Providing Technical Assistance to Local School Districts: Lessons Learned.

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Elementary and Middle Schools Technical Assistance Center, which developed and evaluated a technical assistance model using a linking agent approach in which a school district professional or team was trained and supported to implement a change process cycle to effect improved services and outcomes for students with disabilities. The Center compared three model variations: providing salary and expense support for linking agents as well as face to face training and support; providing a $1,000 honorarium for linking agents, face-to-face training, and Center assistance; or providing no monetary support for linking agents, who were trained and supported at a distance through electronic means. Evaluation of the three strategies resulted in the following conclusions: (1) a national technical assistance center can effectively help school districts build ongoing capacity to solve problems; (2) scaling up technical assistance is an interpersonal process; (3) effecting scaling up of technical assistance will utilize technology; (4) less costly forms of technical assistance can be effective; (5) technical assistance users largely drive technical assistance costs; (6) local motivation and capacity are essential elements in school change and improvement; and (7) technical assistance can support the implementation of research-based practices that improve student outcomes. Appendices provide detail on school district samples, instruments used, and student outcome data, and list presentations and products. (DB)