Student Success Initiative (SSI) SSI Manual Overview Lelah Moseley, M.Ed. Special Education Accountability Specialist Education Service Center, Region 20 April 13, 2016

Background Information SSI was enacted as state law during the 76 th Legislative Session in 1999 and reauthorized during the 81 st Legislative Session in It ensures that students gain sufficient understanding of the knowledge and skills identified in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum for reading and math.

Statutory Requirements The Student Success Initiative: requires that all students in the 5 th and 8 th grades pass both the reading and math state assessments in order to meet promotion requirements. NOTE: For school year, SSI requirements have been reinstated for math state assessments.

Statutory Requirements The Student Success Initiative: Requires schools to provide intervention and remediation instruction to students who do not pass these assessments after each administration. Requires schools to provide accelerated instruction/ intensive program of instruction to students who do not pass these assessments during the subsequent school year in order to close achievement gaps.

STAAR Reading & Math Tests – Includes STAAR-A and STAAR-L. What tests do they need to pass? (Spring 2016) STAAR Reading & Math Tests – Includes STAAR-A and STAAR-L. – STAAR-Spanish, where applicable 5 th Grade 8th Grade All students have 3 attempts to pass each test.

Student Success Initiative Manual

Table of Contents – pages i & ii Introduction – pages 2 – 6 Page 2- required accelerated instruction must occur after each administration of the assessment for which a student did not meet the passing standard, including the third administration.

Student Success Initiative Manual Introduction – pages 2 – 6 – Page 3 – A student who enrolls in the school up to the first test administration is subject to SSI requirements as long as he/she remains in the state. – Page 3 – A student who enrolls after the first administration from another state, private school, or homeschool is not subject to SSI requirements. – Applies to ALL students (Special Ed, 504, ELL, Dyslexia, and other related disorders)

Contains: Student Success Initiative Manual Parent Notification Brochures Required Math and Reading Forms Optional Math and Reading Forms SSI Website (TEA)

5 th Grade and 8 th Grade Testing Dates Math First Administration – March 29, 2016 Second Administration (Retest) – May 9, 2016 Third Administration (Retest) – June 21, 2016 Reading First Administration – March 30, 2016 Second Administration (Retest) – May 10, 2016 Third Administration (Retest) – June 22, 2016

Easy Reference Flowchart Page 8 Captures the entire SSI process in one flowchart. Quick reference for campus admin. Page 9-10 Timeline of events

1 st Administration Receive test results approx. 10 days after they are submitted to the state. – Electronic Confidential Rosters – April 19 th – Confidential Student Reports (CSR’s) – April 26th

Other Considerations Special Education – Page 26 After the first administration, if a special education student does not meet the standard, the ARD committee may waive the 2 nd administration and determine promotion or retention at that time. Flowchart for Special Education Services – Page 27

Met Standard vs. Did Not Meet Standard Students who meet standard: – Notification consists of CSR with attached SSI letter. Students who do not meet standard: – Begin accelerated instruction in preparation of the retest in May. – Parents should receive detailed notification: of test results consisting of CSR and attached SSI letter. What the intervention will consist of to include: time, date, how often, and with whom. – Parent/teacher conferences are recommended to discuss the possibility of retention and the process during the 2 nd and 3 rd administrations.

Absences Students who are absent and do not make-up the assessment: – Begin accelerated instruction in preparation of the retest in May. – Parents should receive detailed notification: of test results consisting of CSR and attached SSI letter. what the intervention will consist of to include: time, date, how often, and with whom. Students will participate in the 2 nd administration in May.

No more than a 10:1 ratio for small group intervention. Intervention offered outside of the regular school day requires district transportation for these students. Special Education – The ARD committee determines the level of accelerated instruction. This could either be a full ARD meeting or an amendment to the IEP. ELL – LPAC consultation is required. Required Accelerated Instruction

Texas Education Code (TEC) requires school districts to administer reading instruments to all students in kindergarten through second grade to assess their reading development and comprehension. The statute further requires that a school district implement an accelerated reading instruction program for students who are determined, on the basis of their reading instrument results, to be at risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties. In the case of a student in special education who does not perform satisfactorily on a reading instrument, the student’s ARDC must determine the manner in which the student will participate in an accelerated reading instruction program. Accelerated Reading Instruction

2 nd & 3 rd Administrations Students who do not meet standard or are absent: – Parents should receive detailed notification: of test results consisting of CSR and attached SSI letter. Continue to receive accelerated instruction until the end of the school year. – Administrator schedules a Grade Placement Committee (GPC) meeting to discuss the students results, Accelerated Instruction Plan (AIP), Intensive Program of Instruction and/or possible retention. – Summer school details are discussed if applicable. – AIP/IPI plans are targeted to the individual needs of the student.

