidingappropriateinterventionsand
strategiestoreducebehaviorsforbothstaffandstudentssothatstudentsreceiveappropriate
servicesandacademics.
BackgroundoftheProblem
Recently,thedistrictdecidedtointroducethetheoryofPositiveBehaviorIntervention
Systems(PBIS).NewarkMemorialHighSchoolwastocreateateamandreceivetrainingto
implementinthe20152106schoolyear.Themiddleschoolandalternativehighschoolwere
alsotobegintheplanningforandimplementationofthisprogramforthefollowingschoolyear.
AccordingtothedistrictappointedPBIScoachVictoriaGarcia,thedistrictchosetomove
forwardwithPBISasaresultofreviewingthedisciplinarypracticesofthedistrict.Thedistrict
hasalsocreatedaPBISteamincludingthesuperintendent,specialeducationdirector,curriculum
leader,behaviorist,andmorestaffmemberswhoareinterestedintheimplementationofPBISin
ourschools.Thedistricthasrevieweddataandinturnmadethedecisiontoadjustthe
disciplinarypracticesofthesecondaryschoolsfirst,sincetherearemanyinequitiesatoursite
duetothelargeamountofdisciplinaryproblems.Mrs.Garciainformedtheteamthatthedistrict,
includingthespecialeducationdirectorhaverevieweddataondisciplinaryactionandspecial
educationstudents.Thedistrictteamreliesontheworkoftheteamsateachsitetoreviewthe
disciplinarypracticesandbehaviorsinordertoimplementthemostrelevantapproaches.At

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NMHS,itwouldbebeneficialtocreateanactionplantoreviewthedisciplinaryactionstaken
withstudentreceivingspecialeducationservice.Thispracticewillbebeneficialtothedistrict,
theteachers,andthestudentsaffected.

QuestionsforFutureDiscovery
Reviewingthedata,hasledtomanymoreunansweredquestions.Movingforward,it
wouldbebeneficialtoinvestigatethefollowingquestionswith:
Whattoolscanwegivetostudentsandteacherstoreducedisciplinaryactionand
increasetimeintheclassroom?
WillinterventionssuchasPositiveBehaviorInterventionsServicessupportour
questtodecreasesuspensionsandexpulsionsacrosstheboard?
Whatprofessionaldevelopmentwillbehelpfultostafftoincreaseintervention
anddecreasetheneedforharshdiscipline?
Whatnonacademicsupportscanbeinplaceforstudentswithspecialneedsin
ordertocopewithstressorsinschoolanddecreaseanybehaviors?
WhyisthesuspensionanddetentionrateatNMHSsomuchhigherthanother
schoolsinourstateandcounty?
LiteratureReview
Inordertofurtherunderstandtheinequityofstudentswithspecialneedsandthe
disciplinaryactionstakenbyschools,Iresearchedapplicablearticlesthatdiscussthisinequityin
detail.ItisonlyfairtobeginwiththereviewofCaliforniaStateLawpracticesforstudentswith
specialneedsinregardstodiscipline.AccordingtoSmith(2005),theIndividualswith

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DisabilitiesAct(IDEA2004)redefinedtheimplicationsofsuspendingastudentforuptoatotal
of10days.Ifaschoolfindsthemselvesinthissituationwithastudent,thentheymustconducta
manifestationdeterminationtodeterminewhetherthereisarelationshipbetweenthebehaviors
exhibitedandthedisabilityofthatchild.Amanifestationdeterminationisaninvestigationthat
focusesonthecorrelationbetweenthestudentsbehaviorandthestudentsdisability.Ifthe
behaviorisevokedbythedisability,thendisciplinaryactionmaynotbeappropriate.Thislawis
toensurethatthestudentsbehaviorisbeingaddressedappropriatelyandnotthroughreactive
suspensionandexpulsion.
Furthermore,Morrissey,Bohanon,andFenning(2010),statethatwhileIDEA2004also
mandatesthatstudentsreceivetheireducationintheleastrestrictiveenvironment,manygeneral
educationteachersarenotprovidedwiththoroughtrainingtoaddressthebehaviorsofstudents
withspecialneeds.Thus,theseteachersresorttothesamedisciplinaryactionstakenwiththeir
studentswhodonotreceivespecialeducationservices.
WhenlookingatthefollowingdatapresentedbySullivanandBal(2013),morequestions
comestofruition:Studysuggeststhatthedisciplinepoliciesandproceduresareimportantto
considerwheninvestigatingdifferentialdisabilityrisk.Studentswithhighnumbersof
suspensionswereatanincreasedriskofidentificationforspecialeducationandasSLD(Specific
LearningDisability),ED(EmotionalDisturbance),orOHI(OtherHealthImpairment)
specifically(p.489).Inparticularinelementaryschools,cantheamountofbehaviorincidents
thenleadtoanincidentofidentificationofadisabilitythatrequirestheneedforspecial
educationservices?Atthehighschool,Iwouldquestiontheopposite,forexample:doesthe

