Taskforce Recommendations Strategy 2. Addition of endorsed evidenced approaches to the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2009-2013 to support the needs of students with learning difficulties. Directorate’s Response The Directorate will investigate evidence-based approaches to supporting the needs of students with learning difficulties and develop a mechanism for endorsing such approaches. Status: Complete The ACT Education and Training Directorate (ACTETD) Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2009 – 2013 has been superseded by the ACTETD Strategic Plan 2014 – 2017. The priorities, strategies and targets within the previous Strategy have been deliberatively elevated to ensure literacy and numeracy is highlighted as core business and is reflected in the priorities, strategies and indicators in the Strategic Plan for all Directorate staff. The Education Capital: Leading the Nation 2015 Action plan will continue to support quality learning with a strategic priority focusing on reducing the proportion of students who are at or the minimum standard in reading and numeracy. Taskforce Recommendations Strategy 3. Focus on learning difficulties and diversity in learning to be included as a key component in the Directorate’s leadership program from 2014. Directorate’s Response The Directorate will include a focus on learning difficulties and diversity in future leadership programs from 2014. Status: Complete Over 2014 the Directorate has communicated the importance of the Taskforce recommendations to school leaders through identifying it as a priority in the Education Capital: Leading the Nation 2014-2017 Strategic Plan (High Expectations, High Performance domain). It continues to be a priority in the building of staff capacity in the Education Capital: Leading the Nation 2015 Action plan. The Learning Difficulties Transition Plan includes a of opportunities for continued professional learning conversations through Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) for principals and leadership teams across all networks. trial
Taskforce Recommendations Strategy 5. That the Directorate investigates models similar to Response to Intervention (RTI) Models and what support would be needed to implement them within ACT government schools. Directorate’s Response The Directorate is currently investigating models similar to and including the Response to Intervention Model and will assess the appropriateness of such models in the ACT context including the identification of the support required for implementation. Status: Complete The 10 week RTI pilot study at Taylor and Theodore Primary Schools is complete. See Attachment 1 page 16 Final Report: Response to Intervention (RTI) Pilot Study. on the success of the pilot study Taylor and Theodore Primary schools can continue to embed the RTI framework. Over 2015, Namadgi School will also continue to embed the Response to Intervention framework across the school. The Transition Plan provides advice for schools in the implementation of the RTI model with support from the 2015 School Leader C Learning Difficulties Project Officer. Extensive resources to support schools in implementing RTI are available and will continue to be updated on the Directorate Digital Backpack Online Learning Difficulties LIFE page. In 2015, the Therapy Assistants Program will operate across 4 Tuggeranong primary schools using the RTI framework as part of the service delivery model. For more details see Strategy 13 page 14.
Taskforce Recommendations Strategy 10. Clarification of the role of Learning Support Assistants working in the area of learning difficulties. Directorate’s Response The Directorate will clarify the and responsibilities of school staff in providing support for students with learning difficulties. Status: Ongoing The Learning Difficulties project team has provided advice to the Directorates Human Resources project team with input to the current review of mainstream class learning support assistant duty statements. This review forms part of the re-evaluation of learning support assistant duty statements under the ACT Public Service Administrative and Related Classifications Enterprise Agreement 2013-2017, Clause T21. The review is expected to be completed around mid 2015. The Directorate will inform schools of the review outcome once completed. Representative teachers will be informed of any relevant changes to LSA duty statements. Taskforce Recommendations Strategy 11. Investigate and determine a system wide approach to assessment of students with learning difficulties. Directorate’s Response The Directorate will investigate leading practice options for assessment of students with learning difficulties to develop a system wide approach. Status: Complete The Learning Difficulties Online LIFE page RTI of assessments package provides school staff access to a consistent, system wide set of assessments to help identify students with possible learning difficulties. The Directorate School Psychologists Learning Difficulties Good Practice Guide has been updated and is also available on the LIFE page. The 2015 Learning Difficulties School Leader C Project Officer will work with the SLB Learning Difficulties Project Leader and ETD media to maintain and update the resource with updated evidence based assessment tools to support students with learning difficulties.
Year 1 and Year 2 Tier 1 – shift in pedagogy away from Walker Learning, with a continuation of whole-language using teaching materials by David Hornsby. This instruction also includes teaching phonemic awareness and phonics within rich text. Tier 2 - MiniLit Year 3 Tier 2 – MiniLit Year 4 (a few students) Tier 2 – Reading Tutor Program Taylor Primary School intervened with Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 with the following changes/additions: Kindergarten Tier 1 – PreLit and Florida Center for Reading Research () student centre activities on the “Big 5” (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) to supplement differentiation for remediation and extension. Year 1 and Year 2 Tier 1 – At the beginning of the school year, moved from Walker Learning and changed to a balanced literacy approach. Supplemented differentiation with Florida Center for Reading Research () student centre activities on the “Big 5”. Tier 2 – MiniLit (While this was occurring, the classroom teacher worked with the remaining students on extension work.) Assessment of the Pilot Quantitative Data The schools agreed on a universal screening tool to assess reading (The Dynamic Indicators of Early Basic Literacy Skills – DIBELS Next) and were trained on administration. Videos were created to assist with training, along with the provision of free materials. These training resources are available on the ETD Digital Backpack Learning Difficulties Life page for all school staff to access.
Pilot Project (2014) – After implementing RTI, pilot schools and Namadgi School were asked to complete a SWOT analysis to document their views. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES Evidence-based Data-tracking Provides hope Target funding Appropriate use of resources Provides differentiation Creates a culture change Feel like it works and can see results Money (resourcing) Time involvement Flow on consequences (impact on other exec staff) Expectations of data deadlines Logistics One of the puzzle OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Student growth Target student Present data to Increase universal consistent approach More detailed info for school psych Support staff involved at a higher level Cost Time commitments Staffing absence/turn-over Change of leadership Initial universal screening (expectations on classroom teachers)
Tier 3: 13.29% Pre - DIBELS - Year 3 Tier 1: 19.61% Tier 2: 1.3% Tier 3: 11.36% Post - DIBELS Total - Year 3 Tier1: 23.72% Tier 2: 0% Tier 3: 9.28%
Priority- Professional Learning Communities (PLC) *A *B 2015 Implementation and sustainability strategies 2016 Implementation and sustainability strategies 2014 Representative Teachers (on-going) Continue to embed and build capacity of current representative teachers as recommended in the Taskforce targets. Update database of 2014 representative teachers and schools Develop PLC workshop Network sessions with Principals hosting the events representative teachers to deliver PLC’s PLC Network sessions delivered in cohorts (K-2, High School, College) and tailored to suit the needs of each setting Professional learning content identified from survey feedback: i.e. dyscalculia, dysgraphia, working memory etc. Facilitate teleconferences with LD experts in field. Update database for 2016 PLCs continue and seek survey feedback for future planning in leading and improving teaching practice Representative Teachers 2015 (New) Develop and implement new representative teachers induction plan for 2015 Update database of 2014 representative teachers and schools Update 2015 database with new representative teachers Induction workshop for new representative teachers Induction workshop for Network Student Engagement Teams (NSET) -same as above Representative teachers in January 2016 stand down provide workshop session in their school- present an overview to LD and the LIFE page resources 2015 NSET staff provide training for 2016 NSET staff