Strategic State Performance Alignment for Special Education

Overview

<p><strong>PURPOSE</strong><br>The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is requesting proposals to study and report strategic alignment findings on the current state and regional level systems per federal and state requirements for implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). TEA requests a coherent needs study of qualified personnel processes with work streams, monitoring, technical assistance, and data reporting currently utilized for implementing state requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and State Performance Plan (SPP) requirements. Specific alignment needs and recommendations for Texas’ SPP, Results-Driven Accountability Framework (RDA), and Special Education Strategic Plan are requested. The awarded contractor will support TEA in action planning, implementation strategy, and feedback loops for sustainable improvement aimed for growth outcomes over the six-year term of the SPP.</p> <p><strong>SCOPE OF WORK, PROJECT DESCRIPTION, AND REQUIREMENTS</strong><br>The awarded contractor will be required to deliver key products and support work to strengthen the alignment of systems within the state that will eliminate duplication and confusion in the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. TEA prefers for all services and deliverables to be completed within the initial contract period. This procurement includes one optional renewal period that TEA may exercise if the awarded contractor’s proposal includes sufficient market, best practice, or innovative solutions that indicate additional training, professional development, or continuous improvement support activities beyond what can be achieved in the initial contract period. TEA may also choose to exercise the optional renewal period for other reasons, including but not limited to, continued impact of COVID 19 on the education community. The support work should assist TEA in thinking systemically to build capacity within the state’s systems for delivery of special education and related services to achieve its desired results and optimal positive student outcomes. This work will include identifying and understanding the current system(s) and work processes, and processes for achieving deeper thinking about how current organizational structures might be improved. Specific study of data use, knowledge utilization, communication and collaboration with stakeholders, and systems change within infrastructures that will help identify both technical and adaptive challenges are expectations for included reporting and support work, The key products will be in the form of reports, tools, and resources that will aid the TEA in achieving its goal of systems alignment as well as transparency and clarity to stakeholders. These key products are expected to answer typical alignment questions such as, “How might we become better integrated for more productive work?”, and “How might we optimize connection between identified needs, planned and executed work, and intended results in a timely logical model?”. The awarded contractor will:</p> <p>A. Evaluate systems within the state by conducting interviews with internal and external stakeholders to complete an analysis and landscape of current organizational structure and systems for delivery of special education services to students in the state. At a minimum, this should include a purposive sample for interviews with TEA staff, the regional education service centers (ESCs), and local education agencies (LEAs), and other identified stakeholders located within the state;<br>B. Identify areas of both alignment strengths and weaknesses as related to the State Performance Plan and the strategic priorities of the state;<br>C. Provide support in planning key milestones for priorities and objectives, including the creation of an operational plan for alignment of the above plan and implementation; and<br>D. Provide a support design with implementation strategies used to support and measure sustainable improvement through a communication plan and internal training model.</p> <p><strong>PROJECT DELIVERABLES AND MILESTONES</strong><br>At a minimum, the awarded contractor will be required to provide the following deliverables.</p> <p>A. Interviews and other survey mechanisms<br>Within two months from contract execution, 80% of identified stakeholders in the purposive sample have been contacted and engaged for information gathering processes to provide input for alignment. Information shall be obtained through direct interviews for identified key personnel and leadership roles, and supplemented with acceptable surveys, polls, or other information gathering processes for broader reach and input opportunities for stakeholders.<br><em>Anticipated Acceptance Criteria</em><br>80% of stakeholders identified for inclusion in the study, that comprise key state agency personnel; stakeholders within the state; key regional agency staff; and key local education agency staff, have provided input or have been engaged in the process of providing input designed to inform the coherent needs study. The representative sample must include all groups mentioned in this sample. (A rubric may be developed to document total participants from each identified group and acceptable input modalities).</p> <p>B. Report<br>The Special Education Strategic Alignment Findings report, inclusive of study results, and anticipated acceptance criteria listed below, is 100% complete and delivered to the TEA within five months of contract execution.<br><em>Anticipated Acceptance Criteria</em><br>Report contains a review of existing systems identifying the following:<br>• potential gaps in the current alignment of systems<br>• duplicative processes;<br>• actionable recommendations;<br>• implementation strategies; and<br>• contractor’s proposal for support.</p> <p>The report additionally will provide recommendations and strategies to timely align systems to execute on the TEAs vision and mission for students with disabilities.</p> <p>C. Support<br>Within nine months from the date of contract execution, 75% of agreed upon deliverables identified as supports to TEA will be distributed for use.<br>Deliverables identified as supports include tools and resources to be used for the following:<br>• measuring implementation strategies<br>• communication on alignment work for both internal and external stakeholders<br>• executing a logic model for sustainable improvement in optimizing connections between identified needs, planned and executed work, and intended results<br>• training and access to available resources for capacity building to sustain and implement better integrated and productive work</p> <p>D. Plan/Report<br>Within 11 months from the date of contract execution, 100% of process recommendations, communication plan, and stakeholder plan is complete to TEA specifications.<br><em>Anticipated Acceptance Criteria</em><br>A complete plan or report outlining recommended actions for feedback loops and data tracking plan will capture impact for sustainable improvement as measured by the TEA quality assurance rubric.</p>