Middle and High School

Scheduling Continuums of Instructional and Intervention Support

What Does Creating a Continuum of Support Mean?

What is the desired outcome?Graduation-decrease in drop-out Successful transition to post-secondary or career

opportunityIncrease in advanced course takingIncreased attendanceIncreased homework completion

What does the data indicate? What type of supports will be needed?

Once the “Given’s” Are CoveredHow will students be grouped?Who will conduct the intervention?

Staff with good rapport and management of students being served

Training or knowledge to carry out the intervention and engage students

When and where will the intervention take place?What will be needed to implement the changes

How Students are AssignedGrade level teamsIntervention Planning teams

Principle, data guru, counselor, content area representatives

Other models of assigning students?

Data-based Decisions Data DashboardsSample Evidence•MCA-II score•MAP scores•General Outcome Measure – Oral Reading Fluency or MAZE (with predictive validity)•Formative Assessments•CARI•Gates McGinitie-RT•Teacher input about performance•Grades•Attendance•Homework completion

When Does Intervention Take Place?

AssumptionMost students get rigorous core instruction during X time.For students who need intense intervention, we will have

an additional X minutes of intervention.For students who need enrichment or advancement

sometimes a replacement of core is appropriateGroup make-up and size are important.

Sometimes, the “who” of the group is most important.

Influences on the Master Schedule

Model

Overall Scheduling ConsiderationsEvaluate what is negotiable and not negotiable

Don’t confuse tradition with non-negotiables

Data Think about reading needs

Students receiving strategic instruction should be in groups no larger than 5 Students receiving intensive instruction should be in groups no larger than 3

Integration may be necessary Students who are indicated as needing strategic intervention should not be missing any core subject area curriculum in order to receive intervention It is best to build your schedule to minimize any loss to core subject area curriculum or specials for students receiving intensive instruction

Contingency Plan May need to create 2-3 schedules based on predictions for potential

additions/deletions to grade-level sections and district specialist allocations

Scheduling TeamWho makes up our scheduling team? Who is missing?

Based on the work done by the scheduling team, the schedule will be brought back to the faculty.

Overall district-wide effort to look at entire system at once (Services, Curriculum, Technology, and Professional Development ) Nothing in isolation as impact stretches far and is interwoven.

Other ideas

What Do Models of Intervention Look Like?

Model 1: Pull Out

Intervention delivered by assigned teacher, educational assistant, etc.

Lake Woebegone School

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Pull Out ModelAdvantages

Most similar to traditional practices

Minimal logistical planning needed

DisadvantagesTransition time to

intervention necessary

Most schools have more students to serve than this model accommodates

Collaboration time between teachers necessary

Variations on the Pull-Out ModelBursts of service

Inter-sessionsSummer coursesAfter school sessions

Scheduling/Resource ConsiderationsWorks best when numbers of students needing

assistance is small because students in group have to have similar needs

Typically, each grade level receives support ½ hour each day

Can be done while other students participating in workshop

Model 2: In Class

Utopia School

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Variations on the In Class ModelContent Literacy

ContinuumSkills taught within core-

subject areasStudents requiring

additional practice with skills receive additional intervention at different time

Intervention CourseTraditional course is

compressed into 90 min for 1 semester

Intervention course is 90 min for 2 semesters45 min. grade level course45 min. targeted instruction

In Class ModelAdvantages

Students stay in class during intervention time

Classroom teacher is able to work with at least one group of his/her own students

Flexible grouping may be easier to do given the daily contact between teachers

Opportunity to use common vocabulary and align expectations

DisadvantagesMost schools have more

students to serve than this model accommodates

Collaboration time between teachers necessary

Scheduling/Resource ConsiderationsWorks best with small numbers of studentsTypically, each grade level receives support ½ hour each

dayCan be done while other students participating in

workshopClassroom supervisor may be necessary to protect

uninterrupted intervention time

Model 3: Intervention Power Hour

Heaven School

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Each grade level was assigned an intervention time

Available resources included what was called the “Swoop Team”. The team consisted of both certified and non-certified staff, all led by the Literacy Coach in the building.

