Go Through Testimonials About Dr. Shinns Efforts
Dr. Mark Shinn offers an incredible amount of information to the learning community which is designed to help us acquire skills and evidence to guide our work with ALL struggling students, particularly the millions of students with disabilities receiving special education and related services. Mark always focuses on the science and evidence base needed for educators to make informed decisions about how to monitor progress and provide interventions which are EFFECTIVE and can improve outcomes and results for struggling students. Mark's ability to inform, inspire, and teach is readily apparent from his presentations and the information he shares on his website which is critically needed to help us develop the skills needed to change the trajectory from risk to resilience for those students who struggle.
ALL Educators can derive much benefit from his teaching and his extensive knowledge of the research in education sadly missing from teacher preparation programs and professional development. As the learning community endeavors to implement evidence based MTSS, Mark's contributions make an indelible mark on our field and should be considered by all of us. As the former Assistant Secretary of Education at OSERS leading the 2004 Reauthorization of IDEA I have had the privilege of learning much from Mark and have seen him work tirelessly to improve our knowledge and his intense desire to make things better for educators and ALL students who struggle.
Dr. Shinn is one of the originators of MTSS thinking and decision- making processes. He has helped schools and districts nationally improve results for their students. He has broad and deep experience problem solving with schools and he is an excellent teacher. I know he’ll be successful providing targeted problem-solving consultation to schools.
As a special education attorney, I rely heavily on experts in the field of education instruction. When I want the best, I turn to Dr. Mark Shinn. Dr. Shinn is one of those brilliant minds that can take the most complex subject and make it simple. Not only is he brilliant in his field, but he is engaging and persuasive. To be in the presence of Dr. Shinn is to learn more than you thought you could, and to feel confident that you are being provided with the most accurate and research driven information.
Dr. Mark Shinn supported my state of Washington school district’s MTSS implementation efforts by providing valuable and practical evidence-based professional learning over the course of 3 years. His expertise in data-based decision-making and SLD identification provided a framework for the district to transition to an RTI-based SLD model and informed my own professional learning and development as a district leader.
On behalf of PaTTAN's MTSS Initiative and partnership with Dr. Mark Shinn, our schools have begun to successfully scale Secondary MTSS. His many areas of expertise, including data-based decision-making, evidence-based practices, and school-based leadership, have been instrumental to our statewide and local efforts. Dr. Shinn's lifelong and marked contributions continue to meaningfully impact the shared and important work moving forward and the continued evolution of the field at large.
I have worked with and learned from Dr. Shinn over the past 5 years, seeking his expertise and guidance navigating the best practices of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports. I have always found his interviews, lectures, workshops, and conversation to be both educational and enjoyable — you know the kind of educator that you want to learn from, the professor whose class fills up as soon as registration is open. Over the years we have attended Dr. Shinn’s MTSS conference and invited him to speak at our summit — I am grateful for every opportunity I get to learn from him.
Dr. Mark Shinn is one of the most knowledgeable individuals I know about CBM reading and about MTSS. His long history of research equips him to consistently present information that is backed by a scientific body of evidence.
Dr. Shinn has consulted with Alaska school districts for 24 years, emphasizing the implementation of simple, research-based practices to meet the learning needs of all students. His consultation, professional development, and resources on data-based decision-making, effective assessment practices, utilization of a response to intervention (RTI) approach to learning disabilities eligibility, and implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) have improved the practices of teachers, school psychologists, and administrators across the state.
Dr. Shinn's current iteration of consultation is innovative and, more importantly, accessible to school districts. Educators will benefit greatly from his virtual on-demand supports for teaching and learning.