SCOE Launches Initiative to Advance Equity-Based Framework in Schools
Date: 01/06/2023
Author: Nashelly Chavez, Sonoma County Office of Education
When asked what moment sticks out to her from the school year so far, Sonoma County Office of Education employee Kelly Matteri’s mind goes to a shared learning day in November attended by about 70 people, ranging from local instructional aides and classroom teachers to district superintendents and principals.
Matteri, a universal design for learning and instructional equity coordinator at SCOE, said the gathering was part of SCOE’s new EQUITY. together. initiative, which looks to support Sonoma County school and districts in developing and sustaining equity-based Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
MTSS aims to align schools’ policies, services, and culture so all students — regardless of their identity, needs or socioeconomic background — have an opportunity for academic, behavioral, and social success. The framework focuses on developing systems that are flexible and responsive to students' strengths and needs.
The teams participating in that workshop were asked to map out what it would take to connect students with the services they need.
“They had Post-its, markers, and chart paper,” Matteri said as she reflected on the day's activities. “(They showed) enthusiasm and motivation to do right by their students and take concrete steps to literally map out what that path looks like.”
SCOE debuted EQUITY. together. this school year. Thirteen teams, including districts and individual school sites from throughout Sonoma County, are participating in the initiative, which is being led by members of SCOE’s Educational Support Services and Behavioral Health teams, as well as the Sonoma County Special Education Local Plan Area, or SELPA.
Their support includes connecting schools and districts to MTSS resources and experts, hosting shared learning days like the one in November, helping leverage existing strengths, and identifying and addressing weak spots with an eye for quantifying and tracking progress over time.
While there is no formal mandate that schools implement MTSS on their campuses, Matteri said the work is recognized as a best practice and is the direction the field of education is moving toward.
“At every layer of the system, we are overburdened and deeply taxed … and we’re seeing the effects that all of this is having on students, families and educators,” Matteri said. “Instead of trying to fix things piecemeal, or put our heads down and not address things, let’s actually think really systemically and say ‘What are the pieces we really know students and families need? What are the pieces that educators really need?’”
While the state provides a framework for developing and applying MTSS at schools, the teams involved in EQUITY. together. are able to tailor the framework to fit their specific needs and goals.
Most have finished their first iteration of self-assessment and are in the process of picking a “change idea,” or an area within their educational system that the team would like to improve on, Matteri said. The members leading the initiative will now work with the teams to develop equitable and culturally responsive solutions to those areas based on evidence-based practices, she added.
“MTSS, when done with fidelity, has some certain core components and characteristics, but how they show up in each district is going to be different based on the district and their needs and context,” Matteri said.
At Old Adobe Union School District in Petaluma, the challenges experienced by students during distance learning resulted in a desire to provide greater district-level support to students, district Co-Superintendent Cindy Friberg said.
Staff also showed overwhelming support for participating in EQUITY. together. after the district attended a kick-off for the initiative in April, Co-Superintendent Michele Gochberg said.
“People were energized and excited, and looked at this as a way to connect all the great things that we have in place and build on that,” Gochberg said.
So far, the team that Old Adobe Union School District has compiled to be part of EQUITY. together. has met twice with SCOE staff as an entire group and several more times in smaller numbers.
The district has also completed a self-assessment as part of its work and found that not only are there foundational pieces already in place at their district as it relates to MTSS, but there’s also a common interest in focusing on inclusive academic instruction across school sites, Gochberg said.
Early this year, they’ll meet with the SWIFT Education Center, an equity-based MTSS and inclusive education research and technical assistance center that’s seen as a leader in the field.
“The bottom line is that we’re here for the kids,” Gochberg said of the district’s participation in the initiative. “It’s all about student learning, student growth, and student success, and this is the vehicle to get there.”
Those interested in learning more about SCOE’s EQUITY. together. initiative can reach out to Kelly Matteri at kmatteri@scoe.org.
