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Cash for Chromebooks: Budgeting Tips for the Technology Department

‘Tis the season: as we approach the end of the year, families are preparing to gather over festive meals, students will head home for winter break… and department heads in schools everywhere will joyfully begin to put together their budgets for the next school year.
 
For K-12 IT professionals, that not only means keeping accurate tabs on the devices in your schools, it also means making the case for a technology budget that the Finance department can get behind. In this episode of Field Trip, Frontline’s podcast for leaders in education, resident asset management expert AnnaMaria Gallozzi joins us to look at how Technology departments can set themselves up for success in the next budgeting season and ensure students and staff have access to the tools they need for teaching and learning.
 

 

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify.
 

We explore:

  • Pitfalls to avoid during budgeting season
  • How to make the case to Finance for your technology budget
  • Short-term and long-term timing considerations
  • The single biggest thing you can do to position yourself for success in the coming year

 

Dig Deeper:

 

 

Episode Transcript

 
RYAN ESTES: When I was a kid, I remember when our family got our first computer. This was the mid-80s, and my dad unpacked an enormous, Leading Edge IBM PC-compatible beige box with a monochrome amber screen and a 5.25-inch floppy disk drive. Along with the noisy dot matrix printer, I think at the time it cost around two grand, which in today’s dollars would be over 5,600 bucks.
 
I’m really glad computers have gotten cheaper since then, and since most schools now provide every student with their own device, or at least most middle and high schools, it’s a good thing that Chromebooks and entry level laptops can be had for only a few hundred dollars. That said, once you multiply that by every student and staff member in your schools, and then add in all your other technology spending on smart boards and networks and software and security and maintaining everything, it can be a pretty hefty price tag at the end of the day.
 
That’s why today I’m joined by my colleague AnnaMaria Gallozzi, who works here at Frontline Education to provide school districts with the tools and practices they need to make smart decisions around their technology. From Frontline Education, this is Field Trip.
 
[music]
 
So, AnnaMaria, welcome to Field Trip.
 
ANNAMARIA GALLOZZI: Hi, I’m so excited to be here with you today.
 
RYAN: Well, I’m glad you’re here, too. Today we’re going to have a conversation about budget planning for school Technology departments, and specifically how they can work most effectively with the Finance department. But let’s begin with the why. I know that you spend a lot of time working with schools on this stuff. When it comes to Technology and Finance, what are some of the common pitfalls that you’d like to help school districts avoid?
 
ANNAMARIA: I think the most common pitfall overall is going to be communication. So, oftentimes you have our Technology departments and our Finance departments working in silos and not having ways to effectively communicate with one another. And it’s oftentimes because the two are so focused on different pieces, right?
 
Our Finance department is really focused on budgeting, understanding what the school district needs from a financial standpoint, where our Technology departments are often looking at, “What do we have? How do we continue to ensure that our staff and students have the technology they need to be successful? How do we continue with trends while making sure that we’re educating people on how to use these items?”
 
And so they’re looking at two very different data points, and that communication overlay doesn’t happen often in a way that either department feels comfortable talking about, right? Technology wants to understand what staff and teachers need and what our students need, but they’re often not looking at the budgetary purposes of it.
 
They say, “Oh, Finance can figure that out. But when Finance starts to figure that out, they’re not understanding why we need the new smart boards that are coming out, and how the ones that we currently have are end of life. And what does that look like? And why are our Chromebooks end of life? We’ve had them for three years.
 
And so trying to give tools to both Finance and Technology that will make them communicate more effectively with data points that not only matter to technology, but will also matter to Finance, I think is one of the things that our teams struggle with together. So how do I make what I care about translate into what the other department cares about?
 
RYAN: Right now we’re recording this, we’re about to enter the school budgeting cycle. So talk to me about budgeting, because I know that it’s really important for personal finances, but super critical when you’re dealing with big numbers and really complex purchasing needs like school districts have. What is important for Technology departments to consider when building a budget, especially when it comes to collaborating with Finance?
 
ANNAMARIA: You know, I’m happy you called out when we’re recording this, because right now we’re seeing, is we’re losing COVID funding. And what that means is CARES and ESSER and E-Connectivity and all the different pieces that we really relied on over the last three to four years to become a one-to-one school district.
 
And most of the school districts that we talked to are one to one instead of Bring Your Own Device like they used to be or charging carts where they were shared devices. So now as we look into what’s important, it’s been three or four years since we’ve had these bulk purchases of Chromebooks or iPads or MacBooks to get into the hands of students. And that also includes those hotspots. Chromebooks are fantastic, but if you ever picked up a Chromebook, they’re pretty plastic and students are pretty rough, whether they’re throwing them in their backpack to go home or they’re just, you know, using them as frisbees. We’ve seen everything across schools.
 
And so not only should school districts look at what they have now in inventory, what’s missing, What they’re going to need for end of life of devices, because Chromebooks do have a seven year shelf life, but a lot of our schools have a projected life of four years. So what does that mean? How many bulk assets am I going to have to purchase?
 
We’re also going to need to look at enrollment. Unfortunately, across the United States, enrollment numbers are dipping. Our public schools are losing enrollment. Charter schools might be gaining enrollment or private schools even. And so how does what we’re tracking for technology now map with the enrollment numbers that we have? And we’re also in a staffing crisis. So how many staff members do we have? And it might be significantly less than when you originally purchased. So looking at our enrollment numbers, at our FTE numbers, our full time employee counts, outside of just teachers and credentialed staff, but also other staff members like school nurses who also get Chromebooks or even laptops. What do I need to do to map my inventory to my enrollment numbers, to my staff, to FTE? And then further, what’s coming end of life? What’s no longer working?
 
So when I was in school, and I’m going to date myself a little bit here, we had those overhead projectors. We also had TVs on carts. Those are no longer things that schools are using, right? So they’ve moved away from televisions altogether and they’re using these smart boards that can connect and mirror devices. But those smart boards constantly are changing. So how do we keep our schools connected with what they were doing without losing what we currently have?
 
And so some of the data points that our districts are really looking at, I talked about enrollment, I talked about end of life of the devices from the manufacturers, their own projected refresh cycles. So is that three to four years? What do our budgets have? What kind of discounts can I get from vendors if I do buy in bulk? So I might only need 20 computers at one school, but what are we also looking at for those replacements? So would it be more beneficial if I buy a hundred so then I have extra on hand to also give out to students if they break it? This way they’re not down a day or two while we’re trying to repair them.
 
And then also looking at repair costs. So, have you done a good job of keeping track of what you’ve repaired over the years? How much that’s cost for each repair for each type of device you’re repairing. And is it oftentimes better to just buy a new device than to spend the man hours and the repair costs on a device? And so looking at all those data points to truly understand, as I go into my budgeting cycle, what is this going to look like for me to make sure that I have everything on hand that I need?
 
RYAN: If I’m a Technology director in a school, how do I make the case and then back it up with data that I am going to need to purchase more technology? That can be a big expenditure. So we just talked about the numbers that Finance is looking at, but how do we actually make that case in a way that it’s going to be well received by the finance department?
 
ANNAMARIA: Oh, well received was the key point there, right? Our students need to learn. And right now, the way that they’re learning to enter into the workforce or universities later on is on technology. It’s where we’re all going. It’s what the world is seeing. And so that emotional appeal, number one, is a really good way to understand, “We need this.” That’s not going to get it over the line.
 
So the next thing is, how do I come at this analytically? How do I show that what we currently have in inventory doesn’t track with what we need? And there’s a few pieces and ways to get that information.
 
Number one, you have to keep an inventory. So putting your hands or having someone who puts hands on every device that you have inside the district is going to be step number one. What do I have? Where is it? And how is it currently being used? I remember we did a physical inventory at a school district, but when we got on site, they just had storage closets full of new iPads that were never opened that had been purchased two years prior.
 
If you don’t know what you have and how is it being used, you’re going to over-purchase or potentially under-purchase. And so that’s going to be step number one. So, do what you need in the technology department to figure out, “What do I have, how is it being used, and where is it?”
 
Number two, I’m going to harp on this again, look at your enrollment numbers. How many students do I have per campus? Second, look at your staff numbers. How many staff do I have per campus? Then take your inventory from step number one, those enrollments from step number two, and run some analytics. Hopefully you’re using a system that can do that for you, so it’s not as stressful to have to pull all of this from your SIS or HR system, and then your inventory system.
 
RYAN: And then run around to every different school and get spreadsheets from every principal or technology director there.
 
ANNAMARIA: Oh yeah, because you know, spreadsheets are not obsolete, no matter how hard we try to make them obsolete. How do we make that easier and do it all in one system? And then from there, now you actually have to dive a little bit deeper into that inventory. And that’s where that model end of life comes into play. That’s where your projected life cycle comes into play and your repair costs come into play. So if you have all of those analytics set up in a nice, clean… honestly, a chart that has graphics that shows where are we with our inventory versus our enrollment versus the cost that it takes to maintain what we currently have, and then the gap for what we need to purchase what’s coming to end of life. How many years do we have left on some of these devices so can we look at budgeting in the next four or five years?
 
