Washington State K12 Reading Model

1
Washington State K-12 Reading Model

• An Implementation Guide
• Sue Geiger
• State K-12 Reading Program Specialist

2
Background

• Washington State Reading Initiative (WSRI)
• Input from WSRI Advisory Board
• Input from stakeholders including
• Washington Educators (teachers, administrators,
  school board, University professors)
• Members of the business community
• Parents
• Members of WA State Legislature
• including members of culturally/linguistically
  diverse groups

3
Purpose

• Close the achievement gap at all grade levels
• Significantly increase the number of students
  reading proficiently by assisting schools,
  districts, and the state to achieve the Adequate
  Yearly Progress (AYP) goals of No Child Left
  Behind (NCLB)

4
Goals of WSRI

• Prevent reading difficulties in Pre-K through
  grade three
• Improve reading skills in grades 4-12
• Ensure that teachers and administrators are
  highly qualified and well supported to help all
  students become successful readers

5
Nine Characteristics of High Performing Schools

• Clear and Shared Focus
• High Standards and Expectations
• Effective School Leadership
• High Levels of Collaboration and Communication
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Aligned
  with Standards
• Frequent Monitoring of Teaching and Learning
• Focused Professional Development
• Supportive Learning Environment
• High Levels of Community and Parent Involvement
• SIP Process Guide January 2003 p. iv

6
Seven Elements of an Effective Schoolwide
Beginning Reading Model

• Clear reading and literacy goals and expectations
  for each grade
• Schoolwide assessment system established and
  maintained
• A core instructional program of validated
  efficacy adopted and implemented schoolwide
• Schoolwide plan established to allocate
  sufficient reading time and coordinate resources
• Group size, instructional time, and instructional
  programs adjusted according to learner
  performance
• Leaders organize resources and personnel to
  support reading instruction
• Ongoing professional development established to
  support teachers in the implementation of
  programs
• Adapted from Edward Kameenui, PhD's,
  presentation An Exploded View of Five
  Essential Steps to Preventing Reading
  Difficulties in Young Children

7
Systemic Reform Five Components

• Standards
• Assessments
• Instruction and Intervention
• Leadership
• System-wide commitment

8
Introduction to K-12 Guide

• Table of Contents p. v
• School Improvement Planning p. 5
• Reading Instruction Overview p. 6
• Three Phase Comprehensive Action Plan p. 7-27
• Reading Leadership Teams p. 8
• Abridged Action Plan p. 28

9
Standards Research

• A recent meta-analysis of 53 research studies
  (Marzano, 1998) found that when students were
  clear in advance about what they were learning,
  their achievement was, on average, 34 percentile
  points higher on tests used in these studies than
  students in control groups. (McREL, 2000)

10
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Aligned
Curriculum District and School Generated
Documents Based on EALRs/GLEs
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Instruction Pedagogy and Use of Instructional
Resources
Assessment Multiple Measures of Learning
11
High Expectations

• While there are certainly differences between
  the elementary and secondary schools, the
  expectations of a high standards environment are
  much the sameclear learning objectives in the
  form of the Essential Learnings, a high stakes
  state assessment, and the expectation that all
  students will achieve at a high level.
• -Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

12
Standards The K-12 Model

• Standards p. 29-37
• Overview p. 29
• Basic structure of EALRs p. 30
• Grade Level Expectations p. 30, 34-36
• Aligning standards and instructional materials
  and pedagogy p. 31
• Deep alignment p. 32-33
• Planning lessons using standards p. 37

13
Self Evaluation Standards

• Are teachers aware of EALRs/GLEs?
• Are teachers using EALRs/GLEs for planning
  instruction?
• Are instructional materials and assessments
  aligned with EALRs/GLEs?
• Are additional materials needed based on
  assessments and understanding of standards-based
  instruction?
• Have teachers in your building/district begun
  discussions about standards across and within
  grade levels?

