Is My Kid Learning!? What is RTI?!

A new catch phrase in education today is RTI , which stands for Response to Intervention. RTI is part of the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Response to Intervention is supposed to help students who struggle with learning at the same rate and pace as his or her peers. Students who fall behind are indentified and given proper instruction through the RTI process. RTI defines problems by using data. The problems can be addressed in the school setting by a creation of interventions tied to the students’ needs. If a student does not make adequate progress over a period of time then the student is referred to special education.

Test scores, class participation, records and routine progress monitoring are used to identify a student in need. If the student is moderate to high risk, he or she is given specialized intervention or more support that is suppose to help the student make the appropriate gains. Constant assessments are to be given on a regular basis to address the student’s deficits and help modify the curriculum to meet the student’s educational necessities.

This plan is a great plan!! Is it the answer to the problems in education? No. The people who coined RTI had a great idea in theory. If all teachers could be trained to look for nuances in learning, use assessments to drive instruction and know how to motivate and support struggling learners, RTI would not be needed. Just because the plan for RTI exist it does not mean it will work in a struggling school or with all struggling students.

Struggling schools are struggling for a reason. The dynamics and climate is one that overlooks student needs. The needs and educational holes are so great that only the high priority problems get met and the lower needs are shelved. That’s how students that need a little support go unnoticed. It’s a snowball effect and attention should be given to it.

Parents, forget the long teacher conference meetings about nothing. Ask to see the data that proves your child is progressing. Ask to see the portfolio of work that shows a progression. Ask developmental questions as well as concrete questions of your child’s teacher. If you are not satisfied move your child to a better school. Time is too short to have precious years wasted.

New Aged Kindergarten?

Remember your early school experiences in kindergarten? Those days were filled with learning how to use scissors, sharing and sitting on the carpet while you admired your new teacher. The old kindergarten is a distant memory compared to changes in early education today.

The standards and content for kindergarten are more rigorous and students cannot successfully perform in today’s typical kindergarten classroom without knowledge in language and content (colors, body parts, counting, etc.) ability in motor skills, self-care and social skills.

The state of Florida’s Board of Education increased state funded preschool programs because of the overwhelming number of students who were not prepared for kindergarten.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, pre-K providers in Florida are being scrutinized by the state on how they prepare students for school. Florida has developed a tool to review pre-K programs. Those programs that fail are deemed “low performing”. The Florida Department of Education is projecting 39% of pre-K programs will earn “low performing” marks in the up coming year.

The state of California has taken a different approach toward early classroom success. Recently, a law called the Kindergarten Readiness Act passed. This law will move the birthday cutoff date for new kindergartners from December to September.

This new kind of class is called Transitional Kindergarten. Educational theorists think that Transitional Kindergarten, will better prepare children to be successful.

The law also requires school districts to offer a new grade level for young children who have fall birthdays and have typically been too young to start kindergarten.

According to Mercury News.com “children with birthdays between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2 — those who would have been eligible for kindergarten under the old system — will be guaranteed a slot once the program is fully implemented in 2014.” Students will have an opportunity to attend school for two years to prepare for 1st grade.

Kindergarten changed and a variety of programs are available to help prepare your child to be successful. Check your state Department of Education website for changes in policy and programs of support.

First published on on Technorati as New Aged Kindergarten.