ARI Literacy Leadership
September 2021
Our Mission
GREAT NEWS FROM ARI
We have been given permission to extend the Comprehensive LEA Early Literacy Report 2021 and AlaKiDs reporting deadlines to October 15, 2021. We know you have been working diligently to merge PowerSchool and the assessment programs, both early years assessments and AlaKiDs. Your raw ACAP data is still being reviewed by your LEAs, and is currently embargoed (which is needed to determine numbers for third graders in the Comprehensive LEA Early Literacy Report 2021). Please continue to work diligently to complete your testing so that you are not stressed as the updated reporting deadline approaches.
SEPTEMBER FOCUS
Analyzing early literacy assessments, determining which students have “consistent reading deficits," and aligning coaching efforts with student-centered data is not the responsibility of one person. It requires a TEAM! Your school's team should USE the data to dive deeper into the instruction and intervention and professional learning Circles of Influence. ARI support visits this month will consist of supporting you in planning your initial data meetings. Collaboratively, we will USE the data to RESPOND to each student's need.
"People who share a common sense of direction and community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another."
"The best school leaders and teachers know when teaching is working and when it isn’t." ~Libby Fischer
Initial Data Meetings
How do you plan to use your early literacy assessment data?
- ANALYZE the data with your local reading specialist
- PREPARE to lead the data meeting discussion
- PLAN the data meeting with your local reading specialist
- USE the data to make informed decisions with teachers
- SET short and long term goals with teachers
- DETERMINE instructional areas of focus with teachers
- REFLECT on the effectiveness of Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III with local reading specialists and teachers
- DEVELOP a plan of action for using the data to coach K-3 teachers with the local reading specialist
Throughout your data meeting, always reflect by asking these three questions:
1. What do we now understand?
2. What did we decide?
3. What are we going to do next?
As you review and analyze the data, don’t forget to purposefully plan and lead your initial data meetings. Data meetings should be led by the principal with support from your local reading specialist. Your regional team is ready to support you with analyzing your data. Follow the links to view some data meeting resources (sample agendas, probing questions, and a complete roadmap to lead effective data dialogue) that you may use as a guide as you plan your data meetings. Any resources ARI shares are only for planning purposes; they are not mandated by ARI. If you find these resources helpful, please use them.
Data Meeting Folder
Sample 1: Very Detailed Information on Initial Data Meeting https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tRSSdfi9sxY0uGPSuRZkxz6P2Pe5uEr1/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs
Sample 2: Data Meeting Agenda https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XgCwIdZnra4eYZyYtNY1ddvZaVxqh3TdSgFAJdEpMs8/edit#
Sample 3: Handbook on Implementing Structured Data Meetings https://www.meadowscenter.org/files/resources/Full_Handbook.pdf
COACHES CORNER
September brings new data…Data-driven instruction helps school leaders know precisely what students need by providing teachers with the right tools to improve their lessons. Effective instruction focuses on learning outcomes and uses data to ensure those outcomes are attained. Let’s plan to understand our data by creating a blueprint for success!
Ask the right questions
Create the right data collection system
Interpret your data
Intentionally act on your data
The Right Data
When a student is struggling in the classroom, the teacher will often implement an intervention matched to the student’s deficient academic skill. However, classroom interventions are incomplete if the teacher is not also collecting data to document whether those interventions are actually benefitting students (Witt, VanDerHyden, & Gilbertson, 2004).
Data takes many forms.
Formative data, short quizzes, exit slips, question and answer, and a simple show of hands
Observational data
Standardized tests
Benchmark assessments
Progress monitoring
Interpreting Data
The analysis and interpretation of data should support the fundamental purpose of assessment: establishing and understanding where learners are in an aspect of their learning at the time of assessment. Coaches and teachers should work together to make sense of their data to see what it reveals about where students are in their development.
