1. Targeted Remediation Information for HS Language Arts
Our time together today is brief and we have a topic that can feel unwieldy. Our efforts in the next 30 minutes will be to target the key information that you will need as an administrator to return to your campus and assist counselors in scheduling students into the appropriate remediation options. To complete this work, Christy Maeker , Coordinator for Counseling and Psychological Services, Alene Lindley, Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction, Rhonda Ward Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, have agreed to join me and assist in answering any questions that may arise.
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Amanda Palmer
Secondary Language Arts Coordinator
By PresenterMedia.com

2. Questions to Target
What are our Remediation Options? Courses, Advisories, Etcetera.
Which students should go where? A look at what courses will best meet individual needs.
How do we balance remediation needs across contents?
Working together to meet all of the students needs.
Before you leave this session, we will answer the following three questions.

3. ELA Remediation Options
Advisory Pull-Outs
Courses: Technical Writing, College Prep English
Afterschool Intervention
Online Coursework
Saturday “Blitzes”
Teacher/Student Mentor Relationships
Focused Classroom Instruction in English I and English II
Language Arts has been tasked with an overwhelming need for remediation since the first EOC assessment. I know the lengths you’ve gone to help students become successful. These are just a few of the remediation options I have seen in play. I want to let you know that you are not alone. The Secondary Language Arts coordinators are working continuously to assist you by improving both instruction and vertical alignment. You’ve likely heard me mention before that ELA is in the midst of a paradigm shift. The instruction that was acceptable and even praised 10 years ago is no longer sufficient. Fortunately, we have fantastic educators in our English classrooms and we are started to see many more teachers come to training and look for new ways to reach struggling students. As this shift continues, look for our remediation needs to dwindle. In the meantime, we want to be an active part of the remediation solution on your campus.
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4. Language Arts Remediation Options
College Prep English
Technical Writing
Others Remediation options such as Advisory, Online Coursework, etc.
Our office is fully aware of the challenges facing language arts, particularly regarding student success on the English I and English II EOC. While we feel we have experienced gains in the past few years, we have a long way to go as evidenced by the 2,500 English I students who scored at basic or below on the Expository, or Informational, writing task. One area that we have identified for improvement, along with the district HS ELA instructional coaches, is remediation.
We realize and embrace that remediation efforts are a campus decision; however, we want to work to assist you this year by creating curriculum to be used on campus for remediation work. The instructional coaches have identified this as a priority for our Friday work. Of course, campuses may use, modify, or discard this work.
In addition to this, we want to acknowledge our courses created specifically for remediation: Technical Writing and College Prep English (formerly referred to as Development English for College Readiness). These courses are different and offer significant benefits to those student in need of remediation. The question that follows is which course is right for which student?
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5. Technical Writing or College Prep English
Where to place students?
TECHNICAL WRITING
one or two semester course
Developed for all grade levels
intended for first-time failures or students in danger of failing
focuses on building student confidence using the writing process
devotes significant instruction to developing writing skills
provides elective credit on RHSP; elective or fourth English credit on MHSP; elective or fourth English credit on FHSP
COLLEGE PREP ENGLISH
full year course that waives TSI English requirement
developed for seniors
intended for students who have failed to demonstrate college readiness
focuses on continued writing instruction
devotes significant instruction to critical reading skills (an important aspect of STAAR EOC)
provides no high school credit on the MHSP or RHSP; fourth English credit on the FHSP
Refer to handout.
In order to determine best placement for students, we must first address two questions and their answers may not complement one another.
Which course will best meet the students remediation needs?
Which course will meet the student’s graduation plan needs?
We learned this summer that students on the 4x4 plan, whether MHSP or RHSP, cannot receive any high school credit for the College Prep English course- not even elective credit. It is in these students best interest to move to the Foundational plan – unless they have been unsuccessful in gaining 2 credits of foreign language.
We created this handout to assist campuses in placing students in the best course for student success.
I want to be clear that I believe the best curriculum for senior-level retesters is College Prep English. However, I realize the implications of credits and graduation plans.

6. Balancing Remediation Needs Across Contents
Determining the best graduation plan and remediation option can become challenging when a student has more than one content area in need of remediation.
BE AWARE: What’s best for a student’s ELA needs may not be best for math, science, etc.

7. QUESTIONS/CONCERNS Brief Survey of Needs: http://bit.ly/UxwLG5
Let’s gather your
QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
We recognize the frustration that you, counselors, teachers, and even students and parents have felt as we work through this change in graduation plans in addition to student EOC remediation needs. Let’s take a moment to gather questions and concerns so that we can work to get you answers.
Brief Survey of Needs: