Overview

When working within a school district, it is important to know and understand all levels within the system from leadership down to the school and classroom level, all the way to the individual students receiving services. It will be important for you as a consultant to know and understand the roles and positions that will be essential for you to work directly with, as well as the roles and positions in leadership above you in the system. Attaining agreement for consultative behavior analytic support is essential at multiple levels within that system. In most cases, behavior analysts are the experts regarding behavior support and evidence-based instructional delivery; however, if we do not present our expertise respectfully, we risk damaging the opportunity to share our knowledge with others. This assignment will help you investigate the systems you will be working in and reflect on the cultural and relational aspects of the client/consultant relationship.

Preparation
To prepare for this assignment, complete the following:

Research the structure and culture of a local school district by doing one of the following:
Review district and school websites.

Review the Capella Compassion Code [PDF] Download Capella Compassion Code [PDF]. You will need to refer to the Capella Compassion Code when discussing the behavior analyst’s role in the school district.
Instructions
Please include the following information in your paper:

Create a system-wide map of the hierarchy of the various levels within the system, from leadership levels to the classroom and the student. (Suggestions: Use MS Visio or MS Word.)
Visit Microsoft Azure for EducationLinks to an external site. to learn how to access MS Visio for free. To learn more about using MS Visio, refer to the Tools and Resources section.
Describe the systems within a local school district.
Describe key cultural aspects that will help you understand how to attain agreement with leaders, teachers, and students within the district.
What is the level of inclusion of students with disabilities who are receiving special education services?
Are the parents heavily involved with the district?
Do they have a heavy focus on STEAM/STEM?
Do they have an IB program they are proud of?
Do they feature athletics or arts in their district?
What is the local average household income or poverty level of the school?
What percentage of children receive free or reduced lunch?
What percentage of the population are non-native English speakers or do not speak English as a primary language at home?
Reflect on and discuss your (the behavior analyst’s) role in the school system, as well as how this relates to compassionate practice of a behavior analyst.

What activities would be included in your role?
How will you incorporate compassionate practice into your work?
Which elements of the Capella Compassion Code would be applied in this setting?
Describe strategies you would use to build rapport at the beginning of the professional relationship.
With which key roles will you need to build rapport and collaborate?
Submit your paper and your chart to the assignment area. You may submit them separately or in one document.

Additional Requirements

Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: Use current APA style and formatting, paying particular attention to citations and references. Refer to Evidence and APALinks to an external site. for citing and referencing tips.
Length: 2–3 double-spaced pages in addition to the system map, not including the title page or reference page.
References: A minimum of four scholarly or professional resources in addition to the textbook.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

Competency 1: Analyze consultative approaches used in educational settings.
Describe the role of a behavior analyst within the school system.
Describe strategies for building rapport.
Competency 2: Apply collaborative skills in educational settings.
Create a system map of a school district.
Describe the systems within a school district.
Describe cultural aspects that are important to understand to collaborate with leaders, teachers, and students within the district.
Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.
Demonstrate an academic writing style through well-organized prose that follows assignment guidelines.
Demonstrate compliance with current APA style, citation, and referencing guidelines.

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