Identify the school-based RtI Leadership Team.

The school-based RtI Leadership Team is comprised of the following members:
Principal, Una Hukill
Assistant Principal and ELL contact, Judith Braswell
ESE contact, Ilene Hamilton
School psychologist, Beth Wruble
Reading coach, Debra Gilbert
RtI/Inclusion Facilitator, Jennifer Sposato
Guidance Counselor and SBT facilitator, Elizabeth Butler

The principal provides a common vision for the use of data-based decision-making to ensure:
• a sound, effective academic program is in place
• a process to address and monitor subsequent needs is created
• the School Based Team (SBT) is implementing RtI processes
• assessment of RtI skills of school staff is conducted
• fidelity of implementation of intervention support is documented
• adequate professional development to support RtI implementation is provided
• effective communication with parents regarding school-based RtI plans and activities
occurs.

The RtI/Inclusion Facilitator is a new position for FY10. This individual will assist in the design and implementation of progress monitoring, collect and analyze data, contribute to the development of intervention plans, implement Tier 3 interventions, and offer professional development and technical assistance.

Describe how the school-based RtI Leadership Team functions (e.g. meeting processes and roles/functions).

The school-based RtI Leadership Team will meet regularly to review universal screening data, diagnostic data, and progress monitoring data. Based on this information, the team will identify the professional development activities needed to create effective learning environments. After determining that effective Tier 1- Core Instruction is in place, the team will identify students who are not meeting identified academic targets. The identified students will be referred to the school-based RtI Leadership Team.

The SBT will use the Problem Solving Model* to conduct all meetings. Based on data and discussion, the team will identify students who are in need of additional academic and/or behavioral support (supplemental or intensive). The team will ensure the necessary resources are available and the intervention is implemented with fidelity. Each case will be assigned a case liaison to support the interventionist (e.g., teacher, RtI/Inclusion Facilitator, guidance counselor) and report back on all data collected for further discussion at future meetings.

Describe the role of the school-based RtI Leadership Team in the development and implementation of the school improvement plan

Members of the school-based RtI Leadership Team will meet with the School Advisory Council (SAC) and will help develop the SY10 SIP. Utilizing the previous year’s data, information on Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 targets and focus attention on deficient areas will be discussed.
Topics for discussion include, but are not limited to, the following:
• FCAT scores and the lowest 25%
• AYP and subgroups
• strengthens and weaknesses of intensive programs
• mentoring, tutoring, and other services.



The RtI/Inclusion Facilitator will provide professional development for the SAC members on the RtI process.

Describe the data management system used to summarize tiered data.

Baseline data:
• Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
• Curriculum Based Measurement
• Palm Beach County Fall Diagnostics
• Palm Beach Writes
• K-3 Literacy Assessment System
• Progress Monitoring and Reporting Network (PMRN)
• Comprehensive English Language Learning Assessment (CELLA)
• Office Discipline Referrals
• Retentions
• Absences

Midyear data:

• Palm Beach County Winter Diagnostics
• Palm Beach Writes
• K-3 Literacy Assessment System

End of year data:
• Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
• FCAT Writes

Describe the plan to train staff on RtI.

Professional development will be offered to RtI/Inclusion Facilitator by district staff every Monday during SY10.

The school-based RtI/Inclusion Facilitator will provide in-service to the faculty on designated professional development days (PDD). These in-service opportunities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Problem Solving Model
• consensus building
• Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS)
• data-based decision-making to drive instruction
• progress monitoring
• selection and availability of research-based interventions
• tools utilized to identify specific discrepancies in reading.

Individual professional development will be provided to classroom teachers, as needed.

Data Disaggregation 2008-2009 FCAT Data

What strengths and weaknesses were identified in the 2009 data by grade level, subject area, and clusters/strands?

Reading:
Strength: 80% of third and fourth grade students scored level 4 or 5 in reading.
Weakness: 68% of fifth grade students scored level 4 or 5 in reading.
Reading:
Strength: 94% of third grade students scored level 3 or above in reading.
Weakness: 3% (8) of third grade students scored level 1 in reading. Of those, 5 were African American or students with disabilities.
Areas of concern by grade level based on FCAT 08 data:
Grade 3 – main idea, author’s purpose
Grade 4 – reference, research, words and phrases
Grade 5 – comparison and cause and effect

