Gifted & Talented Dyslexia Special Education Updates
Gifted & Talented
Where Are We Now? Program of Services! Identification! Professional Development! Communication! GT Update
Percent of Students in RISD Identified to Receive GT Services 2014-2015! ETHNICITY Elementary Junior High All Students White African American Hispanic Other Ec. Dis. Sp.Ed. LEP 7% 16% 2% 3% 7% 2% 3% 1% 2% no longer coded LEP 11% 29% 2% 4% 11% 2% High School 12% 27% 3% 4% 13% 3% 1% no longer coded LEP All RISD Schools 9% 21% 2% 3% 9% 2% 2% 1% GT Update
Areas of Focus Program of Services! Development of Tiered Services! Social Emotional Needs! GT Update
Response to Intelligence Model -Adapted from The New RtI Response to Intelligence by Penny Choice and Sally Walker! Tier 1 Remediation/Intervention! Challenge/Rigor! Meeting the needs of Remediation students in the through general education u Pull-Out setting through u Small differentiation Group u Tutoring Tier 2 Tier 3 Individualized or Self-Contained Tier 2 Supplemental Intervention in addition to Core Instruction Tier 3 Individualized or Self-Contained GT Update
Areas of Focus Identification! Testing - CogAT! Referral Process! All 6th and 7th Graders! Expanding to Include Various Data Sets In Addition to Assessment! Placement Committees (Secondary)! GT Update
Areas of Focus Professional Development! GT Training Modules Aligned with Individual Campus CIPs (all elementary schools)! Bright vs. Gifted! Achievement vs. Ability! Understanding Campus Data! Response to Intelligence! Strategies for Advanced Learners in General Education! GT Update
Areas of Focus Communication! Weekly Communication Between GT and General Education Teachers (In Progress)! Improved Website Design and Interactivity (Planning Stages)! Guest Lecture Series Twice per Year (Fall & Spring)! GT Update
If GT Programming is Working, How Do We Know? Teacher-Initiated Referrals with Evidence! Students Enrolled and Participating in Tiered Services! Qualitative Data, Feedback & Results! 6th Grade Exit Survey! Student GT Focus Group! RISD GT Focus Group! GT Update
What is Next? Develop GT Teacher Survey Instrument! Expand Planned Learning Experiences (PLEX)! Implement High School GT Courses! Develop Identification and Service Model for Leadership & Creativity! Enhance Advanced Academics Website! Market and Brand Advanced Academics Studies! GT Update
Key Takeaways We will! Expand Program of Services! We will! Elementary to Secondary! Academic and Enrichment Opportunities! Use Best-Practices for Identification! Create Comprehensive Communication System! All Stakeholders! Enhance Professional Learning Opportunities! Counselors! Diversity! Administrators! Leadership and Creativity! Teachers! GT Update
Dyslexia
Where are We? PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS & STAFF DEVELOPMENT PARENTS FOCUS GROUP MODULE 1 Dyslexia in the Classroom: What Every Teacher Needs to Know (All Campuses) DYSLEXIA SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY MODULE 2 Dyslexia Remediation: Multi-sensory Teaching Approach (MTA) (All Campuses) OVERVIEW OF MTA TIMELINE AND RESOURCES GUIDE TO SUPPORT THE TRANSITION FROM ELEMENTARY TO COLLEGE AND CAREER MODULE 3 Experience Dyslexia: The Dyslexia Simulation (45 Campuses; Remaining 10 Scheduled) Dyslexia Update
Where are We? Focus on Early and Appropriate Identification! Training for Special Student Services Assessment Staff! K-12 Students Currently Receiving MTA Intervention - 560! K-12 Students Identified with Dyslexia - 952! Students Identified in 2013-2014 - 288! Students Identified in 2014-2015 - 147 (as of February, 2015)! Dyslexia Update
What is Working? Increased Awareness through Professional Development and Training! Implementation of MTA with Fidelity! Collaborative Planning and Work! Communication and Collaboration with Parents! Structured Assessment and Identification Process! Dyslexia Update
What Are the Challenges? Scheduling, Grouping, and Staffing! Planning for Newcomer Groups! Identifying Appropriate Interventions for Students Who Need Support Beyond MTA! Dyslexia Update
What is Next? Request 5 Additional Dyslexia Teachers and 1 Diagnostician (Bilingual Preferred)! Continue MTA Teacher Training and Support! Continue to Train All New RISD Staff in Modules 1, 2, and 3! Identify Module 4 Training Opportunity! Collaborate with Other Districts! Newcomer Accommodations! Intervention Options for Students Needing Support Beyond MTA! Dyslexia Update
