DCIU Comprehensive Plan 2022-2025

  • As required by the Pennsylvania School Code and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) Comprehensive Plan for 2022-2025 outlines goal areas with strategies and action steps to address these goals. 

     

    DCIU Comprehensive Plan

     

    Goal 1:  Standards Aligned Curricula for K-12 math and ELA

    Establish a system within DCIU Student Services school-aged programs that ensures consistent implementation of standards-aligned curricula for K-12 math and English Language Arts (ELA) and effective instructional practices across all classrooms in the areas of ELA and math, and ensure assessments aligned with course curricula are used to monitor student achievement and to adjust instructional practices by June 2025.

    Position(s) Responsible: Assistants to the Executive Director, Assistant Directors, Supervisors

    Strategy: Curriculum Scope and Sequence (Math)

    Articulate a clear scope and sequence for K-12 math curriculum and assessments aligned to PA common core standards that account for diverse learning needs within programs for students with disabilities.

    Action Steps

    • Articulate the scope and sequence of the curriculum using backward design theory of development. 
    • Identify/develop assessments aligned to the curriculum. 
    • Identify resources needed to implement the revised curriculum and assessment plan.
    • Select research-based instructional strategies designed to meet the needs of diverse learners. Implement curriculum revisions and additions as articulated.
    • Review Progress Monitoring and Benchmarking Technology Tools to ensure alignment with math curriculum to support instructional practices and student assessment.

    Timeline: June 2024

    Indicators of Implementation:

    • Curriculum documents
    • List of assessments
    • List of resources 
    • List of instructional strategies
    • Alignment of technology tools to support progress monitoring and benchmarking

    Strategy: Curriculum Scope and Sequence (ELA)

    Articulate a clear scope and sequence for K-12 ELA curriculum and assessments aligned to PA common core standards that account for diverse learning needs within programs for students with disabilities.

    Action Steps:

    • Articulate the scope and sequence of the curriculum using backward design theory of development.
    • Identify/develop assessments aligned to the curriculum.
    • Identify resources needed to implement the revised curriculum and assessment plan. 
    • Select research based instructional strategies designed to meet the needs of diverse learners.
    • Review progress monitoring and benchmarking technology tools to ensure alignment with ELA curriculum to support instructional practices and student assessment. 

    Timeline: June 2024

    Indicators of Implementation:

    • Curriculum documents
    • List of assessments
    • List of resources
    • List of instructional strategies
    • Alignment of technology tools to support progress monitoring and benchmarking 

    Strategy: Professional Development

    Establish a system within the DCIU that ensures professional development is based on sound research and promising practices, is focused on the needs of the programs and professional employees, is focused on improved instructional practices, and is implemented with fidelity to meet the needs of programs and to improve student learning.

    Action Steps:

    • Deep understanding of scope and sequence of K-12 ELA and Math. 
    • Develop PD to address K-12 ELA and Math with input from professional staff.
    • Develop PD using research-based strategies to address instructional practices, differentiation of K-12 ELA and Math curriculum. 
    • Establish a professional development calendar that reflects identified priorities and goals. 
    • Identify program and teacher leaders who can co-facilitate professional development topics and provide turn-around trainings for new employees as part of the induction process. 
    • Provide professional development on best instructional practices for teaching all students, with a focus on students with complex needs, in a DCIU setting. 
    • Provide instructional coaching to improve instructional practices. 
    • Develop processes and procedures to incorporate teacher and program needs for professional development with instructional practices. 

    Timeline: June 2023-June 2025

    Indicators of Implementation:

    • Professional staff providing input for PD
    • PD prioritized needs
    • PD calendar
    • Identified teacher leaders
    • Research-based strategies list
    • Sign-in sheets and evaluations of all PD sessions
    • Instructional coaching in place

    Goal 2: Supports and Services for Students with Complex Behavioral and Mental Health Needs

    Explore supports and services for students with complex behavioral and mental health needs that could be implemented throughout DCIU and/or DCIU programs by June 2025.

    Position(s) Responsible: Executive Director, Assistants to the Executive Director, Assistant Directors, Supervisors

    Strategy: 

    Develop and implement additional supports and services needed for students with complex behavioral and mental health needs in Pre-K to 12 settings.

    Action Steps

    • Increase strategies to support students with social and emotional needs at the Tier I, II, and III levels.
    • Develop and implement evidence-based strategies and interventions to support students' ability to increase their capacity to cope and engage in the school environment. 
    • Additional supports, services, or programs needed for all students with complex behavioral and mental health needs in Pre-K to 12 settings.
    • Develop strong partnerships with local law enforcement, county mental health agencies, and community agencies to support ongoing efforts in supports for students with behavior and mental health needs. 

    Timeline: June 2025

    Indicators of Implementation:

    • Increase community partnerships to support students with mental health and behavior needs
    • Creation of additional supports, resources, or programs to address the array of students need for supports

    Goal 3: Hiring and Retention Strategies

    Develop and implement a menu of effective hiring and retention strategies to increase successful hiring and retention of highly qualified staff by June 2025. 

    Position(s) Responsible: Director of Human Resources, Executive Director, CFOO, Assistants to the Executive Director

    Strategy

    Recruitment of fully credentialed, experienced, and highly qualified staffs. 

    Action Steps 

    • Develop and implement a menu of strategies to increase awareness and interest to attract future candidates to the DCIU. 
    • Analyze menu of strategies to determine the effectiveness of the increase in applicants to DCIU. 

    Timeline: June 2023 - June 2025

    Indicators of Implementation:

    • DCIU fully staffed

    Goal 4: New Administrator Professional Learning Community

    Establish an on-boarding and Professional Learning Community (PLC) to support and develop strong leaders who can lead challenging programs for students, students with special education needs, and students in our nonpublic and career and technical schools by June 2025. 

    Position(s) Responsible: Executive Director, Director of Human Resources, CFOO, Assistants to the Executive Director

    Strategy

    Create opportunities to on-board and grow new administrators at DCIU. 

    Action Steps

    • Establish a professional learning community that will occur monthly for newly appointed administrators at DCIU to support their growth and development by June 2023. 
    • Develop mentoring systems for ongoing supports based on adminsitrators needs assessment for continued growth by June 2024. 

    Timeline: June 2023 - 2024

    Indicators of Implementation:

    • Framework developed and implemented for administrators' PLC
    • Developed and implemented mentoring system to support newly appointed administrators to DCIU