Professional Learning, Mentoring, and Instructional Support: Creating a Road Map to Success After a Tumultuous Year in Special Education
Jay Bland • Cahn Fellow 2023
Morris Brandon Elementary has a strong academic track record, with 71% of students on grade level in reading and 69% in math. Among 3rd-5th graders, 85% read at grade level. However, prior to the 2023/2024 school year, special education students consistently lagged behind their general education peers in proficiency, although they demonstrated growth. Many special education students also fell into other subgroups, including African American and Economically Disadvantaged.
At the end of the 2022/2023 school year, the school lost all five of its interrelated special education teachers, as well as several paraprofessionals. This forced the leadership team to reflect on how they could better support the incoming special education staff, both instructionally and through professional development and mentorship. The team was determined that the high turnover would not negatively impact students' academic and social-emotional development. Families had started raising concerns about the annual staff changes, and the critical question was: "How can we continue on a path of success with a completely new team?"
The situation was further complicated when, just before the start of the school year, the school learned it would also be receiving two new Autism regional programs. This meant an additional four special education staff members—seven new teachers and four paraprofessionals in total.
In response, the team devised a robust mentoring program, increased academic progress monitoring, and delivered meaningful professional development. The goal was to improve special education proficiency in reading and math for the first time in years while retaining the new staff that would make it happen.
