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 Model Descriptor 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). 80-90% of students receive high quality instruction through general education (Tier 1) High quality general education curriculum and instruction is the focal point of this model. In addition to the appropriate interventions,

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

Melrose Public Schools 2012-2013 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, 70-90 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). Teaches and Administrators Teachers have made a strong commitment to seeking out training and taking advantage of what the district can offer and seeking out support on their own. Detail how each point connects to the outlined components

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 One Tier Two Tier Three Phonemic Awareness Lively Letters (Kindergarten) Lively Letters (Grade 1 beginning SY 2013-2014). Lexia Say and Move it Strategy Great Leaps Say and Move It Strategy Phonics Small Group Teacher Led Groups Project Read (Grades 1-3) Linguistics (Grades 4-5) Linguistics (Grade 4-5) Special Education Specific: Wilson Orton Gillingham The following reading and math interventions are examples of the research based academic interventions and core curriculum

Reading Targeted Supports Continued Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Fluency Partner Reading Small Group Teacher Led Groups 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) Reading A to Z Fluency (Lincoln Comprehension Small Group, Teacher Led Reciprocal Teaching Teacher Led Reciprocal Teaching Vocabulary Storytown Robust Vocabulary Wide Reading Linguistics (Grades 4 and 5).

Math Targeted Supports Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Small Groups Teacher Led (PD Focus 2013-2014). EnFocus Math (Part of Envision, will need training in SY 2013-2014). Small Group Teacher Led (PD focus for 2013-2014) Symphony Math Great Leaps (PD needed SY 2013-2014) Small Groups Teacher Led Resources are in place but as you can see we still need our people to be trained

Melrose Public Schools 2013-2014 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). Emphasize that phase 1 continues and……

Melrose Public Schools 2013-2014 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. The ICE Block stands for Intervention, Challenge, and Exploration.  This block is designed to meet the needs of all learners.  We have and will be continuing to screening students to make data-driven decisions.    Those that need “Intervention” primarily in math and English will be in the intervention courses.  We will then provide small group target instruction during periods of ½ trimester to full trimester as needed. Those that are deemed “Challenged” will get a more gifted typed of instruction in English, Math, and/or history.  Each course is one trimester. Those enrolled in “Exploration” will receive rigorous instruction in English, math, science and/or history;  all ICE course are trimester in nature with great flexibility and movement.  For more information see chart below from our 2013-2014 SIP.

Melrose Public Schools 2014-2015 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.