Our Gap goal was created with one of our school improvement goal in mind.
District Strategic Goal: By the end of the 5th year, 100% learners in grades K-3 will show growth and 90% of learners will be reading at the end of their grade level equivalency.
School wide data showed that at the end of the 2016-2017 school year, 70% of our learners were reading at benchmark standards according the Foutos and Pinnellis reading assessment given by teachers quarterly. With collaboration and feedback from my advisory council, I created Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 interventions.
Our Gap goal became: By June 2018, identified gap group students reading below benchmark will increase their reading levels to benchmark by 20% from 44% reaching benchmark in the 2016-2017 school year to 56% meeting benchmark in the 2017-2018 school year.
Tier 1 interventions: core curriculum; common social thinking language for all staff; and monthly newsletters for parents and teachers via my webpage.
Tier 2 intervention: small group counseling.
Tier 3 interventions: sensory room and a protocol at TAT meetings.
I also wanted my interventions to be driven by not only data, but also by the ASCA Mindset and Behaviors for Student Success. The two that I chose were: M 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed; and B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem. As stated in our vision statement we want all of our learners to think innovatively when faced with difficulties. We want them to be confident in their ability to succeed and also be equipped with appropriate coping skills whether those skills be reading strategies or strategies for self-regulation.
Core curriculum lessons on perseverance were delivered to all students in 1st-3rd grade (324 learners). These lessons were designed with the goal in mind that learners should keep trying even when things are hard. The lessons focused on the Mindset and Behavior standards B SMS 4 and 6. This is an especially important tool for our learners who are struggling with grade level work. By learning to persevere, teachers can more easily identify students who truly have a learning disability to those who want to give up when learning is difficult.
Core curriculum for 3rd (94 learners) also included two classroom lessons focusing on testing skills. These lessons were designed to help students do their best work especially when they are taking the state test. When students are better able to control their anxiety and focus they can slow down and remember their reading strategies thus performing better on the test.
Because reaching a school wide goal is a collaborative effort, making sure that all teachers and parents were informed was an important intervention. Dakota Prairie adopted the Zones of Regulation curriculum.
Tier two interventions included a variety of small groups. All first grades (110) had the opportunity to participate in an academic small group. The goal of this group was to identity characteristics of champion students including trying hard, listening, and working together.
Based on data from learners standards based report cards, I created a group for 1st and 2nd grade learners who had an emerging skill in the area of listening attentively and staying focused (depicted by a – on their report card) 16 1st graders and 18 2nd graders participated in these groups.
Tier 3 interventions included TAT meeting and the implementation of the sensory room. TAT interventions included: having the same paperwork for all of the three elementary schools in the district making, and providing more research based interventions for teachers to implement with their learners. In collaboration with our special education teacher, school psychologist, and principal, we created a google folder with research based interventions for teachers. We also invited a title teacher to sit on a team of veteran teachers to provide more reading interventions. To keep teachers accountable, we required data to show growth or no growth for the full 6 week intervention time before considering special education testing.
Based on these results, we are confident the comprehensive plan of action was successful. We will continue to use the same lessons in core curriculum and the same small groups with minor modifications will be offered in the next school year. The TAT interventions will continue and the use of the sensory room will be expanded and more specific data will be collected. Next year I would like to look at perception data from teachers on the TAT process and continue to make it more efficient for all involved.
Goal: REVISED
By June 2018, the number of identified Gap Group students who are 3-4 reading levels below benchmark will decrease from 56% in the 2016-2017 school year to 40% in the 2017-2018 school year.
Target Group: REVISED: Learners who are 3-4 reading levels below benchmark standards.
