Lisa Pickard

Amanda Ritch

School District Assessment & Improvement Proposal

(school district name removed for confidentiality)with focus on English Language Arts Grade 4 Performance

School Report CardEnglish Language Arts Grade 4 Performance:

(School) has less students at Levels 1 and 2 than other similar schools in the district

The majority of students are meeting standards and performing at at least a level 3

Challenges1. How do we raise level 1 and 2 students to meet/exceed

standards?2. How do we increase the level of students who are meeting

standards to exceeding the standards?3. How do we challenge those students who are excelling (level 4)?

ProposalWe are proposing a comprehensive system that

will:

Identify at-risk students before 3rd grade ELA exams and provide early intervention

Provide intervention for students who score below a 3 on the 3rd grade ELA exams

Enrich and challenge average and above-average students who score a 3 or 4 on the ELA exam

Proposal

Early-Intervention

Intervention

Enrichment

Early Intervention

• To identify students who are at-risk before 3rd grade we propose mandating the scientifically-based comprehensive assessment system: DIBELS

Early Intervention

• To identify at-risk students in we propose RTI and AIS

Intervention

• To provide intervention we propose• The

Breakfast Club

• Lunch Book Clubs

Enrichment

• To provide enrichment and challenges for average and above-average students we propose a gifted and talented program

Early-InterventionDibels (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)System of Seven Subtests that address the “Big Ideas” of Early Literacy

• Phonological Awareness• Alphabetic Principle• Accuracy and Fluency with connected text• Word Recognition in connected text

Initially developed through extensive research in 2001 to “preempt early reading difficulty.”

Assessment in early grades would be formative and outcome-driven Measures growth effectively and reliably on foundational skills at three

different times during the school year Teachers document students’ progression toward meaningful

outcomes from K-3rd Grade

Dibels (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)

Early-Intervention

Pros

• Detects at-risk students before summative tests

• Scientifically-Based Standardized Assessment

• Quick and easy to administer

• Benchmarks and specific subtests for each grade

• Web-based data entry system for analysis and school and district-wide reports

• Once a student is identified through DIBELS, the system offers interventions to improve scores

Cons

• Program costs about $1 per student to gain access to web-based support

• Necessary training for all professionals administering test and using data-entry

Early-InterventionRTI (Response To Intervention)RTI is used to identify at-risk students in the emergent and early literacy stages of reading.• Reading intervention should be preventative, so that the child is caught up to

grade level before the state ELA exams• RTI begins in Pre-K and is therefore, truly preventative• Used to improve the way children with reading difficulty are diagnosed• Used to eliminate IQ testing to find children who have reading difficulties• Promotes the use of preventive and early interventions that reduce students’ risk

for reading difficulties

Early-InterventionRTI (Response To Intervention)How does it work?

1. Children in Pre K and on, receive reading instruction that is grounded in the most current, best evidence on how children learn to read. (First Tier Instruction)

2. Children’s achievements are closely monitored through benchmark measures (entire class) and progress monitoring measures (individual children).• Progress Monitoring Measures are given as often as 2-3 weeks• Each test examines performance on a specific reading task within a one-

minute period• Used to track children’s performance within the curriculum • Used to identify those children who lag in literacy growth

3. Second Tier Instruction: Used to supplement First Tier Instruction, adding another layer of reading instruction for struggling readers.• Features a lower adult to student ratio (usually 1:5), more homogenous

grouping of students, and greater opportunity for targeted instruction4. Third Tier Instruction: More intensive instruction for students who need it

Early-InterventionRTI (Response To Intervention)

Early-InterventionRTI (Response To Intervention)

Research Shows• “Intensive, ongoing, and multi-tiered preventative interventions can

prevent a good proportion of struggling readers from developing reading difficulties,” (Justice, 2006, p. 294).