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identificationofspecialeducationthenleadtoincreasedsuspensionsanddetentionsbyuntrained
teachersandstaffwhodonothavebehavioralreductiontraining?
Wagner,Kutash,Duchnowski,Epstein,&Sumi(2005)wouldaffirmthatquestionby
referencingtheirdatathatstatesthatsuspensionandexpulsionratesofhighschoolstudentswith
EmotionalDisturbancesarefourtimeshigherthanstudentingeneraleducation.Thus,the
problemwithdisciplinarypracticesishappeningatboththeelementaryandsecondaryschool
levels.AsSayman(2012)states,Theseexclusionarypracticesbeginasearlyasthekindergarten
yearsforsomechildrenand,oncelabeledastroublemakersbyteachersandadministrators,they
findthemselvesmarginalized,beginningajourneyofexclusions(p.65).Thisexhibitsthatthe
practicesofteachersinelementaryschoolarejustimportantasthatofteachersinhighschool
teacher.Giventhisinformation,theNewarkUnifiedSchoolDistrictsplantoimplementPBISat
allsitesincludingelementaryisvaluableandontrackwithresearch.
Thedisciplinaryactionsofdetentionandsuspensiontoseparatethestudentswithspecial
needsaffectedfromtheirtypicalpeers,continuestoreducetheamountofeducationalminutes
andsocialtimethatstudentswithspecialneedscanbenefitfrom.Sayman(2012)continuesto
voiceherdisapprovalofthedisciplinarypracticesofschoolsbystatingthattheyaregiventoo
muchpowerwhichthenallowstheteacherandadministratorstodeterminewhichkidsare
normalandwhichonesaremaladjustedorunstable(p.75).Theselabelscanfollowa
studentthroughouttheiracademiccareerandtheimplicationsthatfollowtheselabelscanleadto
astudentsfeelingsaboutschool.Saymanstatesthatifthestudentistreatednegativelybystaff,
theirbehaviorswillinturnbenegative.

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Thedataandinformationprovidedinthisliteraturenotonlysupportsthatthereisan
overalltrendintheinequalityfordisciplinarypracticesandspecialeducation,buttheyalso
assistedwithconcludingactivewaystomakechangesinadistrictinordertosupportteachers
andstudentwithspecialneedswithinterventionstodealwithandreducetheunwanted
behaviors.
ConclusionsfromLiterature
AfterreviewingthefindingsfromNewarkMemorialHighSchoolandthedataprovided
bythearticlesread,itisimportanttoconcludethatchangeofdisciplinarypoliciesandpractices
withinmanyschoolsanddistrictsshouldbeexamined.AsSullivan(2012)states:Together,
thesefindingsemphasizetheneedtoexploretherolesofschoolstructuresandeveryday
practicesinshapingsuchinequities(p.498).Furthermore,professionaldevelopmenton
interventionsandstrategiestosupportstudentswithspecialneedsinordertoreducebehaviorsis
imperative.
NewarkUnifiedSchoolDistrictbegantoreviewtheinequitiesintheirdisciplinary
practicesbecausethedistrictteamnotedthesuspensionandexpulsionratesweremuchhigher
thanthestateandcountyaverages.AccordingtoMrs.Garcia,thedistrictwantedtobesurewe
wereutilizingallresourcesoncampustoimprovethedisciplinaryactionsandpersonalneeds
thatmaycausethebehaviorsfromourstudents.
Wagner,Kutash,Duchnowski,Epstein,&Sumi(2005)statedThefieldneeds
mechanismsthatsupplyincentivesforcommunitiestodevelopcomprehensive,coordinate
servicesthatcanmoreadequatelyaddressthemultipleneedsofthesechildrenandtheirfamilies
(p.93).Thisshouldnotbethecase,sinceaccesstoequaleducationisaright.Thereshouldbea