Data Used to Identify Students: REVISED: Fountas and Pinnells Reading Assessment
School Counselor(s): Randi Hartman
ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): M 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem
Type of Activities to be Delivered in What Manner?: (1) Implementation of the Sensory Room;
(2) TAT meetings
1. Consistency in paperwork
2. Research based intervention file
3. Requiring data to show growth or lack of growth
4. 6 week intervention minimum
(3) Small Group Counseling:
1. 1st grade Focus Group
2. 1st grade School of Champions group (study skills curriculum)
3. 2nd Grade Focus Group
4. 3rd Grade Test Anxiety Group
(4) Core Curriculum
1. Perseverance lessons
2. Test Prep
(5) Common Social Thinking Language
(6) Monthly newsletters for teachers and parents
Process Data (Number of students affected): (1) 67
(2) 42
(3) 16 1st graders; 110 1st graders; 18 2nd graders; 15 3rd graders
(4) 110 1st graders; 120 2nd graders; 94 3rd graders
(5) 468
(6) 468
Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): (1) Each time a learner used the room they filled out a survey
1. Name
2. I feel (type in the letter on the picture you selected)
3. I can try (type in the number of the first picture you selected)
4. I can try (type in the number of the second picture you selected)
5. I can try (type in the number of the last picture you selected)
6. Now I feel (type in the letter on the picture you selected)
When entering the room (before intervention) 60% of learners were in the green zone; 17% in the blue zone; 9% in the red zone; 14% in the yellow zone
When leaving the room (after intervention)
94% of learners were in the green zone; 4% in the blue zone; 2% in the yellow zone; 0% in the red zone
*the goal is to leave the room in the green zone because that is the best zone for learning.
(2)Learners will show growth or no growth after 6 weeks of interventions using a variety of assessments including:
MAPS testing scores (math and reading scores); Imagine learn (reading ;) F and P progress reports (reading) behavior tracking charts; Reflex (math))
(3)Pre/posttest (see small group results report for full data)
Learners will be able to identify the characteristics of being a champion student
Pretest and Post identifying mindful behaviors.
Pretest and posttest showing a change in test anxiety and an understanding of calming strategies to help focus and calm.
(4)Perseverance Pre/ Post Test
1. School is hard for me?
a. Always
b. Sometimes
c. Never
2. Perseverance means…
a. Going to school
b. Trying hard and never giving up
c. Being organized
3.If I can’t do something the first time I
a. Give up
b. Try one more time
c. Keep trying until I get it
4.I am confident I can do anything if I try hard enough
a.Yes
b. No
Learners will be able to share, with a peer, one that that was difficult for them at first but not they can do it.
Learners will identify one personal trait they have that will help them to preserve when academics get difficult.
Learners will identify one academic task that is difficult for them and one way they can preserve.
Test Anxiety lesson:
Learners will demonstrate active listening skills and associate the important of using those skills when taking a test. Learners will complete a pre and posttest regarding test anxiety.
(5) All staff and learners will be able to identify the four zones (blue, green, yellow, red) and feelings that are categorized into each zone; recognize sensory or thinking tools; and be able to identify behaviors as expected or unexpected.
(6)Staff and parents will have an understanding of all lessons taught in core counseling curriculum and be able to reinforce the language and lessons at home and in the classroom
Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): REVISED
Outcome data for the 2017-2018 school year identified 32 Dakota Prairie learners who were reading behind benchmark level standards during the school year and 25 reached benchmark at the end of the school year.
Overall, in the 2016-2017 school year, 44% of identified gap students reached their benchmark reading level by the end of the school year. In the 2017-2018 school year, 78% of identified gap students reached their benchmark reading level by the end of the school year. This is a 56% increase in gap students meeting benchmark standards in reading from the previous school year
Outcome data broken down by intervention:
Implementation of the sensory room- A total of 10 identified gap group students participated and 8 of those 10 reached benchmark standards in reading by the end of the year. (see attached graphs for breakout by grade levels)
Small groups:
Focus group- A total of 15 identified gap group students participated and 11 of those 15 reached benchmark standards in reading by the end of the year. (see attached graphs for breakout by grade levels)
1st grade School of Champions group- A total of 11 identified gap group students participated and 7 of those 11 reached benchmark standards in reading by the end of the year. (see attached graphs for breakout by grade levels)
3rd Grade Test Anxiety Group- A total of 7 identified gap group students participated and 5 of those 7 reached benchmark standards in reading by the end of the year. (see attached graphs for breakout by grade levels)
Core Curriculum:
Perseverance- A total of 28 identified gap group students participated and 20 of those 28 reached benchmark standards in reading by the end of the year. (see attached graphs for breakout by grade levels)
3rd Grade Test Prep- A total of 7 identified gap group students participated and 5 of those 7 reached benchmark standards in reading by the end of the year.
