Effective School Practices: Promoting Collaboration and Monitoring Students' Academic Achievement

1. How can principals encourage collaboration in their schools between school leaders and teachers, among teachers, and between school staff and parents? Principals encourage teachers to participate in school-wide decision making. Principals support teachers when they assume and carry out leadership roles. Principals and staff share responsibility for the success of students. In class, general education teachers might receive in-class direct support from a co-teacher or para-educator. Special education and general education teachers can communicate regularly as peer-coaches or mentors, with special education teachers providing: Teaching strategies, Advice on curriculum modifications, Behavior management strategies, Assessment strategies, Moral support. Principals play a key role in ensuring communication and a sense of shared responsibility between school personnel and parents. They can: Encourage parental involvement in planning curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Show respect to parents, share knowledge and information with them, and encourage teachers to do the same Offer incentives to teachers to increase parent involvement. Parents can also play a role in ensuring communication between their family and their child's school. They can ask teachers and principals questions about their child's curriculum, instruction, and assessments. Help school staff to understand their child's unique strengths, educational needs, or areas of concern. Find out from their child's teacher how they can participate in learning activities at home, such as checking homework, preparing for tests, or seeking additional materials, such as review books for tests 2. What are some of the positive results of a school environment in which there is collaboration and shared high expectations for all students? When school staff communicates effectively with students and their parents there is "schoolwide understanding of goals and expectations" and all members of the community know their role within the school. Students and parents experience the school like an extended family. Schools provide safe, nurturing environments for students and their families.

3. What are some of the important steps in implementing inclusive assessment practices in a school? How can school leaders make certain that students with disabilities are being assessed properly? Students should be informed of the upcoming test and given the opportunity to discuss any concerns they have. Describe the test for students and help them to understand why it is necessary. Feedback should be obtained from students on the accommodations that have been recommended for them. Ideally, students would be involved in the initial decisions regarding their testing accommodations To help students to prepare for the test: Teach them of the importance of good rest, proper nutrition, and effective relaxation techniques. Explain the format, time limits, and directions for the test. Ensure that the information and skills students are expected to know have been taught in class. Because many factors influence students' performance on assessments, it is especially important for students with disabilities to be tested in an appropriate setting with necessary supports. Principals should make sure that inclusive assessment practices are being implemented carefully at their schools. IEP teams should be well-informed in order to determine the best testing situation for students. Students with disabilities should receive the necessary accommodations to give them equal footing with their peers. Students should only participate in alternate assessment for two reasons: The student is unable to participate in the assessment even with all available accommodations. The instructional goals outlined in a student's IEP cannot be measured by the assessment.