Fall Data

Intervention Power HourAdvantages

A team can accommodate a larger number of groups

Larger number of groups can make for more options when student’s needs change

Typically allows more time for additional support to students with intensive needs

Disadvantages Transition time to new groups

needed (if not at beginning of day)

Content area teacher disconnected from student and intervention planning

Interventionists report wanting to having the students for longer periods of time

Training and support for interventionists needs to be coordinated

May be easier to overlook need to make core curricular changes

Scheduling/Resource ConsiderationsMost likely used when number of students

needing intervention is large, or beyond what can be done by the teacher and one support staff.

Depending on the number of intervention groups necessary, resources may need to be rethought in the school (aide duties).

Make sure students most in need have the most qualified interventionists.

Variations of Power HourSplit Lunch—20 minutes to eat, 20 minutes study hall

Students in interventions required to attend study hall in content area they need help

Coffee clutch—students arrive 30 minutes prior to start of school for intervention

After school or on-line intervention sessions

Model 4: Cross-Class

Shangri la School

Each grade level selected an intervention time

Available resources included 4 grade level teachers, 1 reading specialist, 2 reading paras0%

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Cross Class ModelAdvantages

Coordinating workshop time as intervention time assures students needing strategic support are not missing core subject area instruction

Allows for several certified staff to be providing reading interventions and more creative groupings

When teachers have built in collaborative time, discussions about groupings and individual students can take place

Easier for reading specialist to be available for additional intervention time for students needing intensive instruction

Allows for creative groupings for students needing intervention that is an enhancement of skills.

Disadvantages Transition time to new groups needed.

Classroom teachers sometimes disconnected from student and instructional planning

Scheduling/Resource ConsiderationsSimilar to intervention team approach, but grade-

level teachers used as interventionists.

Each grade level coordinates intervention time with other reading teachers or special education teachers.

Model 5: Cross-Grade

Teacher A Teacher works with lowest group (<3).

Grade Reading Time Core Curriculum + Intervention

Teacher B Teacher works with middle group on specified needs (<5).

Teacher C Teacher works with benchmark students.

Reading Specialist Teacher works with middle group on specified needs (<5).

Teacher D Teacher works with lowest group (<3).

Teacher E Teacher works with middle group on specified needs (<5).

Teacher F Teacher works with benchmark students.

Reading Specialist Teacher works with lowest group (<3).

Teacher G Teacher works with lowest group (<3).

Teacher H Teacher works with middle group on specified needs (<5).

Teacher I Teacher works with benchmark students.

Special Education Teacher Teacher works with students responding to different approach to reading.

Eden School

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Lower primary and upper primary have 3 hour reading blocks. Students are grouped according to both reading level needs and intervention needs during that block.

Available resources included all grade level, special education, and ELL teachers, Reading Coach, Reading interventionists, and 2 paras.

Fall Data

Cross Grade ModelAdvantages

Allows for more individualized and intense instruction based on reading and skill level

Focus on reading increased because no transition time necessary

Teacher provided time to know student’s skill level and increased time allows him/her more flexibility in meeting needs

DisadvantagesRequires integration of

other core subject areas into literacy and math blocks

Requires thinking about things very differently

Variation of Cross-grade Grouping Using Block Scheduling See handout

1 Block set aside for school-wide enrichment, re-teaching, electives

1 Block set aside for each grade to have enrichment, re-teaching, or planning time

Scheduling/Resource ConsiderationsConsider when number of students on track is

considerably less than those not on track

Scheduling takes into consideration resources needed and grade level requirements

Resources can be allocated in larger chunks of time

Our Data and PreferenceAs we look at our data, there are likely some

models that do not apply.

Just working from those that would make sense, talk at your table about the advantages and disadvantages to the models that we will consider.

Based on the combined advantages and disadvantages, select the model that you would like to build your schedule around.