Nebraska Abstract or Conceptual Framework for State Systemic Change

Following the most recent monitoring visit by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services and a series of stakeholder meetings, Nebraska stakeholders identified four areas requiring preservice and inservice attention in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities. They include:

1. Behavior management/discipline

2. Instructional improvement

3. Transition services

4. Parent involvement.

Although status, needs, and objectives are addressed in all four areas in this proposal, funds are being requested only for assistance with improving the infrastructure in local education agencies (LEAs) related to research-based behavior improvement and instructional strategies, and to assure parent involvement in the Improvement Academy. The project also addresses systemic changes in state policies to leverage funds to support staff development programs to improve behavior and instructional strategies, improvement of transition services, service integration, and personnel supply, however these objectives are supported by other funds.

The Nebraska State Improvement Grant (N-SIG) has two goals.

Goal 1: Personnel Quality. Nebraska will initiate systemic reforms and build local capacity to provide, improve, and expand services to students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. Part A of this proposal will provide evidence to support the need to build the capacity of LEAs to change systems to improve behavior and instructional strategies.

Goal 2: Personnel Quantity. Nebraska will ensure an adequate supply of personnel to meet the needs of students with disabilities and their families, and students through the Research-Based Behavior Improvement and Instructional Strategies Leadership Development Academy. Goal 2 activities are funded through resources from other state and federal programs. Two objectives for which funding is requested (1 and 2) and five interrelated objectives that will be met through leveraging existing funds (3-7) are proposed.

Objective 1: Implement a Research-Based Behavior Improvement and Instructional Strategies Leadership Development Academy.

Objective 2: Change state policies to leverage funds to support research-based behavior improvement and instructional strategies.

Objective 3: Build statewide capacity to improve transition services.

Objective 4: Improve parent involvement in all aspects of LEA and State systems improvement efforts.

Objective 5: Increase the capacity of LEAs and Educational Service Units (ESUs) to build systems of service integration.

Objective 6: Provide information regarding IDEA Regulations (IDEA-R) and state regulations.

Objective 7: Ensure an adequate supply of well-prepared preservice special education and related services personnel.

Three intermediate outcomes will result from the project:

1. Skills of personnel in the area of research-based positive behavior management and instruction will be improved.

2. Systems will be aligned and policy changed at the SEA and LEA levels to support students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers.

3. Increased leveraging of NDE policies and resources will occur to support future LEA capacity building for research-based positive behavioral management and instruction. The impact of the project will be higher achievement scores, higher graduation rates, and improved post-school outcomes for students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers.

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Nebraska Basic Information

Project Title	Nebraska State Improvement Grant
Primary Contact Person	Mary Ann Losh
Address	Staff Development State Department of Education Box 94987, 6th Floor 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone	(402) 471-4357 (Losh)
Fax	(402) 471-0117 (Schliesser)
Email	mlosh@nde4.state.ne.us
Web site	http://www.nde.state.ne.us/SPED/sped.html
Date SIG Application was Written or Submitted	December 15, 1999
Begin and End Dates for Funding	1st Year Period July 1, 2000 End June 30, 2001 5 Year Period July 1, 2000 End June 20, 2005
Funded Amount	$575,816.00
Who Wrote the Application	Montana’s Universal Affiliation Rural Institute on Disabilities Co-authors: 1. Alice Senseny 2. Barbara Schliesser 3. Mary Ann Losh 4. Marilyn Scheffler

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Nebraska Improvement Strategies

1. What products or activities are planned by the SIG?

In order to improve the achievement results for students with disabilities as well as their non-disabled peers the NE - SIG will:

• Develop a research based behavior and instructional improvement academy with follow-up assistance to improve local education agency infrastructure for behavior and instructional improvement.
• Develop parent involvement through the Parent Training Center.
• Effect systemic change in state policies to leverage funds to build local education agency capacity to maintain improved behavior and instructional strategies.

2. What interstate connections are planned?

• Dissemination of effective preservice training models in behavior and instruction to higher education in and out of state utilizing online technology resources.
• Use of University of Kansas On-Line Academy and Institute for Research on Learning.
• Out-of-state presenters and facilitators.
• Assistance from Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center.
• Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.

3. What strategies are planned for service delivery?

In order to improve the achievement results for students with disabilities as well as their non-disabled peers the NE - SIG will:

• In the first two years of the project develop the behavior and the instructional academy in summer institutes and weekend programs with the goal being the development of model school building implementation sites in eastern Nebraska.
• Repeat the same pattern of program development in western Nebraska in years three and four.
• Utilize the fifth year of the project for dissemination of products and activities to other Nebraska non-model schools including effective behavior and instructional practices on videotape.
• Develop a networking Web site among all model building academics to enable maximum sharing of successful academy practices.
• Leverage support for state policy changes through demonstrating effective behavior improvement and instructional strategies in the model schools.
• Locate other funding to continue project activities after the project ends.

4. What partnerships are intended?

• Nebraska's Higher Education programs.
• Nebraska's Safe and Drug Free schools program.
• The Nebraska's Parent and Training Center.
• Nebraska's Transition Project.
• Nebraska's Local Education Agencies (both model buildings and others).
• Nebraska's State Department of Education - especially personnel development. 

5. Who are the partners?

(For assistance with behavioral improvement and instructional strategies)

• The University of Nebraska
• The University of Kansas
• Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
• SCR-TEC
• Nebraska Educational Service Units
• Nebraska's Parent Training and Information Center (For program planning and direct intervention
• Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center
• Local Education Agencies

6. What types of contracts or subgrants are intended to partners, LEAs, IHEs, PTIs and others (including lead agency under Part C)?

• University of Nebraska - Lincoln - academy development
• Nebraska's Parent Training Center Parent Partnership and Involvement
• Nebraska's Intermediate Service Units - Program Information Dissemination/Training Support and Follow-up
• Nebraska's model local education agency buildings
• Participating buildings at all levels represented (elementary, middle and high school) for a total of 14 buildings

7. How will resources be pooled with other resources?

• This academy model of program development has previously been utilized in Nebraska's Safe and Drug Free Schools Program. This SIG will parallel many of the same training processes and procedures using different content with a strong component on leveraging funds to support follow-up.
• Nebraska's IDEA Part B funds used to support schools continuous improvement special education programs and CSPD will supplement the SIG.
• Nebraska's Special Education Flexible Funding, lottery supported programs, and CSPD will assist ongoing program activities after the grant ends. 

8. What specific SIG products, activities, initiatives and strategies are pertinent to Part C (birth to 3, infants, toddlers and their families) services and activities in your state?

The academies to be developed will serve the function as leadership development in the model building programs. Emphasis will be place not only on direct intervention, but prevention. This program emphasis will address services for very young students with disabilities to assist with the needs young children demonstrate. Additionally, the behavioral programs developed within the academies will project school wide initiatives which are consistent with early intervention for children with disabilities from birth to 3, and preventative strategies.

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