Duplin County Schools Read to Achieve Plan The Duplin County Read to Achieve Plan was designed to address the Excellent Public Schools Act which became law in July of 2012. The goal of the State through Read to Achieve is to ensure that every student read at or above grade level by the end of third grade and continue to progress in reading proficiency so that he or she can read, comprehend, integrate, and apply complex texts needed for secondary education and career success. The purposes of this plan are to: 1. Ensure that difficulty with reading development is identified as early as possible 2. Ensure that students receive appropriate instructional and support services to address difficulty with reading development and to remediate reading deficiencies 3. Ensure that each student and his or her parent or guardian be continuously informed of the student's academic needs and progress. 4. Determine that progression from one grade to another be based, in part, upon proficiency in reading. Duplin County will support the Read to Achieve Plan and achieve the states goals and purposes of the plan in the following ways: 1. Develop and implement a county literacy plan which incorporates a comprehensive balanced literacy program in all elementary schools which addresses the key foundational components of reading. 2. Monitor reading progress at the K-3 level through the implementation of Reading 3-D and use the data provided by Reading 3-D to progress monitor, adjust, and guide instruction. 3. Develop a PEP for all struggling students and implement effective interventions which are monitored and adjusted through the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. 4. Provide teachers with consistent professional development on reading strategies. 5. Inform parents and all stakeholders of the Read to Achieve Law and keep parents abreast of their student’s reading progress. 6. Provide parents with regular correspondence on their student’s reading progress. Key Implications for Third Grade 1. Non proficient students identified at the end of third grade will be re-tested. 2. Non proficient students after re-testing will be invited to attend summer reading camp. 3. Students whose parents do not want their child to attend summer reading camp will repeat third grade. 4. At the end of summer reading camp, students will be retested. If he or she tests proficient, they will be eligible to be promoted to fourth grade. If he or she does not score proficient at the end of summer reading camp, he or she will be placed in fourth grade classes the following year with a third-grade retention label. Ninety minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction will be provided daily in these classes. Your child will be eligible to retake the reading test in late October to achieve a mid-year promotion and have the third-grade retention label removed. Your child will remain in the same fourth grade class for the entire school year and continue to receive the uninterrupted reading instruction throughout fourth grade to support ongoing improvement in reading skills North Carolina Read to Achieve is a Comprehensive Plan for Reading Achievement which encompasses seven basic components. 1. Comprehensive plan for reading achievement Human Resources - DPI will revise teacher licensure and renewal standards based on plan. Principals – Schedule time for teachers to participate in PLC’s and PD on reading instructional practices. C & I – Develop a comprehensive reading plan which is aligned to DPI expectations and provides reading strategies for all students and communicate the plan to all teachers. (Duplin County School’s Read to Achieve Plan) - Develop a staff development plan to support the components of the plan to include RTI. - Provide teachers with PLC time to share instructional ideas. 2. Developmental Screening and Kindergarten Entry Assessment (Still being developed) C & I – Provide Elementary Schools with PD and support - Establish a team to manage the process (Literacy Coaches at each school) - Analyze data to monitor results and make necessary curriculum adjustments 3. Facilitating Early Grade Reading Proficiency: A. Implementation of Reading 3-D. B. Instruction and supports address Big 5 ideas of reading. C & I – Support implementation of program by a. Facilitate training for use of Reading 3-D. b. Ensure that all schools have 2 trained lead teachers, all teachers have a device, & all schools have necessary number of benchmark kits c. Analyze data to determine PD needs and guide instruction d. Use allocation funding for purchase of devices (Currently device allocations are on 4 year replacement rotation) e. Set benchmark calendar based on parameters set forth by DPI. (1st benchmark – 15 day period within 1st 25 days of instruction) *Note 1 – DPI discourages a team approach to doing the assessment. *Note 2 – It is possible to set up assessment times prior to school