MASSACHUSETTS TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT Melrose Public Schools July 9, 2013

What is MTSS? A robust and responsive educational environment that provides students with a continuum of supports for students who experience difficulties and for students who have already demonstrated mastery of the concept and skills being taught. Tiers represent increasing intensity of academic and non- academic (behavior) support. A flexible system that allows movement between the tiers- to both a more or less intensive type of support. Students eligible for Special Education services are able to access fully the tiered system of support.

Key Components of MTSS are… High-quality core curriculum and instruction implemented with fidelity. Research-based academic assessment practices and supports. Research-based behavioral supports and interventions. Universal screening and progress-monitoring. Collaboration and communication between educators and parents.

ABC’s of MTSS Visual ModelDescriptor 1-5% of students receive high quality intensive, individualized interventions /extensions along with general education(Tier 3). 5-10% of students receive high quality supplemental interventions/extensions along with general education (Tier 2) % of students receive high quality instruction through general education (Tier 1).

Data Team Guiding Questions 1. Define a measurable goal; what is it we want students to know and be able to do? 2. Identify possible reasons why the desired goal is not being obtained; to what extent is the student reaching the desired goal? 3. Develop and implement a well-supported plan involving evidence based strategies to obtain the goal based on data; what are we going to do? 4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan in relation to the stated goals; is it working?

Melrose Public Schools School Year Accomplishments Phase 1 All elementary grade levels were provided uninterrupted blocks of common instructional time for effective grouping and sharing of personnel (120 minutes of literacy, minutes of math). Four common preparation periods at the elementary school were provided. Middle School teachers had one common meeting block per week and were relieved of their duty block on a rotating schedule to meet with colleagues. High School teachers have a 57 minute block twice during a seven day cycle. The development of best practices supported by the Office of Curriculum and Instruction through grade-level meetings, department meetings, Elementary Literacy Institute, Common Core Secondary Institute, New Teacher Induction Program, and ongoing mentoring of new teachers and administrators. Inventory of specific intervention programs and specialized professional staff training. Implement DIBELS Next progress monitoring consistently across all elementary schools. Implement DIBELS Math in all Kindergartens. Develop and implement common assessments K-12. Regular progress monitoring and ongoing data meetings. Revision of the District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP)and Instructional Support Team protocol (IST).

District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP) To assist administrators, teachers, and other staff in ensuring that all possible efforts have been made to meet students needs in general education classrooms. Support teachers in analyzing and accommodating diverse learning styles of all children that may be present in a school. Led by the principal, staff at each school collaborates on best practices in order to ensure that adequate instructional strategies and supports are available for both student and staff. The DCAP is directly connected to procedures that are currently in place to strengthen and improve the general education program the benefit of all students. Not solely or specifically for special education.

Reading Targeted Supports Tier OneTier TwoTier Three Phonemic AwarenessLively Letters (Kindergarten) Lively Letters (Grade 1 beginning SY ). Lexia Say and Move it Strategy Great Leaps Lexia Say and Move It Strategy Great Leaps Lexia Say and Move It Strategy PhonicsLively Letters (Kindergarten) Lively Letters (Grade 1 beginning SY ). Small Group Teacher Led Groups Great Leaps Lexia Project Read (Grades 1-3) Linguistics (Grades 4-5) Great Leaps Lexia Project Read (Grades 1-3) Linguistics (Grade 4-5) Special Education Specific: Wilson Orton Gillingham

Reading Targeted Supports Continued Tier 1Tier 2Tier 3 FluencyPartner Reading Small Group Teacher Led Groups Partner Reading Fluency Centers Great Leaps Other Program school Specific: Read Naturally (Roosevelt and Hoover) One Minute Readers (Winthrop) RAZ Kids (Horace Mann) Reading A to Z Fluency (Lincoln) Partner Reading Fluency Centers Great Leaps Other Program school Specific: Read Naturally (Roosevelt and Hoover) One Minute Readers (Winthrop) RAZ Kids (Horace Mann) Reading A to Z Fluency (Lincoln ComprehensionSmall Group Teacher Led Groups Small Group, Teacher Led Reciprocal Teaching Teacher Led Reciprocal Teaching VocabularyStorytown Robust Vocabulary Wide Reading Small Group Teacher Led Groups Linguistics (Grades 4 and 5).

Math Targeted Supports Tier 1Tier 2Tier 3 Small Groups Teacher Led (PD Focus ). EnFocus Math (Part of Envision, will need training in SY ). Small Group Teacher Led (PD focus for ) Symphony Math EnFocus Math (Part of Envision, will need training in SY ). Great Leaps (PD needed SY ) Small Groups Teacher Led Symphony Math

Melrose Public Schools School Year Phase 2 Summer Professional Development Institute PreK-12. Familiarize staff with the revised DCAP and the new IST process (Administrators July 2013, teachers August 2013). High quality professional development aligned with the district’s strategic plan. Continue to build staff’s understanding of data driven decision making. Implementation of elementary school math program Envision. Data informed decision making and a means of communicating this to parents. Additional support at the secondary level (Academic Facilitator) who will support Virtual Learning. and the elementary school (Instructional Coaches and Academic Interventionists). Investigate research based positive behavioral interventions and support. (PBIS).

Melrose Public Schools Phase 2 Continued MMVS will introduce the ICE (intervention—challenge— exploratory) block for all students. Students will rotate through ICE every six weeks in accordance with their needs and interests. MHS will introduce a Flex Block which will meet every other week for 30 minutes to academically support students with poor MCAS scores or who earned a poor yearly average in a course.

Melrose Public Schools Phase 3 Train staff on scientifically based PBIS model. Facilitate peer sharing of intervention strategies. Continue training in the use of data for decision making. Support staff in developing capacity to problem solve, develop intervention plans, and collect data.