Read News
January 11, 2016
In this edition you will find:
- PALS Plus Form C Information
- Kinder READ Plan and PALS Updates
- Using PALS Data to Drive Instruction
- Creating and Updating READ Plans
- Parent Involvement and Communication
- Retention/MTSS Information
PALS PLUS Form C Window is Now Open!
Teaching Partners or Teachers can download and print these materials.
- Here is our recommendation of what to print:
- Admin and Scoring Guide, page 5 (Recommended PALS Plus tasks) and page 16 (Where to Start Oral Reading in Context). You can print the whole guide, but it may be a waste of paper-teachers can just download and save it to their desktop and refer when needed.
- PALS Plus Student Packet (One per teacher)
- PALS Plus Teacher Packet (One per teacher)
- All five of the COW Booklet Titles (One set per teacher)
- Optional: Blank Spelling Sheets
Who needs the midyear testing?
- New students who did not receive the initial screener testing-this should be completed for any new student K-3 within 30 instructional days of enrollment.
- Students who are on currently on a READ Plan.
- Students who were below the cut scores during the Fall Testing window.
- Form C is NOT required for students who were at or above the cut score on the PALS screener.
PALS Webinar: Form C/Midyear Testing (Scroll down to the December 15th webinar)
District Created Help Sheet
Form C Recommended PALS Tasks
Oral Reading in Context
KINDER READ Plan and PALS UPDATES
READ Plans are NOT written for Kinder students until the end of the year.
- Form C for Kinder is only needed if there is a new student to APS or if the student did not complete testing during the Fall Window. Please verify in IC if the student transferred from a school outside of APS to verify they need PALS testing.
- We must have a cut score for all K students within their first 30 instructional days of enrollment. Please email if you have any questions. If needed, Form C Kinder Materials can be downloaded from the PALS website as indicated above.
- Based on valuable feedback the READ Team has gathered from teachers and schools, we are creating a Kinder Flowchart and Timeline to support teachers and schools. This will be provided in the next READ Newsletter the week of January 25th.
- Kinder students who are at or above the cut score on Form B do not need to be assessed using PALS again this year unless the teacher feels the student's progress is not where it should be and they want to administer PALS to collect more data.
Using PALS Data to Drive Instruction
Next, teachers or school leaders can view the summary of data for each student. Open the History and Data tab, select a student, then choose to view the summary sheet from the center column. This data will help to identify an area that needs to be addressed through differentiated, explicit instruction.
Please let us know what questions you have or if you have problems accessing or analyzing these reports.
Creating and Updating READ Plans
- Under the new security parameters set by the district, only the classroom teacher can create a new READ plan for their student. If you are supporting a teacher in creating a plan, be sure the teacher is the person logged into Enrich.
- When teachers create or revise a plan, there are a few additional steps in the process.
- Revised help sheets are included below.
Creating a READ Plan-Revised 10/26/15
Updating a READ Plan-Revised 10/26/15
Finalizing READ Plans and Updating a Team Lead
PLEASE FINALIZE ALL PLANS that have been revised-they are not activated plans until you finalize. Please see the help sheets above if needed.
Parent involvement in Creating a READ Plan
1) The school's MTSS Team can invite the parents when they meet to look at data and create the plan. Please talk to your MTSS Partner if you have questions about this option.
2) Conduct a phone conference before/during/after school to review the plan and create the at-home reading plan.
3) Meet with the parent before or after school to review the plan and create the at-home reading plan.
If you have any questions or concerns, please use the online question form at the bottom of this newsletter or reach out to your Teaching Partner, MTSS Partner, School Leader, or Instructional Coordinator.
Considerations for Possible Retention Situations
Please start reviewing the resources below to learn about the requirements for any retention cases. Retention should be viewed as a last resort, Tier III decision for any student and the flow-charts below should be referred to as questions arise. Please discuss any questions you have with your MTSS Partner.
Teacher Initiated Retention Flow-Chart
Parent Initiated Retention Flow-Chart
Submit your questions here
READ Act Team
- Elementary Literacy
- Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
- Accountability & Research
- Exceptional Student Services
- English Language Acquisition
- Lori Stack, Data Coordinator
- Shelli Deaguero, Elementary Literacy Instructional Coordinator
- Your school's MTSS Partner and/or ELA Consultant