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persononstafftoidentifytheseinequitiesandputplansinplaceforthemostimportant
incentive:studentbehavioralimprovementandequalityeducation.AtNMHS,thedeanof
studentsisresponsibleforsupplyingdataandthePBISteamisresponsibleforcollaboratingon
potentialremediesfortheidentifiedinequities.
Inanefforttoimprovetheirdisciplinarypracticesbeginningwiththesecondaryschools,
thedistricthiredacountyemployee,VictoriaGarcia.AsaPBIStrainedcoach,sheisresponsible
fordefiningtheresourcesalreadyinexistenceonourcampusandmakingthemavailableand
knowntostaffandstudentsasapartofthePBISprocess.Theliteratureabovealsostatesthat
implementingthemethodsofPBISisaneffectivemodeofaddressingtheinequity.Thedistrictis
concernedabouthowthedisciplinaryproceduresdirectlyaffectallstudents.Iwouldliketo
supporttheirconcernbyspecificallyresearchingdisciplinaryactionsofstudentswithspecial
needsandtheinequitiesfoundin
Figures26
above.
ThemostapplicablearticlereadforthisprojectwasaboutPositiveBehaviorSupports.
ThearticlewaswrittenbyMorrissey,Bohanon,andFenning(2010).Theystatethatwhen
implementingaprogramlikePositiveBehaviorSupportsitisimportanttoprovidesystematic
directteachingofexpectedbehaviorstoallstaffandstudentsandthenacknowledging
(rewardinginsomeway]allthosewhomeettheexpectations(p.28).Forstudentswithspecial
needs,directlybeingtaughttherulesisimportant,andthenthereisnoroomforinterpretationor
misunderstanding.Theroleofaspecialeducatorinthiscasewouldbetocreateamultimodal
lessonsothatallstudents,whomaylearnindifferentwayscanthengrasptheconcepts.Thisone
strategyofsimplyexplainingtherulesindetailcanmakeadifferenceinthesuspensionand
detentionratesofstudentswithspecialneeds.Thetrainingandinformationprovidedthroughthe

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PositiveBehaviorandSupportInterventiontieredprogramswillprovidequalitytrainingtoany
facultyandstaffthatimplementswhatthisprogramprovides.

Figure7:PBISTieredSystem

Thetieredsystemapproachisillustratedin
Figure7:PBIStieredsystem
.Througha
trainingprovidedbythedistrict,thePBISteamofNewarkMemorialHighSchoollearnedwhat
theindividualtiersmeanandstrategiestoputinplaceinordertoreducethebehaviorsofeach
tier.Theideaisthat80%ofstudentswillrespondtoTier1supportswhichincludeprimary
preventionssuchascreatingaschoolwiderewardsystemandtrainingstaffonbasic
intervention.Tier2typicallyaffectsapproximately15%ofthestudentpopulationwhomayneed
moreredirectionandsupport.Thistiermayutilizestudentgroupsoronsitesupportsystemssuch
ascounseling,behaviorcontracts,socialstories,orpeertutoring.Tier3interventionsand
supportsaremeanttosupport5%ofthestudentpopulationwhohavehighriskorchronic

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behaviors.StrategiestosupportstudentsinTier3arementalhealthreferral,dailybehavioral
form,teachingconflictresolutionorcopingskills,andfunctionalbehavioralanalysis.
Theentirearticlereviewsthemethodologyofthistieredprogramthatdirectlyaddresses
thedisciplinaryactionsoftheschool.NowthatthePBISteamatNMHShasbeentrainedonthis
matter,teamwillberesponsibleforleadingprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities,determining
amethodofaddressingaccountabilityamongstteachersandstudents,andcollectingbehavioral
andsurveydataontheeffectivenessofthisprogram.Thisteamofteacherswillbeoneofthe
collaborativegroupsthatcanassistincreatinganeffectiveactionplantoimplementinorderto
decreasethisinequity.
Collaborators
Inordertoensurethattheinequityisaddressed,Ihaveidentifiedtwoteamsof
stakeholdersatNewarkMemorialHighSchooltogainfurtherperspectivesandapproachesto
addressingthedata.
AtNewarkMemorialHighSchool,therearetwoteamsoffacultymembersthatcould
assistwithtacklingtheinequityofsuspensionsforstudentswithspecialneedsformulatedonour
campus.Thefirstteamofteachersisthespecialeducationdepartment.Madeupoftenteachers,
aspeechandlanguagepathologist,andschoolpsychologist,thespecialeducationdepartment
worksdirectlywiththepopulationbeingaffectedinthisinequity.WhileIhavesharedmy
findingswiththedepartmentheadinaninformalsetting,thedepartmenthashadmorepressing
issuestoaddressatourrecentmonthlymeetings.Themainissuebeingaddressedisthedistrict's
mandatedmovefrompulloutresourcetocoteachingwithgeneraleducationteachers.The
specialeducationteachersaretrainedtoworkwiththestudentswhowesupport,specificallyin

