Exceptional Students: Students At Risk & Academic Action Plans

1. Exceptional Students:Students At Risk & Academic Action Plans A teacher’s guide to Academic Action Plans

2. What is an “At Risk” Student? • An “At Risk” Student is a student who requires accommodations or adaptations to their educational programming. • At risk students may be in the process of being identified with a special needs code. These students may be undergoing evaluations by doctors, therapists, or psychologists to determine specific needs or diagnoses that apply.

3. What is an “At Risk” Student? • An “At Risk” student may have been assessed by a doctor, therapist or psychologist and found to be low or weak and in need of extra assistance. • An “At Risk” student may have been referred by a parent or teacher to the Special Needs Teachers for extra assistance or for further observation/assessment.

4. What is an “At Risk” Student? • An “At Risk” student is identified in our School of Hope database with an internal code of “AR” • An “At Risk” student is considered to be an exceptional student as they need supports not normally provided to the general student population. These supports are documented in an Academic Action Plan for the student.

5. Action Plan’s • Action Plans are short term documents that justify accommodations or adaptations to a student’s programming • Action Plans are to ONLY used with students that have been identified as “at risk”

6. Academic Actions Plans • Academic Action Plans Do Not/Can Not take the place of IPP’s for students with a numeric Special needs code • The IPP is a legal document that is an Alberta Education requirement for coded students • The Academic Action Plan is a district document used to justify accommodations and adaptations to student programs

7. Completing an Action Plan • Action Plans are not difficult, nor too time consuming to complete. • There are two Spec Ed documents that will be required to write the Action Plan: The Academic Action Plan, and The Helpful Hints for Writing Academic Action Plans • The Academic Action Plan is a 3 page document that outlines one or two student goals, resources, strategies, accommodations or adaptations, and contains signatures. • The “Helpful Hints for Writing Action Plans” companion document contains appendices that will aid in drafting the Action Plan. Let’s look at the Action Plan Step by Step

8. Academic Action Plan... Page 1 The first section of the Action Plan is relatively straight forward. It asks for student and teacher identification information Below that it is the current performance levels in Reading, Writing and Mathematics. This will help to identify which areas the Action Plan will focus on. It is important to know if high school students will be working towards a diploma or certificate so this area will need to be completed for high school students only. The last section asks for signatures. The signatures signify agreement to the Action Plan

9. Academic Action Plan... Page 2 • The second page contains three sections • The first section is the identification section. All that is required is the students name (James Doe) and the academic year (2020-2021) • The second section is where the teacher identifies the area, and the specific concern within the area that the Action Plan will address. The first appendix in the “Helpful Hints for Writing Academic Action Plans” will be of great assistance in completing this area

10. Academic Action Plan... Page 2 (con’t.) The third section of Page 2 is the goal section. This is very similar to the goal section in our School of Hope IPP’s. It is vital that we know the current level of performance for the student. It acts as a baseline to measure student progress and plan effectiveness The second part of the student goal is the Short Term Objective. It is here that we state what exactly are we expecting the student to learn. It must be written in SMART (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and have a Time component) language.

11. Academic Action Plan... Page 2 (con’t.) • The next part of the student goal is the listing of strategies and resources that will be used to support the short term objective. Teachers and parents can list the resources and strategies that they know, or teachers can utilize the Learner’s Opportunity Room on the School of Hope website for ideas and suggestions. • Following the Strategies and Resources section is the Student Accommodations section. Here is where teachers would list what accommodations will be used to support the student’s learning. An comprehensive list can be found in the second appendix of the “helpful Hints for Writing Academic Action Plans.”

12. Academic Action Plan... Page 2 (con’t.) • The next section in the Student Goal is the Observable /Measureable Outcomes. It is here that we want o be very specific about what is being measured. Whatever is being measured must be measureable. We can not see “love of reading”, but we can count the number of books read. • The next section is closely related – Assessment Methods. How will you assess the goal? Will it be anecdotal observations, test or quizzes, assignments, journals, portfolios? List the assessment methods here. Appendix 3 in “Helpful Hints for Writing Academic Action Plans” may assist teachers with their selection of methods

13. Academic Action Plan... Page 2 (con’t.) • The next section is Progress Review. In this section you will mark off if the student is “Working Toward” or “Has Met” the Short Term Objective, and make a brief comment regarding student progress. • Underneath the Progress review is a place to record the date of the review. • Actions Plans need to reviewed at least as frequently as the IPP’s and follow the same timelines, unless the goals have been met and the Action Plan is no longer required.

14. Academic Action Plan... Page 3 • The Third page of the Academic Action Plan is similar to the second page. It contains two sections. One student goal and one section for additional comments. • Complete the second goal, if necessary, just as you did the first. • The last section is for additional comments. Here the teacher could write transitioning comments about what worked and why, and what should continue to happen. OR, the teacher could write a comment to discharge or end the Action Plan.

15. Things to remember • Academic Actions Plans Do No replace IPP’s • Academic Actions Plans can only be written for students “At Risk” • There are two Spec Ed documents: the Academic Action Plan and the Helpful Hints for Writing Academic Action Plans. • Academic Action Plans must signed by the parent, and teacher, then forwarded to Cindy Slenders and Administration for their signatures. • Academic Action Plans follow the same timelines as IPP’s for initial creation, mid year review and year end closing. • Academic Action Plans may be terminated or discharged once the goals have been met. • It is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that the Action Plan document is filed in the student’s SRP.

16. Need Assistance? Call Cindy or LeAnn. We are always glad to assist you. Cindy (403)501-3745 LeAnn (604)703-0025