Chapter 3

Monitoring Student Progress

English learners and reclassified fluent English proficient (R-FEP) students are monitored for language proficiency and academic progress on an on-going basis. A set of state-mandated and local assessments are used to monitor student progress (See Tables 3.1 and Table 3.2). The results of these assessments are maintained in the district’s data management system (SMART) for ease of use. District administrators, site administrators, and teachers can rapidly access student information to monitor current student achievement, progress toward reclassification, and identify students in need of intervention. Through the monitoring of student assessment data, early interventions are provided to English learners to ensure they receive support.

Both the district and school sites use data for instructional planning and for a review of the instructional program for English learners. At the district level, the review of data occurs in a variety of ways, but not limited to:  Principal Goal Setting, Data Support Team (DST) visits; School Site Instructional Walk-Throughs using an observational protocol; Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Staff Development Committee; Leadership Team, Local Control Accountability Plan Committee; Professional Development, and the District Advisory Council/District English Learner Advisory Committee. 

At the school sites, the review of data occurs in several ways, but not limited to:  School Leadership Team meetings, the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) process, School Site Council (SSC)/English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC), Professional Learning Community (PLC), professional development, grade level collaboration and planning, classroom assessments, Action Plans,  Student Success Team, and student goal setting.   

Assessments	Grade Level	Description
English Language Proficiency Assessment of California (ELPAC)	TK-6	Annually assesses students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing in EnglishRequired by state lawMeasures EL progress per California Schools Dashboard
Designated ELD Observational Rubrics	TK-6	Periodic curriculum embedded assessments which measure student progress in ELD standards
Writing	K-6	Standards-aligned writing prompts that assess students’ acquisition of Writing, Language, and ELD standards
A Developmental English Proficiency Test (ADEPT)	TK-6	Assesses students’ ability to understand and generate utterances using a scope and sequence of language forms, or structures, across the five levels of English proficiency
Critchlow Verbal Language Scales	TK-6	Assesses students’ vocabulary levels

Response to ELD Instruction

As part of the district’s Designated English Language Development (ELD) program, English learners are monitored on a minimum of a  six-week cycle in order to determine mastery of skills and concepts taught. Teachers of ELD play an integral role in identifying students who may not be responding to instruction and planning support strategies. The district has identified strategies for classroom use to ensure that students progress at the appropriate rate. Site administrators also play a key role in monitoring the Designated ELD assessments in order to determine if English learners need intervention support.

Commitment to Instruction

In order to meet state standards the monitoring of student progress includes a strong commitment to effective first instruction. Anaheim Elementary School District believes that all students should have access to the core curriculum through instructional strategies that promote critical thinking and life-long learning. English learners in all programs (ALA, ELM, DLI)  have access to the curriculum through Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) (See Chapter 2). There also exists a strong commitment to instruction through Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) strategies and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles that engage students in learning, checking for student understanding of concepts, and providing them with mastery-oriented feedback. In cases where less than 80% of the class respond to the instruction, reteaching of concepts should occur with the whole class. In instances where the majority of the class attains the lesson objective (at least 80% of the class), reteaching should occur in small groups.

Assessments	Grade Level	Description
California Science Test (CAST)	5	Annually assesses students in Science (5th grade) Required by state law Measures student achievement based on grade level standards
Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA)	3-6	Annually assesses students in English Language Arts and Mathematics Required by state law Measures student achievement based on grade level standards Used as a  part of the state and federal accountability systems
Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Block (IAB)	TK-6	Periodic standards-based assessment used to monitor and inform instruction in English Language Arts (literacy, writing) and Mathematics Used to adjust instruction to ensure student mastery of the standards

If reteaching of the concepts does not yield positive results, a collaborative problem solving process should begin. English learners that need additional support beyond grade-level problem solving (PLC) may be referred to the Student Success Team.

Collaborative Problem Solving

Collaborative problem solving promotes the success of all students and, therefore, all schools are expected to implement a problem-solving process within the general education setting. Collaborative problem solving also addresses the California Department of Education expectations related to monitoring a student’s Response to Instruction and Interventions (RtI²). Additionally, when a student is referred to the SST, previous problem solving and early interventions must be evident. Problem solving in the general education setting helps to reduce the risk of disproportionate suspension of students or identification of students for special education services.  Collaborative problem-solving processes promote shared ownership for student, school, and system success.

