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by Dana Laursen, Director, Education Strategy and Evaluation — April 15, 2009
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Define Your Program
As an active practitioner of tiered instruction, Mary Reeve, Director of Services for Exceptional Students, Gallup McKinley Public Schools, Gallup, NM provided her expertise during a free PLATO Learning-sponsored webinar on April 10, 2009. Ms. Reeve emphasized four important questions in defining an effective tiered intervention strategy for any school or district:
- What is the need?
- What are the implementation options?
- How will progress and success be measured?
- How will you know when you've achieved success?
Integrate Technology-Based Support Tools
Ms. Reeve also spoke to the advantage of including a technology-based component to help support a three-tiered instructional model. Mary's implementation model in Gallup includes technology-based support in the classroom, an intervention lab, and a resource room/content mastery lab for the most intensive instructional options. She also notes that there are many benefits afforded through the integration of technology solutions:
- Address the unique learning needs, modalities, and paces of multiple individual students within a single teacher-led group.
- Prevent the escalation of a student into a tier-3 situation.
- Close skill gaps, demonstrate readiness, and—based on previous learning paces—predict course completion and graduation.
- Tracking, trending, and reporting of student progress.
Finding the Funding to Implement
Data-driven instructional practices, professional development, extended time for learning, and support for Early Intervening Services and tiered instruction strategies are all considered core to the reform efforts outlined in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Stimulus funds—specifically the IDEA and Title I funds that were released on April 1, 2009—funnel resources to these important reform efforts, including the investment in technology for a 21st Century classroom.
The Department of Education is also beginning to further identify ways in which schools, districts, and states can integrate technology for more innovative approaches to instruction. Focusing on what works for teacher effectiveness, school restructuring, targeted learning opportunities, and integrating technology—and replicating these best practices in other schools and districts with a sense of urgency—are central to what Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has outlined in the "Race to the Top" priorities for the additional $5 billion in state grant competitions slated to begin later this year.
What Are Your Thoughts?
As you identify, outline, and address Response to Intervention (RTI) and Early Intervening Services (EIS) in your school/district, how do you envision integrating technology?
