What kind of school wide reform strategies does your school implement to address the needs of all students, particularly those who are low achieving and at risk?
MTSS, PBIS
School reform strategies (Dual Language, IB, STEM, Year Round, Arts, etc.)
Support staff: Interventionists, tutors, etc.
Intervention/supplemental resources: LLI Kits, Hill Rap, myOn, iReady, Dream Box, etc.
Discuss school SIP goals and strategies
Discuss school specific PD provided to teachers for culturally responsive instructional strategies
Describe the type of assessments used to ensure that all students, particularly those at-risk of failing, are proficient?
Informal/Formal Assessments and Formative and Summative Assessments: CFAs, mClass, Benchmark assessments, EOGs, BOGs, classroom assessments, class work products, work from guided instruction, blended learning tools (iReady, Dream Box, myOn), etc.
What strategies are in place to transition students from Pre K to elementary school?
Pre K sites/day cares conduct Parent Sessions for enrolling K students and learning about K expectations.
K registration promotion throughout the county's day cares (includes information about K registration and resources for supporting learning at home)
K registration also includes a tour of the classroom/school and school distribute resources to support learning at home
K Transition Events in the summer: K Camp, Popsicle and Playground, Ice Cream Social, etc.
Some schools provide an additional K Open House to answer specific questions about Kindergarten
What interventions are implemented in your school to address Focus School Status/Low Performing School Status?
Discuss specific school-wide reform strategies, SIP goals, interventions, intervention programs, additional staff, etc. to meet the needs of students that are in your lowest performing sub group and/or students that are at-risk for meeting a year's worth of growth.
Describe how the school and staff engage parents and families of students.
Make sure to discuss specific school strategies. Here are a few ideas:
Creating a welcoming school/classroom environment
Recruiting volunteers, parent representatives, SIT representatives, etc.
Conducting Title I Open Meeting/Curriculum Night
Conducting at least 2 families nights for supporting learning at home
Newsletters
Parent Teacher Conferences
Surveys/exit slips seeking parent feedback
Ready Rosie (online parent engagement tool)
Parent Academies/Parent Resource Centers
What kind of instructional practices are implemented to increase the amount and quality of learning time?
Differentiated instruction with small guided groups and independent work. Additional teaching staff in the classroom (instructional assistants, tutors, interventionists, etc.)
Blended learning with Dream Box, iReady, myOn, etc.
School-wide reform strategies (PBIS, Dual Language, IB, STEM, etc.)
UbD Curriculum UnitsHow is student progress monitored?
Describe the MTSS process to identify students that are at-risk and monitoring their progress after interventions are assigned.
Additional answers: many assessments are used throughout the year and instructional practices/curriculum is adjusted according to student needs. Also, most Title I schools have additional staff to support at-risk students (tutors, interventionist, MCLs, lead teachers, etc.)
Grade levels meet weekly to plan for instruction and discuss student data as well as meeting with MTSS team to monitor student progress.
How are parents informed about the status of the school? Focus and/or Low Performing?
Also, school status is discussed during the Title I Open Meeting, newsletters, SIP meeting, school website, etc.
What is the process for determining if students' needs are being met? What kind of data is collected?
Teachers collect informal/formal information about student performance (academic/behavior). Our county follows the MTSS process for identifying needs and monitoring progress.
Academic Informal/Formal assessments: CFAs, mClass, Benchmark Assessments, EOGs, BOGs, iReady, Dream Box, Running Records, etc.
Behavior Informal/Formal assessments: PBIS process, Live School, Class DoJo, Referrals, etc.
Information is also gathered from parents during day to day conversations and parent teacher conferences.
Classroom observations and classwork samples.
How does the program minimize removing students from the regular classroom?
Academic:
After school tutoring, summer programs, tutors/interventionists are pushed into the classrooms instead of pulling students out, lunch bunch, etc.
Behavior:
School wide PBIS initiatives
County is being trained in Equity Training/Day of Discipline