You’ll know your enrollment trends at that point to understand where are we going? Are we losing? Are we gaining? From there, I think you can really have a good case to show analytically why we’re doing this. So if you can present that in a way that is easy to digest, our technology teams are going to be successful.
 
RYAN: Let’s talk about timing for a second, because we mentioned that we’re here at the, you know, coming into the budgeting process at this time of the year. But as we seek to be good partners with the Finance department, present them information in a way that they’re going to receive it well, what is some of the timing that I’m going to want to consider as I look at, “Okay, I’m going to need to make a case for budget for new equipment or updating our current equipment. How can I best be the kind of partner that Finance is going to want to work with?”
 
ANNAMARIA: Having these two departments, your Technology and your Finance departments, become partners is going to be key to success overall, whether we’re in budget season or not in budget season, because things are going to pop up outside of budget season that you’re going to need their support and their help on.
 
And so I talked early on about communication being key, but communication is only part of it. One of those teams is not doing what we need them to do. And so for technology, we want to make sure that we’re going in and we’re auditing. And audit’s a four letter word at a school district. I understand that. So maybe we call it a physical inventory. We’re going in and we’re doing our physical inventories and we’re truly understanding, “What do I have?”
 
The best time to do that is actually between the Thanksgiving break and your holiday break in December. It’s when the least instruction time is happening. It’s when all devices are on site. There’s no testing normally going on. And so getting that full inventory and getting the help from your staff members, that’s going to be key to do that.  
As we go into timing, after you have that information, we’re now at the beginning of January, which is really when they want those fine tuned numbers. So you’ve already presented some numbers that might be higher or lower than what you were expecting. And you’re going through those budget conversations. So what Finance now is looking at is the grand scheme. How much money are we spending on child nutrition? How much money are we spending in Title I areas and SPED and what do they need as well?
 
And all of those areas also are part of technology. Technology has a hand in almost every area that Finance has a hand in, too. And oftentimes, all those different departments aren’t communicating with both Technology and Finance. So now we have a whole… if we look at a broken glass, all those different areas that are shattered because they’re just trying to survive in these times. I’m just trying to get what I need to be successful. And quite frankly, I don’t care how it happens, it just needs to happen. So now we have Technology and Finance that are bringing those pieces back together. They’re the glue. And so everyone needs to start communication.
 
This is a good time to start reaching out to your department heads and trying to understand what are they going to need. Are we going to need any physical therapy devices for our kids? Do we need more Title I? Do we need any type of point of sale system for kitchen and dietary? How is that working for you? Do we need new HVAC systems? How is that being maintained? Right? These are all things that I don’t think people realize Technology and Finance both care about. Because when we think about technology, people are like, “Oh, that’s just like the one to one devices,” and it’s so much more. And so when we’re starting these conversations, that inventory that is hopefully happening between Thanksgiving and that holiday break is going to show up for those technology devices that you think of, the Chromebooks, the iPads, the MacBooks, the smart boards. But they should also be looking at child nutrition. So what point of sales systems? How are your fridges doing?
 
And I know that sounds so weird, but there are technology pieces to this that they might need to fix. And there are facilities pieces that might need to go into this, right? And so talking to all these departments, getting them together, understanding what everyone’s going to need so that our department heads are going out to Finance together as a united front, saying, “This is how we can be successful together.”
 
And that starts to happen in January. So in January when they’re all meeting and they’re all trying to understand what the schools have, we’re now going to present what I call the real numbers. So we’ve now presented our wish list, we’ve come in November and we’ve said, “I want the world,” and now we’ve got to boil it down to, “Okay, what can we survive with?” And that’s going to start happening in January. So by February, the budget’s closed and this is your time to have your true numbers and on paper, ready to go, so you can present to the board as well as Finance.
 
RYAN: Let me ask you about timing a little bit beyond this year, right? Because when we think about budgets, especially when they’re this large, when they’re this complex, it’s good not to just look at the coming year but also perhaps five to ten years out to anticipate what is coming. What kinds of things should Technology departments consider that may not be as near term?
 
ANNAMARIA: Yeah, it’s a good question. And I paused because, you know, when we talk to districts about this, they consistently say, “I don’t have a magic eight ball. I don’t have that glimpse into the future.” And then we kind force their hand a little bit. And when I say “we,” Finance forces their hand a little to understand where could you be going, right? And I think our technology oftentimes has to be so pinpointed perfect with these that they stress about having to have mock numbers.
 
Our veterans that have been in school districts for a long time are really good at this because they know the pieces that are going to ebb and flow, and some of it becomes muscle memory, right? Like I know in the next three years, just because of how things have gone in the last ten, what I need to look at. And so someone who’s newer to these positions might have that anxiety as we think about the next five year plan. Most of our technology departments will have a ten year plan that they start off with, and then they do the year by year and it will make changes just like a good corporation.
 
School districts aren’t that far off from how a corporation works when they come to budgeting. And so when we look at our schools and we’re thinking of that five to ten year plan, yes, model end of life, what type of manufacturers you’re utilizing, are going to come into play. And so, for example, Microsoft sunset a bunch of devices back in 2017 and gave everyone, like, two weeks’ notice that they were going to be sunset.
 
RYAN: Wow.
 
ANNAMARIA: That hasn’t happened since then. Manufacturers have realized that’s not a good way to work. And so because manufacturers have realized that, we do know for our Google devices that we have a seven year lifespan. And I think for Apple, it’s a six year lifespan. And so we can truly predict that model end of life.
 
Now, because we know how students act with these devices, most school districts have a four to five year refresh plan for everything. So I can look at all of that and understand, “Okay, in four to five years, I need to refresh these thousand devices.” And so looking at your projected life, your refresh plan will help you with budgeting overall as we look at the big picture.
 
But then, Ryan, you brought it up, right? We talk about those repair costs. There are some pieces, printers in classrooms, we think of them as consumables at this point. If they break, it is so much cheaper to just buy a new one than it is to repair them. If our districts are not already looking at repair costs and how much time and money, because time is money, is spent on repairing these assets, and that can be done through your work order system or some of our districts do it in spreadsheets. But understanding truly what parts are being used. I’m going to fix them. So one of the biggest repairs that we see are those headphone jacks breaking off in the actual devices themselves. For a technician who has done this a few times, that’s a five-minute fix. It’s no real effort or time. That’s an easy fix. If I am having a bunch of devices with hardware issues like the keyboard’s just breaking, the screen no longer being touchscreen, those are mainly replacement fixes.
 
And so if I’m buying, for a while there was one specific Chromebook that would explode. It was a real fun one. Those are replacements and maybe we avoid that type of device again. And so when we think about, to bring it all back to thinking about that long five year plan, we’re talking not only your model end of lives and your projected refreshes, but we’re talking those repair costs, so that time and money spent on parts, and fixing them and then looking analytically, what are the trends? So, in September, am I having to replace more and what are those replacements looking like? Are there training opportunities that we can do there so we’re avoiding having to budget for this again? What does that look like? And then there’s also systems, and most SIS systems have this where they can forecast enrollment numbers based on your largest and your smallest schools and class sizes.
 
So how do we forecast what the enrollment is going to be in five years, knowing that I’m losing or I’m gaining students? And then further, you can look and see what the trends in technology are going to be. So right now, those Promethean smart boards are everywhere and that is the trend. Everyone wants to buy them. What is coming up that is going to be the next trend? And how do I budget to stay on trend with this? Because COVID changed the way we teach and we learn. So now as I look at where we’re going, how do I stay connected to the world outside so that I’m not stuck in these four walls with technology?
 
RYAN: Part of budgeting involves not just looking ahead at what we need, but also, especially when we’re trying to make a case, looking back and saying, “Hey, we have been wise stewards of the finances we’ve been given in the past, we’ve taken care of our devices, we can show you where they are and that they are being used.” So how does a Tech department make the case to Finance not only for money in the future, but to say, “Look, what you gave us last year or five years ago, we have really been faithful with in terms of how we’re using those dollars”?
 
ANNAMARIA: Oftentimes, Technology already has that information kind of at their fingertips without knowing it. They know what they purchased over the last year. They’re issuing devices and collecting devices almost daily, depending on how rough and tough the students are being with them, right? And so, for example, I might purchase, just speaking whole numbers, 20,000 devices. In those 20,000 devices, 18,000 of those have now been issued out to students and staff members. And then I have 2,000 across all of my schools that will be used for loaner devices or maybe even for parts, depending on if we had some break that we can’t send back to the vendor and fix. Now I have new keys for the keyboard when they inevitably pop out. Or I have a new screen that I can potentially use if it’s not shattered already. And so that’s also another way to show, not only do we have this wonderful graveyard of devices that we can’t use, but we’re reusing these pieces for them, so their death is not in vain. I can continue to use these Chromebook parts for as long as we have the same type of Chromebooks on site.
 
