Our Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) EmbraceAbilities grant team is proud to be one of seven Special Education Resource Leads (SERLs) within the CA Statewide System of Support. Our project goal is to build capacity by providing support for systemic, continuous improvement to County Offices of Education (COEs) and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to include students with disabilities, more specifically, students with extensive support needs. During the first year of this grant project, we visited several sites within 17 COE-operated Regionalized Special Education Programs. We collected data via classroom walkthroughs, student, family, and staff interviews, and surveys to identify best practices and opportunities to support programs from a systems perspective. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching shared an article, Building A Culture Of Improvement In The Context Of External Accountability. In this article, they shared the idea of a team embracing the mantra of “possibly wrong and definitely incomplete.” Our team utilized this mantra in our journey with our SIL coach, Beverley Jenkins. We want to share how we developed a Process Map that laid the foundation for our team to determine best practices and opportunities in supporting students with extensive support needs.
Dive into the transformative world of qualitative data—often referred to as "street data"—in our enlightening session designed for educators who are eager to enhance their approach to data interpretation. This session will introduce you to the rich context and vibrant narratives that qualitative data offers, moving beyond numbers to capture the true essence of student experiences and community voices. By better understanding our student experiences, LEAs are better prepared to address inequities and barriers for student success.
Hear from Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that have successfully integrated qualitative data into their Continuous Improvement and Monitoring (CIM) process, enabling them to make informed decisions that foster equity and student engagement. Engage actively in a real-world vignette with your colleagues.
By the end of this session, you will have a better understanding of the value of qualitative data and learn about different processes to gather and apply it in your own context. Join us and learn how to unlock the hidden stories that can revolutionize educational outcomes!
