S tudent A ssistance T eam

1. Student Assistance Team It’s about Instruction! (not Referral) Dr. Elizabeth J. Marrufo, Director of Elementary Instruction Michael May, Coordinator of Compliance Jamie Sweeney, Coordinator/SPED & Professional Development

2. Response to Intervention RtI is a continuum of school-wide support that seeks to maximize the odds of student success and contributes to overall comprehensive school improvement efforts. RtI is not, a student placement model, a location, a classroom, a computer program/software, a teacher, a label, a boxed program or a quick fix for low achievement.

3. SAT – What is it? School-based team whose purpose is to develop supplemental Tier 2 support for students who are not responding to the Tier 1 core program with universal interventions. SAT is a “support group” to assist regular education teachers in supplementing instruction for students within their classrooms who are demonstrating a lack of response to the core program and differentiated instruction that is delivered with high fidelity.

4. Tier I (Evidence-Based Practices by Teacher) Teacher Effect Effective teachers manage instruction in such a way that the students spend the majority of instructional time actively engaged in learning, working with high levels of success, and progressing through the standards. Prior Knowledge By activating prior knowledge, teachers help students become ready to assimilate new information. This cueing helps the learner associate new information with previously learned knowledge, thereby improving the chances of a successful learning experience and retention. Active Engagement Students learn more when they are actively engaged in an instructional task. The student is doing the work of learning. Ways to ensure that students are actively engaged are through peer-tutoring, cooperative learning, project-based learning, etc. Reference: Essentials of Evidence-Based Academic Interventions, Barbara Wendling& Nancy Mather

5. Tier I(Evidence-Based Practices by Teacher—cont.) • Explicit Instruction The task is clearly explained, modeled, or demonstrated by the teacher, practiced by the learner with frequent feedback, and then practiced independently. With explicit instruction, the student knows exactly what to do—it has been explained, demonstrated, and practiced with guidance to ensure that the skill is being mastered. • Scaffolding Instruction (otherwise known as Gradual Release) Step 1—Teacher assumes the responsibility for the learning process Step 2—Guided practice where the teacher and student share responsibility for the task. Student practices and teacher provides feedback. Step 3—Independent practice, the student has responsibility for the task. • Differentiated Instruction Simply put, differentiated instruction provides a means for dealing with individual student differences within the same class. • Reference: Essentials of Evidence-Based Academic Interventions, • Barbara Wendling & Nancy Mather

6. Tier I--Gradual Release

7. Tier I--Lesson Delivery(Elements of Madeline Hunter’s Lesson Design)

8. Tier I--Strategies The way we manage, teach and provideopportunities for students to “show what they know” --Classroom Management --Tiered Assignments --Multi–Sensory Strategies --Marzano’s High Yield Strategies

9. What Does Differentiated Instruction Look Like? Differentiated Instruction—PD 360

10. Tier I—Differentiated Instruction Modified assignments Tiered instruction/assignments/assessments Team teaching Verbal and tangible reinforcement/feedback Learning Contracts Learning Centers Flexible grouping Student centered projects Questioning, students response, and discussion activities at different levels Graphic organizers High level anchor activities

11. Tier I--Progress Monitoring How is student responding to instruction? Compared to rate of learning of the majority of the class. Used to assess a students’ response to additional support at more frequent intervals.

12. Tier I--Intervention systems Rooted in a school’s general education program rather than in the special education program. Data is used to identify school wide instructional issues. Ongoing support provided to teachers in implementing differentiated instruction and other strategies to help them meet the varying learning needs of their students.

13. Tier 2 5 – 15% of students will get here at one time or another Need more of what happened in Tier 1 NOT the path to Special Education

14. Tier II--Intervention Systems Planned using student-specific strategies designed to change behaviors or improve skills. Purpose is not to place a student in a program, service, or setting, but to identify the needs and implement a plan to meet them. Lower than expected performance is a signal to try different approaches to instruction, not to refer a student for special education services.

15. Six Special Considerations Culture and Acculturation English Language Proficiency Socioeconomic Status Mental/Behavioral Health Possible Lack of Instruction Learning Style, Teaching Methods, Teaching Styles

16. Closure SAT is about Instruction, Not Referral! CCSS is about Instruction! How we determine the effectiveness of instruction leads to better academic decisions made on behalf of students. Learning styles, teaching methods and teaching styles are important when differentiating! Instruction follows a systematic design that is understood by ALL students

17. Resources • RtI Technical Assistance Manual • Flip Books --Response to Intervention Strategies --Intervention Strategies Guide --Differentiated Instruction • Just Ask Publications --Instruction for All Students --Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners --Creating a Culture for Learning

18. Thank You This presentation will be posted on Mr. May’s Home Page http://www.lcps.k12.nm.us/Departments/Instruction/compliance/index.shtml