Reflections I walked away from last night s dyslexia training with more knowledge and awareness. The end result was powerfully eye-opening. The construction of this training lends itself to direct implementation of my lessons to benefit our dyslexic population. Meeting the needs of students with dyslexia is obviously important, but last night was invaluable. - RISD Coach! My son is having an outstanding experience in our school. He was diagnosed with dyslexia immediately into the school year. The teacher was familiar with how to identify dyslexia, as a result of staff training. At first I was very scared because I heard some horror stories about the dyslexia program, but I had a fantastic experience and his teacher has turned things around with huge success and my son is doing very well. - RISD Parent! Thank you so much for your thorough evaluation of our son. Like many parents of young children, I took my son for an outside evaluation. I was stunned when they diagnosed him with ADHD and an unspecified learning program. He has been diagnosed with ADHD since 2012. Thank goodness you all took the time to analyze the data, not just the summary. If it hadn't been for your keen observations, investigations and evaluations, he would have been undiagnosed and left behind. Excellent work! - RISD Parent! Dyslexia Update
Key Takeaways We Are Proud of! Improved Communication and Collaboration with Parents and Other Stakeholders! Campus and District Parent Meetings! Dyslexia Awareness! Comprehensive District-Wide Dyslexia Professional Development! Dyslexia Programming - MTA! Dyslexia Awareness! Refined Referral and Assessment Process! Assessment Training! Dyslexia Update
Special Education
What Audit Areas Are We Currently Addressing? CULTURE AND CLIMATE! Staffing! Teacher Turnover! Training! Communication! Parent Involvement/Education! Program Design! Instructional Practices! Special Ed Update
Where Are We Staffing? Provided Additional Bilingual Speech Language Pathologist Services to Process Referrals! Added 4 Special Education Teachers (Elem. & JH)! Hired Behavioral Specialist! Increased Support for Developmental Program! Hired 2 External ARD Facilitators! Hired 17 Internal ARD Facilitators! Training began in January! Duties to begin in the 15-16 school year! Special Ed Update
Where Are We Going Staffing? Posting for 5 Diagnostician/LSSP Positions! Requesting Additional ARD Facilitators! Developing Improved Staffing Process! Special Ed Update
Where Are We Training? Reworked Area Meetings Based on Teacher/Staff Feedback! Paired Special Education Curriculum Specialists with General Education Curriculum Specialists to Provide Professional Development for Special Education Teachers! Provided In-Class Modeling/Training for New Developmental Teachers! Special Ed Update
Where Are We Training? Provided Training in:! ARD Decision-Making! RTI Process/Identification! State Assessment Implications! Accommodations and Modifications! Special Ed Update
Where Are We Instructional Practices? Enabled Teachers to Focus on Instruction by Providing ARD Facilitators to Assist with Compliance and Paperwork!! Continued Refinement of the In-Class Teacher Support (ICTS) Model Utilized to Support Students Based on Teacher Feedback! Special Ed Update
Where Are We Communication? Improved Internal Communication! Revised Focus of Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) from What is Wrong with Special Education to What is Right About Special Education! Provided Ongoing Information and Instruction to SEAC and Parents of Students with Disabilities! Refined Website to Include Information About the Referral Process, Special Education Programming and Available Support for Families! Created Electronic Survey for Parents to Gain Insight on ARD Experiences In Progress! Special Ed Update
Is it Working? Additional Diagnosticians and ARD Facilitators Provide Assessment Services in a Timely Manner and Allows Teachers More Time to Focus on Instruction! Additional Special Education Teachers Drop StudentTeacher Ratio to Improve Services for Students! Additional Central Support Has Been Provided for Developmental and Behavior Programs! Feedback Regarding Revised Area Meeting Format Indicates that Teachers Value Training! Special Ed Update
What is Next? Hire Executive Director! Request RTI/504 Director! Implement ARD Survey for Parents! Enhance Two-Way Communication! Campus! Departmental! Stakeholder! SEAC! Website! Refine Professional Development! Plan for Changes in State Assessment! Revise Special Education Action Plan! Enhance Program Design! Special Ed Update
Key Takeaways We Are Proud of! Positive Progress on Climate and Culture! Purposeful Focus on Audit Recommendations! More Cohesive and Collaborative Special Education Leadership Team! Stronger Communication and Collaboration! Work in Progress Working on the Work! Special Ed Update
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