Learning Services Fall Update 2015

Arkansas Department of Education

Debbie Jones, Assistant CommissionerStacy Smith, Director of Curriculum & Instruction

Hope Allen, Director of Assessment

Fall 2015

NSL Funds for RTI & Dyslexia

• LS-16-018• A.C.A 6-20-2305 allows early intervention

programs.• Dyslexia is considered an early intervention

program.• Dyslexia programs shall be research/evidence

based.• Program expenditures may be paid from NSL

National Guard Youth Challenge

• Reengagement Opportunity for likely drop outs

• District retains ADM for pupil• Opportunity to earn HS credit or GED• Guidance for HS credit• LS-16-017

English Language Learners

Exiting ELL StudentsCommissioner’s Memo LS-16-007 L

•May use Spring 2014 state assessment data in lieu of PARCC data this year to determine if a student meets that portion of the exit criteria.•May consider exiting more students once PARCC results are released. ADE English Learners website page updatedhttp://www.arkansased.gov/divisions/learning-services/english-learners

English Learners

AAEA Conference, November 5-6, 2015• Paula Johnson, IDRA, presenting two one-day trainings on effective

instruction with English Learners. Day 1-Essentials of Working With ELs; Day 2 Taking ELs to the Next Level

ARKTESOL Conference, December 7, Hot Springs• ADE staff providing training on ESOL Program Guidance Handbook,

ELPA21, Title III• Kelly Gallagher--Keynote• Presentations by Arkansas ESOL Educators

ESOL Coordinator 101 Moodle• New ESOL Coordinators’ training, Tricia.Kerr@arkansas.gov

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Take Your Legislator to School Month

House Resolution 1008•Designed to promote productive working relationships between legislators & schools.•Successes, Challenges & Solutions

Sample

Alternate Education Programs

ALE Strategic Planning Council composed of school people to:–Investigate highly effective ALE programs–Investigate current policies, procedures & practices–Make recommendations for creating model unit and programs in the state–Superintendents may recommend members

Alternate Education

• AE Unit is to provide technical assistance• Appropriate committee determine placement• Direct Instruction is primary mode• Social, career, college, transitional skills occurring• Health, Counseling and mental health services provided• Student Action Plan developed no later than 1 week

after placement (transitional plan)

• Standards through OSR visits will determine standards approval.

ADE Committed

• Professional ADE staff• Integrity of the process• Respect the opinions of experts in the field• Listen and adjust to concerns of Arkansans• Maintain high standards• Produce quality standards

Review Committee

• Equal distribution across state• Teacher heavy

– 80 educators for both ELA and Math– Recommendation from ESC– Recommendation from Task Force– Recommendations from district personnel– Accepting resumes

Review Committee

• ADE & Coop Specialist used to facilitate• Higher Education as advisors and participants• Diverse group of educators that represent

Arkansas• Process live-streamed • ELA K-12 & Math K-5 Oct. 13,14,15• 6-8 Math Oct. 20, 21,22• High School Math and ELA Nov. 10,11,12

Definition

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Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-component, general education model, designed to identify students who may be at risk for learning or behavior challenges, offer support, and monitor progress.

The Importance of RTI

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With RTI, schools are set up to maximize student achievement and reduce behavior challenges by:•Identifying needs and providing services early•Improving the current method of identifying students with learning disabilities (LD)•Addressing over identification of culturally and linguistically diverse students

RTI: Arkansas model

• Multi-Tiered System of Support• Data-based Decision Making

– Screening/Diagnostics/Progress Monitoring– Formative/Summative Assessment

Multi-tier system of support model Three Modules Available on AETN Ideas:

1. RTI Arkansas Overview (available now)2. RTI Arkansas Leadership (available now)3. RTI Arkansas Multi-tiered System of Support/Handbook-

September 15

Progress Monitoring: What This Looks Like

Collect and graph data to support decisions about a

student’s responsiveness to intervention

Resources

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• Academic Progress Monitoring Tool Chart

Intervention Programs

• What Works Clearinghouse

• National Center on Intensive Intervention

Special Education

Results-Driven Accountability

RDA is an accountability framework developed by the Federal Office of

Special Education Programs (OSEP) that supports increased state and

local capacity to improve results and functional outcomes for students with

disabilities.

Components of RDA• State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report

(SPP/APR) that measures progress against special education compliance and results indicators

• State and LEA determinations reflect performance on results, as well as compliance

• Differentiated monitoring and technical assistance supports for improvement in all States/LEAs, but especially low performing States/LEAs

State Plan for Increasing Results for Students with Disabilities

The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) is a comprehensive, multi-year plan that is part of the State SPP and APR.SSIP Focus

• Improving and building the capacity of LEAs to implement, scale up, and sustain evidence-based practices

• Improving literacy results for students with disabilities

SSIP Strategies to Support Improvement

1. Differentiated and tiered state monitoring system 2. Differentiated and tiered professional development

and technical assistance support3. Response-to-Intervention Supports4. Tiered system of supports for literacy5. Tiered system of supports for behavior 6. Increasing and supporting the number of students

with disabilities in the general education classroom

State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG)

• Five-year grant that will be used to develop literacy and behavior resources and tools

• Provide professional development and technical assistance that teachers can utilize to assist all students, especially students with disabilities

• Partner with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to support RTI resource development

• Partner with Arkansas State University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) to implement a statewide multi-tiered system of support for behavior

Digital Learning •Virtual Arkansas exceeded 31,000 student enrollments as of September 4th. •Computer Science 1,400 students are being served. •Waiting List for this year (ACT Prep, Spanish, Oral Communication, Health and Wellness, Civics, Economics) These filled up the first week of July. Register early for best results.•Choose facilitators carefully. They will make or break the success of your students in digital classes.•Please help us acquire the necessary IEP and 504 information we need to serve your students.

cathi.swan@archford.org 501-339-8056

• “Re-Mix” consultations across the state this fall. One hour consultations to talk about what your school looks like in 2026.