Essential Steps in Problem Solving and Guiding Questions 

Each school will use a collaborative problem-solving process within the general education setting that functions effectively within the school’s organization and structure. To bring consistency among schools, all problem-solving processes used will be documented on the SST Action Plan, and will include the essential steps described below that are aligned with the California Department of Education RtI² Core Component 4: Problem-Solving Systems Approach.

Step 1. Is there a problem and what is it?	Problem Identification
Step2. Why is it happening?	Problem Analysis
Step 3. What are we going to do about it?	Plan Implementation
Step 4. Did the intervention work?	Plan Evaluation

Classroom Intervention

Classroom intervention occurs within the general education classroom and incorporates core programs and strategies that all students receive. Classroom teachers problem solve throughout their entire teaching day. Examples include altering a lesson plan when students don’t respond; changing environmental factors for a student who’s having a hard time focusing;  and reteaching a skill based on a review of student work. These types of informal problem solving are routine and may not need to be documented. When informal problem solving does not resolve the issue and the teacher documents classroom interventions, then a collaborative problem-solving process is appropriate. Examples might include helping a student to increase the number of known sight words; helping a student to improve reading fluency; helping a student remain on task; and improving attendance. In these instances, the teacher will contact the parent. The teacher then might collaborate with a grade-level colleague, SST facilitator, school psychologist, other support staff, and the student, if appropriate. Typically, the general instructional program provided at this tier meets the needs of at least 80 percent of students. 

Grade Level Intervention

Grade level intervention adds supplemental services to the core instructional program delivered within Tier 1. At Tier 2, school staff uses the resources and skills available within the school building to determine which supplemental services are most appropriate. Supplemental services and intervention at this tier include evidence-based programs. Other supplemental services might involve counseling or social skills groups. In these instances, the teacher collaborates with a team that may include grade-level colleagues or school-based specialists/ support staff (i.e. intervention TOSA, curriculum coach, staff development teacher, mental health provider, school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, education specialist), as appropriate. Typically, this tier of service is required to meet the needs of 5–10 percent of students.

School-wide Intervention 

School-wide intervention adds intensive services in addition to the core instructional program delivered within Tier 1 and the supplemental services delivered in Tier 2. Again, school staff uses the resources and skills available within the school building to determine which intensive services are most appropriate. Examples of Tier 3 intensive intervention services might include many of the supplemental services provided in Tier 2 but with increased frequency and/or duration and a more individualized implementation strategy. Interventions may also include state approved core replacement programs. Additional Tier 3 intensive services might include short term individualized counseling services, a Functional Behavioral Assessment/ Behavior Intervention Plan, and coordination with service providers outside of AESD such as Western Youth Services, Child Guidance Center, Cops 4 Kids, etc. In these instances, the teacher collaborates with the SST. These more individualized and intensive services are required to meet the needs of 1–5 percent of students.

The Student Success Team (SST) is a multidisciplinary school-based team with expertise in teaching and learning, problem solving, and interventions. It is a formal and more intensive level of problem solving used when interventions provided for a student were not successful in grade-level collaboration / Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings. The team meets regularly and acts as a resource to all school staff members regarding students who are not meeting academic or behavioral expectations based on documentation. The purpose of the SST is to ensure that all general education resources are utilized and that targeted and coordinated interventions help students achieve. Team members use their expertise to analyze student performance data and recommend classroom accommodations and interventions to increase academic achievement and participation, as well as to positively impact social and behavioral growth. The SST may also recommend referring students to the special education team for further assessment consideration after all general education resources have been exhausted. Moreover, English learner students who are referred through the SST process will have a close review of their language and literacy development in relation to AESD Expected English Learner Progression Chart.

Problem Solving Within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Framework 

Anaheim Elementary School District uses a problem solving model within the SST process. Problem solving works most efficiently within the multiple tiers of an RTL^2 RTL^2 Response to Instruction and Intervention service delivery system. The tiered system incorporates increasing intensities of instruction or interventions that are provided to students in direct proportion to their individual needs as depicted in the graphic below.