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therealmsofbehaviorandscaffoldingcurriculum.Theinequityalreadyexistswiththesepull
outsupportsinplace.Thehighconcernforthischangeistrainingteacherswhotypicallydonot
workwithspecialeducationstudentonmakingcurriculumaccessibleandclassroom
management.KellyGuenther,thedepartmenthead,feelsthatthisinequitycouldfurthermore
increase.Sheunderstandstheimportanceofourdepartmentreviewingthedataprovidedinthis
plan.
ForthemonthofApril,thisinformationwillbepresentedtothespecialeducation
department.Theteamwillutilizemyplanofactionasasteppingstonewhilemodifyingitwith
ideasdevelopedbythestass.Thevarietyofbackgroundsandexpertiseofthisteamwillallow
foranenhancedandwelldevelopedplan.FicarraandQuinn,stated:giventheinclusivenature
oftodaysclassrooms,itisimperativethatgeneraleducatorsalsoreceiveinstructionintheir
preparationprogrammesthatemphasiseeffectiveevidencebasedclassroommanagement
techniques(2014).Thespecialeducationteacherswillbeutilizedassourcesofknowledgeand
supportasthestaffandfacultyofNMHSaretrainedtoincorporatecoteachingandthestudents
whoneedappropriatesupportandservicesinplace.
Thesecondteamofteachersthatcouldsupportintacklingthisareaofinequityisthe
PositiveBehaviorSupportInterventionsteammentionedabove.TherearetwoPBISteamsat
NewarkMemorialHighSchoolatieroneteamandatiertwoteam.Thetieroneteamconsists
ofoneadministrator,thedeanofstudents,theathleticdirector,threegeneraleducationteachers,
theactivitiesdirector,adistrictcoach,andtwospecialeducationteachers.Inthesummerof
2014,thisteammettocreateawelldevelopedprofessionaldevelopmentseriesonthenew
schoolacronymforbehavioralmanagement.Theteamfollowedthesupportsandtrainingthey

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hadlearnedoverthe20142105schoolyeartocreateacohesiveplanofactiontomeettheneeds
ofthosestudentswhofallintotierone.Specialeducationstudentswhorespondtotieronedonot
chronicallyreceivedetentionsorsuspensions.Thestudentswhoreceivesuspensionsand
detentionswouldbenefitfromthetiertwosupports.
Thetiertwoteamconsistsoftwospecialeducationteachers,thedeanofstudents,one
schoolcounselor,amentalhealthcounselor,aschoolpsychologist,andanadministrator.This
teamhasjustbeguntrainingonimplementationofthetiertwosystems.Whilebothteamshave
reviewedthedataprovidedinthisreportaswellastheactionplan,thetiertwoteamcouldbest
utilizethisactionplantoguidetheirimplementationofthisprogramatNewarkMemorialHigh
School.Tiertwoisgearedtowardstudentswhoneedmoreguidanceorspecialcircumstances
whenaddressingtheirbehaviors.Bothteamsimpartedtheirknowledgeoftheconcernsand
trendsrevolvingaroundthisinequityandpossiblemethodsofresolution.Theteamshave
contributedideas,providedfeedback,andnotedresourcesavailabletotheteaminorderto
supportthefollowingactionplan.
NextStepsTowardActionPlan
KeystakeholdersoncampusspecificallyfromthePBISandspecialeducationfocus
groups,haveassistedinthecreationofthisactionplantowardthereductionofsuspensionsfor
studentswithspecialneeds.Thefollowingactionplanshouldbeutilizedtomakeadifferenceon
theNewarkMemorialHighSchoolcampus:
PBISTierTwoteamshouldcontinuethetrainingcomponentsledbyaPBIS
facilitator.

