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Thursday, April 17, 2014

MTSS/RTI: The Power to Transform Schools and Districts

Noted Response-To-Intervention leader and PCG subject matter expert Dr. Evan Lefsky has written a blog post that helps get behind the question of why even some research-based interventions sometimes fail. His answer? Implementation!
The importance of implementation is even greater when it comes to the upcoming rollout of CCSS and the ways it will impact even a solid framework with well-integrated Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) and Response-to-Intervention components.
Here are a few highlights from the blog post—take a look at the full post here!
 In many cases, the same set of supports produces great results in one school or district and poor results in another. Many of these supports are often discontinued when they “fail” without problem-solving to determine “why” they didn’t achieve the desired result. In my experience, the “implementation” of those supports is often the distinguishing feature in successful schools and districts.”
“Before we say that the instruction, intervention, approach, or teacher failed, it is critical to ensure through problem-solving that…implementation factors [have] not undermined our success.”

“The increased rigor of college and career-ready standards (i.e. CCSS) and the assessments that measure student success with those standards (i.e. PARCC and SBAC) will stress even the most sophisticated system of supports. These include supports to ensure student and teacher success. Will your school and district be ready…?”

Assessment Literacy -- FREE WestEd Webinar

If you're a middle school or high school educator, this webinar is for you! We all know that assessment is a critically important part of instruction. Recently, there has been increasing emphasis on the ways that formative assessment in particular can help you meet your students' needs.

This free webinar from the experts at WestEd helps clarify the different kinds of assessments and how you can make the best use of them. Plus, it takes a closer look at aligning ELA assessments with Common Core State Standards. Click here to check it out!

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Ed Tech To Help Support Formative Assessments

By now every educator is familiar with the importance of formative assessments when it comes to understanding and meeting student needs in a flexible, ongoing way. Making good use of formative assessments is a huge part of the the transition to Common Core State Standards (CCSS)--but what are some ways that educators can do this in the midst of busy days and dense lesson plans? Check out this review by ed tech expert Jeff Knutson on graphite.org. He gives a great run-down of ten useful tools and applications that may help support efforts to incorporate formative assessment practices into the classroom--effortlessly!

(Please note that PCG does not endorse or have ties to any of these products).