Georgia Can Read: Coordinating Resources for Upper Grades

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Georgia Can Read Coordinating Resources for
Upper Grades

• Vicki Sieverts, M.S., CCC-SLPNora Swenson. Ed.
  D., CCC-SLPCharlette Green, CAGS, CCC-SLPLaura
  Sartin, Ed. S., CCC-SLP

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Why RTI?

• Advantages of RTI (from the Georgia Department of
  Education GaDOE)
• Focuses on instructional needs of students
• May reduce disproportionate representation of
  minorities in special education
• Alternates methods of identification and
  intervention with learning problems or
  disabilities

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Blended Approach

• GaDOE recommends utilizing a blended approach to
  learning issues
• Problem Solving
• Standard Protocol

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Problem Solving

• Process utilizing skills of professionals from
  different disciplines
• Goal is to study achievement
• Implement scientifically based interventions
• Evaluate impact on student performance

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Standard Protocol

• Process where pre determined scientifically based
  interventions are used in a specific sequence

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Challenges Faces by SLPs

• Who is suppose to deliver it (general education
  vs. special education)
• How to take data
• What baseline information to utilize
• Lack of Tier 3 intervention programs,
  particularly at the middle school level

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Response to InterventionCreated Need for

• Interventions for Tier II and Tier III
• Programs with Evidence-Based Practices
• Intervention Programs Developed from Scientific
  Research
• Program with data collection to show progress
  monitoring

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Challenges in the Approval Process of a
Collaborative Intervention Program

• Time commitment
• Administrative buy-in of Evidence-Based Practice
  and SBR aspect of START IN
• Tied to the old way of doing things (other
  reading programs, pull out reading programs,
  etc.)
• Lack of personnel to effectively implement
  program

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Challenges contd

• Tied to the old way of doing things (other
  reading programs, pull out reading programs,
  etc.)
• Lack of personnel to effectively implement
  program

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Challenges contd

• Structure of session is different from current
  therapy techniques (i.e. fast paced and time not
  spent on details)
• Planning time required for collaborative delivery
• Collaboration between SLPs and reading/general
  education teachers- different delivery models

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SUCCESS!

• In January of 2008, the GaDOE approved a
  collaborative reading pilot study between SLPs
  and general education teachers/reading
  specialists
• Georgia Can Read pilot study is established!

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Overview of Georgia Can Read

• SLPs and Reading Specialists working together
• To improve underlying pre-requisite language
  skills
• Develop reading skills for struggling students
• Focus on skills required for academic achievement

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Georgia Can ReadCoordinating Resources to Teach

• The GaDOE partnered with local school systems to
  utilize Speech-Language Pathologists and Reading
  Specialists in an effort to teach reading in the
  upper grades (upper elementary through high
  school) to students who are at risk of academic
  failure.

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Purpose of Georgia Can Read

• In-depth training for Speech-Language
  Pathologists (SLPs) and Reading Specialists
• Used a research based reading program to reach at
  risk students

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Purpose of Georgia Can Read contd

• Team approach to improving reading skills sets
  the stage for increased student academic
  achievement
• Reduce the need for special education referral
• Addresses over-representation of minority
  students in special education

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Purpose of Georgia Can Read contd

• Proactive approach in building a strong language
  literacy foundation
• Benefits most students who are struggling
  learning to read
• Focuses on reading, a crucial skills to closing
  the achievement gap

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ParticipantExpectations

• Participants were asked to
• Attend training in teams (SLP Reading
  Specialist) from the same school using the
  START-IN Program
• Commit to work cooperatively and complete tasks
  assigned

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Participant Expectations contd

• Complete intervention training cycle by the end
  of the 2007-2008 school year
• Implement first intervention cycle, during 08-09
  school year, to be completed by 11/01/08

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Participant Expectations contd

• Complete pre post data collection
  (Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test 4th Edition and
  Systems Reading Inventory)
• Forward data to the GaDOE

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Post Pilot Program Participant Expectations

• Implementing strategies and share information
  within system
• Train in your school system, as a team, after
  your second implementation session

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Goals of Georgia Can Read

• To improve the reading skills of upper
  elementary, middle and high school students
  involved in the pilot program

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Goals of Georgia Can Read

• 2. To increase the collaboration of
  speech-language pathologists and teachers in the
  implementation of interventions as required by
  the Georgia DOE Pyramid of Interventions

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Goals of Georgia Can Read

• 3. To decrease the referral of middle and high
  school students to all special education programs
  

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Goals of Georgia Can Read

• 4. To decrease the disproportionate
  representation in the special education
• 5. Improve students motivation, preparedness and
  participation in school.

