# 11 Closing the Gap Narrative

Makaha Elementary is currently participating in a complex-wide initiative developing multi-tiered systems of support with consultant Diana Browning Wright. Due to Waianae students’ high needs, school and complex plans include this critical priority. Based on analysis of school data, leadership recognized that students with emotional/behavioral concerns also frequently manifest academic struggles. Makaha’s battery of Kindergarten entry screening assessments including Hawaii Early Learning Standards (HELDS) show incoming student readiness at 20 points below the U.S. mean with substantial weaknesses in adaptive social behavior and cognition. Students also continue to struggle through school. Waianae High School student scores on college readiness indicators, ACT Reading and Math, are 50% lower than Hawaii averages. A critical component of our Response to Intervention-Behavior (RTIb) three tiered system, is the implementation of universal screening and intervention-matching to proactively identify students needing specific, focussed behavioral supports before negative outcomes such as behavioral incidents and academic failure occur. The Brief Externalizing and Internalizing Screener for Youth (BEISY) identified students “At-Risk” for these concerns. “At-risk” students were then targeted for an appropriate Tier 2 interventions following teacher completion of the Student Intervention Matching form (SIM).



After students were identified through screening, we supported teacher completion of the Student Intervention Matching form (SIM) and students were matched with specific interventions. For this plan we selected students who were matched with Check-In Check-Out (CICO). This comprised the largest “intervention cluster”, required direct counselor support, and we wanted to develop adult mentorship opportunities as research indicates improves resiliency and school connectedness. The spring 2015/16 BEISY showed 98/570 (17%) students were “At-Risk” for internalizing, externalizing, or both behaviors. All students were screened, but for our Closing the Gap Action Plan, we targeted general education students. Special education students received their interventions through a behavioral health specialist (BHS). Eliminating students with IEPs and those who transferred out, we ended up with 47 students of whom 13 (28%) were matched to the CICO intervention. All 13 students also qualified for free/reduced lunch and 92% were members of ethnic minorities including 10 Native Hawaiians.



Because all 13 also scored within the two lowest rubric indicators, “Rarely” and “Sometimes”, on their report card GLO #1: Self-Directed Learner, (the ability to be responsible for one’s own learning), we created this goal: By the end of SY 2016-17, 100% of general education students with an identified Tier 2 intervention, (#13 students), will improve by one “rubric step” on their General Learner Outcomes report card indicator. Teachers use GLO rubrics to grade students, assessing the whole child’s learning behaviors. Keeping long term outcomes in mind, we also tracked reading lexile levels.



Overall, BEISY perception data indicated that 8/13 (62%) students demonstrated post-intervention externalizing score improvement, 6/13 (46%) had internalizing improvement and 4 students (31%) improved on both. In addition to CICO, each child had a goal chart scored daily by their teacher, and 6/16 (38%) of the goals were met consistently (80+%). Two were rescinded from the intervention due to substantial progress and teachers recommended 3 students continue CICO in the next school year. Teachers reported that although some students did not meet their goal consistently, they observed improvement. We will use this information to inform how we develop future goals to better shape student success.



We also provided a lunch-bunch mentoring group with a counselor with a dual purpose, as a “purchased incentive” and as social skills group. Students could select participation on a counselor provided menu of incentives. The counselor used this time to develop positive relationships, to read social stories and to facilitate conversation. Quarterly, the “cost” of attendance raised, and yet, all students consistently chose to attend, which indicated their engagement in the group and served as evidence of their progress on B-SS2 and B-SS3.



Outcome data showed 7 students (54%) moved up one rubric step on their GLO#1 and 10 students (77%) demonstrated lexile reading level improvement. Out of the 10 with lexile improvement, 6 also demonstrated behavior gains, a significant correlation We will share this data with our teachers hoping that this evidence will encourage teachers to select CICO for students matched with multiple interventions. We also need to find ways to creatively group or cluster students for CICO or to train additional staff to implement it as the intervention requires a lot of time. Finally, we would like to collect additional perception data to more directly connect our interventions to student mindset

Goal: By the end of SY 2016-17, 100% of general education students with an identified Tier 2 intervention, (#13 students), will improve by one “rubric step” on their General Learner Outcomes report card indicators.

