Quality Indicators of Emotional Support Services and Programs

The Quality Indicators of Emotional Support Services and Programs (QIESSP) enables local education agencies (LEAs) to examine the programs and services offered to students with emotional support needs. This document assists teams in examining elements within the following seven domains:

Academic Instruction and Support – standards-aligned instruction with modifications, adaptations, accommodations in the least restrictive environment, with effective instruction

Social-Emotional Instruction and Support – the use of a variety of approaches and skills to meet group and individual instruction student needs, with opportunities for practice, feedback, and generalization

Behavior Management – strategies for prevention, intervention, and crisis de-escalation, with a focus on positive, proactive discipline for individuals and groups of students

Collaboration and Communication – the ways that staff, programs, and families communicate and work together around providing successful outcomes for students

Evaluation and Assessment– process involved in evaluation and reevaluation, documenting and reporting process towards Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, grading and report cards, determining ongoing needs and IEP development.

Post-Secondary Transition – systems and practices involved in post-high school planning and transition, as well as graduation data

Professional Development – procedures for hiring and retaining qualified individuals to work in the emotional support program

The QIESSP is designed to help LEAs reflect upon the current systems and practices in place for students with emotional support needs. This tool is intended to assess the whole program within the LEA, and is not intended to evaluate individual classrooms, teachers, or staff. In addition, LEAs can use the QIESSP to develop action steps for any and all domains that are identified as needing improvement.

Click on the following hyperlink to access the tool