So although it looks like they might not have been used correctly, or we have some issues with them, Technology really can have a case of, “The majority of our devices are being used in one way or another, whether it is for learning or it is to ensure that learning doesn’t stop.” That’s important.
 
And often our districts are looking at them. Technology knows this stuff. They have to because they’re also looking at their technicians saying, “What are you doing every day? How are we working on these devices? What devices are working for us? How are we using these? Have we had any lemons?” And then showing Finance, “Look, we’re tracking this daily. And if you ever want to see more, we have it. We have these analytics already here for you to utilize and we’re tracking them. We know. We are always being good stewards,” and our Technology departments really are, because they know that they might not get funding again like this. And so they are really keeping track of all these different pieces from the get and making sure that our students oftentimes are held responsible for that breakage as well, whether that’s through a technology fee or having obligations against them if something does break, and have acceptable use policies that they have to sign upon issuance, that they can often have fees and fines against.
 
And if they can’t, because the school is majority Title I, there are other ways that they work through that with parents and students to ensure that those pieces do come back.
 
RYAN: That’s great. I didn’t tell you that I was going to ask this, so I’m putting you on the spot a little bit, but I think it’s a worthwhile question for anyone listening. We’re talking about budgeting, working with Finance. What is the single biggest easy win, looking for that low hanging fruit, that they could do right now, this year, to set themselves up better in the coming year? Is there one thing that rises to the top of your mind?
 
ANNAMARIA: I’m laughing because every district that works with me probably knows exactly what I’m going to say here, because I harp on it in every conversation that I have. Have a good inventory, whether you do it yourself or you have a third party come in that knows best practices. Have a good inventory. If you don’t know what you have and you don’t know how it’s being used, how do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you’re doing budgeting, when you’re asking for more money? And how does it make you feel good to know that we might not have enough for somebody, or we might have over and we’ve now not used funds that we could use other places? So have a good inventory. That good baseline inventory is going to set you up for success in a hundred different places within the Technology department and ensure Finance that what they’re giving you is being used effectively.
 
RYAN: This is all super helpful stuff, AnnaMaria. Thanks for speaking with me today and I know that you will join me in wishing all the best to everyone listening who is about to start making all these important budgeting decisions.
 
ANNAMARIA: Yeah, it’s a stressful time, and then right as we finish budgetings, federal and states are starting their audits, so it continues the stress for our school districts, and I know that every school wants to be successful, and this is step one, having that communication together and working as a team, and then step two, really knowing what you have and how is it being used.
 
RYAN: Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education, the leading provider of school administrative software. That includes Inventory and Help Desk Management, with tools to help you keep track of all of your devices and other assets, manage support tickets, access robust reporting, make better financial decisions, and more.
 
Learn more at FrontlineEducation. com. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe. You can find it anywhere you listen to podcasts. For Frontline Education, I’m Ryan Estes. Thanks for listening, and have a great day.
 

SIS vs. EHR: The Differences Between These Systems (and Why You Need Both)

School districts may choose to have both a Student Information System (SIS) and an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system for a variety of reasons, as they serve different purposes and cater to distinct aspects of student well-being and education.
 
Here are some reasons why it can be beneficial for school districts to have both systems in place:
 

Different Focus

SIS primarily focuses on student demographics, enrollment, scheduling, attendance, grades, and academic records, whereas EHR systems are designed to manage students’ health-related information, such as immunizations, medical history, allergies, and medication administration. Having separate systems ensures that each area is given specialized attention.
 
Here’s a quick breakdown on the kinds of data you might find in a SIS versus an EHR system:

  • SIS: Academic data, such as grades, attendance, class schedules, and disciplinary records
  • EHR: Health-related data, including medical histories, treatment plans, medication administration, immunization records, and health assessments

 

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Both student academic and health records are subject to various legal and regulatory requirements, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) for academic records. Maintaining separate systems can help ensure compliance with these regulations.
 
For reporting purposes, too, it’s much easier using purpose-built systems. Like any other type of reporting that schools do, health reporting requires certain information and formatting, and purpose-built systems (like EHRs) are built to do just that.
 

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Data Security

Health records contain sensitive information, and having a separate EHR system can help maintain the confidentiality and security of health-related data. This separation can reduce the risk of unauthorized access to personal health information.
 

Specialized Features

SIS and EHR systems are designed with features specific to their respective functions. SIS systems are tailored for academic needs, including grading, scheduling, and reporting, while EHR systems are tailored for health-related data tracking and management.
 
Below you’ll find a quick overview of different features to expect with each system.
 

  • SIS: Features typically include gradebook management, attendance tracking, student scheduling, report generation, and communication tools for teachers and parents.
  • EHR: Features often include medical charting, immunization tracking, medication administration, allergy alerts, and health assessment tools.

 

Efficiency and Accuracy

Specialized systems tend to be more efficient and accurate in managing data. In particular with health data, it’s much easier to report accurate data to the state when you have an EHR with form fields that make it easy for staff to fill in information that’s needed in the right format. If you’re submitting any claims to Medicaid for eligible health services, this factor can mean the difference between getting the reimbursement you’re owed and being left without.
 

Ease of Access

Having separate systems allows school staff to access the information they need without being overwhelmed by unrelated data. Teachers, for instance, can use the SIS for academic data, and the school nurse or health staff can use the EHR for health-related information. Not only can this be easier for end users, but it’s also safer for student health data security.
 

Scalability

As school districts grow, they may need to scale their systems accordingly. As your school’s physical and mental health programs grow, an EHR can grow with your district and help you manage any increases in health needs, screenings, and more.
 

Training and Support

Training staff to use specialized systems can be more manageable than teaching them to navigate a single, complex, all-encompassing system. Additionally, support and troubleshooting can be more focused and effective with separate systems.
 
In summary, having both a Student Information System (SIS) and an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system offers several advantages in terms of specialization, data security, compliance, and efficiency in managing the distinct needs of student academic and health information within a school district.
 

4 Survival Strategies for Special Education Teachers

It’s estimated that up to almost 50 percent of a special education teacher’s time is spent completing paperwork.

Yet, as a teacher, you want to spend your school days teaching. You want to work hard in ensuring that every student — no matter their ability — gets a fair shot at success. In short, you chose to become a special education teacher because you care. Because it’s a hard job and somebody has to do it; why shouldn’t that somebody be as qualified and invested as you?

However, even with all of your training and resilience, the job of special education teacher can be taxing. You tackle some of the most challenging student cases, and yet, still spend much of your energy managing unwieldy administrative tasks and seemingly endless compliance requirements.

There’s a reason the attrition rate for special education teachers is so high.

Happily, there are some simple ways you can keep yourself energized, committed and focused as you support students with disabilities in both general and special education classrooms.

Keep reading — relief is in sight!

1. Schedule, Schedule, then Schedule Some More

Keeping yourself out of the weeds is no small task — it starts with a strong sense of daily purpose, born from a well-maintained schedule.

However, scheduling doesn’t only mean mapping out classroom time. It means proactively meeting with general education teachers and setting aside time to speak with therapists, speech pathologists and parents.

Perhaps the most important aspect of special education scheduling is to try and maintain flexibility. Small scheduling changes will happen; it’s unavoidable. Yet, if you schedule well and maintain a flexible attitude, you will overcome many of the obstacles to student success.

Which leads us to….

2. Don’t Fight Change — Embrace It

Part of the struggle of managing special education is seemingly ever-changing state and federal compliance regulations. Add to that a populace with unique needs that can extend well beyond the average learner or the mandated curriculum, and it’s plain to see that, within the sphere of special education, consistent change is simply a part of life for educators.

The constant change can feel a lot like upheaval, unless you learn to embrace it. Of course, embracing change is easier said than done. Yet, when your attitude is one of flexibility and of setting a schedule while at the same time planning ahead for the unexpected, suddenly change seems less like something to fear and more like an old friend just dropping in to say hello.

Plus, working in a dynamic landscape like special education means more opportunities to learn exciting new student-support strategies.

As a special educator, when your attitude is one of flexibility and planning ahead for the unexpected, change seems less like something to fear.

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3. Dig Deep on Data — It’s Your Friend

As you’re undoubtedly well aware, paperwork is a big part of ensuring children with disabilities have access to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). There’s no getting around all the forms and state-specific regulations. It’s just part of the job.

As such, you need to be prepared at all times for changes in a particular student’s situation. You can’t alter a student’s IEP, after all, without reliable and precise data to back up your intent.

So, start a file (or 10) for your students. Keep close tabs on all your learners, and make sure to log any necessary information. Ask general education teachers to collect data when the students are in their classroom. Keep up-to-date on changing compliance procedures and don’t let paperwork keep you from doing what you’re passionate about — teaching.

Though it can seem like yet another administrative burden, collecting detailed student data now means fewer headaches for you later.

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4. Seek Support, Ask for Help

This tip may seem unnecessary, considering the highly collaborative nature of successful teacher teams, yet, sometimes the easiest and simplest way to lighten a burden is also the hardest to see and accept: Ask for help!