The purposes of the first level (Classroom Level/Tier 1) of problem solving are as follows: 

• Identify the issue or concern, using specific and observable terms. 
• Ensure parents and teachers have a common understanding of the issue or concern. 
• Implement an intervention strategy to address and resolve the issue or concern. 
• Document the results of the intervention strategy. 
• Monitor fidelity of the intervention.

The purposes of the second level (Grade Level/Tier 2) of problem solving are as follows:

• Involve additional staff in the analysis of the issue or concern. 
• Develop and monitor additional intervention strategies to address the issue or concern. 
• Monitor and collect data on the impact of the intervention strategy. 
• Document the results of the intervention strategy
• Monitor fidelity of the intervention. 
• Resolve the issue or concern or seek more formal problem-solving assistance.

The third level (School-wide/Tier 3) of problem solving moves to the SST. The purposes of Tier 3 problem solving are as follows:

• Provide in-depth problem analysis. 
• Document the intervention plan and assist with ongoing data collection. 
• Monitor effectiveness and fidelity of the intervention. 
• Assist with decision making for instructional changes. 
• Determine the need for additional resources.

Grade level and school-wide interventions (Tier 2 and Tier 3) are documented digitally through the Action Plan process in SMART SMART Internal AESD tool to collect and update the most recent English learner data. Principal and teachers have access a reclassification candidate reports including: ELPAC Scores, SBA Scores (if applicable), STAR Scores and more. .

Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI²) through the SST

Data Gathering (Assessment)

It is expected that the SST will conduct a thorough review of the referred student’s strengths and weaknesses. The review should consider a spectrum of formal and informal information that is available from the student’s educational record (cumulative school file), discipline record (AERIES), work samples, results of prior interventions implemented through collaborative problem solving, and anecdotal data and information from school staff and the parent. 

For English learners, data gathering would include a review of the state and local language proficiency assessments (Please see Table 3.1  ELD Assessments).  If the team determines that additional information is needed for the purpose of planning an intervention in the general education classroom setting, the team may request that the classroom teacher, intervention TOSA or other general education staff provide that information. In general, additional information gathered does not include individual standardized assessment, as might occur during referral for special education services.

Intervention Planning & Implementation (Evidence-Based Interventions)

The SST builds upon intervention planning and implementation that started during previous collaborative problem solving. The purpose of intervention planning is to design an appropriate intervention that is directly linked to the review and analysis of the data gathered. The intervention must be specific to the needs of the referred student. The intervention must also be research-based and proven effective for the intended population (i.e. Evidence-Based). The SST may consider a wide range of interventions before deciding on specific interventions to be implemented. In many cases, the SST will recommend that a combination of interventions be implemented. The interventions that are recommended must address the identified problem, be targeted toward the area of need, and build on the student’s strengths. Successful intervention plans link to structures and strategies already in place in the classroom such as Thinking Maps, cooperative learning activities, Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) strategies, English learner language scaffolds, small group during independent practice, academic discourse support, etc. In addition, motivational strategies may need to be included in the intervention plan to encourage behavior change. These strategies may include on-task incentives, student point cards, celebrations of student behavior, and positive reports (phone calls or notes) to parents. For English learners, the SST team should also consider whether the student needs a language or literacy intervention to meet their needs.

The SST can identify an intervention through consultation with the referring teacher.

Interventions can be developed in the following areas:

• Academic 
• Language Development
• Behavioral 
• Social Emotional Learning skills 

The following additional information may be gathered as needed:

• Analysis of work samples 
• Performance on district and state assessments 
• Observation by SST member(s) 
• Review of data by school-based expert (staff development teacher, curriculum coach, intervention TOSA, school psychologist, mental health provider, or other support staff)

The intervention plan must address the following questions:

• What are the specific interventions to be used? 
• What materials are needed to implement the interventions? 
• When will the interventions be implemented? 
• Who will implement the interventions? 
• What is the duration and frequency of intervention? 
• What data will be collected to determine the success of the intervention? 
• How frequently will data be collected? 
• What supports does the teacher require in order to implement the intervention? 
• Is the teacher comfortable with and able to implement the intervention?

Implementation of an intervention should ensure the following:

• The intervention is implemented as documented. 
• The student receives positive reinforcement and frequent feedback. 
• The parent is kept informed as the intervention plan is implemented.

