This Message Center is organized and operated by David Vitale Response to Intervention-  Dave Vitale, Curt Mould, and Scott Bostwick updated the group on Response to Intervention (RtI) including some of the steps that have been taken to inform the staff about RtI.  

RtI emerged from special education law in 2004 and stipulates that districts must demonstrate scientifically based core curriculum and a system of monitoring student progress prior to identifying students as having a disability.  Committee members reviewed a document indicating the core programming in reading/language arts.  The document also listed interventions that increase in intensity as student progress toward benchmark goals is measured and programming decisions are made based on those measurements.  

The aim of RtI is to ensure that this process of assessment and accountability eventually carries through all grade levels.  The current focus is on early primary reading and full compliance is required by 2012.  

Staff Development Day Recap-  Related to the RtI discussion were sessions scheduled on the recent Staff Development Day (March 3) that dealt with Response to Intervention and MAPs testing.  MAP testing is a computer adapted assessment that gives teachers and administrators instructionally useful information about how a student is performing with regard to academic standards.  

The Watertown Unified School District is currently investigating the prospects of bringing MAPs testing to our schools.  MAPs testing would be used to determine a student’s algebraic thinking or progress toward reading comprehension, fluency, literary analysis, etc.   

WKCE Update- Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts results arrived during the first week of March.  Phase I (parent reports) will be mailed home during the month.  Scores are available in Skyward as well and can be accessed via the Family Access module.  The district will learn about proficiency ratings and whether schools meet benchmarks for Proficient or Advanced performance sometime in May. 

Next Meeting:  April 14 – 8:00 a.m.  

posted March 12, 2009 « back to Message Center home

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