beginning in order to preserve instructional time. *Note 3 – Colors demonstrate level of support a child needs (A child is not a red child) *Note 4 – State is looking at a reading only 3rd grade pretest at the beginning of next school year Human Resources – Teacher evaluation / teacher effectiveness will be based on student performance on TRC at beginning of the year compared to end of the year. Standard 6 is where BOY & EOY TRC data should be used / Standard 4 is where the formative assessment data (DIBELS & MOY TRC data) should be used. 4. Elimination of Social Promotion: A. Retention in third grade if student fails to demonstrate proficiency on reading EOG’s. *Note 1– Good cause exemptions apply to LEP with fewer than two years of instruction in an ESL program, to EC students who demonstrate proficiency on alternate assessment, students who demonstrate proficiency through portfolios, students who have been retained more than once in K-3. *Note 2 – Principal’s right to grade and classify at third grade level relinquished to Superintendent. Testing – determine which students fail to demonstrate proficiency on third grade EOG, monitor assessment process initially, at the end of summer school, on alternate assessments, and re-tests. Federal Programs – Provide information to Principals on students who have fewer than two years on alternate assessment. EC – Students who demonstrate proficiency on alternate assessment are exempt from elimination of social promotion policy. Principals – Determine which students qualify for good cause exemptions / ensure that PEP’s have been developed and followed Superintendent – Approve or deny recommendation for promotion / retention and good cause exemptions Student Support Services – Develop a uniform PEP which includes all components as outlined by law C & I – Provide support to schools on instructional strategies for reading (Implementation of Balanced Literacy) 5. Successful Reading Development for Retained Students shall include: A. Summer reading camp for non proficient students (6 weeks) B. Students retained shall be placed in either accelerated reading class or transitional third / fourth grade class (fourth grade curriculum) C. Provide mid year assessment to determine mastery and promotion to 4th grade (removal of retention status) D. Provide parents with plan for reading at home / provide tutoring outside instructional day. C & I – facilitate summer camp development process Finance – funding for summer camps (potentially in Governors budget) Transportation – transportation for summer camp Food and Nutrition – Meals for students at summer camp Maintenance – Facilities for summer camp Human Resources – Extended employment for highly qualified teachers who have demonstrated success in teaching reading. Testing – Facilitate testing process for November assessment to determine promotion to 4th grade (removal of retention status) *Note - Historic data for the previous two school years indicate that in 2010-11 we had 321 non proficient students in reading at the 3rd grade level and in 2012-13 there were 290 non proficient students in reading at the 3rd grade level. 6. Notification Requirements to Parents and Guardians Process: A. Parents should be notified in writing if student is not demonstrating reading proficiency at end of 3rd grade and why student is not eligible for good cause exemption. B. Parents shall receive monthly written reports on student progress toward reading proficiency C. Parents shall be provided with opportunities to discuss notifications with teachers and principals C & I – Provide uniform notification forms for county and timeline for distribution of letters and PEP’s (PEP’s will be developed, distributed and signed at the conclusion of the first 9 weeks of school. PEP’s will be updated each nine weeks based on progress. Parent’s will be notified at the conclusion of each benchmark, at the K-3 level, of their child’s progress in reading with the use of the parent letter generated from MClass accompanied by a Duplin County Schools cover letter. Principals – ensure that parents are notified according to timeline provided by LEA 7. LEA Accountability: A. LEA’s shall publish numbers of proficient, not proficient, alternate assessments, retained, & exemptions B. Local Boards shall publish reports to send to the State Board including interventions used C & I – Establish a timeline and plan for submitting annual reports to the SBE C & I / Technology – Maintain a website for reporting purposes at the local level Duplin County Schools Board Members: Chuck Farrior, Chairman Reggie Kenan, Vice-Chairman Hubert Bowden Pam Edwards Dear Parents Attached you will find information regarding your child’s reading achievement for the month of ______________________. The information provided gives you a picture of where your child is currently in relation to where he will need to be by the end of the school year. If