A Shared Responsibility - Teams and the Process
A new direction in providing supports and services is a comprehensive consultation model whereby individuals collaborate in various ways as part of a problem solving process. This model ensures that student needs are identified early, appropriate instruction/interventions are implemented and student progress is monitored for program efficacy and decision making. One mechanism for this process is the Personal Literacy Plan.
As the traditional roles of support staff change, the process for decision making becomes more flexible and responsive and presents a shift in our thinking. Professionals who might traditionally have worked with a specific type of learner, (i.e. reading, special educator, speech and language therapist), now provide support and consultation based on student need. This "circle of support" becomes individualized through a systematic process of problem analysis, assessment, planning, intervention implementation and data collection. This occurs through a collaborative process where individuals as members of teams provide knowledge and expertise with the focus on effective instruction and early intervention rather then eligibility.
This process begins with the student, teacher and parent and expands to include others in a variety of ways. Teams are fluid and include individuals based on a problem that is being addressed. The process often begins with parent-teacher conferences and if necessary may expand to grade-level meetings, response to intervention team meetings or evaluation team meeting as necessary. This process is designed to be collaborative and strategic such that decisions can be made that support all students and teachers.
Regardless of the type of meeting and who is involved, each meeting focuses on student achievement by asking questions about the curriculum, instructional practice, the environment and individual student learning. In other words, looking at the data and student progress is a component of every decision in the overall process. Decisions are based on a convergence of evidence from a variety of data sources: curriculum-based measures, observations, student work samples and diagnostic tests.
This process is used for two purposes; making effective decisions about teaching and learning that ensures success for all children, and to determine appropriate levels of support and intervention.
Expanding Circle of Support