Grade Placement Committee Membership Principal Reading Teacher Parent(s) Additional support staff who provides accelerated instruction. (optional) Required members of ARDC and/or LPAC, as applicable ***Parents may participate via phone conference if unable to attend.

Grade Placement Committee Roles and Responsibilities Document minutes of meeting Membership present – Review Accelerated Instruction Plan (AIP)/ Intensive Program of Instruction and Test Results – Determine assessment decisions for 3 rd administration. – Explanation of Parent Waiver option. – Explanation of summer school requirements – Explanation of the SSI process to parent. Parent must receive a copy of the GPC minutes with attached SSI letter Keep signed copy in Student’s Permanent Record. Ensure report card states “Promotion Pending”

Special Populations The ARD committee serves as the GPC committee for students receiving special education services. – Accelerated Instruction/Intensive Program of Instruction MUST be documented in the IEP. The LPAC committee recommendations should be considered by the GPC committee for students identified as English Language Learners.

For students receiving special education services, an ARDC must make decisions regarding appropriate: Assessment Accelerated instruction/Intensive program of instruction Grade placement based on a student’s individual educational needs GPC for Students Receiving Special Education Services

If a student in special education who is in fifth or eighth grade does not perform satisfactorily on a reading or math state assessment, TEC requires that the student’s ARDC determine: the manner in which the student will participate in an accelerated instruction program; and whether the student will be promoted to the next grade or retained in the current grade. NOTE: The accelerated instruction must be provided to the student before the next administration of the applicable assessment. ARDC Determinations

For ELLs who are receiving special education services, the ARDC in conjunction with the LPAC makes the final decisions about assessment and grade placement, so that issues related to both the student’s disability and language proficiency are carefully considered. ELLs Receiving Special Education Services

Students in special education, including those who take alternate state assessments and those who are not required to pass state assessments in order to graduate, are not excluded from the laws requiring AI and IPI. The ARDC is responsible for determining the instructional interventions needed to assist the student in achieving the state academic standards and/or the standards set forth in the student’s IEP. The ARDC may address AI and IPI in an ARDC meeting. Alternatively, the school district and the student’s parent may agree to amend or modify the student’s IEP without an ARDC meeting in accordance with 34 CFR NOTE: Students participating in STAAR Alternate 2 are NOT subject to SSI grade-advancement requirements. Students Taking Alternate Assessments

Parent Waiver The parent has the option to waive the child’s third administration in the best interest of the child, however… 1.The student would automatically be retained. 2.The student would be required to continue accelerated instruction to include summer school if applicable. 3.ARDC must convene to discuss student’s grade placement for the next year, if applicable. The school/district may not initiate a waiver request.

Appeal Process If either parent initiates an appeal: The GPC reviews student performance data from a variety of sources. – Input from student’s teacher. – Student’s grades. – Other relevant academic information GPC members discuss anecdotal information regarding the student. Vote is taken – unanimous decision is required. All three parties must agree that given the right support and continued commitment to the Accelerated Instruction Plan and/or the satisfactory completion of the AIP, the students is certain to experience success in the next grade level or significantly decrease his/her achievement gap during the coming school year.

Appeal Process (cont.) Only the parent can appeal the automatic retention. The parent(s) consist of one vote along with the principal and the teacher. Three total votes. If the GPC does not unanimously agree to promote, then the student must be retained. Regardless of the appeal outcome, the GPC must design an AIP for the next school year that includes interim progress measure to measure student achievement growth.

TEC requires a school district to offer an intensive program of instruction to a student who does not perform satisfactorily on any state assessment instrument administered under TEC Subchapter B, Chapter 39. A recent amendment to the statute now requires that intensive instruction be provided to a student who is not likely to receive a high school diploma before the fifth school year following the student’s enrollment in grade nine, as determined by the school district. Intensive Programs of Instruction (IPIs)

In addition to accelerated instruction, an intensive program of instruction (IPI) must be provided for all students receiving special education services in grades (state assessment grades) who did not perform satisfactorily on statewide assessments or EOC instruments. The ARD committee must design the IPI to enable the student to attain a standard of growth on the basis of the student’s IEP. The IPI must be documented in the IEP and IEP objectives must be revised as appropriate. (TEC ) AIP & IPI Accelerated instruction (AI) is required for all students, both general education and students who receive special education services, who are at risk of academic failure. In accordance with the SSI, all students in grades 5 and 8 who did not meet minimum standards on state assessments must be provided additional accelerated instruction. The ARD committee will determine the manner in which the student receiving special education services will participate in the accelerated instruction. (TEC )

When designing an IPI, consider the following student data: STAAR results Previous diagnostic tests Classroom assessments Grades Teacher observation IEP Intensive Program of Instruction (IPI) Opportunity for Student-Led Conferences!!!!!

Questions?