By Leslie Joblin
This summer, the School of Education will host two summits as part of their ongoing Education Equity Initiative. The efforts of the Initiative are grounded in the belief that “all students attending schools in Mississippi should receive access to education that meets their individual needs,” said Sara Platt, Assistant Professor of Special Education.
The first summit, Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students, aims to help teachers understand the needs and capabilities of students who face challenges like disability, poverty, language difference, or giftedness, and introduces evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for all students.
“With equitable systems of support, teachers can create high levels of academic, behavioral, and social outcomes,” including a reduction in out-of-school suspensions and office discipline referrals, according to nationally recognized MTSS expert, Dawn Miller of the SWIFT Center at University of Kansas. Miller and SWIFT Center colleague Andrea Mayfield will speak at the summit.
Miller is a co-author of the e-text, Leading Equity-Based MTSS for All Students, which will be provided for free to participants. Dr. Mayfield is a veteran educator in Tennessee and Mississippi, with experience in school improvement in both states.
The first summit is being held virtually, a decision made “with hopes that educators across the state of Mississippi can attend and learn more tools to help examine and improve their school’s implementation of MTSS,” said Platt. MTSS district leadership teams, academic and behavioral interventionists, administrators, and all educators are invited to attend, including UM Faculty.
When: July 13 and 14 from 8:30-12:30
Where: Virtual
Cost: Free
CEUs, SEMIs, OSLs: Yes
Need to register? Yes
Register here: https://nmec.msresaservices.com/events-equity-based-mtss
The second summit, Community Action Poverty Simulation, Resource Fair, and Facilitator Training, will expose participants to the realities of living in poverty. On the first day, participants will take part in a three-hour poverty simulation; attendees will be randomly assigned to one of 26 families experiencing poverty.
The summit will also introduce participants to numerous university and community resources available to those struggling financially.
On day two, participants will learn how to facilitate poverty training for their own classes or community groups. These participants will become certified facilitators for the Missouri Community Action Poverty Simulation.
When: July 25th, 9:30-3:00 and 26th, 9-3:30
Where: The Oxford Conference Center
Cost: Free
CEUs, SEMIs, OSLs: Yes
Need to register? Yes
Register here: https://nmec.msresaservices.com/events-poverty-simulation