14
Assessment Research

• It simply makes sense that when teachers teach
  what is to be assessed, the students will perform
  at a higher level. However, the research has
  also shown that such an expectation is contrary
  to the professional culture of many schools and
  classrooms.
• --Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

15
Assessment System

• An assessment system must be in place and include
  the following
• Data collection and management plan to collect
  and analyze school or system-wide results each
  quarter
• Multiple measures
• Screening assessments
• Progress Monitoring assessments
• Diagnostic assessments
• Outcome assessments

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Assessments The K-12 Model

• Formative and Summative p. 39
• Four Types of Assessments p. 40
• Three-Tier Instruction Assessments p. 41
• Assessment Matrix p. 42
• Progress Monitoring/EALRs p. 43-44
• Fluency Goals p. 45
• Diagnosing Reading Difficulties p. 46
• National Assessment/Washington State Assessment
  p. 47-50

17
Self Evaluation Assessments

• Are teachers aware of different types of
  assessments?
• Do teachers know how and when to administer
  different types of assessments?
• Do teachers have sufficient assessment materials?

18
Self Evaluation Assessments

• Does the assessment material align with the
  standards and the instructional program?
• Do teachers know how to use assessment results
  for making instructional decisions?
• Is there a system for keeping track of assessment
  data in place?
• What kinds of assessments are currently being
  used to monitor progress and to drive instruction
  at all grade levels?

19
Research and Practice

• Five components of SBRR p. 52
• NRP Report
• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension
• www.nationalreadingpanel.org

20
Research and Practice

• Content Area Reading
• Building Reading Proficiency at the Secondary
  Level A Guide to Resources Southwest
  Educational Development Laboratory www.sedl.org
• Adolescent Literacy Resources Linking Research
  and Practice by Julie Meltzer with Nancy Cook
  Smith and Holly Clark www.lab.brown.edu
• Reading Next A Vision for Action and Research
  in Middle and High School Literacy
  www.all4ed.org
• Improving Adolescent Reading Findings from
  Research, Northwest Regional Educational
  Laboratory www.nwrel.org

21
Instructional Models

• High quality pedagogy with a research-based,
  standards aligned reading program with all
  students is considered core instruction and
  should receive the maximum effort prevention is
  key to early reading success
• Research strongly suggests that 80 of students
  will be on benchmark if taught with effective
  materials using proven instructional techniques
• 15 of students will fall into the strategic
  category, and require in class intervention with
  preteaching, reteaching, and deeper teaching with
  those same materials
• 5 of students will fall into the intensive
  category, requiring intensive intervention, both
  inside and outside the regular classroom

22
Instruction Research from Washington
State

• One of the major findings of the 2002 study of
  the WSRC was that teachers in successful schools
  had increased the amount of time they spend
  teaching reading and writing in an effort to help
  students reach their academic potential. For
  example, in one building teachers spent 60-90
  minutes every day on both reading and writing,
  and another 75 minutes on math and problem
  solving. In many cases this has meant taking a
  minimalist approach to other subjects.
• --Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

23
Washington State Teacher Quotes

• As one teacher put it, We made a professional
  decision to put away our pet projects. Another
  stated that We have to give up the whale unit
  and spend more time with reading and writing,
  while yet another commented, We cant teach
  these things just because the adults like them
  and think they are fun.
• --Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

24
Intervention Services An Eastern Washington
School DistrictBeginning of Three-Tier
Intervention Work
Intervention Services In the Walla Walla School
District
Level III 13.7
Level II 45-50
General Education and Level I 20-40
25
Three-Tier Intervention Expected OutcomesAn
Eastern Washington School District
Level III 1-5
Level II 5-10
General Education and Level I 80-90
26
Instruction and Intervention

• If students who lag behind are not given the
  additional instruction they need to continue to
  make progress, they will fall further and further
  behind at each successive grade level. If
  teachers accept the students low achievement as
  a manifestation of individual differences, the
  deceleration in achievement in later grades
  becomes even greater. When such students reach
  high school, they usually are placed in a special
  school with minimal achievement.
• (Jeanne S. Chall, 2000, p. 180, The Academic
  Achievement Challenge What Really Works in the
  Classroom?)