As a special education teacher, you may feel removed, in a way, from your fellow teachers. While other educators in your school work with full classrooms and straightforward schedules, you’re sifting through piles of paperwork and determining individual courses for specific students. Proactively communicating with general education teachers and related service providers, whether in person or over secure digital channels, can go a long way toward bridging the divide that often seems to sprout up between special educators and the rest of a successful school system.

In Conclusion: Keep Your Eye on the Prize and Lean into Change

Embracing change and the complexity of your work and finding ways to simplify special education processes without decreasing the quality of student support are the surest ways to succeed as a special educator.

Use the above four best practices as jumping off points to dig in and make life better for you and the educators you work with on a daily basis. Remember, 68% of teachers turn to other teachers for support, over educational leadership or their larger networks, so lean on each other whenever you can!

68% of teachers turn to other teachers for support, including special

Source of data: Berry, B., Daughtrey, A., & Wieder, A. (2009). Collaboration: Closing the effective teaching gap. Retrieved from Centre for Teaching Quality website:teachingquality.org/content/collaboration-closing-effective-teaching-gap

De-stress the special educators in your organization with one intuitive software solution for special education management. Watch the video

5 Tips for Successful Collaboration Between General & Special Education Teachers

Jim Stovall, International Humanitarian Award recipient and Olympic athlete, once said of teamwork, “You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.”
 
For general education and special education teachers, the “everybody wins” payoff extends far beyond the collaborators, to individual students, their families and the whole school community. Being aware of what colleagues are doing, applauding their efforts and encouraging them becomes especially important.
 
However, collaboration between general and special education teachers can be complex and challenging.
 
Can teamwork be less work? Here are five things to consider as you encourage collaboration in your organization.
 

1. Special Education Paperwork is a Team Activity

Recent data on how special education teachers spend their work time show that up to 50% is spent on special and general education paperwork, consuming up to 7 weeks each year per teacher.[1] While special educators are ultimately responsible for IEP creation, general education teacher input and adherence to the IEP is necessary to:

  • Ensure paperwork is up-to-date and includes relevant details for each student.
  • Complete paperwork in time for the district to remain in compliance with federal special education regulations.
  • Appropriately support the student in every class, every day.

 
 

Up to 50% of special educator time is spent on paperwork, research shows. #specialeducation

Click To Tweet

 

2. Special Education Meetings Aren’t Only for Special Education Teachers

Every member of a student’s support team is represented at the Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting. However, after the IEP meeting, some special education teachers feel as though they are a team of one — meeting with parents alone and asked to provide information on student progress in general education classrooms. Meeting with parents together shows a united front committed to student success.
 

3. Make Time to Collaborate Across Specialties, Even if It’s Not Face-to-Face

Co-teaching is a complex process that requires time and investment from all teachers involved. Yet, finding the time to coordinate and lay the groundwork for successful co-teaching opportunities during a busy school day can seem borderline impossible.
 
Just the idea of trying to find time to collaborate can be stressful. A recent survey revealed that pre-service special education teacher candidates already had cross-departmental communication on their minds. Candidates spoke to the importance of keeping lines of communication open, having peers with varied experience, and being open to different perspectives.[2]
 
Sharing lesson plans in advance, asking for input on modifications and a “we’re in this together” mentality are all ways to collaborate effectively — even when face-to-face meeting time is scarce.
 

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4. Avoid Thinking of Special Education Teachers as Disciplinarians

Some special educators report feeling like their general education colleagues seek them out mainly when students exhibit problematic behaviors in the classroom, instead of for proactive planning.
 
Here again, advance collaboration goes a long way to strengthening relationships and supporting students. Having behavior plans, strategies and accommodations created and shared collaboratively can help everyone feel more confident and in control when challenging behavior or academic struggles arise.
 
Nathan Levenson, former superintendent and Managing Director of District Management Group, explains, “A wide array of people in a variety of roles are often involved in supporting the social, emotional and behavioral needs of students. It is important to facilitate teamwork with common planning time; allow this group to come together weekly to review student progress and adjust support strategies.”
 

5. Encourage and Acknowledge Each Other’s Expertise

A study of 1,210 teacher leaders showed that 68% of teachers turned to other teachers for support, over educational leadership or their larger networks.[3] However, working in special education can feel isolating.
 
“Many special education teachers, when they’re coming into the field, don’t really know the type of job they may get,” notes former special education director Dr. Tom Reap. “Also, [when special education teachers do come on board] sometimes they have a unique position in the district ― maybe they’re the only teacher teaching a class of students with autism.”
 
Invite special educators to share their expertise. They have specialized training and strategies that can benefit all teachers. Even gestures as small as stopping by a special educator’s classroom to check-in and offer an encouraging word can go a long way in improving morale and helping him/her feel connected.
 

To Sum Things Up

Smooth collaboration between general and special education is at the center of providing meaningful support to children with disabilities. Meeting the goals established in each student’s IEP requires teachers from both areas to work together as an agile student-support team.
 
“The first thing that was vital to me was really understanding the IEP,” says former general educator Laura Spezio. “I would receive them prior to the school year, then, with my principal’s guidance, sit down with the special education teacher and the school psychologist and any related service providers to fully understand where the student was currently, where they were going and what best would assist that student.”
 
As you prepare for the next school year, consider if there are steps you can take to strengthen general and special education teacher collaboration in your district or school.

Looking to make teamwork less work for general and special education teachers in your organization? Dial down the stress levels with Frontline Special Education Management.

 

 
[1] Suter, Jesse C.; Giangreco, Michael F. (2009). Numbers that count: Exploring Special Education and Paraprofessional Service Delivery in Inclusion-Oriented Schools. The Journal of Special Education v43 N2. P 81-93.
 
[2] Da Fonte, M. Alexandra, Barton-Arwood, M. (2017). Collaboration of General and Special Education Teachers: Perspectives and Strategies. Intervention in School and Clinic v53(2).
 
[3] Berry, B., Daughtrey, A., & Wieder, A. (2009). Collaboration: Closing the effective teaching gap.
 

3 Steps in Developing Your Referendum Strategy

Each year brings a new adventure for school district administrators. And for some districts, that means tackling a new referendum with their community.
 
While the district may fully understand the need for a referendum, often the challenge is justifying it to the local taxpayers, who may not understand the resource needs and constraints of the district. In order to make informed decisions, voters need access to accurate and reliable information about the proposed projects and their costs, and that’s where Data-Based Decision Support Systems (DSS) can be extremely helpful.
 
To be successful, districts must develop a three-step strategic framework by which they can communicate the district needs, the reasons for those needs and the data that supports those arguments. The success or failure of passing a referendum can many times be traced back to the transparency process and how well informed the public was.
 

Establishing the “Why”

Begin the development of your strategic framework by connecting why you are doing something to the “what” and how you plan on doing it. Establishing this relationship is key to creating value and understanding of your initiative. Support your “why” by outlining the important factors that led to your decision.
 
As an example, if a district needs to increase its operating rate, some factors that lead to that conclusion may include:

  • Need to upgrade facilities
  • Technology upgrades such as a new 1-to-1 program
  • Lack of state funding
  • Tax rates have not risen in several years due to tax caps, and Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) has remained flat, while operational costs continue to increase

 
These factors help create the arguments that you need to allow stakeholders to understand your decision-making process. This is the point in your strategic framework where you begin to develop and create analytics and other evidence that you will present to advocate your position. It is important to stay focused on your arguments and present data that supports and defends them.
 
Avoid the tendency to include every accessible data point in your presentation. This will only serve to distract your audience from the issue at hand and will likely lead to an off-topic discussion.
 
A great rule of thumb to follow: If the data does not support your arguments, or is irrelevant to the discussion, do not include it. Every presentation slide and data point should serve to communicate why the referendum is necessary for the district to achieve its goals and continue operations.
 

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Establishing the “What”

This is the step of your strategic framework in which you will dive deep into the data to identify which data points are concrete and will support the arguments you established. An easy way to do this is by asking yourself, “What data points support these claims, and is the data available for me to capture?” That second question is critical because it helps identify if an argument will have the needed context and support, and ultimately help determine if it is strong enough to use in communications.
 
If the only data available is anecdotal, you should prepare for stakeholders to challenge it. Unless it is a highly valuable point, consider removing it from your communications. To see what this looks like in action, imagine you have a scenario where operational costs are outpacing CPI — and due to tax caps, are causing a budget deficit. When outlining the supporting data points, start to identify higher-level information first, then drill down into the metadata.
 

Example data points:

  • Historical Data Trends
  • Comparison Metrics, Peer Revenues and Expenses
  • Projected Finances
  • Enrollment Trends
  • Historical Tax Rates and EAV
  • State Funding Trends and Projections

 
A data-based decision support system or DSS can be especially helpful in gathering quantitative data. A DSS collects data from various sources, such as cost estimates, construction plans, and demographic information, and presents it in an easily accessible and understandable format. This provides voters with the information they need to make informed decisions about school bond referendums.
 