Analysis and interpretation of data and evidence has several components, including teachers working individually and together to:
'read' and understand what has been collected. Depending on the skills and experience of the teacher and the complexity of the data or evidence, this may require access to professional learning support
make sense of the data using the intended learning and associated curriculum achievement standards. Sense making can be supported by structured learning conversations with colleagues/building level coach to enable learning from and with each other
clarify what the evidence clearly indicates students know, understand and can do, what can be inferred from the evidence, and what needs further investigation in order to make a confident judgement based on a mix of data and evidence.
Intentionally Acting on the Data
Data-driven decision-making is important to move student progress forward. It is vital to use data to steer small group reading instruction to help all students read on grade level. During discussions, decide which students are above, on, or below grade level. When teachers are reviewing the data frequently and they are consistently seeing student growth, they can see the momentum for the work.
What coaches do each day influences what teachers do and that, in turn, influences what students know and do!
Comprehensive LEA Early Literacy Report 2021
When: OCTOBER 15, 2021 (new due date)
Who: Each school should submit a form.
- Each school with Grades K-3 in your LEA must have a completed submission.
- Data from the 2020-2021 school year and 2021 Summer Reading Camp is being reported.
- All green cells must be completed.
- Pink cells do not have to be filled. Data is auto generated.
- The gray cells are not required to be reported this year.
- The LEA does not submit data at the district level unless otherwise determined by the system.
The official reporting link is now accessible through the following link Fillable Docs (jivrus.com).
Sample Comprehensive Data: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_KbxseZP4MY6_RxrY9voW3RS2RhbHhvu/view?usp=sharing
IMPORTANT DATES
Alabama Literacy Act Updates
AL-MTSS
Alabama has operated under a Response to Instruction (RTI) framework that includes a Problem Solving Team (PST) that meets monthly to review at-risk students, develop RTI plans, and adjust strategies accordingly to ensure that appropriate grade-level instruction occurs daily for ALL students, as well as timely, targeted interventions as needed.
Alabama’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (AL-MTSS) is a comprehensive framework that encompasses not only the academic and behavioral, but also the physical, mental health and wellness, and social-emotional needs to support the whole child.
RTI is not going away. MTSS is the umbrella that RTI falls under.
Sample: SRIP with MTSS/RTI Features (Reading, Math, & Behavior).docx - Google Docs
Parent Notification/SRIPS
Parent Notification:
Now that your universal screener has been administered to all students, our next step is to disaggregate the data. This data will aide in forming instructional groups so that all students can move forward from where they are. We also want to look very closely at which students have a “consistent deficiency." The Alabama Literacy Act states that the parents of students who exhibit a consistent deficiency in letter naming fluency, letter sound fluency, nonsense word reading, sight words, oral reading accuracy, vocabulary, or comprehension shall be notified in writing no later than 15 school days after the identification. The notification will inform parents of the deficient area(s) and encourage them to collaborate with your school team to create a Student Reading Improvement Plan (SRIP).
Student Reading Improvement Plans (SRIP)
Remember that our goal is to help fill the instructional gaps of these students who have a consistent reading deficiency. Think of the SRIP as a planning document that will help ensure that each student is getting the support he/she needs to become a proficient reader. Critical features of the plan should include
Names of team members developing the plan and a place for each member to sign
State-approved screening assessment data.
Specific interventions selected to target the consistent reading deficiency area(s)
Description of Tier I and Tier II instruction, classroom accommodations, assistive technology, and additional tutoring (if/when applicable)
Explicit steps for evaluating progress after each grading period
Detailed adjustments that will be made to Tier I, II, and III instruction and intervention if sufficient progress is not being made at each progress monitoring check point.
This linked flow chart https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NWhKdkCVpgKjbdwfmKhTSgON-jcR97tD/view?usp=sharing helps to provide understanding on when to develop a SRIP.
Alabama Literacy Quick Links
Exciting Additions to Alabama Virtual Library https://www.avl.lib.al.us/.
- Capstone Interactive Library for K-6 – 257 Books (bilingual, favorite characters, some nonfiction). These have audio and word tracking. We are SO PROUD of this collection and being able to provide it free of charge to all Alabama residents.
