1. Presented by Julie A. DeCook ELL Program Support Teacher School District of Janesville WITESOL Conference October 9, 2009

2. Journeys like artists, are born and not made. A thousand differing circumstances contribute to them, few of them willed or determined by the will—whatever we make think. ~Lawrence Durrell

3. The Planets Aligned Disproportionate RtI in Law Standards -Based Reporting Curriculum Renewal Process Formative & Common Assessment Grading & Reporting Diversity- Focused Staff ELL Program Support More

4. Together Everyone Achieves More  Leadership from Special Education & Instructional Services  Ownership by Buildings & Central Office  Cross-district, Cross- specialty Collaboration

5. Steps in the Process  Opportunity to Learn  Interventions  Pre-Referral Considerations  Referral & Evaluation

6. Questions, Questions, and More Questions Post-It Activity  Opportunity to Learn  Interventions  Pre-Referral Considerations  Referral & Evaluation

7. Opportunity to Learn= AccessibleComprehensibleMeaningful Instruction In the Universal Classroom

8. AccessibleComprehensibleMeaningful Differentiation Cultural Relevancy Formative Assessment Linguistic Accommodations Teacher-Ownership of Learning Multiple Opportunities to Learn Talent Development

9. Cultural Relevance “Mirror, mirror on the wall, do I see myself at all?”

10. Proportionate Representation  Gifted Programming & Talent Development  Special Education Referrals & Identifications  Disaggregated Achievement Data  Disciplinary Data  Attendance Data

11. Opportunity to Learn What’s Working Well for You?

12. Intervention Issues  Research/Evidence-Based Interventions  Ecological Validity  Population Validity  Fidelity of Implementation

13. Intervention Selection & Progress Monitoring Issues  What is the expected trendline for growth?  Population-based trendline vs. standards- based trendlines.  Time it takes to acquire full proficiency vs. “fixing” gaps through 6-8 week interventions.

14. Models of RtI  Standards-Based: is the student meeting expected benchmarks for his/her grade-level?  Problem-Based: is the student making comparable/expected/appropriate progress in relation to “true peers”?

15. Intervention & Progress Monitoring What’s Working Well for You?

16. Prerefferal Considerations  Native language proficiency & literacy  Dominant language proficiency & literacy  Limited formal or interrupted schooling  Migrant Status  Refugee Experience  Schooling Practices in Native Country  Cultural and linguistic transfer issues  Health and Developmental History  Current Health: Vision & Hearing  Slow progress or no progress?

17. Prereferral Considerations  Are difficulties typical of “true peers” or red flags?  Do difficulties show across types of activities, content areas, skills, and languages?  Has the student had adequately supported English learning environments?  Have ELL strategies/interventions been successful?  Are there any red flags in the student’s schooling history? (Especially if outside the U.S.)

18. Referral  Dominant Language  Language of Instruction

19. Prereferral/Referral Considerations What Wisdom Do You Have to Share?

20. Essential Questions Per Tier to Ensure Appropriate Instruction of ELLs

21. Our Questions and Understandings thus Far

22. The Journey Continues