Study of the Mount Diablo Unified School District - Mt. Diablo Unified ...

Service Delivery Options and Continuum of ServicesIssue 3‐14: Inconsistent Implementation of Functional Approaches to Instruction.Effective instruction for students with moderate to severe disabilities focuses on theteaching of functional skills. These are skills that are necessary for the student to besuccessful in family, school, and community environments. Strategies include use ofinstructional materials that are real and meaningful to the students, structuredopportunities to generalize skills, and teaching in natural contexts including real materials inreal life settings.During classroom observations and review of records, MGT found that the implementationof a functional approach to teaching students with moderate to severe disabilities is notconsistent. Some teachers were observed to actively engage students in functionalacademic activities. Students in other classrooms, however, engaged in activities that werepresented outside of a functional framework. Examples of activities that lacked relevanceincluded the teaching of isolated academic skills without relating them to a functionalcontext, use of worksheets to teach math to students within a group setting, and theengagement of older students in non‐age appropriate activities such as coloring.Considerations for Issue 3‐14:• Ensure that all teachers working in classrooms for students with moderate andsevere disabilities are trained in best practices including the functional teaching ofacademics and other skills.• Implement a system to support new or struggling teachers in this area through theuse of peer teachers, program specialists, and regularly scheduled departmentmeetings.Cost Implications for Issue 3‐14:The costs associated with implementation of this consideration are for staff time andprofessional development. The district should not incur any additional costs in the targetedschools if the professional development and district support are provided during the schoolday during planning periods, faculty meetings, early release days, or embedded staffdevelopment in the classroom. If substitutes are required, the district costs would be $120per teacher per day. If professional development is provided after the school day, thedistrict costs would be $25 per hour per teacher. MGT cannot calculate costs forsubstitutes or teacher stipends at this time, as the costs are based on the number of hoursand the method for delivery of the professional development.Issue 3‐15: Inconsistent Utilization of Instructional Assistants to Provide Instruction.Variation in the effective use of instructional assistants was noted during onsiteobservations of classrooms for students with moderate and severe disabilities. In someclassrooms, instructional assistants were actively engaged in teaching individuals or smallMGT of America, Inc. Page 3‐20