We are thrilled to feature Dr. Carl Glickman as this year’s keynote speaker. In addition, the Summit will feature many breakout sessions covering a variety of topics and will include new opportunities to interact with fellow leaders in roundtable discussions and interactive “Leaders to Leaders” sessions, where Texas schools and districts from all over the state share the “how to” behind their success stories. We will also feature sessions covering the new English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)/Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

We look forward to seeing you at the Leadership Summit! Register now at www.Mikogroup.com/events.

• Bolded dates are deadlines by which information and/or data must be submitted to the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES).
• Districts/campuses are responsible for ensuring that data are submitted to vendors in time for the vendors to meet the deadlines listed below. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will be notified of campuses not completing data collections and/or submitting data after the deadlines listed below. Delinquency in submissions or lack of submission may result in a holdback of funding.
• Grade 3 outcome assessments (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills [TAKS]) must be completed according to the state-required timelines.

August 2009-December 2009

Online System: Opens September 28 Closes October 9	Campus updates (addresses, contacts, grades and languages, instructional programs and assessments, teacher rosters, and general teacher information) (Completed by Local Campus Coach [LCC] or principal)
September 14 - 25	Beginning of Year (BOY) Screening/Diagnostic for grades 1, 2, and 3
October 12	BOY data for grades 1, 2, and 3 due to TIMES. (This is the vendor deadline for submitting data to TIMES. Vendors may have different submission deadlines with schools/districts in order to meet this deadline. All paper administration campuses must have data entered into the online system by this date.)
October 5 - 16	BOY Screening/Diagnostic for kindergarten
October 30	BOY data for kindergarten due to TIMES. (This is the vendor deadline for submitting data to TIMES. Vendors may have different submission deadlines with schools/districts in order to meet this deadline. All paper administration campuses must have data entered into the online system by this date.)
Online System: Opens November 9 Closes November 25	Background Information survey Beginning of Year survey Leadership/Climate/Instruction survey (All surveys completed by LCCs, principals, and teachers)
November 20	Outcome Assessment order for grades 1 and 2 due to TIMES. (Completed by Reading First coordinator and/or district contact)

* Capacity Building and Study/Demonstration campuses may be required to participate in additional data-collection efforts. These districts/campuses will be notified when final decisions are made regarding additional data collections.

January 2010-June 2010

January 11 - 22	Middle of Year (MOY) Screening/Diagnostic for grades K-3
February 5	MOY data for grades K-3 due to TIMES. (This is the vendor deadline for submitting data to TIMES. Vendors may have different submission deadlines with schools/districts in order to meet this deadline. All paper administration campuses must have data entered into the online system by this date.)
Online System: Opens February 15 Closes February 26	Campus updates (addresses, contacts, grades and languages, instructional programs and assessments, teacher rosters, and general teacher information) (Completed by LCC or principal) Implementation survey (Completed by LCC)
April 19 - May 7	End of Year (EOY) Screening/Diagnostic grades for K-3
April 19 - May 14	Outcome Assessments for grades 1 and 2 (ITBS/Logramos or SAT10/Aprenda)
Online System: Opens May 3 Closes May 21	Implementation survey (Completed by teachers and LCC) 360 surveys (Completed by teachers, LCCs, principals, RTAs, and PMs)
May 21	EOY data for grades K-3 due to TIMES. (This is the vendor deadline for submitting data to TIMES. Vendors may have different submission deadlines with schools/districts in order to meet this deadline. All paper administration campuses must have data entered into the online system by this date.)
May 21	Professional development hours, special education counts, and tier tallies (Completed by LCC or principal)
June 30	Outcome data for grades 1 and 2 due to TIMES. (This is the vendor deadline for submitting data to TIMES. Vendors may have different submission deadlines with schools/districts in order to meet this deadline.)

* Capacity Building and Study/Demonstration campuses may be required to participate in additional data-collection efforts. These districts/campuses will be notified when final decisions are made regarding additional data collections.

Sessions covered a variety of topics, from “Effective Literacy Workstations: Opportunities for Meaningful Learning” to “Got Data? Using All the Data and Understanding It!” to “Reading With Purpose.” The research, strategies, tools, and technical assistance provided at these Institutes were designed to give the participants the knowledge and techniques they need to build upon the Reading First foundation laid over the past six years.