27
Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice

• Despite the well-developed knowledge base
  supporting the value of interventions that have
  been demonstrated to have positive outcomes for
  students, those interventions are not widely
  employed in typical classroom instruction, nor
  are they integrated into teacher education
  programs.
• Sharon Vaughn, College of Education Manuel
  Justiz, DeanThe University of Texas at Austin
  A 3-Tier Model for Preventing/Reducing Reading
  Disabilities

28
3 Tiers of Instruction
With correct instruction, students in Tier II
will shrink to 10-15 and students in Tier III
to 5
Adapted from the Tri-Level Reading Model UT
Center for Reading Language Arts-Washington
State K-12 Reading Model
29
Tier I Instruction

• Implementation of research-based core reading
  program for all students
• Teachers learn to support all learners, including
  struggling readers and English Language Learners
• Focus on professional development preferably
  site-based coaching/mentoring in place
• Benchmark assessments used 3x a year to monitor
  student achievement
• Formative assessments 2x monthly
• (i.e. classroom based assessments)
• Washington State K-12 Reading Model

30
Tier II Instruction

• Frequent monitoring to track student progress
  with current instruction
• Informed instructional decision-making
• Programs, strategies, and procedures designed to
  supplement, enhance, and support Tier I
• Supplements 90 minutes minimum (K-3) 60 minutes
  minimum (4-12) of Tier I instruction
• Students move fluidly from tier to tier, based on
  assessment data. This is not a placement plan
  it is a flexible service model.
• The goal of Tier II instruction is to get
  students as quickly as possible back to their
  regular full program and working at a level equal
  to their peers in all grade levels.

31
Jeanne Chall The Voice of ExperienceIn
various research studies I have been a part of
over the past fifty years, I have found that many
popular, respected practices were not supported
by research. Indeed, practices often went in a
direction opposite from the existing research
evidence. Thus, while educational practice kept
moving in the direction of the progressive,
student-centered approaches, the research
evidence kept growing in support of traditional,
teacher-centered learning. This is particularly
evident in beginning reading instruction.
Although research evidence from the early 1900s
found benefit for a structured, systematic
teaching of phonics and other skills, practice
went in the opposite directiontoward a
progressive, student-centered approach (Chall,
1967, 1983, 1996a).(Jeanne S. Chall, 2000, p.
180, The Academic Achievement Challenge What
Really Works in the Classroom?)
32
Tier II Strategic Instruction Basic
Features

• Supplements (not supplants) core instructional
  program
• 30 minutes a day, five days a week
• Fluid groups of three to six students (optimal)
• Progress is monitored every two weeks
• Homogeneous grouping based on assessment data and
  student need

33
Who Provides Supplemental Instruction?

• Options
• Classroom teacher
• Specialized reading teacher
• External interventionist

34
What should supplemental instruction look like?

• Systematic and explicit
• Modeling
• Driven by progress monitoring assessments aligned
  to the instructional program and the standards
• Preteaching of core content, vocabulary, etc. is
  effective supplemental instruction
• Well paced as quickly as possible and as slowly
  as necessary students having difficulty need
  more instruction, not less

35
Tier III Intensive Intervention

• Specifically designed reading instruction that
  extends beyond the time allocated for Tier I and
  Tier II
• Supplements K-3 core programs and may supplant
  programs in grades 4-12, depending on specific
  needs of students

36
Differences Between Tier II and Tier III
37
Tier III Students Need

• Repeated opportunities for practice and review
• Additional correction and feedback
• Increased time on-task
• Drill repetition and practice review
• Tasks broken down into smaller steps
• Learning made visible
• Basic skill instruction as determined by
  assessments
• Distributed practice over time

38
Instruction and Intervention The K-12 Model

• Overview of Three-Tier Plan p. 53
• Important Notes p. 54
• Reading Instruction for Special Education p.55
• ELL/ELD p. 56
• The Achievement Gap p. 57
• Struggling and Strong Readers p. 59-60
• Three-Tier Instructional Plan p. 61-66

39
Self Evaluation Instruction and Intervention

• Is the school/district committed to providing
  resources so teachers are able to implement an
  effective intervention plan in every classroom?
• Are teachers aware of a multi-tiered
  instructional/intervention model?