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Goals of Georgia Can Read

• 6. Decrease the number of students with have
  insufficient reading skills that drop out of
  school.
• 7. Decrease the number of students with reading
  difficulties that exhibit behavior problems or
  receive office referrals.

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Overview of the START IN Program
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Alignment of Pyramid and Georgia Can Read
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Alignment of Pyramid and Georgia Can Read

• Aligns with the GaDOE RTI Georgias Student
  Achievement Pyramid of Interventions, Responses
  to Meet the Needs of ALL Georgia Students
• Best Practice progress monitoring of students
  response to intervention one to three times per
  week
• Offers Fidelity consistent implementation
  following delivery method and programs
  originators design (time, frequency, etc.)

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Alignment of Pyramid and Georgia Can Read contd

• Tier III interventions should be delivered
  individually or in small group settings
• Tier III requires clear documentation during the
  problem solving process

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Alignment of Pyramid and Georgia Can Read

• Why START IN works
• 1. START IN is a scientific based research
  program
• 2. START IN provides methods for monitoring
  student progress

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Alignment of Pyramid and Georgia Can Read

• Why START IN works
• 3. START IN is a 9 week intervention program
  fitting with Ga DOE guidelines in addition to
  evidence based practices in the implementation of
  Tier II and best practices implemented in the
  general education classroom at Tier III

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Case Study 1

• First student
• Grade 6th grade male
• Ethnicity HispanicIEP None
• ESOL Not enrolled
• EIP Not enrolled
• Eligible for free/reduced lunch yes
• Active SST file yes
• Referred to special education as of 8/08 no
• Retained last year no
• Latest CRCT Reading Score 779, March 2008

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Case Study 1 cont.

• Gates MacGinitie Reading Test Scores
• Pretest Vocabulary Posttest Vocabulary
  Total 2.3 3.9
  3.0
• Pretest Comp. Posttest
  Comprehension Total 3.5
  3.9 3.7
• This student improved test scores after a
  short-term intensive reading intervention (START
  IN). The results indicate the student responded
  to the intervention so it is likely he/she does
  not have a true disability but requires more
  intense, targeted instruction in reading in order
  to be successful in the classroom environment.

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Case Study 2

• 6th grade male
• Ethnicity HispanicIEP None
• ESOL Not enrolled
• EIP Not enrolled
• Eligible for free/reduced lunch yes
• Active SST file yes
• Referred to special education as of 8/08 no
• Retained last year no
• Latest CRCT Reading Score 801, March 2008
• Gates MacGinitie Reading Test Scores

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Case Study 2 cont.

• Gates MacGinitie Reading Test Scores
• Pretest Vocabulary Posttest Vocabulary Total
• 3.6 3.7 3.9
• Pretest Comprehension Posttest Comprehension Total
  
• 4.2 3.9
  3.8
• Results indicate that this student did not
  respond to a short term intervention program
  which indicates the student may have a true
  disability. Further special education testing
  might be appropriate at this time.

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Challenges in the Implementation of Georgia Can
Read

• State, district and local school budget cuts
• Participants enrolled in training did not
  implement program
• Time commitment
• Lost site school/administrative commitment
• Personnel limitations

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Program is Moving Forward

• Two counties are currently participating in the
  pilot program
• 30 students are enrolled
• Results will be available by May, 2009

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Summary

• Georgia Can Read is very effective in improving
  reading skills of struggling readers.
• Budget cuts have had an impact on the number of
  systems participating in the training and
  implementation.
• Pockets of systems in the state are implementing
  the program despite budget cuts.

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References

• Ehren, T. C. Whitmire, K. A. (2005). Leadership
  opportunities in the context of responsiveness to
  intervention activities. Topics in language
  Disorders, 25 (2), 168-179.
• Montgomery, J. K. More-Brown, B. (2007).
  Start-IN. Greenville, SC Super Duper
  Publications.
• Moore-Brown, B. J., Montgomery, J. K.,
  Bielinkski, J., Shubin, J. (2005).
  Responsiveness to interventions Teaching before
  testing helps avoid labeling. Topics in Language
  Disorders, 25 (2), 148-167.
• Response to Intervention The Georgia Student
  Achievement Pyramid of Interventions Georgia
  Department of Education Kathy Cox, State
  Superintendent of Schools October 23, 2008, 1 of
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