- TeachingBooks – Teaching Books is a VAST collection of resources for PreK – 12. Teachers and students will find resources such as author interviews, read alikes, and full audio versions (of some picture books).
- Gale Elementary eBooks – About 50 nonfiction electronic books for students.
ALA Resources:
- The Alabama Coaching Framework (compcenternetwork.org)
ELA COS Link: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-Alabama-English-Language-Arts-Course-of-Study.pdf
Updated Dyslexia Resource Guide - https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DRG-10-16-2020.pdf
- Alabama Literacy Act - https://www.alabamaachieves.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/
REL Resources
A Kindergarten Teacher’s Guide to Supporting Family Involvement in Foundational Reading Skills
A First Grade Teacher’s Guide to Supporting Family Involvement in Foundational Reading Skills
A Second Grade Teacher’s Guide to Supporting Family Involvement in Foundational Reading Skills
A Third Grade Teacher’s Guide to Supporting Family Involvement in Foundational Reading Skills
And here’s a link to the website that houses the activities for parents to work with their children: Supporting Your Child’s Reading at Home
*********************HOT TOPICS******************
Local Reading Specialist Allocation
Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) Local Reading Specialist(s) Allocations, Job Description, and Program Memorandum of Agreement
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UDdPWD1_103OAY0PzCmN5SyNUemTcjsH/view?usp=sharing
The ALSDE is supporting districts with a $52K allocation for placement of a local reading specialist in each K-3 school. Each LEA should submit this paperwork to ARI by October, 15, 2021. If support is needed in making a selection for this very important position, please contact your Regional Literacy Leadership Specialist.
ALLOCATION:
Each LEA is to ensure that each school with any configuration of kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade has a local reading specialist.
For example: If system A has a kindergarten school and a first through third grade school (two schools total), that system would receive $105,762 for two local reading specialists.
Schools without a verified local reading specialist will not receive their quarterly allocation.
If a system only has one K-3 school, they will receive a minimum allocation of $80,000.
LETRS
LETRS Cohort 5: Sign up TODAY!
Registration deadline is September 15, 2021 for the 2021-2022 school year.
LETRS 3E Decision Chart https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sB97vuEoghjvBRh4EzXKc4iov__0VIVm/view?usp=sharing
ARI PLU Opportunity on the Implementation of the Science of Reading
This year, ARI is working to provide a PLU opportunity that will be centered around the implementation of the Science of Reading. We are blessed to have consultants from the Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC), who serve Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, to join and lead this opportunity. The sessions are scheduled to support leaning up against most “Lunch and Learn” sessions already scheduled.
Join us for each of the 5 one-hour sessions.
Tentative Dates and Times
September 29th OR 30th
10:00, 12:00 OR 2:00
December 8th OR 9th
10:00, 12:00 OR 2:00
January 27th
10:00, 12:00 OR 2:00
March TBD
10:00, 12:00 OR 2:00
May TBD
10:00, 12:00 OR 2:00
More details forthcoming!
*******PROFESSIONAL LEARNING *******
Byte-Size Professional Learning Opportunities
We have Byte-Size PD being offered to you virtually. Please see Dr. Davis’ curriculum updates for more information and a complete listing of sessions for all sections.
- September 16, 3:30-4:30- COS Overview (Amy Jones)
- September 23, 3:30-4:30- COS Overview (Amy Jones)
- September 28, 9:00-10:00- Alabama Literacy Act Overview (Amy Jones)
- September 30, 3:30-4:30- Dyslexia 101 (Sherry Brown, Rochelle Harrison)
IDA CONFERENCE
Rise to the Challenge and Save the Date!
Register Today for the Fall Dyslexia Conference
When: October 15, 2021, 7:45 AM – 4:15 PM
Where: St. James United Methodist Church 9045 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36117
Join us for an exciting day of learning with national experts, Natalie Wexler and Linda Farrell.
2021 Fall Conference - Save the Date! | IDA Alabama Branch (dyslexiaida.org)
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