The Kentucky Academic and Behavioral Response to Intervention (KY ABRI) project provides support to schools to assist with the development of plans to increase student achievement and decrease inappropriate behavior.

The focus of this support depends upon each school’s unique needs and includes assistance with decreasing the types of disproportional student outcomes that are tracked as part of the state accountability system. This includes training and technical assistance with co-teaching, differentiating instruction, and effective management of Individual Education Programs to decrease disparities by disability.

Further support also may include assistance with high-leverage teacher practices (instruction, classroom management and dealing with escalation) that are known to be associated with decreases in suspensions and increases in academic achievement among even the most at-risk students. KY-ABRI personnel have expertise in a range of effective practices and experience working with schools to affect immediate and deliberate changes in student success.

In an effort to assist districts in better serving students with disabilities, the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Early Learning (OSEEL) has been providing trainings to districts across the state in the area of data entry for behavior events. A version of these trainings, along with PowerPoint slides, has been recorded and may be found on the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Safe Schools Data Collection and Reporting website.

Associate Commissioner of OSEEL Gretta Hylton also presented a webcast on March 28 that provided guidance on “Discipline Procedures for Students with Disabilities.” Links are provided for the PowerPoint slides and a critical fact sheet.