Mathematics:
Strength:
98% of third grade students achieved level 3 or above in mathematics
94% of fourth grade students achieved level 3 or above in mathematics
91% of fifth grade students achieved level 3 or above in mathematics
Weakness:
7% decrease from grade 3 to grade 5 that achieved level 3 or above in mathematics
Strength:
87% of third grade students achieved level 4 or 5 in mathematics
78% of fourth grade students achieved level 4 or 5 in mathematics
68% of fifth grade students achieved a level 4 or 5 in mathematics
Weakness:
10% decrease (in percentage of students) from grade 4 to grade 5 and,19% decrease from grades 3 to grade 5 of students that achieved level 4 or 5 in mathematics
Areas of concern by grade level based on FCAT 08 Data:
Grade 3 - Geometry, number sense
Grade 4 – number sense, concepts, operations
Grade 5 – number sense, algebraic thinking

Science
Strength: 84% of fifth grade students met high standards in science. This reflects and increase of 3% from FY07
Weakness: Gifted students do no reflect a years growth in science

Instructional Calendar Development

What is the process for developing, implementing, and monitoring an Instructional Focus Calendar for reading, writing, mathematics, and science?

The district has developed instruction focus calendars for all schools that are accessed through the district web server and Learning Village. These focused lessons and pacing calendars occur for each subject area. The instructional focus for teachers is set forth by the district, however; differentiated and supplemental lessons will be developed in August and September of 2009 as identified through mini-assessments. In October 2009, after district wide diagnostic assessments are concluded, teachers receive their individual disaggregated data through the Educational Data Warehouse (EDW); instructional adjustments will be made again. This process will continue throughout the school year with minor and major assessment tools that will clearly identify areas for remediation and re-teaching of individuals and small groups.

Administration will implement a continuous cycle of making classroom visitations, evaluating lesson plans, monitoring teacher data, and conducting meetings with teachers to ensure that the district created curriculum framework lesson planning tool is being utilized and implemented effectively.

Coaches will also be assigned to teachers who are demonstrating signs of struggling with implementation of the lesson plans. Teachers who are struggling will be provided additional opportunities to attend professional development sessions, have a mentor assigned to them, and participate in the process of observing other teachers who are successful. The subject area coaches and/or department chairperson will provide additional assistance to the teacher.

Which instructional Benchmarks will be given priority focus, based on need, for each content area (reading, writing, mathematics, and science)?

Areas of concern by grade level based on FCAT 08 data in reading:
Grade 3 – main idea, author’s purpose
Grade 4 – reference, research, words and phrases
Grade 5 – comparison and cause and effect
Areas of concern by grade level based on FCAT 08 Data in mathematics:
Grade 3 - Geometry, number sense
Grade 4 – number sense, concepts, operations
Grade 5 – number sense, algebraic thinking
Area of concern in fifth grade science based on FCAT 08 data:
Gifted students do no reflect a years growth in science

What is the process to ensure instruction is based on individual students’ needs, as opposed to the master schedule?

Electronic diagnostic reports from the mini and major assessments will be monitored by administration and leadership teams throughout the school year. Discussion will occur in Learning Team meetings on a regular basis to ensure student needs are being met.

How does the school incorporate applied and integrated courses to help students see the relationships between subjects and relevance to their future?

Classroom teachers in grades three through five integrate the teaching of reading within the science and social studies content. Teachers of science utilize the scientific method and problem-based learning to discover real world concerns and answer relevant questions on topics such as environmental issues.

How does the school incorporate students’ academic and career planning, as well as promote student course selections, so that students’ course of study is personally meaningful?

Guest speakers are invited to discuss career options and opportunities for students.

Direct the Instructional Focus

How are lesson plans and instructional delivery aligned across grade levels and subject areas?

Grade level and subject area teachers meet regularly to align lesson plans and discuss delivery of content.

How are instructional focus lessons developed and delivered?

Content specific teachers will meet regularly to develop instructional focus lessons utilizing the Curriculum Framework on-line tool. Lessons will be shared and evaluated at Learning Team Meetings. Lessons will be delivered using a variety of methods; whole group, small group, individual, using technology, hands-on and multi-sensory methods.

How will instructional focus lessons be revised and monitored?

Teachers and administrators will ensure the effectiveness of the focus lessons by analyzing data results from focus lessons as they are reassessed intermittently throughout the year. Revisions will be discussed during team meetings. Lessons will be monitored through classroom walkthroughs and analysis of student data.

Assessment

Describe the types of ongoing formative assessments to be used during the school year to measure student progress in core, supplemental, and intensive instruction/intervention.

Core instructional needs will be determined using common diagnostic assessments for all students. Differentiated instruction will occur using evidence-based instruction /interventions. Supplemental instruction/intervention will be used for students not responding to the core instruction. Additional assessments and support will be given from resource personnel (i.e. SAI teacher) for those needing intensive instruction.

How are assessments used to identify students reaching mastery and those not reaching mastery?