• When second-tier interventions are delivered correctly, only 2% of students will show treatment resistance by 3rd grade

AIS: Academic Intervention Services

Early-Intervention

• A student becomes eligible when he or she does not pass a state exam or when the school’s Learning Center determines the child is at-risk

• Program is centered around NYS Tests • AIS intervention does not pull students out during normal class-time

• Intervention can include an extended school day (either before or after school) that involves meeting with the normal teacher and a few other students

• May involve adding another trained professional to the normal classroom, to improve the teacher-to-student ratio

• Weekend Sessions• Summer School

InterventionBreakfast Club

We are proposing that students who will benefit from remedial help in Language Arts should come to school at 8am for “The Breakfast Club.”

On average, over 25% of students receive free lunch and 15% receive reduced lunch. Since (Named School) now offers a breakfast program with the same financial requirements, if students are eligible for lunch they are eligible for breakfast, too.

Students would arrive at school at 8:00 am with a bagged breakfast (if they do not qualify for free or reduced breakfast) and if they do qualify, they will pick up their breakfast from the cafeteria. Students would go to assigned classroom (to be determined based on need) and eat breakfast until 8:20 am.

InterventionBreakfast Club

Once students finish breakfast, they will start their morning center, which is focused on a single skill or strategy.

Each classroom will have an adult facilitator who will guide 3 centers consisting of 2-3 students in each. 2/3 centers will allow students to work cooperatively and one center will involve the children working with the facilitator.

After 40 minutes, the students will report to their homerooms and begin the day.

InterventionBreakfast Club

How will it be funded?

• Adult facilitators are unpaid• (Named School) will work in connection with students pursuing

degrees in elementary education (both graduate and undergraduate)

• Since education students are required to spend hours in schools for Learn and Serve hours and TA Placements, this program will fulfill part of the requirementResearch Findings

• A study addressed at-risk 1st and 2nd grade students reading growth as they were tutored by minimally-trained college students:• “Children made statistically significant gains in instructional

reading levels that could be attributed” to the college student mentoring

• The average gain for children receiving 6mo of tutoring was 1.19 grade reading levels

Fitzgerald, J (2001). Can Minimally Trained College Student Volunteers Help Young At-Risk Children to Read Better? Reading Research Quarterly , 36(1), 28-46.

Breakfast ClubIntervention

Research Findings

• The Literacy Partners Program, an in-school tutoring program with pre-service teachers found similar findings:• Tutoring even once a week with structured sessions modeled after

the successful Reading Recovery intervention program were effective for 1st grade students to make significant gains on reading comprehension, reading fluency, and reading level.

Cartwright, K., Savage, D., Morgan, K., & Nichols, B. (2009). Literacy Tutoring That Works: A Look at Successful In-School, After-School, and Summer Programs. Newark: International Reading Association.

• Cooperative Learning Centers: Another study conducted in 1991 found that when even poor readers tutor other poor readers, children made significantly greater literacy growth than the students receiving no tutoring at all.• 2 Activities were found to be particularly successful:

• The use of texts that gradually & repetitively introduced high frequency spelling words and words with common spelling patterns

• Activities where students were engaged in direct letter-sound instructionJuel, C. (1996). What Makes Literacy Tutoring Effective? Reading Research Quarterly, 31(3), 268–289.

Breakfast ClubIntervention

How do we get students to participate?

Motivate students by offering incentives• Look to local businesses for support by asking them to make

tax-deductable donations of toys or cash to be used to purchase toys or educational items

• Students who make gains in reading and writing are entered into a monthly drawing

How do we get students to school early for the program?

• Most of the students at (Named School) walk to school, so they would simply come earlier

• Students may also be dropped off by a guardian at 8:00 am• Get Parents involved

InterventionLunch Book Club

• The lunch book club would be open to all students, not just those who need Language Arts intervention

• Children will learn from other students and from parent volunteers

• Book Club not only works to help children practice reading and engaging in higher level thinking, but it also instills a love of reading

InterventionLunch Book Club

• Students are encouraged to read 3 books from a genre• Students may choose the genre of their choice (from 8)• Students will aim to have read 3 books from all 8 genres by the end of the year

How does it work?

