The Illinois State Board of Education has stated that “in successful districts and schools, there is a collective commitment to collaboratively identify, plan, implement, monitor, evaluate, and communicate changes necessary to continuously improve student learning for all students (citation).”  Further, it is essential to ensure that students with IEPs have opportunities to benefit from high-quality instruction, reach the same standards as all students, and leave school prepared to successfully transition to post-school learning, living, and working. The Critical Components Tool for Special Education Programs was developed as a result of an extensive literature review to assist school leaders in facilitating conversations to reviewand improve the quality of special education supports, services, and programs as a key component of continuous improvement efforts at the district, cooperative, and school levels.  The Critical Components Tool  for Social and Emotional Behavioral Programs was designed to be used as a supplement to the Critical Components Tool for Special Education Programs.

The Critical Components Tool for Social,Emotional, and Behavioral Programs (CCT-SEB) focuses on self-contained or instructional programs that provide intensive social,emotional, and behavioral supports for students and young adults. It offers guidance for educators and administrators when developing, implementing, and evaluating quality programs and services for students with intensive social, emotional, and/or behavioral needs as well as related or secondary disabilities. The CCT-SEB identifies five domains to consider for effective social,emotional, and behavioral programs.  Under each domain are multiple indicators, and below them are descriptors of each indicator, that define quality characteristics and school experiences with the goal of improving post-school outcomes for this population of students. The CCT-SEB is designed to assist districts, cooperatives, and schools in reviewing practices, as well as identifying and acting on areas where improvement needed. The CCT-SEB is a continuous improvement tool and should not be interpreted as a policy or regulation.