Progress Monitoring

Progress monitoring is the process of collecting and analyzing data at set intervals to determine student progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention plan. It examines student progress toward the identified goal. The process begins by setting goals for the student, based on the student’s present level of performance and his/her expected rate of skill acquisition, and ends with a decision to continue, modify, or end the intervention, based on the data collected. 

The SST must ensure that SMARTER (Specific and Strategic, Measurable, Actionable and Attainable, Results-Oriented, Time-Bound, Evaluate, and Recognition) goals are written. The team must also establish data collection tools and data collection schedule for 4-6 weeks. The team must also ensure that the interventions are implemented with fidelity. When sharing the progress of students, data is often represented graphically (i.e., log or chart) or in writing. The team must also evaluate and analyze the data to determine if sufficient progress toward the goal is being made.  (1) If yes, continue the intervention. (2) If no, modify the intervention or change the intervention.

Data-Based Decision Making

The SST Student Success Team (SST) A team consisting possibly of the classroom teacher, parents/guardians, administrators, resource teacher, and school psychologist (as needed) to discuss academic and/or behavioral concerns and interventions for individual students using the Response to Instruction and Intervention model. also determines how well the student is responding to an intervention by analyzing student performance data. If data indicate that an intervention was successful, the SST can recommend incorporating the intervention into the general education program or discontinuing the intervention if it is no longer needed. If data show the intervention has resulted in partial progress toward the established goal, SST can recommend continuing the intervention or modifying it to strengthen the intensity of the intervention. If data indicate that the intervention is not resulting in progress toward the identified goal, the SST can recommend either a substantially modified intervention or an alternate intervention.

Parents should be informed about the student’s response to all interventions. Progress may be communicated via written notes, progress reports, phone calls, or during parent conferences. Based on what the data reveal, the following instructional adjustments should be considered:

• Continue intervention 
• Increase number or length of intervention sessions 
• Provide more intensive interventions 
• Discontinue intervention 
• Request a review by the special education team

Therefore, English learners could be referred and monitored through the Student Success Team process as well as through the aforementioned district and state assessments.

Student Goal Setting

Background

English learner students can also monitor their progress toward proficiency through goal setting. Recent research studies have shown that when students set goals, they are more likely to accomplish them (Hattie, 2012). The idea of goal setting lies within the area of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy refers to the confidence or strength of belief that we have in ourselves that we can make our learning happen. Students with high self-efficacy see difficult tasks as challenges rather than try to avoid them. They also have high commitment to the goals they set. It is important for English learners to know their level of English proficiency and academic levels, and what they can do to achieve at high levels using goal setting. Students must know what they must do to reach their goals. In contrast, in Reparable Harm, a large-scale longitudinal statewide study of the progress of English learners in California, Dr. Laurie Olsen found that the majority of Long-Term English learners (LTELs) were unaware that their academic skills, record and courses were not preparing them to reach their goal of attending college. Having students become aware of what pathways lead to college and careers of the 21st Century begins in elementary school. AESD believes that building student’s self-efficacy coupled with goal setting is one major way that students can help accelerate their language and academic proficiency to meet their personal and life goals.

Goal Setting

Students play a key role in setting their goals to develop language proficiency and academic achievement. The following are recommended activities for student goal setting:

1. Set realistic language proficiency and academic SMART goals at the beginning of the year and after each period of STAR Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Block (IAB) Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Block (IAB) The Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Blocks are one of the two district types of interim assessments made available by the SBA. They are short online assessments that measure one or more targets. .
2. Monitor goals after each STAR/IAB assessment period to evaluate how well the students are doing in relation to the language proficiency and academic goals. Encourage written reflection by the students for each goal.
3. Inform parents of student goals and academic progress.

Goal setting is best accomplished when the students receive direct instruction by the teacher on how to set their goals and monitor them. Developing a positive learning environment to foster goals is important.

Parents are also equal partners with goal setting as well. A review of their children’s goals and progress is highly encouraged. Parents are also encouraged to write goals for their children during parent conferences or Back to School Night. Moreover, when instances arise when the students do not make satisfactory progress toward a goal, a parent-teacher conference is recommended to ensure that parents are informed of progress and best ways to support their children.