What does it look like in action?

• Students will read at home and during SSR in school and have either a guardian sign a form when a book is completed

• Student will fill out a brief survey about the book and turn it in to the teacher• Student will continue reading in the same genre until 3 books are completed• When the teacher has four or more students in the same grade who have

completed an exploration of the same genre, he or she will set up a book club meeting

• A book club meeting is held during lunch, in a teacher’s room, with a parent volunteer and 4-6 students

• Students are to talk about the genre as they have practiced talking about books in class

• The parent should facilitate but not run the book talk

InterventionLunch Book Club

Pros

• Students are motivated to read because they look forward to having a special lunch period

• Book talks teach children how to enjoy reading and the idea of reading for pleasure

• Children can informally talk about books (without a teacher present)

Cons

• Parent volunteers may be unreliable or difficult to bring in

• Some parents may not be able to perform in the book club as the teacher would like them to

Parental Support & Community Involvement

Implementation of a Curriculum Class Letter

• Highlight important dates in the classroom• Lists weeks spelling words• Lists math lessons• Lists Science lessons• New vocabulary• Lists reading lessons• Lists writing lessons

This will inform guardians about what is being covered in school so that they may assist their children at home.

Parental Support & Community Involvement

Parents as PartnersWritten contract with the parents or adult partnerParents or Adult Partners will

Attend parent meetingsVolunteer on one committee.Volunteer at school one day a yearParticipate in district decision making processes (School policies, Curriculum, Budgets)The school willGet to know the families by nameReport absences and tardiness promptlyMaintain regular communication about school eventsMaintain regular communication about academic processMaintain regular communication about what is happening in the classroom.

Parental Support & Community Involvement

Ways Parents Can Volunteer• Lunch time readers• Making copies for classes• Classroom assistant• Assist the reading teacher• Assist the art teacher• Assist the music teacher• Talk about their jobs

• Banking – math• Librarian – reading• Retail – math• Vet or Doctor – science

• Answer phones in the office• Help with school events

Parental Support & Community Involvement

PIM: Participatory Intervention Model• Community-Assisted Early Intervention for Literacy• Program involved community partners and students working together in a 1:1

ratio working on Phonemic Awareness and Repeated Readings• Collaborative relationship between community member and child

• Community Partners provide tutoring in the school setting, in 25 minute sessions

• Community Partners may include parents or grandparents but are not limited to family members• Oftentimes, family members are not available for tutoring, and community

members can relate to children in a culturally responsive wayCommunity Members are briefed about reading strategies and how to show appropriate praise with children but they are also allowed to make suggestions and share input.

EnrichmentHow do we challenge those at a satisfactory level and

enrich those who excel?Gifted and Talented Programs

Currently in NYS:• Gifted and talented programs are not state funded and are not mandated• NYS does not mandate identification of Gifted and Talented students• NYS does not require teachers to have training on the nature or needs of

gifted studentsBUT…• NYS does define Gifted/Talented as intellectually gifted, academically gifted,

and performing and visual arts• NYS does provide guidance and guidelines for the process of identifying

students• The National Association for Gifted Children has developed and released the

Pre-K through Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards to assist school districts and teachers with their identification, management, curriculum and instruction, socio-emotional guidance and counseling, professional development, and program evaluation

The tools are available.

EnrichmentWe propose that (School) utilize the tools available to promote student growth!

• There are numerous scientific-based studies addressing Gifted and Talented Programs

• There are also numerous resources that teachers can consult to tailor a program to the individual needs of a gifted student

• Instruction can be modified for a gifted student just as it can be for a student with a disability or other need for accommodation

Programs Available

• School-based summer programs including online enrichment programs• Summer Enrichment Workshops and Camps• AGATE (a non-profit organization of concerned parents, educators and

advocates designed to promote the education and welfare of gifted and talented learners in New York State)• Sponsors and foster activities that stimulate and encourage the

development of improved programming practices for the education of the gifted and talented

• Good Enrichment and Extension Programs offer differentiation of instruction at the curriculum or program level as a key attribute, (O’Donovan, 2007; Yong, 2009).