Another advantage of using a DSS in the context of school bond referendums is increased transparency and accountability. By providing access to accurate and reliable data, DSS can help build public trust and support for the proposed projects, making it more likely that they will be approved.
 

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The Complete Guide to Decision Support Systems
As a school business official, you know that making informed decisions is crucial to the success of your district. However, with the fast-paced and ever-changing landscape of education, it can be difficult to access accurate and reliable data to inform these decisions. That’s where Data-Based Decision Support Systems (DSS) come in.
Dive In

 
So how can you ensure that your school district is using a DSS effectively in the context of school bond referendums? Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

  1. Ensure that data is up-to-date and accurate:
    Regularly updating data is critical to ensuring that the information presented in the DSS is accurate and relevant.
  2. Use visual aids to present data and results:
    Data visualization tools, such as charts and graphs, can help make the information presented in the DSS more accessible and understandable to voters.
  3. Involve all relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process:
    This includes school district officials, community members, and voters. By involving all stakeholders in the decision-making process, you can ensure that the information presented in the DSS is relevant and useful.

 

Establishing the “How”

The agenda you established in the strategic framework needs to be put into place with a well-developed communication plan. Organize the gathered information in a short and simple format that tells the whole story, connecting the reason for the referendum to specific supporting evidence. Leverage visual analytics to enhance understanding. Never assume your audience will draw the same conclusions you are without being led there. Note: It may be valuable to include the perspective of what the impact will be in the near and long term if the referendum is not passed.
 
Developing a well thought-out communication strategy that is built around solid, data-based evidence and that can be delivered with passion and conviction through a visual analytics story will give your district the best chance of achieving your referendum objectives.
 

 

Free Download:

Building a Powerful State of the District Report

Creating a state of the district report can be a daunting task. Where do you begin? How much information should you include? This guide provides practical tips for creating a report that is more helpful and meaningful to your stakeholders, and includes a PowerPoint template you can use to create your own report.

Fill out the form to download this customizable
PowerPoint template and start telling your story.

 

 

From Required to Inspired: Inside Culture Change in Professional Learning

In Hanover County Public Schools, there’s a shift happening… something bubbling up from deep within the Curriculum & Instruction Department. Something exciting.
 
In the past, teachers would complete their professional learning requirements in large part by participating in mandated sessions for two days every August. “The problem is,” says Dr. Steve Castle, Director of Professional Learning and Leadership Development, “it felt forced, and it felt like there’s no choice in this, and teachers were given the things that were required.”
 
So, for the past several years, Dr. Castle and Chris Biagiarelli, Instructional Technology Project Coordinator, have been on a mission to change the culture around professional learning — so teachers select the learning opportunities that will most help them in the classroom. In this podcast, we ask them how they’re making that happen.
 

Listen to this 14-minute conversation and hear:

  • The steps they’ve taken (and continue to take) to change mindsets around professional learning within the district
  • Why the right technology is crucial to making this change
  • What they’ve learned, and what they would change if they were starting this journey all over again

 

 

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
 

Don’t stop there!

Be sure to check out these resources about professional learning and supporting teacher growth and voice and choice:

 

 

Episode Transcript

 
DR. STEVE CASTLE: Here in Hanover, we have had a history of checking boxes and marking things off the list that had to be done. The problem is that it felt forced and it felt like there’s no choice in this, and teachers were given the things that were required.
 
RYAN ESTES: Today, a look at what it takes to change the culture around professional learning, and how one school district in Virginia is finding ways to give teachers more choice in their professional development. And, what happens when teachers just aren’t used to that.
 
From Frontline Education, this is Field Trip.
 
Well, welcome, everyone, to Field Trip from Frontline Education. I’m Ryan Estes, and today I’m joined by Dr. Steve Castle, Director of Professional Learning and Leadership Development at Hanover County Public Schools in Ashland, Virginia, and Chris Biagiarelli, Instructional Technology Project Coordinator at the same district. Gentlemen, I’m really glad to have you both here.
 
We asked you to come on the podcast today to talk about something you’ve been working on at Hanover County for several years, and that is the idea of changing the culture around professional learning in your schools. Before we get into what you’re doing and how, I want to start with the ‘why.’ What made you say, ‘We want to make a change’ here?
 
STEVE: I think the easiest way to describe it is by saying, we know when people are invested for themselves and see value in what’s happening. It’s much easier to work through potential growth opportunities, to give them additional chances to improve upon their practice. And so rather than force feeding people, if you will, we’re giving them the chance to see why and how it can have a huge impact on our students.
 
Here in Hanover, we have had a history of checking boxes and marking things off the list that had to be done. And we want to really shift that to a culture of wanting to get the things done and not even worrying about the points and the hours that are required because you know you’re going to far exceed those when you feel the value of what you’re experiencing.
 
RYAN: I wonder if you could paint a picture of what that checking boxes mentality looked like before. What are you moving away from? And then, how are you going about fostering that kind of change?
 
STEVE: We still have a requirement built into teacher contracts where roughly two days of time is spent in professional learning that is supposed to be contracted outside of the regular workday experience that teachers have in the 180-day school year. And so that required teachers to spend time during the summer, not during the regular work time, but fulfilling those hours through professional learning sessions. I think the intentions behind that were really good, that we were saying we value professional learning so much that we’re building this into a contract that you need to come and work through and and grow.
 
The problem is that it felt forced and it felt like there’s no choice in this, and teachers were given the things that were required. So we’re trying to, we’re turning the R word of ‘required’ into a curse word here in the county, and trying to move away from that to a teacher choice model to give teachers as much autonomy in selecting the places where they need to go and grow as much as we possibly can.
 
Obviously, there are division goals and there are departmental goals and curriculum and content goals that we have to meet as well. And so often we are giving them as many of those opportunities as we can that also meet our needs, but also giving flexibility where they can go outside of the district, accomplish those 14 hours of training that they need somewhere else, but no longer are they required to complete that just during the summer. It used to be two specific days on the calendar. They had to come regardless during those two days. And so in essence, there really wasn’t any choice at all. Everyone came on the two days and that was it. So we now have taken those two days and given teachers any time past June 1 throughout the entire school year, all the way to the Monday following our spring break. At least that’s what we’ve done for the last couple of years to complete those 14 hours, and that can be done during the summer as they’ve been doing, or it can be done during the year. And after school or before school workshops, if you wanted to attend a professional learning session that was even outside of the district, you could do that as well to receive points and credits for what it is that you need to accomplish.
 
RYAN: Steve said one of the things that they do is host internal conferences for teachers, leaders, and administrators. They might be focused on instructional technology, or blended learning. And they hold a conference designed offer teachers a ton of choice, with shorter sessions that staff can pick from.
 
STEVE: The other thing we did within that conference was create a mindset where administrators are coming to the events and learning side by side with their teachers. Whereas in the past it’s been, ‘Here’s the thing that teachers are going to go to. Here’s the thing where administrators are going to go to, and now we try to marry that together after the fact when we’re doing observations and walkthroughs.’ So rather than doing that afterward, we’re doing it together. ‘ Here are the best practice techniques we want to see. Here’s how you the administrator can support it, and here’s how we’re going to grow together as we work through this school year.’
 
But then in everything we’re doing, we’re really trying to reattach this as a holistic process from top to bottom. And so my supervisor constantly says, ‘What’s the through line?’ If we want teachers to know this, or students to know this, then start with our students, then our teachers, then our leaders of teachers, then our leaders of the leaders. So what’s the through line that we need to establish as we’re creating this professional learning, as we’re working through comprehensive plan goals? Making all of these connections in a systematic approach is really a big part of that change in our thinking and philosophy.
 
Technology also plays an important role in fostering this kind of mindset – technology that the district didn’t have just a few years ago. At the time, teachers were required to take certain professional learning. They were provided a list of titles, and would register using a sign-up service the district was using at the time. Chris Biagiarelli said the system they were using only reinforced the prescriptive nature of the program.
 
CHRIS: I think the downfall of that is that we were in a product and we didn’t have the right mindset. Instead of it being more of a course catalog where teachers could search and choose and find what was right for them, again, they were being prescribed course codes and section codes to sign up for. So, I was really excited when we switched to Frontline.
 
RYAN: And here, Chris is referring to Frontline Professional Growth, the system that Hanover County uses to manage and track professional learning for teachers and staff.
 
CHRIS: And we were able to really build out a course catalog the way we wanted and have it set up so it was easier for teachers to find things. Frontline knows your job, your department, your grade level, so when you arrive in that catalog, it’s already pre-filtered for you, which makes it a lot easier for you to find things.
 
We’ve also come away from the list, the sheet of things on it. And we constantly have teachers asking, ‘Okay, well just tell me what I need. What are the courses I should be looking for?’ And we’re not producing those lists anymore. Instead we’re saying, ‘It’s in the catalog, go to Frontline, log in there and find what you need there.’
 
The other benefit of all this comes on the other end with our specialists and our administrators. Before, they had absolutely no idea what their faculty and staff were signing up for. They had very little visibility, but now they have all the visibility they want. So it’s very easy to see, even if our math specialist wants to see, ‘Hey, how many of my new teachers are signing up for this very important math workshop?’ It’s very easy to run a report like that now and provide that.
 