Mastery is set at 75%. Mastery is set at higher than the traditional score of 70% to ensure student proficiency in each benchmark. The assessment results will be used to determine the instructional focus of whole group lessons. An item analysis of the assessment will be utilized to re-teach the questions that students missed most frequently. Teachers will differentiate their instruction as indicated by assessment results to provide intensive instruction to those students earning less than 50%, additional instruction and practice opportunities for those students earning 50%-75%, and enrichment/advanced instruction to students earning 75-100%.

Maintenance

How is ongoing assessment and maintenance of Benchmark mastery for each grade level and content area built into the Instructional Focus Calendar?

The district’s curriculum framework calendar and the assessment calendar provide for ongoing assessment opportunities at each grade level and in each subject area.

Describe the process and schedule for teams to review progress monitoring data (summative and mini assessments) to identify the required instructional modifications that are needed to increase student achievement.

Teachers will meet by subject area and by grade level bi-monthly. The meetings will be facilitated by the subject area coach, the team leader, and/or the department chairperson.
A teacher will be designated to record notes from the meeting, and the notes will be submitted along with the weekly agenda to administrative staff.

Monitoring

Describe the Principal’s and Leadership Team’s roles as instructional leaders and how they will be continuously involved in the teaching and learning process.

The administration and Leadership Team will meet with teachers either during weekly meetings, or one-on-one to discuss assessment results and student progress. During these meetings, lesson plans, data binders and student portfolios will be utilized to provide evidence of instruction, assessment, and differentiation to address individual student needs. Progress Monitoring logs will also be utilized to document the process of teaching, assessing, re-teaching and reassessing. The instructional coaches will assist the teacher in providing instruction on the focus lessons either by modeling whole group instruction or assisting the teacher in providing small group instruction. The instructional coach will also help with the process of grading, recording and charting student scores.

Supplemental and Intensive Instruction/Interventions

Identify the core, supplemental, and intensive instruction and interventions.

Core instructional staff is the classroom teachers who will deliver the core curriculum driven by the Sunshine State Standards. These include state adopted, district provided textbook series and supplementary materials provided by the publisher and the district. Supplemental instruction will be provided by the SAI teacher, a before school tutorial program called Boot Camp, a Saturday program called FCAT Saturdays, and aftercare tutoring provided by SACC. Differentiated instruction occurs for all levels. There is heterogeneous grouping that occurs within the gifted program and for the bottom quartile.

How are supplemental and intensive instruction/interventions and tutorials structured to re-teach non-mastered target areas?

Resources from the state adopted textbooks which are designed for intensive instruction will be utilized. Computerized programs or instructional software in addition to internet instructional websites such as Learning Village will also be utilized. Teachers will utilize instructional strategies or best practices discusses in Professional Learning Communities to provide different methods of providing instruction to students in non-mastered areas. Resources and strategies provided at professional development workshops will also be utilized.

Supplemental instruction will be provided by the SAI teacher, a before school tutorial program called Boot Camp, a Saturday program called FCAT Saturdays, and aftercare tutoring will be provided by SACC.

How does the school identify staff’s professional development needs to improve their instructional strategies?

Professional Development needs are identified by teacher needs assessment surveys, Professional Development Team recommendations and administrative recommendations.

Which students will be targeted for supplemental and intensive instruction/interventions?

As a result of student progress monitoring and classroom observations. Students who consistently demonstrate academic difficulty will receive supplemental and intensive instruction/interventions. Supplemental instruction will be provided by the SAI teacher, a before school tutorial program called Boot Camp, a Saturday program called FCAT Saturdays, and aftercare tutoring provided by SACC. Differentiated instruction occurs for all levels. There is heterogeneous grouping that occurs within the gifted program and for the bottom quartile.

How will the effectiveness of the interventions be measured throughout the year?

All personnel providing services to a student not making mastery will meet to discuss their evidence and/or documentation of strategies and interventions that have been utilized. Factors hindering implementation of a strategy (attendance, behavior, etc.) will be addressed and resolved. Strategies that are unsuccessful will be discontinued and replaced with alternative interventions. Additional assessments will be utilized to determine the effectiveness of supplemental instruction.

Enrichment

Describe alternative instructional delivery methods to support acceleration and enrichment activities.

Acceleration and enrichment activities in the form of in-house field trips, community mentors an presenters, above grade level accelerated hands-on activities, and instruction rich in higher order questioning are infused within the instructional day.

Describe how students are identified for enrichment strategies.

All students are provided an opportunity for enrichment in the areas in which they are identified as proficient. Gifted students and those scoring level 4 or 5 on the FCAT are provided enrichment and acceleration strategies as part of their daily curriculum.