This Message Center is organized and operated by David Vitale Reading Program Update

Jan Detrie and Gail Kottwitz reviewed steps in the development of data walls at Schurz Elementary School and other elementary schools in the district.  Federal stimulus dollars were used to purchase common benchmark assessment kits at each of the schools to be used to chart the reading progress of all students in grades K-5.  The Fountas and Pinnell benchmark kits contain leveled books that help teachers monitor and identify strengths and struggles in reading that assist with future instruction.  Student performance is then recorded on a card and placed on a data wall that becomes part of building-wide discussions about student performance and how support can be implemented for both successful and struggling readers.  The use of data walls represents a movement toward Response to Intervention, a federal mandate that schools develop tiered interventions within regular programming prior to special education referrals for students.   

Student Data Use

Dave Vitale and Scott Bostwick discussed the development of a progress monitoring tool for secondary grades similar to that being developed for elementary grades.  Rather than using Fountas and Pinnell levels, which are designed more for elementary text, a Lexile leveling system is being developed that uses information from Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) scores.  It was discussed that this is not an exact process, but does give teachers and administrators a piece of data to review and discuss that is more immediate than Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts scores.

posted January 19, 2010 « back to Message Center home

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