RYAN: Tell me, what would you say has been the hardest thing about going on this journey? And if you were to suddenly start from scratch again tomorrow, what might you choose to do the same or differently than you did?
 
STEVE: I think back to a particular staff meeting that I came to one of the elementary schools, and the communication piece where we made some assumptions that people would just get it and they would understand and they would run forward because it’s such a great thing. And we had this culture, this previous culture, so firmly entrenched in their minds that it was very difficult for them to comprehend where we really wanted them to go. And so I’m in the staff meeting and we were talking about a professional learning day that we had on the calendar coming up soon. And one of the teachers asked me, she said, ‘Well, what do you mean, we can literally just pick whatever we want to do?’ And that was a shock to her. And I was like, ‘Yes.’ And this was just mind blowing to her and several other people in the room because they had been told what to do for so long. They really had no concept of how to even start choosing for themselves what is a great idea or where I want to grow and how to reflect.
 
The other impact this has made is on our evaluation system where we’re pushing more reflection, more genuine practice, into what we’re evaluating more than anything else. And so that really was a huge change for us this year as well. We sort of revamped and republished and changed some of the process procedures that we’re doing for evaluation. And so I think this is also reflected there.
 
So I guess overall to the answer is, just more about the why and the how we’re moving ahead and our vision for the future, and communicating that more effectively would be the place that I would start.
 
RYAN: What are your next steps? We’re here right now at the very beginning of the ’23-’24 school year. You’re looking back and seeing five years of progress. What are the things that are on your to-do list this year, next year, the next three years, that you are really saying, ‘This is where we’re going to focus now?’
 
CHRIS: I would say something that’s in our future plan that we’re actually currently working on, we’re putting a larger emphasis on instructional coaching in our division. We’ve unified our coaching model between our instructional technology coaches, our math coaches, our reading coaches, to take a uniform approach towards our teachers. But the gray area right now, and we have to balance this between what the Code of Virginia says for professional learning and how we track this, is how do we count coaching cycles as professional learning?
 
And then, utilizing some of those log features within Frontline to track that. I feel if a teacher invests their time into a six week coaching cycle, they should get credit for that. But how do we go about crediting that? Not only for the points and the recertification things, but also for an administrator to be aware of how much of their faculty is currently engaged in an intensive coaching cycle and with who doing what.
 
The other thing we’re doing a better job with this year than we did last year is, we’re really heavily utilizing the goal section, making sure that every activity in the catalog is really closely aligned to one of our division initiatives or division goals. We just recently finished writing our new five-year comprehensive plan. We need to see the impact of the professional learning that we’re offering on that comprehensive plan. We have this goal for instruction, and if we look at that through line, what are we giving to our teachers in order to accomplish that goal? Do we see that in the walkthroughs that we’re doing in the evaluation? Are we seeing evidence of all that in all three different places? So from a data aspect, just trying to figure out how we really capture that so we see the whole picture and we’re able to triangulate our actual impact.
 
STEVE: For me it’s continuing to refine some of the existing things that we have. But again, going back, I think one of the areas I would focus more heavily on is the communication structures that we have. And that’s something that we’re doing internally as a department, but also going to be using Frontline more effectively to help us communicate with the calendar that’s available.
 
But the longer term vision is, again, making some more of these connections from professional learning into the evaluation system that then shows how student performance is improving.
 
Those are sort of the bigger picture items for me. Specifically, if I want to nail down some things, I think right now I want to attach professional learning to evaluation more. It’s explicitly that it’s very direct. You’re saying, ‘I want to grow after reflection and seeing how my students are performing in the way that I teach. I want to learn and explore this other method and this other way to approach pedagogical practices in my classroom. And now here’s the professional learning that supports that desire.’
 
RYAN: That is spectacular. Dr. Steve Castle and Chris Biagiarelli work at Hanover County Public Schools in Virginia. I want to thank you both for your time. It’s been really great talking with you about this.
 
CHRIS: Thanks, Ryan.
 
RYAN: Field Trip is a podcast from Frontline Education, the leading provider of school administrative software like Frontline Professional Growth, built to help you take a strategic, streamlined approach to professional learning and evaluations. Don’t miss a single episode – you can subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts. For Frontline Education, I’m Ryan Estes. Thanks for listening, and have a great day.
 

Scary (Student Data) Stories: The Haunting of Attendance Valley

Happy Halloween!
 
Monsters under your bed might not be what’s haunting you this year. Maybe it’s student data…but it shouldn’t be!
 
With analytics software, you can put all of your student data to work without working yourself to the bone.
 
But in the meantime, if you’re looking for a spooky story to share with your colleagues, this one might do the trick (or be a treat). And if you’re interested in other scary stories, check this out. On to the story!
 

Once upon a chilling autumn evening…

…In the quiet and seemingly ordinary town of Crestwood, a sinister tale unfolded—one that sent shivers down the spines of district administrators for generations to come. It was a story about school attendance data, and it was not for the faint of heart.
 
In the heart of Crestwood stood the oldest school building in the district, Pinecrest Elementary. The school had seen decades of young souls passing through its creaking hallways, each leaving behind a fragment of their existence. But something sinister lurked within those walls, something tied to the very essence of attendance data.
 

How a Real District Makes Sense of Their Student Data…

Keeping Students on Track for Graduation and More
Plainfield SD’s Story

 
It all began with the arrival of Ms. Eleanor Carmichael, a diligent district administrator known for her dedication to her work. Her task was clear: investigate the mysteriously fluctuating attendance rates at Pinecrest Elementary. Some days, it would be eerily high, while other days, it plummeted to a disconcerting low.
 
Ms. Carmichael delved into her investigation, poring over spreadsheets, interviewing teachers, and even cross-referencing local health data. But every time she thought she was getting closer to the truth, an unsettling presence seemed to shadow her steps.
 
One late evening, while Ms. Carmichael was examining attendance records in the school’s dimly lit basement, she heard whispers in the air—whispers that seemed to echo from the walls themselves. The voice was faint, yet it grew louder with every passing second. “The numbers never lie, but the building does,” it hissed.
 
Startled, Ms. Carmichael turned to find nothing but the aged, crumbling walls of the basement. Her heart raced as she realized she was not alone. The presence was real, and it had something to reveal.
 
As the clock struck midnight, Ms. Carmichael returned to the basement, armed with a flashlight and a recorder. The whispers grew more distinct, forming into haunting phrases. “The ghosts of truancy past,” they said. “They wander these halls, skewing the numbers, for they never found their way.”
 

How a Real District Makes Sense of Their Student Data…

Making Data Actionable
Bellwood School District 88’s Story

 
Terrified yet determined, Ms. Carmichael continued to listen, and the story began to unravel. Decades ago, Pinecrest Elementary did all of their administrative work manually with paper. For years, human errors resulted in skewed attendance data. The dark secret was buried within the very foundation of the school. The surplus of “students” from an innocent manual error materialized as a ghost of the district’s past.
 
Now, the spirits of those fabricated students roamed the halls, forever distorting attendance data as their restless souls sought validation. They yearned for the education they were denied in life.
 
Ms. Carmichael knew she had to put an end to this malevolent cycle. Armed with the truth, she gathered her peers. Together, they honored the forgotten souls. As she spoke, the building trembled, and a chilling wind blew through the auditorium.
 
But as the truth was revealed, the attendance data began to normalize, and the whispers grew fainter until they vanished entirely. The spirits had found solace at last.
 
From that day forward, Pinecrest Elementary’s attendance data remained accurate, no longer haunted by the past. And Ms. Eleanor Carmichael became a legend among district administrators, known for her bravery in confronting the spectral horrors of “The Haunting of Attendance Valley.” But deep in the darkest corners of Crestwood, the memory of that night still lingered, a cautionary tale to those who attempted to account for attendance manually, reminding them that the ghosts of the past could never truly be silenced.
 
Don’t forget to check out all of our spooky student data stories here!
 

Talk Data to Me: Looking into the Future with Absence Prediction

Recently, the Frontline Research & Learning Institute analyzed over five years of absence data from over 7,000 school districts nationwide to uncover trends with the goal of making future absences more predictable. In this blog post, we’ll dive into this up-to-date data and how the insights and takeaways can help your district understand the depth of your substitute pool.
 

 

The Research

  • 5+ years of absence data
  • > 7,000 school districts

The Key Takeaways

  • Mondays and Fridays tend to have more absences than Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in almost every week of the school year.
  • Absence totals tend to rise through the fall dip in the early spring and peak in the late spring.

 

Human Capital Analytics and Machine Learning


Frontline’s Human Capital Analytics team decided to take this analysis a step further by applying machine learning models to daily absence data to see if they could uncover more trends, with the goal of predicting future daily absence totals.
 
The team figured that if district and school administrators could anticipate which days in the future were to require more substitutes than others, they could have the foresight to allocate their human capital resources most effectively to ensure high absence fill rates.
 