you have questions or would like to set up a conference to further discuss your child’s reading progress, please indicate below and send this form back to your child’s teacher. Brent Davis Jennings Outlaw ________Yes I would like to schedule an appointment to discuss my child’s reading progress. Please contact me at _________________. _______________________________ Parent Signature _________________ Date ________________________________________________________________________ Queridos Padres y Tutores: Informacion relacionada a su Hija/Hijo sobre sus logros del mes de:______________________________ Sera proporsionada mediante este documento. Dicha informacion le dara a Usted idea de la productividad de su Hija/Hijo y de donde se debe de Encontrar en el futuro. Si Usted tiene preguntas consernientes a su hijo’s puede solicitar una conferencia para tratar el progreso De su hijo’s y mandar este documento con el profesor de su Hija/Hijo. ____ SI yo quiero que se me conseda una conferencia relacionada a la productividad de mi Hija/Hijo Por favor de contactarme al telefono ( )__________ Firma del padre o Tutor___________________ Fecha ___/___/__ Duplin County Schools Board Members: Chuck Farrior, Chairman Reggie Kenan, Vice-Chairman Hubert Bowden Dear Parents Congratulations on your child’s successful year of second grade. Since the start of kindergarten, your child has been learning the basics of reading, mathematics, and other important subjects. Your son or daughter’s teacher also has encouraged him or her to be curious and to enjoy learning new things. All of this will help boost learning in third grade and beyond. Pam Edwards This fall, as your child begins third grade, you will notice a big focus on reading and on learning math skills and facts that your Brent Davis child will need in fourth grade and even in middle school and Jennings Outlaw high school. For the first time in the fall of third grade, your child will be given a beginning-of-grade standardized test to see how they are reading. At the end of third grade, your child will take end-of-grade tests in reading and in mathematics. These tests tell you and your child’s teacher and principal if your child has learned the basic skills that he or she needs in order to do well in fourth grade. North Carolina state law now requires that third graders who are not reading at a proficient level on the end-of-grade test be given extra attention. If your child does not score proficient on the end-of-grade test in reading at the end of third grade, here is what will happen: • First, your child will be re-tested to make sure that they didn’t just have a bad day on the first test day. • Second, if your child is not proficient on the re-test, your son or daughter will be invited to a summer reading camp to help them improve their reading skills. This camp is at no charge to you. Your local school district will organize the camp and give you more information about when and where it will be held. • If you do not agree to send your child to summer reading camp, your child will repeat third grade the following school year in order to give him or her more time to build strong reading skills. • At the end of summer reading camp, your child’s reading will be retested. If he or she tests proficient, your child will be eligible to be promoted to fourth grade. If your child does not score proficient at the end of summer reading camp, he or she will be placed in fourth grade classes the following year with a third-grade retention label. Ninety minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction will be provided daily in these classes. Your child will be eligible to retake the reading test in late October to achieve a mid-year promotion and have the third-grade retention label removed. Your child will remain in the same fourth grade class for the entire school year and continue to receive the uninterrupted reading instruction throughout fourth grade to support ongoing improvement in reading skills. This new reading requirement will begin for the first time with the children who begin third grade in the fall of 2013. More details will be provided to you this fall about this requirement and how your district will help children become better readers by the end of third grade. In the meantime, here is how you can help your child over the summer: • Set aside time for your child to read every day and/or for you to read to your child. • Visit the local public library and check out books. This is a free service in most counties. • Some local school districts open school libraries on special days in the summer. If you can, take your child to library day at your school to check out books. • Talk to your child and encourage your child to talk and write about the things that interest him or her. • If your child enjoys writing or drawing, encourage them to write and draw. • Help your child get restful sleep. • Talk to