Based on evaluations, as well as the comments and discussions of participants, it is clear that educators found the Reading Institutes to be a resounding success. Among the hundreds of positive comments Reading First has received, the following examples testify to the high quality of the instructional information and professional development participants experienced:

“The Institute was exceptional. You all outdid yourselves this time, as we all felt like we came away with a vast amount of information that we can actually use from day one. Tell everyone that those of us from Tarkington really appreciate all that has been done for us.”

—Jean Scott, Tarkington Primary, K-3 Reading Coach

“Thank you so much for your support. I sincerely appreciate everyone who helped the Reading Institute be a great success. I truly have gained much more knowledge that I will definitely implement in my second-grade classroom.”

—Narda Lugo, Buckner Elementary, Pharr San Juan Alamo ISD

The participants also heard the moving stories of Sandra Johnson and David Clemons, who learned to read as adults. Their personal stories exemplify the life-changing impact that good teachers have on their students, regardless of age.

Overall, the Institutes proved to be a success, providing educators from across Texas with both valuable information and tools to better lead our Texas schools. As Marsha Loyd, co-coordinator of the Reading Institutes with Faith Stevens, said, “It took an entire village to plan and deliver such successful Institutes! Our Partners, RTAs, and UT System office staff were instrumental in making these Institutes a huge success.”

Most importantly, the professionalism and participation exhibited by the educators in attendance ensured that valuable learning occurred. As they incorporate this learned knowledge into classroom instruction, these educators, and those they influence, promise to have lasting positive effects on the reading achievement of Texas students for years to come.

3-Tier Model

• All students are provided a protected minimum of 90 uninterrupted minutes of core instructional time daily.
• The campus sets a well-defined Tier II and Tier III entry and exit criteria.
• Tier II and III students are provided at least 30 minutes of additional intensive intervention (outside the core).
• The campus creates and follows a plan for assessing and providing intervention instruction to students who arrive after assignments to intervention are made.

Curriculum and Intervention Coordination

• Classroom and special education and/or Title I teachers plan curriculum together to ensure consistency for students needing intervention.
• The campus actively promotes teacher monitoring and peer observations to build capacity.
• Teachers and interventionists meet regularly to discuss student performance and to plan coordinated instruction.

Leadership

• Administrators spend time in classrooms observing and providing constructive feedback.
• Administrators participate in grade-level meetings to analyze student performance data and to plan instruction.
• Administrators provide direction in the areas of curriculum, teaching, and learning.

Effective Instruction Strategies (Frequency and Quality of implementation)

Educators:

• Identify elements and objectives to be learned.
• Monitor performance during activities and lessons.
• Pace effectively within and between tasks.
• Provide scaffolding during lessons and practice.
• Reteach when necessary.
• Sequence appropriately.
• Provide adequate student response time.
• Use clear language when providing explanations.

Curricular materials continue to improve, based on the latest research about what works for young students learning to read. Note that to be on the Conformed list of state-adopted textbooks, textbooks must contain material covering each element of the newly adopted Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.

Those involved in the Reading First initiative know to look for the following elements:

• Five components of reading: phonological awareness, phonics and word study, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
• A scope and sequence that addresses the full continuum of skills and concepts within each of these components and guidance for teachers on how the concepts interconnect
• Methods for effectively teaching these skills and concepts, including, but not limited to, the following: explicit instruction with modeling, systematic instruction with scaffolding, immediate and corrective feedback, multiple opportunities to respond and practice
• Grouping and other strategies that allow students ample opportunities to practice the skills and concepts (e.g., teacher-led, small-group instruction; student-managed, small-group practice, whole-group instruction)
• Guidance for teachers on how to differentiate instruction based on student needs
• Ways teachers can obtain information on the extent to which students are progressing and mastering the content

Additionally, using a tool such as Reviewing a Reading Program: Professional Development Module, developed by the Florida Center for Reading Research for the Center on Instruction or the Consumer's Guide to Evaluating a Core Reading Program Grades K - 3:
A Critical Elements Analysis, developed by Deborah C. Simmons, Ph.D., and Edward J. Kame’enui, Ph.D., can help ensure a systematic review of materials.

For more information on the Texas Education Agency’s textbook adoption process, visit the Curriculum web page.

Enter Reading First. Five years after Reading First was implemented, Driscoll Elementary students are enjoying record levels of literacy achievement.

