504

Understanding Section 504

Table of Contents Intro A Brief History of Section 504 Shift in the Tides Section 504’s Goal Section 504 vs. Special Education Important Takeaway Core Concepts of Section 504 Video Series Episode 1: Introduction to Core Concepts of Section 504 Episode 2: Understanding the Section 504 Eligibility Criteria Episode 3: Unraveling the Key Concept of […]

RTI/MTSS

Why Use Baseline Data to Drive Decisions in K-12 Education?

Table of Contents What you need to know about baseline data How baseline data drives instruction in the classroom Baseline data in Special Education Should baseline data be used for mental and behavioral health support? Data is the evidence we depend on Learn more about using baseline data Believe it or not, data wasn’t always […]

Special Education

Establishing Baseline Data in an IEP: 3 Steps to Taking a Student’s Performance Temperature

*Key points from Carol Kosnitsky’s blog post, presented by Laura Materi, Frontline Education. Let’s begin with a metaphor to set the stage for the last component of a well written Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) statement: When your child says he doesn’t feel well, you take his temperature. He’s got a […]

Special Education

eSped & eSTAR FAQs (Now Frontline Special Education Management)

Questions about eSped/eSTAR becoming a part of Frontline Education? You’ve come to the right place! Here are a few of the most frequent questions we hear from school districts who are wondering what the move means for them. Don’t see your question here? Don’t hesitate to contact us! Why have the product names changed? Since […]

Special Education

The Hidden (Practical) Value in End-of-Year Special Education Data

Supporting K-12 students with special needs makes for a very busy spring for administrators and special education teachers. There are so many things that need to be done to close out the year that it can often feel like a very reactive — even chaotic — time, which means you have pretty much no time […]

Special Education

How to Leverage Your IEP Service Tracking System for Better Progress Monitoring

Why does progress monitoring matter? School districts need to monitor student progress to assess student outcomes, submit mandated state and federal reports, and in many states, claim Medicaid reimbursements. But progress monitoring can also be used to help identify and support requests for additional staffing needs or pinpoint professional development gaps. Getting the most benefit […]

RTI/MTSS

RTI/MTSS and End of School Year: 7 Pillars to Reflect on Your Program, Recalibrate Your Approach, and Energize Your Staff

For schools implementing an RTI/MTSS model, the end of the school year can be an energizing and pivotal time. Leaders implementing RTI/MTSS have a big responsibility, to deploy the school’s full array of intervention resources to find and help struggling students. Therefore, this model requires periodic checkups to ensure schools align their current practices with […]

Special Education

10 Sources of Data to Build a Comprehensive IEP

*Key points from Carol Kosnitsky’s blog post, presented by Laura Materi, Frontline Education. The IEP has the potential to “tell the right story” for each student with a disability — to describe the student’s strengths and assets, identify areas of need and chart a pathway for a successful school year.  But to be relevant and […]

RTI/MTSS

RTI/MTSS and End of School Year: 7 Tips to Reflect and Recalibrate

School leaders who implement RTI/MTSS have a big responsibility ― to deploy a school’s full array of intervention resources to find and help struggling students. To meet this goal, periodic checkups are needed to ensure that schools align their current practices with RTI/MTSS best practices. The close of the school year offers staff the ideal […]

Talk Data to Me

A data-centric view on the challenges facing school districts

Recruiting & Hiring

Talk Data to Me: Hire Rates

According to a 2021 Frontline survey, about two-thirds of over 1,200 school and district administrators reported having a teacher shortage. Some districts experienced the teacher shortage worse than others. About half of the respondents reported difficulty filling jobs across all grade levels and subjects while the other half felt the effects of the shortage in […]

Teacher Absences & Subs

Talk Data to Me: Trends in Absence Management and Substitute Pools

Troubled by substitute shortages and low fill rates? You’re not alone. These are challenges faced by many districts, and for good reason. Substitute management is no walk in the park: a lot of different elements go into maintaining and managing a healthy substitute pool.   To overcome the challenges associated with the substitute shortage, districts […]

Recruiting & Hiring

Talk Data to Me: The State of the Instructional Teacher Shortage

The Frontline Research and Learning Institute recently published a research brief called “The State of the Instructional Teacher Shortage”. Following a basic supply and demand economic model, the analysis investigates the quantity of candidates applying for jobs (supply) as well as the availability of open positions (demand). Trends show changes to both sides of the […]

Student Data

Talk Data to Me: Supporting the Health Needs of Students and Staff

In early April, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said that schools should be reopened and “full-fledged in person” come fall 2021, regardless of vaccination status. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona echoed this in early May, saying that he expects a full return for all students in the fall. With most states no longer placing restrictions on school […]

Front & Center

A series showcasing various leaders in the K-12 space