This foresight may also help:

  • Substitute teacher hiring
  • Placement of current substitutes
  • Implications for PD planning to minimize the effects of related absences.

 

Absence Prediction

After testing a few different machine learning models, it turns out that the district level, daily absence totals are actually pretty predictable!

Below is a chart showing daily absence totals from the 22-23 school year in light blue, versus the predicted totals generated by Human Capital Analytics’ machine learning model in dark blue. You can see that the machine learning model accurately predicted peaks and valleys and that the two lines generally overlap with a few exceptions.
 

 
The average district in the testing sample had an average daily absence total of 63 absences and the model predicted daily totals, within plus or minus three absences, 91% of the time.
 

Looking Into the Future

The good news? You don’t need to wave a wand or click your heels in shiny red slippers to predict absence trends in your district. With Human Capital Analytics, you can access machine learning predictions for the entire 23-24 school year. This tool will empower district leaders to analyze which days they can reasonably expect more or less sub-required absences and see how their absence trends rise and fall throughout the year.
Look Into Your District’s Future with Human Capital Analytics
 

 

Recommended Resources:

Talk Data to Me: Does Using a Mobile App Impact Substitute Fill Rates?

Back in 2020, we explored the importance of substitute teacher engagement in maximizing your organization’s absence fill rate. But what about the way substitutes accept jobs in your district? Can that impact fill rates as well?

Spoiler alert: Yes.

Data from a Frontline survey of substitute teachers tells us that substitutes prefer to receive absence notifications through a mobile app rather than text message, phone call, or internet browser by a ratio of 4:1. That becomes even clearer when you look at fill rates for schools where substitutes have adopted mobile.

Eighteen months ago, Frontline’s mobile app began allowing substitutes to view, filter, and accept jobs right from their phones. Data from the Frontline Research & Learning Institute shows the relationship between substitute mobile adoption within a school organization and that organization’s absence fill rate. The data below reflects over 4,000 organizations where substitutes have been using the mobile app since November 2020.

Key Terms

Substitute Mobile Adoption – the proportion of an organization’s substitute teachers that have filled at least one absence via the mobile app
Fill Rate – The proportion of absences requiring a substitute that are filled by a substitute teacher

 

 

There is a clear positive relationship between substitute mobile adoption and fill rate. The larger the proportion of an organization’s substitute teacher pool that fills absences via the mobile app, the higher that organization’s fill rate tends to be.

“Hold up,” you might say. “You can’t be sure that’s happening because the substitutes are using the mobile app.”

Sure, there may be other factors at play. Higher substitute pay, school culture, and even whether or not a district is located in a current COVID hot spot may impact fill rates. But given that mobile functionality makes it easier to accept jobs and that substitutes overwhelmingly say they prefer a mobile app to receive notifications, the data here points to increased substitute engagement. And we do know that a more engaged substitute pool leads to higher fill rates.

 

What You Can Do

There are many ways to increase substitute engagement in your district, such as welcoming them into your school community, providing training and other opportunities for substitutes to grow professionally, and even taking simple steps to make sure that when they show up at school, they can easily find their way around.

And if you use Frontline Absence & Time, encourage them to download and use the Frontline mobile app. Instead of spending time worrying about finding substitutes to fill absences, staff can now shift their focus back to student’s educational needs. The Frontline mobile app provides increased accessibility to job alerts, making it much easier to put a great substitute in every classroom.

With this on-the-go app:
  • Substitutes can get a notification immediately when a job is available – then filter by school name, job date, or post date
  • Teachers can create an absence request and track their own leave
  • HR can quickly access who is absent and why
  • Principals can approve employee leave in real time

Find out more

 

Additional Resources on Substitute Engagement


 

Early Warning Indicators for Grades 1-5: What to Look for and How EWIs for Elementary Differs from High Schoolers

Early Warning Indicators (EWIs) serve as vital tools in educational interventions. They act as red flags, signaling when a student might be at risk academically, socially, or emotionally. By recognizing these indicators early, educators, parents, and stakeholders can put measures in place to support at-risk students.
 
But what should you be looking for? And once you see the warning signs, how should you proceed?
 

The Importance of Early Warning Indicators

The early grades lay the foundation for future academic success. Recognizing signs of struggle in these years can prevent longer-term academic, social, and emotional challenges. Identifying and addressing EWIs early on ensures students receive the support they need to thrive throughout their educational journey.
 

Key EWIs for Grades 1-5

While there hasn’t been as much research done on the relationship between graduation rates and early warning indicators for younger children, there are three categories of indicators we can use to help give students the best chance at succeeding.
 
When thinking about EWIs and when to intervene, it’s often a good idea to look at how many co-occurring indicators students are experiencing. A good data analysis tool can help you visualize EWIs at a district, school, and individual level.
 

Academic Indicators

  • Decline in reading level proficiency: One study found that reading and behavioral problems can cause each other, which means that one might appear as a sort of warning before the other.
  • Struggling with basic math concepts: You may have heard about The Matthew Effect, a theory that suggests students who start out at a higher proficiency level grow at faster rates than students who start out at lower levels. With math, researchers have found that “students with low achievement typically did not close the gap with students with higher achievement over time. Some studies showed a pattern of stable differences in achievement and others showed widening gaps in performance.”

    • Part of the reason for this outcome is that students who start at a higher achievement level tend to want to engage with the subject matter more, thereby continuing to learn at higher rates. So it’s crucial in the earliest years in school to support students who are struggling and help them close that achievement gap.

  • Inconsistent completion of homework or class assignments: While missing an assignment here and there doesn’t necessitate action, if there is a trend emerging that would keep a student from moving into the next grade, that is cause for concern. Students who are retained in the same grade during grades 1-5 are statistically more likely not to graduate from high school.

 

Behavioral Indicators

  • Regular tardiness or absenteeism: Kindergarteners miss school more often than students in grades 1-5. And while this blog post is focused on grades 1-5, we’d be remiss not to mention that kindergarteners who are chronically absent are likely to experience “lower reading and math achievement outcomes at the end of that year.”
  • Signs of social withdrawal or trouble interacting with peers: Children who experience social isolation are at higher risk of mental health challenges, and that risk increases if they have a pre-existing condition like ADHD.
  • Frequent disciplinary actions or disruptions in class: You might be sensing by now that many if not all of these indicators are connected and overlapping. For example, if a student is disruptive and experiences more disciplinary action to the point of being retained in their grade, their chances of graduating are at risk.

 

Emotional Indicators

With emotional indicators, it can be difficult for teachers to know when to step in. Sudden changes in academic performance can be a warning for emotional distress, and if a student exhibits any of the following, it’s likely they’ll require additional support to stay on track academically.

  • Low self-esteem or self-worth.
  • Expressions of hopelessness or frequent sadness.
  • Overreacting to small challenges or setbacks.

 

Related Resource:

Seven Big Ideas to Guide Behavior Management
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How Early Grade EWIs Differ from High School EWIs

Developmental Context
Grades 1-5
Challenges often stem from foundational gaps in academic skills or emotional and social development. 		High School
Challenges might arise from external pressures, identity exploration, peer influences, or preparing for post-secondary options.

Nature of Indicators
Grades 1-5
Indicators often revolve around basic skill acquisition, socio-emotional development, and adapting to school routines. 		High School
Indicators often involve complex tasks like advanced academic competencies, vocational aspirations, or social relationships.

Intervention Needs
Grades 1-5
Interventions are often centered on foundational skill-building, socio-emotional support, and family involvement. 		High School
Interventions may need to address career readiness, mental health challenges, or issues outside school, like job or family responsibilities.

 

Strategies to Address EWIs in Grades 1-5

Identifcation: In order to address early warning indicators, it’s critical to make sure you’re working with accurate data. Having a system that helps you analyze your student data and visualize trends can go a long way in identifying challenges and trends.

Interventions: Provide support and intervention through the RTI process. This should involve tier 2, or possibly tier 3 interventions to cater to a student’s unique needs and challenges.
 

Related Resource:

Your RTI and MTSS Academic Screening Process: Performing a Check-Up
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Mentorship Programs: Pair students with teacher mentors who can offer additional academic and emotional support.

Parent-Teacher Collaboration: Engage parents in regular communication to ensure they are aware and involved in their child’s learning journey.

Peer Support: Implement peer tutoring or group activities that promote social interaction and collaborative learning.

Professional Development: Equip teachers with training to recognize and address EWIs effectively.
 

Conclusion

Early recognition and intervention are crucial to ensuring students in Grades 1-5 don’t fall through the cracks. While some of the challenges faced by younger students might mirror those faced by high schoolers, the context, nature, and required interventions often differ. With a solid understanding of these differences and a proactive approach, educators can offer effective support to students showing early signs of struggle.
 

