Memo addresses use of positive behavioral supports with tiered interventions to communicate and reinforce behavioral expectations and provide selective and intensive interventions.

Rule 1. A school social worker may function in any of the following roles:

(a) Provide individual and group counseling to students and their families in need of assistance utilizing an ecological framework addressing variations in development and learning, as well as reciprocal influences of home, school, and community.

(b) Provide consultation, collaboration, and advisement services to students, their family members and school staff regarding students' social, emotional, and behavioral status impacting learning, development, mental health, and school success. Encourage developmentally appropriate student self-determination and self-advocacy.

(c) Implement school social work services within a multi-tiered intervention model for programs and services.

(d) Provide instruction, modeling, and coaching to students, parents, and school staff in the implementation of effective behavior intervention strategies and techniques. Provide ongoing guidance and training services to parents and school staff on topics pertinent to the development, mental health, and learning needs of students.

(e) Provide liaison, coordination, and case management services with schools, families, community agencies, and other resources to influence positive school outcomes for students.

(1) From the appropriation in section 11, there is allocated $6,000,000.00 for 2019-2020 for assisting districts assigned by the superintendent to participate in a partnership to improve student achievement. The purpose of the partnership is to identify district needs, develop intervention plans, and partner with public, private, and nonprofit organizations to coordinate resources and improve student achievement. Assignment of a district to a partnership is at the sole discretion of the superintendent. (2) A district assigned to a partnership by the superintendent is eligible for funding under this section if the district includes at least 1 school that has been rated with a grade of “F”, or comparable performance rating, in the most recent state accountability system rating and that does all of the following: (a) Completes a comprehensive needs evaluation in collaboration with an intermediate school district, community members, education organizations, and postsecondary institutions, as applicable and approved by the superintendent, within 90 days of assignment to the partnership described in this section. The comprehensive needs evaluation must include at least all of the following: (i) A review of the district’s implementation and utilization of a multi-tiered system of supports to ensure that it is used to appropriately inform instruction. (ii) A review of the district and school building leadership and educator capacity to substantially improve student outcomes. (iii) A review of classroom, instructional, and operational practices and curriculum to ensure alignment with research-based instructional practices and state curriculum Standard. (b) Develops an intervention plan that has been approved by the superintendent and that addresses the needs identified in the comprehensive needs evaluation completed under subdivision (a). The intervention plan must include at least all of the following: (i) Specific actions that will be taken by the district and each of its partners to improve student achievement. (ii) Specific measurable benchmarks that will be met within 18 months to improve student achievement and identification of expected student achievement outcomes to be attained within 3 years after assignment to the partnership. (c) Crafts academic goals that put pupils on track to meet or exceed grade level proficiency. (3) Upon approval of the intervention plan developed under subsection (2), the department shall assign a team of individuals with expertise in comprehensive school and district reform to partner with the district, the intermediate district, community organizations, education organizations, and postsecondary institutions identified in the intervention plan to review the district’s use of existing financial resources to ensure that those resources are being used as efficiently and effectively as possible to improve student academic achievement. The superintendent of public instruction may waive burdensome administrative rules for a partnership district for the duration of the partnership agreement. (4) Funds allocated under this section may be used to pay for district expenditures approved by the superintendent to improve student achievement. Funds may be used for professional development for teachers or district or school leadership, increased instructional time, teacher mentors, or other expenditures that directly impact student achievement and cannot be paid from existing district financial resources. An eligible district shall not receive funds under this section for more than 3 years. Notwithstanding section 17b, the department shall make payments to eligible districts under this section on a schedule determined by the department. (5) The department shall annually report in person to the legislature on the activities funded under this section and how those activities impacted student achievement in eligible districts that received funds under this section. To the extent possible, participating districts receiving funding under this section shall participate in the report.

(3) For a district or public school academy to be eligible to receive funding under this section, other than funding under subsection (7) or (8), the district or public school academy, for grades K to 12, must comply with the requirements under section 1280f of the revised school code, MCL 380.1280f, and shall use resources to address early literacy and numeracy, and for at least grades K to 12 or, if the district or public school academy does not operate all of grades K to 12, for all of the grades it operates, must implement a multi-tiered system of supports that is an evidence based framework that uses data driven problem solving to integrate academic and behavioral instruction and that uses intervention delivered to all pupils in varying intensities based on pupil needs. The multi-tiered system of supports described in this subsection must provide at least all of the following essential components: (a) Team-based leadership. (b) A tiered delivery system. (c) Selection and implementation of instruction, interventions, and supports. (d) A comprehensive screening and assessment system. (e) Continuous data-based decision making.

Model code of conduct addresses use of positive behavioral supports with tiered interventions to communicate and reinforce behavioral expectations and provide selective and intensive interventions.

Document addresses FAQs on multi-tiered system of supports.

Site addresses FAQs on positive behavioral interventions and supports.