your child about all the fun and exciting things he or she will be learning in third grade. Sincerely, Shawn Johnson Director of K-8 Curriculum Programs Duplin County Schools Duplin County Schools Board Members: Chuck Farrior, Chairman Reggie Kenan, Vice-Chairman Hubert Bowden Pam Edwards Brent Davis Estimado padre, madre o tutor legal de un niño o niña, Felicitaciones por el exitoso año de su hijo(a) durante el segundo grado escolar. Desde el inicio en jardín de niños, su hijo(a) ha estado aprendiendo los elementos básicos de lectura, matemáticas y otras materias importantes. El maestro(a) de su hijo(a) también ha animado a los niños a que sean curiosos y disfruten del aprendizaje de nuevas cosas. Todo esto ayudará a reforzar el aprendizaje durante el tercer grado y los grados sucesivos. En el otoño, su hijo(a) iniciará el tercer grado escolar; usted notará un gran enfoque en la lectura y en el aprendizaje de destrezas de matemáticas, así como información que su hijo(a) necesitará en el cuarto grado y aún en los años de secundaria y preparatoria. Por primera vez durante el otoño del tercer grado escolar, a su hijo(a) se le administrará una prueba estándar de comienzo de grado escolar para ver cómo está en lectura. Al final del tercer grado, a su hijo(a) se le administrará una prueba de fin de grado de lectura y de matemáticas. Dichas pruebas le indican a usted, al maestro(a) y director(a) de la escuela si su hijo(a) ha aprendido las destrezas básicas que necesita para desempeñarse bien en el cuarto grado escolar. Jennings Outlaw Actualmente la ley estatal de Carolina del Norte exige que los niños de tercer grado que no lean al nivel de progreso adecuado para el tercer grado se les preste atención adicional. Si su hijo(a) no obtiene la calificación de progreso adecuado en la prueba de lectura de fin de tercer grado, esto es lo que sucederá: • En primer lugar, a su hijo(a) se le volverá a administrar la prueba para asegurar que no sólo se trataba de un mal día para el niño durante la primera prueba. • En segundo lugar, si su hijo(a) no muestra el progreso adecuado durante la segunda prueba, entonces el niño(a) será invitado(a) a un campamento de lectura de verano para ayudarle a mejorar sus destrezas de lectura. Este campamento no tendrá costo alguno para usted. El distrito escolar local organizará el campamento y le proporcionará mayor información acerca de las fechas y el lugar en donde se llevará a cabo. • Si usted no está de acuerdo en enviar a su hijo(a) al campamento de lectura de verano, entonces el niño(a) volverá a repetir el tercer grado en el siguiente año escolar para darle más tiempo de formar destrezas de lectura más sólidas. • Al final del campamento de lectura de verano, a su hijo(a) se le volverá a administrar la prueba de lectura. Si el niño(a) muestra el progreso adecuado, entonces cumplirá los requisitos para pasar al cuarto grado. Si el niño(a) no muestra el progreso adecuado al final del campamento de lectura de verano, entonces será colocado en clases de cuarto grado durante el siguiente año escolar pero con una marcación de nivel de retención de tercer grado. En dichas clases, diariamente se le proporcionarán noventa minutos sin interrupción de enseñanza en lectura. Su hijo(a) cumplirá con los requisitos para volver a tomar la prueba de lectura a finales de octubre para lograr el asenso de grado a mitad del año, y así eliminar la marcación de nivel de retención de tercer grado. Su hijo(a) permanecerá en el mismo cuarto grado durante todo el año escolar y seguirá recibiendo noventa minutos sin interrupción de enseñanza en lectura a lo largo del cuarto grado para apoyar la mejora continua en destrezas de lectura. Este nuevo requisito de lectura comenzará por primera vez con los niños que van a iniciar el cuarto grado en el otoño del 2013. Se darán a conocer más detalles este otoño acerca de este requisito y cómo su distrito escolar ayudará a los niños a convertirse en mejores lectores al final del tercer grado. Mientras tanto, estas son las maneras en que usted puede ayudar a su hijo(a) durante el verano: • Establezca una hora para que su hijo(a) lea diariamente y/o para que usted lea con él/ella. • Visite su biblioteca pública local y saque libros prestados. Este es un servicio gratuito en la mayoría de los condados. • Algunos distritos escolares locales abren las bibliotecas escolares en días especiales del verano. Si le es posible, lleve a su hijo(a) al día de la biblioteca en su escuela y saque libros prestados. • Hable con su hijo(a) y anímelo a hablar y escribir acerca de las cosas que a él o ella le interesan. • Si su hijo(a) disfruta de escribir o dibujar, anímelo a escribir o dibujar. • Ayude a que su hijo(a) duerma y descanse bien. • Hable con su hijo(a) acerca de todas las cosas divertidas y emocionantes que aprenderá en el tercer grado. Atentamente, Shawn Johnson Director of K-8 Curriculum Programs Duplin County Schools