• Act 1280 - The Digital Learning ActThe scenario must provide the student with some element of control over the time they access the course, the place the access the course from, the pathway they take to learn the content, OR the pace in which they learn. Updated Approved

• Digital Learning Provider List for 2015-2016 is posted.

State AP PerformanceContinued increases in participation and in scores of 3 or higher

for public school students.

• 25,757 test-takers (.8% increase from 2014)• 44,951 exams taken (1.2% increase from 2014)• 14,391 scores of 3 or higher (1.7% increase from 2014)• 23.2% of public school AP exam test takers were

underrepresented minority students (23.5 in 2014)• 27.5% of public school AP exam test takers were low-income

students (29% in 2014)

Gifted & Talented and APGifted and Talented Program Approval Applications due by

October 15th.

Training for new Advanced Placement Coordinators: • October 7th at UALR (Register on the College Board website) • October 13th at the Southwest Arkansas Education Cooperative in Hope

and through a state-wide Zoom meeting (Register with your ESC)

Gifted & Talented and AP• Academic Enrichment for the Gifted/Talented in Summer

(AEGIS) program proposals are due by November 6, 2015 for programs in summer 2016.

• Arkansas Governor’s School student applications due January 19, 2016.

• Act 56 Award Applications due December 18, 2015.

The Act• 11th Grade Only

• Districts MUST administer

• Students who may choose not to participate:• Those for whom there

are not sufficient accommodations available

• Those who refuse or whose parents refuse for them to participate.

• Technology• http://www.act.org/

aap/pdf/TechnicalRequirements.pdf

• Chromebooks and iPads cannot be used

• Accommodations• ACT will approve• http://

www.actstudent.org/regist/disab/

Scheduling The ACTPaper testing

• March 1st

• Makeup March 15th only

• All students will test the morning of the 1st or 15th

Online testing• Window March 1st – 15th

• All sessions must be administered within a single setting

• Students may be scheduled to test throughout the window

Grades 3-10Students Grades 3-

10

Alternate

NCSC for Math and ELA

Grades 3-8 and 11

Science Portfolio Grades 5,7 and 10

only

ACT Aspire

Math, English, Writing, Reading

and Science

ACT Aspire• Grades 3-10

• Math, English, writing, reading and science yearly

• Requests for waiver from online testing are due September 25th

• Window to administer: April 11th – May 13th

• Schools set their schedule

• Test Administrators must be licensed by ADE

Timing (in minutes)

Scheduling

Scheduling Computer Based Testing

• No more than three subject tests per day

• There is no order in which the subject tests have to be administered

• Grade cohorts must test on the same day, or as close together as possible

• Small groups may be needed– http://actaspire.avocet.pearson.com/actaspire/home#6482

ACT Aspire Resources

www.actaspire.pearson.com• Technology Specs

• Chromebooks will work• iPads may be as supported device but not sure as of

today• Training Modules

• Note: some administration procedures may change to align with state policy

• Exemplars • Manuals

ACT Aspire Periodic Assessments

• Available late fall – No official date at this time

• Schools will be responsible for managing all data

• Fixed forms for both Interim and Classroom

• Set up in the same system as the summative

Alternate Assessment

Significantly Cognitively Disabled Students Only

• NCSC for ELA and Math grades 3-8 and 11

• Science portfolio for grades 5, 7 and 10

• Traditional portfolio

• Optional online collection and storage

ELPA21

• English Language Proficiency Assessment• All EL students not exited from ESOL• Grades K-12 yearly • Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening• Computer-based only• Testing Window

• February 1- March 11

IOWA Assessment

• Grades 1 and 2 only

• Window April 4th – 15th

• Grade cohort must test at the same time

• Will include Math Computation

• Adds 25 minutes overall

• Schools will receive CCSS domain scores

Things to Remember

• Science portfolios will be completed only by those qualify to take NCSC.

• Students that do not qualify for NCSC will take ACT Aspire in grades 3-10.

• Schools set their own schedules for Computer Based Testing.• Use of COGNOS will be required.• Clean data is a MUST.• All students test by grade enrolled at the time of testing.• Teachers teach your standards.

Contact for Assessment

Hope.Allen@arkansas.gov Director

Susan.Gray@arkansas.gov Test Administration

Alex.Pritchett@arkansas.gov Periodic Assessments

Jared.Hogue@arkansas.gov Accommodations

Alan.Lytle@arkansas.gov ELPA21

Charlotte.Marvel@arkansas.gov NCSC and Alternate Portfolio

Jimmy.Blevins@arkansas.com Technology and Data

Guidance & School Counseling

Northwest - 9/30/2015 &

10/1/2015

Western - 10/02/2015

Great Rivers - 10/6/2015

Crowley’s Ridge - 10/7/2015

Northeast - 10/8/2015

North Central - 10/9/2015

Southeast - 10/13/2015

Arch Ford - 10/23/2015

Wilbur Mills - 10/26/2015

OUR - 10/29/2015

Dawson - 11/3/2015

Southwest - 11/4/2015

DeQueen Mena - 11/05/2015

Arkansas River - 10/19/2015

South Central - 10/20/2015

LRSD & PCSSD - TBA

Guidance Fall Agenda• The Role of the Counselor in RTI• e-Sharing lessons• Arkansas Model/Public School Student Services

Planning – work session• Legislative Updates• Career Session - Soft skills, ACT Profile, Career

Readiness Certificate, CTE updates