RangelEquityPlanPage18

TierTwoteamshouldcreatemeaningfulstaffdevelopmentseriesoninterventions
andstrategiestoreducebehavioralincidents.
PBISteamshouldcreatealistofresourcesandstrategiesaccessibletostafffor
supportinclassroominterventionsandschoolwidedisciplinaryplans.
PBISteamshouldmonitorthesuspensionsforstudentswithspecialneedsand
addressconcernswithcasemanagerandteacherswhoworkdirectlywiththat
studentpriortomanifestationdiscussion.
Surveythestafftounderstandtheirneedsintrainingonthetopicofhandlingand
reducingbehaviors.Thiswillhelpdevelopacohesiveandapplicabletraining.
Createonlinefolderorbinderfornewstafftobetrainedonandtrainedstaffcan
refertoinordertoobtainresources.
SpecialEducationteachersshouldpremeetwithgeneraleducationteachersto
createaclassroommanagementplanthatappropriatelysupportsstudents
SpecialEducationTeachersshouldmodelappropriatebehavioralsupportswhile
coteachingwithgeneraleducationteachers
Whenthedistrictprovidestrainingoncoteaching,theyshouldutilizespecial
educationteachersorPBISmethodstoaddressbehavioralmanagementin
classrooms.
Resources
NewarkMemorialhasaplethoraofresourcesattheirfingertipstoaddresstheinequity
foundonourcampus.ThePBISteamwillcontinuetoreceivedirecttrainingeverytwomonths
onevidencebasedstrategiestoimplementthistieredsystem.ThePBIStrainingalsoprovides

RangelEquityPlanPage19

onlinepowerpointtrainings,webinars,videos,reproduciblematerials,publicationsonupdated
tips,andmore.ThePBIScoachwillremainoncampusforthefirstthreeyearsof
implementationandwillsupporttheteamandtheteachers,withtheassistanceofthePBISteam
leader.
Anothervitalresourceoncampusisthespecialeducationdepartment.Theirexpertise
andknowledgewillbeveryadvantageousduringthetransitiontocoteachingandwhile
implementingaplanofactiontoreducethenumberofsuspensionsforstudentswithspecial
needs.Generaleducationteacherscangainknowledgeondifferentiationandaccommodations
thatmayreducebehaviorsintheclassroom.Thespecialeducationteachercanalsomodel
positivebehavioralinterventionswithintheclassroomwhileteaching.Manyofourspecial
educationteachersonsitehavebooksandresourcesthatcansupportteacherswhoneedmore
supportattheschoolsitewhenworkingwiththespecialeducationpopulation.
Atthedistrictoffice,thedistrictspecialeducationstaffandbehaviorspecialistwillalso
providequalityresourcesonmethodsandstrategiestoreducebehaviors.AstheleaderofPBIS,I
wouldencouragethespecialeducationdirectorandprogramspecialisttoresearchtrainingsfor
principalsandleadstafftoattendontheeffectivenessofresearchbasedstrategies,suchasPBIS,
toimplementattheirsites.
Finally,partofthePBISprocesswasteachingstaffabouttheoncampusCommunity
OutreachServiceTeam(COST).Thestaffwasintroducedtothereferralprocessandpotential
outcomestoconceivableconcerns.TheCOSTteamismadeupofaschoolpsychologist,two
mentalhealthcounselors,anadministrator,theresourceofficer,andtheschoolcounselors.This

RangelEquityPlanPage20

teamisknowledgeableonoutsideresourcesthatcouldsupportstudentswhoarestrugglingwith
behaviorduetooutsidestressorssuchashomelifeandstressors.
Theseresourcesarebeneficialtoallstudentscanreallyhelptodevelopacohesiveschool
thatworkstoreduceallbehaviors,byprovidingstudentswithwhattheyneedtobesuccessfulin
andoutsideofschool.

RangelEquityPlanPage21

References
CaliforniaDepartmentofEducation.(20132014).
SuspensionsandExpulsionRatesofNewark
MemorialHighSchool
[DataFile].
http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/SuspExp/suspexplrate.aspx
Ficara,L.&Quinn,K.(2014).TeachersFacilitywithEvidenceBasedClassroomManagement
Practices:AnInvestigationofTeachersPreparationProgrammesandInservice
Conditions.
JournalofTeacherEducationforSustainability.
Vol.16(No.2),pp7187.
Garcia,Victoria.PersonalCommunication.January2016.
Kemerer,F.&Sansom,P.(2013).
Californiaschoollaw
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Morrisey,K.L.,Bohanon,H.,&Fenning,P.(2010).PositiveBehaviorSuppor
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Sullivan,A.L.&Bal,A.(2013).DisproportionalityinSpecialEducation:Effectsof
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ChildrenandYouthWeServe:ANationalPictureoftheCharacteristicsofStudentswith
EmotionalDisturbancesReceivingSpecialEducation.
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