How did this happen? Starting with professional development, teachers became experts at explicit reading instruction and faithfully used the core reading program to teach the five components of reading. That first year, students were benchmarked, and over 50% were placed in Tier II. The teachers and students had their work cut out for them but were willing to give Reading First a chance. After the first administration of the Reading Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), scores had only marginally improved, with 66% passing and only 7% at “commended performance.” Because all the stakeholders realized this was a process, they continued to apply everything Reading First had taught them. By the second administration of the Reading TAKS, 93% had passed.

Driscoll’s teachers, reading coach, and principal carefully analyzed student data, and, based on student needs, the school customized its professional development and instruction. Thanks to these practices and its strict adherence to Reading First precepts, Driscoll Elementary began to experience success in reading.

Kindergarteners and first-grade students consistently have over 90% developed in all areas of the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI). Students are leaving kindergarten as established readers. This year, the 28 kindergarten students independently read and tested well on over 1,550 books! First- and second-graders’ fluency and comprehension scores continue to meet or exceed district goals.

Last year, the third-grade TAKS scores on the first administration skyrocketed to 100% passing, with 40% earning “commended performance.” The 2008-2009 TAKS data for Driscoll Elementary indicate it will be rated ”exemplary”—the highest Texas Education Agency (TEA) campus rating—for the first time in the school’s history.

Five years ago, no one could have predicted the success Reading First has brought to Driscoll Elementary. One thing is certain, however: This is a literacy success story that will pay dividends for generations to come.

But before we can answer these questions, we must be clear about what RTI is. Response to Intervention: Policy Considerations and Implementation, published in 2005 by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), defines RTI as the practice of providing high-quality instruction and interventions to match student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals, and applying child response data to important educational decisions.

Over the years, we have also highlighted in this newsletter the features of effective instruction, and we have seen these effective techniques used in Reading First core and intervention instruction across the state. We also have seen these features implemented across content areas and disciplines. The features of effective instruction include:

• Explicit instruction with modeling
• Systematic instruction with scaffolding
• Immediate and corrective feedback
• Multiple opportunities to practice and respond

These instructional techniques are not specific to grade level or content area; they can be applied and customized to any content area in any grade level. When implemented effectively, these features enhance and support the delivery of content.

Your reading technical assistant (RTA) or education service center (ESC) can request one or more of multiple Reading First professional development packages or other materials and publications for an in-depth application of these instructional techniques.

While intervention is a possibility for any student who is not meeting benchmarks, instruction can be tailored to target students’ needs. Below are a few dimensions of instruction that can be adapted to make instruction more effective-at any grade level and in any content area.

Grouping: Smaller Groups or Partners

All students can realize social and academic gains from working in small groups or partners at any grade level. Working in small groups or partners is also a strategic instructional plan for students who need a little extra support. Interacting with other students at a different ability level can provide yet another scaffold for struggling students. As students are working in small groups or with partners, teachers can pull out small groups of students who are struggling with specific content to provide them with a few more opportunities for differentiation and practice. As you plan, determine an appropriate amount of time for each grouping format, based on student assessment and need.

Materials: Varied and Appropriate

When planning activities, use materials and resources that are varied and at an appropriate difficulty level. Any lesson can be scaffolded to incorporate easy, medium, and challenging examples and practice opportunities for the variety of student levels in a class.

Time Management: Quick and Precise

Appropriate pacing of instruction and effective time management can make an impact on student engagement, opportunities to respond, and opportunities for a variety of grouping strategies. If students are engaged and actively participating, they are more likely to be on task and focused on the concepts being taught. Using a timer, allowing for different grouping strategies in each lesson, and keeping a brisk pace of instruction can all make an impact on student learning. Also, building “I do, we do, you do” practice opportunities into each lesson focuses the lesson on scaffolding the release of knowledge to students and increases engagement. Planning this release of knowledge into each lesson will provide struggling students with the opportunities they need to practice daily and to gain knowledge at an accelerated pace.

These dimensions of instruction-when used in conjunction with the features of effective instruction-can enhance any lesson and make instruction more powerful.

Further Information

Past newsletter articles:

• Multiple Opportunities to Respond and Scaffolding: January 2009 Edition
• Small-Group Instruction and Dimensions of Instruction: July 2008, Special Edition
• Features of Effective Instruction: January 2008 Edition
• Immediate and Corrective Feedback: April 2007 Edition
• Systematic Instruction: January 2007 Edition

Reading First professional development:

• Effective Differentiated Instructional Practices, 2^nd edition: 2008
• Features of Effective Instruction: 2007
• Implementing the 3-Tier Reading Model: 2005

Useful Web sites:

• Center on Instruction
• Building RtI Capacity