Expecting Success: Self-Assessment and Resource Guide for Improving Service Delivery

Author: Council of Chief State School Officers
Publisher: Council of Chief State School Officers
Publication Date: 2002, August
Full text available online at: http://www.ccsso.org/Publications/Download.cfm?Filename=ExpSuccResourceGuide.pdf

Abstract (written by WestEd)

This publication is part of a series of publications by CCSSO on serving students with disabilities in high-performing, high poverty schools. The guide focuses on improving achievement for all students, "particularly those with or at risk of developing disabilities in high poverty schools" and is targeted at chief state school officers and agency staff; however, its uses cut across school, district, and state levels.

The guide is divided into three separate, ten-point self-assessments for state education agencies, school districts, and schools, and also includes an annotated bibliography and resource guide. Each of the ten self-assessment points includes an introductory explanation and then numerous questions to help respond to the broader area.

The areas covered in the district self-assessment, for example, are:

• Encourage a common expectation of student success.
  
• Examine the characteristics of students with and at risk of developing disabilities in the district, particularly in high poverty schools, and the service deliver systems.
  
• Focus on prevention, early intervention, and providing access to the general education curriculum for all learners.
  
• Use professional development to deepen teacher skills and instructional leadership.
• Reorganize and allocate resources to better address the needs of all students.
  
• Improve alignment between curriculum and instruction with state and local standards for all learners.
  
• Facilitate data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
  
• Strengthen systems for providing supports to schools.
  
• Foster strategic partnerships with families and communities to enable student achievement.
  
• Create stronger incentives for student excellence and for closing the achievement gap.

The annotated bibliography and resource guide includes resources on serving culturally and linguistically diverse students; inclusion; effective literacy approaches; effective behavioral interventions; school wide approaches to delivering instruction; district- and state-level approaches, including program collaboration; improving teacher quality; and special education policy, prevention and early intervention, and transition.