40
Self Evaluation Instruction and Intervention

• Do teachers know how to use data to determine
  which students need which level of instruction in
  which area or areas?
• Do teachers know how to teach phonemic awareness,
  phonics/decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and
  comprehension skills explicitly, systematically,
  and with high levels of expectations for all
  students?
• Do teachers have materials to provide the
  intensive or strategic instruction required in
  the areas of phonemic awareness,
  phonics/decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and/or
  comprehension?

41
Leadership in Schools

• Instructional Leaders keep the FOCUS on enactment
  of high quality instructional programs and
  standards, while keeping an eye always on DATA to
  monitor the achievement levels of all students.
• Mentor teachers and/or reading coaches act as the
  SUPPORT to colleagues in classrooms, providing
  site-based and classroom-based professional
  development with an eye always on raising student
  achievement levels.

42
Developing A Building Schedule A Walla Walla
District Model

• Students should be placed in academically
  heterogeneous classes (elementary, content area
  and electives at secondary)
• Second language learners should be grouped with
  English speaking students for non-academic
  instruction
• Students should be homogeneously flexibly
  grouped for skills-based instruction
• The most at-risk students need to be placed in
  the smallest skill groups and most experienced
  staff
• Develop the schedule starting with Tier III, then
  II then Tier I.

43
Collaborative Community

• Collaborative Academic Support Team (C.A.S.T.)
  Meetings To use data to assist classroom
  teachers to assure that ALL students academic
  needs are met and to prevent students from being
  improperly placed in special education due to
  lack of appropriate instruction and intervention.
• Grade Level Team Meetings Regularly scheduled
  and held with focus on student achievement,
  improving delivery of the instructional program,
  and examination of datasupportive and focused
• Leadership Team Meetings Combinations of
  administrators, coaches, mentors, special
  education staff, district reading
  coordinator/curriculum specialists,
  paraprofessionals, and the community with the
  focus on student learning, improving student
  achievementa focus on results

44
A Culture of Collaboration

• Collaborative teacher conversations must
  quickly move beyond, What are we expected to
  teach? to How will we know when each student has
  learned?
• Educational Leadership/May 2004
• What is a Professional Learning Community?

45
Research on Effective Professional Development

• For many years schools have engaged in
  professional development activities designed to
  train teachers in cooperative learning, group
  projects, alternative assessment strategies, and
  so on. But each of these techniques can be used
  while focusing on educational goals incompatible
  with the EALRs, with minimal expectations that
  students can accomplish much, and with subject
  matter that is trivial in nature and places few
  intellectual demands on the students.
• Jeffrey Fouts, A Decade of Reform, Washington
  School Reform Center, April 2003

46
Professional Development Planning Guide
Adapted from the Washington State Professional
Development Planning Guide Part One Teacher
Professional Development--OSPI
47
Leadership The K-12 Model

• Overview p. 67
• Research on Leadership p. 68
• Effective School Leaders p. 69
• Effective Teachers p. 70
• Key Roles and Responsibilities p. 71-73
• Effective Professional Development p. 74
• Professional Development to Support SAILS p. 75
• Professional Development Options p. 77
• C.A.S.T. p. 78-79
• Grade Level Team Meetings p. 80
• Building Schedules p. 81

48
Self Evaluation Leadership

• Are leaders organizing resources and personnel to
  support reading instruction? Building schedules?
• Are there plans for focused professional
  development to assist teachers in understanding
  the standards, the research, and the best
  instructional practices for effectively closing
  the achievement gap in reading?
• Have program materials been purchased that align
  with scientific research and the standards, or
  have supplemental materials been purchased to
  fill gaps in the current program?