Target Group: Students identified on the Student Intervention Matching form as a match for the Check-In Check-Out Intervention

Data Used to Identify Students: Brief Externalizing and Internalizing Screener for Youth (BEISY) and Student Intervention Matching (SIM) Form

School Counselor(s): Dane Toyama

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): M 1. Belief in development of whole, self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well being. M 2. Self Confidence in ability to succeed. M 3. Sense of belonging in the school environment. M 6. Positive attitude toward work and learning. B-LS 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning. B-LS 7 Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals. B-SMS 1. Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility. B-SMS 2. Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control. B-SMS 3. Demonstrate self-discipline to work independently. B-SMS 5. Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long- and short-term goals.. B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem. B-SS 1. Use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills. B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students. B-SS 3. Create relationships with adults that support success. B-SS 6. Use effective collaboration and cooperations skills. B-SS 9. Demonstrate social maturity and behavior appropriate to the situation and environment

Type of Activities to be Delivered in What Manner?: Behavior Chart: Teacher, counselor and student will collaborate to develop a behavior chart/goal sheet Check-In/Check-out (CICO): Counselor will check-in daily in the morning to provide encouragement and get a temp check on how the student is feeling to prevent possible negative outcomes. Counselor will check-out daily in the afternoon with the student to review their goals and their progress. Incentives: Counselor will provide incentive (ICU tickets) when the students meet their behavior goals Mentoring: Students self-select lunch bunch-time with counselor and may select peers to join. Counselor will read social stories while the students eat lunch. Counselor will meet with teacher every 4-6 weeks to discuss student’s progress.

Process Data (Number of students affected): 98 students were identified as having a concern (Externalizing, Internalizing, or Both) on the BEISY. Of those, 38 were already identified as a student with a disability or were later identified with a disability. Of the remaining 60 students, 13 students transferred out of our school at various points of the school year. Within the remaining 47 students, 13 were identified on the Student Intervention Matching Form completed by the teacher as being a match for the Check-In Check-Out intervention.

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Of the 13 students identified on the SIM as being a strong candidate for Check-In Check-Out, 8 student ratings improved on the BEISY screener for Externalizing behaviors. For Internalizing behaviors, 6 student ratings improved. Also, 4 students had their ratings improve on both behaviors, Externalizing and Internalizing. Overall, 10 out of 13 students saw one of their ratings increase on the BEISY (Externalizing or Internalizing behaviors) Each student had individualized behavior goal(s) which the teacher scored daily. On the student behavior goal sheets, 6 student goals were met at least 80% of the time, 5 were met at least 70% of the time, and 5 were met less than 70% of the time.

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): 7 of 13 students moved up one rubric step on their General Learner Outcome report card for their GLO #1: Self Directed Learner. 2 of the 7 students were rescinded from the intervention due to substantial progress. Also, 10 students increased reading lexile level according the school’s reading program, iReady. 6/13 students made academic (Lexile) and behavior (GLO) gain.

Implications: Even though 6 out of the 13 students did not meet their goal consistently, teachers recommended that 3 of these students have the Check-In Check-Out intervention continue next school year. Teachers reported that despite not meeting their goal, they did observe progress in student behavior. Share with staff the success of the Check-In Check-Out Intervention (7/13 made gains in their behavior, 10/13 on their reading lexile, and 6/13 students made progress in their behavior and academics) with the intent of having teachers select this intervention more often. The Student Intervention Matching form will sometimes identify multiple interventions as fitting the needs of the student and teacher’s will need to select one of the interventions. Find more and train more staff to implement the Check-In Check-Out Intervention. Students demonstrated their value of positive adult and peer relationships when self-selecting to attend lunch bunch. Student’s received an ICU (school-wide motivational system) when they reached their goal. Students were given a menu of incentives that they could select from, with lunch bunch with the counselor costing the most ICUs. 100% of students saved their ICUs to select additional counseling support through lunch bunch (39 times). Students also had the option of bringing a friend, which cost more ICUs, which they frequently chose to do

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