• Programs should be offered that include a variety of learning options to meet the academic diversity of students. Gifted students have different learning styles and need to be motivated and challenged to maximize learning, (Caraisco, 2007).

Research Shows

Enrichment

Early-Intervention

Intervention

Enrichment

Web Resources

The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) at www.nagc.orgAGATE at www.agateny.comThe Council foe Exceptional Children www.cec.orgThe Center for Talented Youth www.cty.jhu.edu

Enrichment Resources

Parental Involvement Resources

https://ccaa-trusd-ca.schoolloop.com/Principalstea

http://www.dibels.org/dibels.htmlhttp://nysut.org/ais/faq.html

Early Intervention Resources

Intervention Resources

New York State Education Department www.nysed.gov

ReferencesBerrill, D. (2009). What works? Research into practice: Try literacy tutoring first. Ministry of Education / Ministère de l'Éducation. Retrieved March 10, 2010, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_Literacy_Tutors

Caraisco, J. (2007). Overcoming Lethargy in Gifted and Talented Education with Contract Activity Packages "I'm Choosing to Learn!". Clearing House, 80(6), 255-259.

Cartwright, K., Savage, D., Morgan, K., & Nichols, B. (2009). Literacy Tutoring That Works: A Look at Successful In-School, After-School, and Summer Programs. Newark: International Reading Association.

DIBELS Data System. (n.d.). Official DIBELS Home Page. Retrieved February 1, 2010, from https://dibels.uoregon.edu/

Good, R.H., Kaminski, R.A., Simmons, D., & Kame’enui, E.J. (2001, Winter). Using dynamics indictors of basic early literacy skills (DIBELS) in an outcomes-driven model: Steps to reading outcomes. Oregon School Study Council, 44(1), 1-25.

Fitzgerald, J (2001). Can Minimally Trained College Student Volunteers Help Young At-Risk Children to Read Better? Reading Research Quarterly , 36(1), 28-46.

Goatley, V. J. (2000). Exploring School Learning Communities: Students' Early Literacy Transformations. Reading & Writing Quarterly , 16, 337-360.

Hoffman, A., Jenkins, J., & Dunlap, S.K. (2009). Using DIBELS: A Survey of purposes and practices. Reading Psychology, 30, 1-16.

Houge, T. T., Geier, C., & Peyton, D. (2008). Targeting adolescents' literacy skills using one-to-one instruction with research based practices. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy , 51 (8), 640-650.

Juel, C. (1996). What Makes Literacy Tutoring Effective? Reading Research Quarterly, 31(3), 268–289.

ReferencesJustice, L. M. (2006). Evidence-Based Practice, Response to Intervention, and the Prevention of Reading Difficulties. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools , 37, 284-297.

Newman, J., Gregg, M., & Dantzler, J. (2009). Summer Enrichment Workshop (SEW): A Quality Component of The University of Alabama's Gifted Education Preservice Training Program. Roeper Review, 31(3), 170-184.

O'Donovan, E. (2007). Is Your Gifted and Talented Program Giving You Headaches?. District Administration, 43(11), 70.

Power, T. J., Dowrick, P. W., Ginsburg-Block, M., & Manz, P. H. (2004). Partnership-Based, Community-Assisted Early Intervention for Literacy: An Application of the Participatory Intervention Model. Journal of Behavioral Education, 13 (2), 93-115.

Riedel, B. (2007, Oct/Nov/Dec). The relation between DIBELS, reading comprehension, and vocabulary in urban first-grade students. Reading Research Quarterly, 42(4), 546-561.

What are DIBELS?. (n.d.). DMG: Home of DIBELS Authors and Training. Retrieved February 20, 2010, from http://www.dibels.org/dibels.html

Wu, Y., & Ma, Z. (2009). Principles and Practices Report on Online Enrichment and Extension for the Gifted and Talented. Canadian Social Science, 5(1), 112-118.