As a member of the Marzano Research team, I’ve had the privilege of working on a number of special education (SPED) systems review projects. Today, I want to share our unique approach and highlight two recent projects in South Dakota that demonstrate the power of data and collaboration in improving SPED services.
Beyond the Typical Consultant Experience
When districts hear “systems review,” they often brace themselves for a critical assessment followed by a list of mandates. But at Marzano Research, we see things differently. Our SPED systems review isn’t about pointing fingers or delivering a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it’s an opportunity for learning, growth, and targeted improvements.
Undertaking a systems review doesn’t mean your district is doing anything that needs “fixing.” Rather, it’s a proactive step towards understanding what’s happening in your district, why it’s happening, and how to make meaningful improvements that create the most impact for the amount of time and energy involved.
The Marzano Research Difference
Our approach, rooted in partnership, differs significantly compared to that of a typical consultant. We don’t swoop in, dictate changes, and leave you to figure out how to implement them. Instead, we:
- Establish areas of focus through needs sensing and consensus building
- Gather data collaboratively
- Partner with district teams to analyze and interpret findings
- Co-construct recommendations
- Offer professional learning to foster team capacity building and system improvements
This collaborative process ensures that a review’s resulting action steps are tailored to your district’s unique needs and strengths.
To illustrate our approach, let’s look at our recent projects in Brookings and Rapid City, South Dakota.
Brookings School District
Brookings was experiencing higher numbers of students eligible for SPED services, increased costs, and challenges with staff capacity. Our review process involved:
- Creating logic models of the district’s SPED programming
- Collecting and analyzing data
- Conducting sensemaking sessions with district leaders and key staff
Through this process, together we identified three key areas for the district to focus on in the near future, including processes for identifying students for SPED and developing IEPs, the number of staff serving students in SPED, and professional learning and capacities needed to support behavior of students in SPED.
We also pinpointed key areas of strength, such as how families and caregivers have a clear voice in IEP meetings, staff dedication to students, how staff use data to identify students in need to behavioral interventions, and how the district recently increased behavioral technician staffing.
Rapid City Area Schools
Rapid City faced similar challenges due to increased SPED eligibility and costs and the resulting staff capacity limits. Our review process here also involved logic modeling, data analysis, and collaborative sensemaking sessions. Much like Brookings, Rapid City chose to focus on processes for student identification for SPED, developing IEPs, and delivering specialized services, as well as looking at the number SPED staff. In addition, they wanted to look at the communication and collaboration practices among SPED staff and the families of students in SPED. Strengths revealed included that staff are using data to support students, SPED administrators and SPED staff have a clear understanding of SPED policies and practices, and the district recently brought on additional SPED staff.
Tailoring Recommendations
While there were some similarities in the challenges and focus areas of both districts, our approach led to tailored recommendations for each.
These recommendations weren’t dictated by our team alone. They were refined through our “5Ds” data analysis and decision-making tool, which we use to work with district teams. This ensures that the final recommendations are not only based on our expertise and the data itself, but also deeply informed by district knowledge and buy-in.
Interpreting Data Practically
A key part of our approach is not only collecting data, but empowering districts to use it effectively. We work closely with district teams to interpret the data we gather, ensuring they understand not just what the numbers say, but what they mean for their specific context.
This collaborative data interpretation forms the foundation for action. By the end of the process, district leaders are equipped to use rigorous data protocols with incoming data for decision-making and continuous improvement.
Here is some feedback on the sensemaking sessions we received from school staff and administrators:
I learned what the data shows about our district and not just what my perceptions are. – Elementary teacher
I learned that we have a lot of work to do within our district but I am so hopeful that there are better days ahead. I am so appreciative that we are getting the help and guidance our district needs. – High school/Middle school teacher
I feel that my voice is being heard. – High school/Middle school teacher
I learned a lot about what staff are reporting regarding SPED. I appreciated the time to dig into the data. Thank you for teaching us processes we can use. – Admin
Capacity Building for Self-Sustaining Continuous Improvement
At the end of the day, our goal with systems reviews is not to create dependency upon a consultant, but to empower districts with the tools and knowledge they need for sustainable change. While specific recommendations varied between Brookings and Rapid City, both projects shared a common thread: a focus on building capacity within the district. Whether it was developing new staff induction programs, creating clear policies and procedures, or establishing better communication systems, we aimed to set up the district for long-term success.
By partnering closely with district teams, co-constructing interpretations and recommendations, and focusing on capacity building, we help ensure that the improvements sparked by the SPED system review process can be sustained long after our engagement ends.
It was truly inspiring to work with both Brookings School District and Rapid City Area Schools. Their teams demonstrated exceptional motivation and dedication throughout the entire process. From diving deep into the data to engaging in collaborative conversations, they showed a genuine commitment to improving their SPED services. Their willingness to put in the hard work, ask tough questions, and embrace a partnership approach made these projects not just successful, but also deeply rewarding. We’re excited to see how these education systems will continue to grow and innovate their SPED programs moving forward.
Is your SPED program enrollment increasing? Are expenses creeping up? Are SPED staff maxed out?
A collaborative SPED systems review can help with this and other SPED program challenges with a clear picture of the current state of your system, strengths and areas for improvement, and co-created, prioritized, actionable recommendations that align with district goals. Learn more here, or get in touch with me.