Implications: REVISED
(1) Implementation of the sensory room. Perception data showed that 60% of learners using the sensory room came into the room in the green zone, 17% in the blue zone; 9% in the red zone; and 14% in the yellow zone. While in the room, learners were able to choose 3 sensory tools to either calm them down or alert them. After using the tools, 94% of learners left the room in the green zone. The green zone is the goal because that is the best zone for learning. This data shows that the sensory room was an effective intervention for those learners. Based on the success of this intervention next year we plan to provide more opportunities and encourage teachers to use the room for whole group sensory breaks.
(2) TAT Meeting; In the past there has been a trend of teachers just having a “feeling” that their learners needed to be tested for special education services. This was causing students to be tested and not qualifying thus wasting valuable time for special education teacher and school psychologies. I collaborated with my administrator and school psychologist to come up with interventions to help prevent this and provide more consistency within the TAT process. Teachers were required to select specific strategies to implement with struggling learner. After implementation of strategies for 6 consecutive weeks, Teachers presented the team with updated data to show growth or a lack there of. We had data to document whether the learner really had a learning disability, if they made progress with differentiated teaching strategies, or if it was more behavioral (acting out, attention, focus, lack of motivation, etc) Next year we will continue with the process but in an effort to make data collection more consistent we will create assessment forms tied to specific interventions.
(3) Small Group: Outcome data for the 1st and 3rd grade Focus Group showed that 14 1st graders made progress in some area of social development and work habits on their standards based report cards (see small group action plan for full results) and all 18 second graders made some progress in the area of social development and work habits. Based on teacher and parent recommendations I created a small group for 3rd grade students who were feeling testing anxiety. Perception data showed that all students who participated in group could verbally identify one strategy they had learned in group that would help them on the upcoming test. Next year with the support of my principal, I will not teach classroom core curriculum during any students lunch time to allow for more groups to meet the needs of more students.
(4) Core Curriculum: Outcome data for this goal is difficult to track because we do not get state testing results until the end of the school year and 3rd graders at Dakota Prairie go to Camelot Intermediate School for 4th grade. Next year I would like to do more collaboration with the counselor at Camelot to really track the effectiveness of this intervention.
(5) Common Social Thinking Language and (6) Monthly Newsletters for Teachers and Parents. I wanted to make sure that when learners were identifying their feelings to teachers and parents that everyone would understand and be able to help direct leaners to using the correct tool for the zone there were in to either calm or alert themselves. The curriculum using many terms that not everyone would be aware of. At the beginning of the year I send out a definition sheet to all teachers. I also created an interactive “Zones of Regulation” bulletin board outside my office as a visual for students and teachers to reinforce the language. I also wanted parents to reinforce the concepts we were learning in class at home. I created newsletters to be available to all teachers and parents via my web page to keep everyone informed. My web page received 583 views from September 2017-May 2018. Next year I would like to that a parent night where I share this information at the beginning of the year. I will also create an email list and invite parents to sign up so I can send them monthly updates electronically.
The overall comprehensive plan was successful in helping us reach our gap of decreasing the percentage of learners who did not meet reading benchmark by 2017-2018 school year.
Teachers and administration reported being very happy with the results. Based on the data collected from the sensory room, we were able to purchase additional “tools" for individual student use as well as for whole classroom use.
We will continue the interventions, collect data, and make any changes based on that data.
