District Support Team Process
District Support Team (DST) is a collaborative group composed of specialists from each academic department, along with school and district administrators. The team’s purpose is to review ongoing student behavioral and social-emotional needs and to provide coordinated, interdepartmental support. DST meets weekly on Tuesdays from 8:00–10:00 a.m. in the Wasatch Room to partner with school-based Student Support Teams. During these meetings, the team works to identify additional interventions, problem-solve complex cases, and connect students and families with appropriate district and community resources. It is important to note that DST is not a disciplinary committee.
Initiate the SST Process at the School of Record
- Create an SST Case for the student of concern.
- Document all interventions in the Student Support Team Dashboard.
- Create a Behavior Support Plan and upload it to the Student Support Team Dashboard.
- Review Tier 1 and Tier 2 data from your school and or classroom. This includes:
- classroom managed discipline/office discipline referrals, feedback ratios, adult-student interactions (positive, encouraging, and likely to increase feelings of belonging and safety) and consistent implementations of expectations to support a positive learning environment.
- Consult with all relevant school-based staff (i.e. Nurse, Counselor, Social Worker, Psych, SLP, Community Schools Facilitator).
Prior to Considering DST:
- Complete the DST Referral Form, and contact Chanci Loran to schedule.
- In the SST Dashboard, select “Referred to District Support Team” as the case status on an open SST case.
- Teams must contact parents and notify them that they are consulting with the District Support Team about their student.
Determine the Criteria for DST Referral:
- Is the situation a one-time, critical event?
- What has changed from one day to the next (a certain event)?
- Is there a time frame connected?
- Has the student experienced a recent/history of trauma, harm/assault-if a safe school violation, contact Nicole Svee-Magann.
- The Student Support Team has created a referral with unsuccessful/unsustainable Tier 2 intervention(s) and/or a Behavior Support Plan.
Referral Process:
- Clearly define target behavior(s)
- SST has identified and implemented a minimum of 2 CSD approved, Tier 2 Interventions: (ie. Check in/out, Check & Connect, Contract/Plan, Self Monitoring, Social Skills Training, Reading/Math Intervention Group, Study Skills, Structured Recess, SEL Small Group Instruction, School Based Therapy, School Intervention)
- Team has completed a quality check of the implementation of the intervention
- Brief description of how each intervention looked, how the student was reinforced, and outcome goals (What did you expect to happen if the intervention was successful/success criteria?) preferably in SST Dashboard
- Team has at least 4-6 weeks of data for each intervention (preferably graphed in SST Dashboard)
- Utilize intervention fidelity checklist
- What outcomes are you looking for from DST? (e.g., consultation for individualized intervention, additional interventions, alternative placement, mental health support)
Before the DST Meeting:
- Submit a DST Referral and indicate on SST Dashboard a referral to DST (include information for DST to review, graphed intervention data, etc.)
- Contact parents to notify them that you are consulting with the DST about their student
- Contact Chanci to get on the DST agenda, please forward to team members who should attend
- You will be invited to a DST meeting via Outlook Calendar
During the Meeting: (20 minutes is allocated/team)
- Introduction of DST and school team members
- Review student information:
- Background information
- Share 4-6 weeks of intervention data (academic/behavioral)
- Discuss strategies that are working/reinforcers the student responds to
- Current medications
- DST will ask clarifying questions & all will discuss potential outcomes
Potential Outcomes: (will be shared following the meeting)
- Consultation with your Student Support Team
- Consultation for individualized intervention at the school
- Intervention Support Plan/Behavior Planning/Coaching
- Mental health support from outside agency
- Link to outside agency for wrap around support
- Alternative educational environment/location
After the Meeting:
- Chanci will share potential outcomes following the DST Meeting in a follow up email and the details and notify necessary people/departments by Friday.
- A District Support Team case manager will be assigned to your case & will contact you regarding any observations, visits, etc.
- The school team will follow up with parents regarding any permissions (FBA, observation notification, alternative educational environment discussion)
- Following observations/visits, the case manager will schedule a time to debrief and support the team to plan for the implementation of any interventions or behavior support plans
Transitions: If the student is being recommended to Youth Academy, Home and Hospital, homebound instruction, or another location,
- The referring administrator will notify the family of the DST recommendations
- Chanci Loran will coordinate transportation if needed
- Chanci Loran will contact the admin/team of the new location, coordinate, and schedule an orientation with the student and family at the new location
- Because this is usually a temporary location, the referring administrator is asked to attend the orientation with the family and may be asked to check in with the student on a weekly basis.
- The Referring Administrator will work with Chanci Loran to communicate DST review information to student and family
Finalize the Case:
- DST Case Manager updates DST case in Dashboard by detailing a summary of the case (post-meeting actions) in an ‘intervention’ description
- Case Manager debriefs with DST at the next appropriate meeting DST (by committee) decides if the case is on-going or closed
Members of DST:
Jonathan Stewart, Instructional Supports
Lea Aline, Student Wellness Services
Michele Vogler, Federal & State Programs
Angela Wilkinson, Sunrise Elementary
Matthew Watts, Special Education
Kimberly Ranney, Oak Hollow Elementary
Lori Hunt, Mental Health Specialist
Kory Crocket, Draper Park Middle
Karen Brown, School Psych Specialist
Sara Little, Jordan High
Chanci Loran, Student Wellness Services
Sally Sansom, School Performance