4 Steps for Navigating Dyslexia Across Departments

 

Dyslexia, a neuro-biological disorder that affects language processing, has no bearing on intelligence, but complicates a student’s ability to learn by making both reading and verbal communication difficult. Because dyslexia notoriously flies under the radar, a child can go years with the disorder unidentified and with no answer for why schoolwork is so difficult ― or worse, with teachers and parents assuming that laziness is to blame for poor performance in school.

 
Yet, even once dyslexia is identified, many factors are at play and educators face the difficulty of determining the best plan to support that student.
 

Updates for Texas Educators

Frontline recently hosted a webinar with Jose Martín and Dave Richards from Richards, Lindsay, and Martin, LLC. In the leadup to the webinar, registrants submitted questions they’d like to ask the leading education law attorneys. The responses from our Texas administrators were focused almost entirely on House Bill 3928 (HB3928), otherwise known as the Beckley Wilson Act.

The update to dyslexia support directly impacts districts this year, as this law is active as of the 2023-2024 school year.

Here’s a simplified view of dyslexia-related impacts due to HB3928.

  1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Inclusion: Dyslexia is recognized as a specific learning disability under IDEA, making students eligible for IEPs.
  2. Child Find: Districts must follow evaluation requirements for dyslexia and other potential disabilities, with a form encouraging IDEA evaluations.
  3. Specialized Team Member: Evaluation teams must include a dyslexia expert.
  4. Progress Reporting: Regular progress reports for dyslexia instruction.
  5. Policy Compliance: Districts must adhere to TEA guidelines (including the Dyslexia Handbook).

Texas Association of School Adminsitrators (TASA) describes the bill as follows: House Bill 3928 “requires the board of trustees of each school district to adopt a grievance procedure under which the board would be required to abide by a parent’s due process rights under IDEA and address each complaint that the board received concerning: a violation of a right related to the screening and intervention services for dyslexia or a related disorder; or the school district’s implementation of the Texas Dyslexia Handbook, as published by TEA, and its subsequent amendments. The bill includes a number of other related provisions.”

Up until now, dyslexia was recognized as a disorder for which schools provided accommodations under Section 504. Moving forward in Texas, it will be recognized under IDEA. That often leads to the question…what’s the difference between Section 504 and IDEA?

We have an article for that.

If you’re located in Texas, you may also find this resource from TEA helpful: an FAQ document all about House Bill 3928.

 
So how can districts continue to evolve to successfully navigate the complex issues presented by dyslexia? In this episode of Field Trip, we talk with Marcy Eisinger and Cathy Clifford of Garland Independent School District in Texas about their unique approach to influencing positive change for students and parents with the help of the administration.
 
Perhaps the key element of the Garland approach to addressing dyslexia is interdepartmental cooperation. With dyslexic students potentially falling under the care of special education or Section 504 programs ― and some also receiving English as a second language (ESL) supports ― the team at Garland has worked to consolidate departments and open lines of communication so that no student is isolated in one direction to their detriment. Marcy, Cathy and their interdepartmental team are making strides in ensuring they see the whole picture for each student and are able to find common ground on the best support plan.
 

The key element of Garland ISD’s approach to addressing #dyslexia is interdepartmental cooperation. @FrontlineEdu

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Garland is producing results in student retention, reading scores and serving the whole child.

1. Proactive training and education

Successfully addressing dyslexia begins with identification, and as Marcy says, while it’s never too late, earlier is always better. In addition to having a staff of capable speech therapists, dyslexia therapists and special education professionals, Garland is working to train every classroom teacher in recognizing the early signs of dyslexia ― including avoidance of reading tasks and written answers that do not seem to match a student’s comprehension. 
 
In fact, Garland has gone even further, holding training sessions for members of the community as well. When it comes to dyslexia, Marcy says it’s important for parents to understand that “it’s not that there’s something wrong, it’s just something different that we can easily address if we know about it.”

2. Continuous, far-reaching collaboration

Developing a plan of intervention and support for a student with dyslexia at Garland is a team effort. Cathy, who works in special education, notes that she frequently collaborates with K-12 teachers, the Gifted and Talented department, dyslexia therapists, diagnosticians, the ESL department, 504 teams and speech pathologists. The goal is that they have “all of the input from everyone involved that has knowledge of the student to be able to help make those [student-support] determinations.”
 

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3. Individualized planning

Cathy shares that one difficulty of supporting students with dyslexia is the impossibility of predicting exactly how long it will take to see improvement from any individual learner, because each child is unique. She says the important thing is to accompany each student on their journey, every step of the way. 
 
Marcy also recalls one student failing to make progress in an ESL program until his dyslexia was identified. Because Marcy was able to work with the ESL and language support departments in developing an individual plan for him, he was able to see great gains in reading and performance in school. Involving everyone who is familiar with the details of a student’s situation ensures that individual needs are met.

4. A shared commitment to open-mindedness

Inevitably, each member of an interdepartmental team will bring a special perspective to the table. While this is the strength of cooperation, it also requires that everyone keep an open mind, an open dialogue and a willingness to work together toward the best solution for each student.
 
In Marcy’s experience, making a commitment to an interdepartmental approach is about the people: building relationships between educators, bringing support to parents and enabling students to achieve all they can.

“I’m a firm believer in servant leadership. The bottom line is, we’re here to serve the students, and we also want to grow our personnel and our teachers…. So it’s a matter of really trying to be able to communicate well and building up others so that they can do the best work for our students.”

 

Whether using a 504 Plan or an IEP to support a student with dyslexia, Frontline makes it easier to plan data-driven accommodations and measure their efficacy. Learn how

 

Building a Thriving Education Workforce: Strategies to Attract and Retain Great People

We had a fabulous time at AASPA’s 85th annual conference in Anaheim! From catching up with district leaders to co-sponsoring the DE&I reception, we certainly feel “powered-up” after a week of interactive discussions and events.
 
If you had a chance to attend Frontline’s presentation, this blog post will serve as a refresher, but if you couldn’t make it or you’re just interested to learn more about some of the learnings we shared at the conference, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
 
Mitchell Welch, Principal Solution Consultant at Frontline Education, and Debbie Simons, Chief Human Resources Officer at Northwest Regional ESD teamed up to provide valuable insights, practical tips, and actionable takeaways to transform K-12 HR practices.
 
Read on to hear more from these experts and the main takeaways from their conversation.
 

Hear from Mitchell:

The common challenges districts face

In K-12 HR, there are several common challenges that districts may face.

  • Paper spreadsheets and siloed experiences: Many districts still rely on manual processes, such as paper spreadsheets, which lead to inefficiencies and siloed data.
  • Inconsistent employee experience: It can be challenging when it comes to ensuring a consistent experience for all staff members.
  • Inconsistent processes: The lack of standardized processes can lead to errors in HR management.
  • Lack of reporting on trends: Without comprehensive data and reporting capabilities, districts may struggle to identify and respond to trends in their workforce.

 

It’s really important that we focus on a great employee experience for our staff members because of the challenges that are currently facing public education

AnJie Doll, Director of Human Resources

 

How do you overcome these challenges?

To overcome these challenges, Mitchell emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to Human Capital Management (HCM). Ultimately, this approach involves attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining top talent across your district!

Here’s how to make it happen:
 

Step 1: Employ the “Oversight, Insight, Foresight” Strategy

  1. Oversight: strategically plan and manage your organization
    How does Oversight translate to K-12 HR? –> Position and vacancy visibility.
  2. Insight: day-to-day tasks to engage, develop and retain talent
    How does Insight translate to K-12 HR? –> Proactive recruitment, centralized onboarding, and a professional growth journey.
  3. Foresight: increase efficiency, productivity, and performance
    How does Foresight translate to HR? –> Managing your people through predictive data.

 

Step 2: Implement a System of Record that Empowers Your District to Manage the Employee Experience

Simply put, your system of record should be able to:

  • Make data entry and reporting be easy, accurate, and available on-demand.
  • Provide intuitive and easy navigation for all stakeholders.
  • Manage the employee lifecycle from interview to hiring and onboarding, all the way through retention.
  • Provide position and vacancy visibility through effective dating and workflows.
  • Create an onboarding process that sets up all employees for success.
  • Automate that paperwork that takes hours to complete.

 

Hear from Debbie:

Debbie Simons shared her journey at the Northwest Regional Educational Service District (ESD), providing a real-life example of overcoming HR challenges. Here’s a snapshot:
Where they were in 2021/2022:

  • Data was inconsistent, and there was a lack of processes for updating information.
  • Finance office drove HRIS information setup, and individual admins wrote job descriptions.
  • Employee data was scattered across individual spreadsheets.
  • Data integrity was a concern, and supervisors were unsure of when people worked.
  • The recommendation to hire was often accepted, but the offer took weeks, sometimes over a month.
  • Frequent payroll errors added to these challenges.

 
Where they are now:

After implementing a system of record that allowed the district to manage the entire employee experience (from hire to retire), Northwest ESD is able to:

  • Finalize hires 24-48 hours.
  • Automate forms and paperwork which reside in a single system.
  • Automate evaluation processes based on contract status.

 

 

 
Ready to implement a strategic Human Capital Management system in your district? Learn more here.