Many of us in Mississippi recently returned from the MDE-sponsored 2022 Equity for All…All for Equity conference. The conference had several sessions I found helpful. I want to share some information with you if you could not attend the conference or attended different sessions. Many presentations can be found in the MDE document library in MCAPS under Equity Conference.
One of the presentations I found helpful was one on behavior supports. Michelle McClain with MDE Intervention Services shared the ABCs of Behavior. Following these guidelines can lead to reduced behavior and improved academic learning.
- Antecedent Strategies: environmental/stimulus changes that happen prior to the behavior
- Behavior Strategies: improving skills by teaching new or replacement skills
- Consequence Strategies: providing reinforcement to increase appropriate behavior or punishment to decrease future inappropriate behavior.
What I found most helpful for federal program directors were the links to the resources, including those on the MDE website for MDE-approved evidence-based academic and behavior programs, strategies, and supports. I hope you will find some of these helpful, as well.
- MDE approved list of behavior interventions
- MDE approved list of academic interventions
- Scaffolding Documents
- Intervention Central
- Social Emotional Learning Standards and Resources
- PBIS World behavior interventions
- MS Access for All
Another concurrent session titled “Educational Stability in Foster Caren by Terissa Williams with MDE was helpful. Some of Ms. Williams’ reminders include the following:
- A school/district should not enroll a student in foster care without the best interest determination (BID). The BID is the responsibility of the school of origin and should be completed within five business with input from interested parties.
- Students may be enrolled while working on the BID, and the BID must be received within two days. The student must be enrolled within two business days, even without the usually required records.
- Enrollment may be initiated by a local MCDPS representation designee, which may be the foster parent, with express written permission from MCDPS.
- The CPS worker is the only person who can withdraw the child from school. The foster parents cannot withdraw the child from school.
- There must be a policy in place for transportation between school districts.
- A preschool plan must be in place if the school/district provides a pre-K education.
Foster parents may hold parent-teacher conferences. It was recommended that a foster care meeting be held among teachers, counselors, administration, foster parents, and the student to discuss available supports for the child’s academic and social-emotional learning.
I hope you find some of this information helpful.
We are deep into the holiday season. May you have a joyful and blessed holiday season.