49
Self Evaluation Leadership

• Are grade level teams or other work teams
  currently focused on data, instruction, or
  aligning lessons to the standards?
• Do ALL teachers K-12 understand the importance of
  teaching reading comprehension skills and
  strategies and vocabulary strategies during
  lessons in ALL subject areas? Has professional
  development centered on making this a priority?
• What would need to occur in your
  school/district/system to guarantee that all
  students are getting the instruction they need?

50
System-wide Commitment Research Findings

• Generally, the district practices that promote
  school reform and increases in student learning
  center on effective reform vision and leadership,
  decentralized decision-making when appropriate,
  ensuring effective and stable leadership for the
  school, and accountability.
• --Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

51
Supportive Learning Environment

• The school has a safe, civil, healthy and
  intellectually stimulating work environment.
  Students feel respected and connected with the
  staff, and are engaged in learning. Instruction
  is personalized and small learning environments
  increase student contact with teachers.
• SIP Process Guide January 2003 p. iv

52
Individual Commitment Its Impact on the Whole
System

• The tendency of the old guard to slow down
  school improvement efforts is an existing problem
  and most evident on the secondary level.
• --Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

53
Reform Efforts The Challenges

• In what other business or profession could an
  employee simply decide to refrain from
  participating in a major undertaking of the
  organization? Yet, that is what is happening in
  some schools. Without meaningful ways to deal
  with these adult issues in Washington schools, it
  is doubtful that reform in a number of places
  will take place.
• --Washington School Research Center (WSRC),
  Jeffrey Fouts, April 2003
• A Decade of Reform A Summary of Research
  Findings on Classroom, School, and District
  Effectiveness in Washington State

54
Reflection

• Think quietly to yourself
• Are you ready to set aside past practices that
  did not lead to increases in student learning?
• Do you really believe that all students can
  achieve at high levels?
• Are you ready to become a learner and to become
  focused on the students in the system and have it
  become less adult-centric?
• Are you ready to commit to forming or
  participating on collaborative teams to focus the
  work in your school/grade level on achievement
  and improving instruction?

55
High Levels of Community and Parent Involvement

• There is a sense that all educational
  stakeholders have a responsibility to educate
  students, not just the teachers and staff in
  schools. Parents, as well as businesses, social
  service agencies, and community
  colleges/universities all play a vital role in
  the effort.
• SIP Process Guide January 2003 p. iv

56
System-wide Commitment The K-12 Model

• Overview p. 82
• Pyramid of Strength p. 83
• Learning Environment p. 84-85
• Content Area Reading p. 86-87
• Parents Role p. 88
• System-wide Role p. 89-90
• Self-Evaluation Tools p. 91-92

57
Self-Evaluation System-wide Commitment

• Does the district/system have an articulated
  commitment to improving reading instruction in
  every classroom?
• Is there a concerted effort to bring
  families/parents/community into the dialogue
  about improving instruction and support for
  reading for all students?
• Are content area teachers committed to learning
  more about reading instruction to improve
  academic achievement in all subject areas?
• Is the system ready to put resources into adding
  instructional programs that have proven efficacy
  in all classrooms especially for those students
  reading far below benchmark?

58
Putting It All Together

• Standards
• Assessments
• Instruction and Intervention
• Leadership
• System-wide commitment

59
Appendices

• Appendix A References and Resources p. I-IV
• Appendix B Additional Support Material
• Table of Contents p. V
• ELD Proficiency Levels (9-12) p. VI-VII
• Suggested High School Plans p. IX-XIV
• Student Learning Plans p. XV-XVII
• Vancouver Literacy Plan p. XVIII
• Battle Ground Interventions p. XIX
• Coaching Log p. XX
• Reading Leadership Team Template p. XXI
• Grade Level Team Meeting Agenda p. XXII
• Acknowledgements XXIII

60
Looking Ahead

• Set your S.A.I.L.S. for success!

61
For more information

• Sue Geiger
• State K-12 Reading Program Specialist
• sgeiger_at_ospi.wednet.edu
• 360.725.6064