IV. Instruction
A.
Curricular Policies
2. Instructional Mandates
e. Personal Literacy Plans
Purpose:
In compliance with the Rhode Island Pre-K-12 Literacy Policy legislated in the Rhode Island Literacy and Dropout Prevention Act of 1987 (Title 16, Chapter 16-67-2), the Narragansett Schools have developed a comprehensive approach to literacy that addresses the needs of struggling learners through the implementation of personal literacy plans (PLP) for all students who are at risk for reading failure. A PLP is a plan of action for a teacher to use to bring a student to reading proficiency. It provides a problem-solving approach for improved student reading that is cyclical, inclusive (involving teachers, parents, administrators, etc.) and ensures that all students will become proficient readers (i.e. reads and comprehends at least at grade level). The PLP records intervention results that inform subsequent school personnel of successful instructional approaches and provides appropriate and focused instruction for struggling readers beyond the context of classroom instruction for all students.
PLP
Procedure:
The implementation of personal literacy plans requires
assessments and interventions over and above the execution of a strong, comprehensive
literacy curriculum. In order to ensure that all students have access to
literacy programs to help them achieve grade level expectations, all students
are expected to participate in assessments and interventions, if deemed
necessary by a team consisting of the grade level teacher, a reading
specialist, and an administrator at the elementary level; or a reading
specialist and administrator or designee at the middle and high school levels.
Assessment:
The
Narragansett School System must devise an assessment plan that includes
screening, monitoring, and diagnostic assessments to identify which students
are reading below grade level and to determine their reading and comprehension
levels. The assessment plan must include
the standards which students are expected to achieve. Students not meeting these standards will
need a diagnostic assessment tool or process to confirm the student’s reading
needs and to plan the most appropriate supports. The diagnostic assessment process will also
identify which components of comprehensive reading (phonemic awareness,
phonics, fluency, vocabulary, text comprehension and/or writing) are
problematic for the student. The
assessment plan for each school should be made available to parents upon
request.
Intervention:
Students
identified as reading below grade level will be assigned to an appropriate
intervention. Intervention at the
elementary school may include a pull-out or integrated reading instruction
provided by a certified reading specialist.
At the middle and high school levels, students are assigned to an
intensive or targeted reading group based upon their level of performance. At the middle school level, intensive reading
students generally fall 2 or more years below grade level on one or more
components of reading while targeted intervention students have reading
difficulties that are less severe. At
the high school level, intensive reading students generally fall 3 or more
years below grade level.
At
the middle and high school levels, students requiring personal literacy plans
will be assigned to a supplemental reading course in lieu of other electives
until subsequent testing reveals that they are reading at or above grade level. Participation in these supplemental reading
courses is a requirement under in the Rhode Island Literacy and Dropout
Prevention Act of 1987 (Title 16, Chapter 16-67-2).
Appeals Process:
A parent or
guardian who wishes to appeal the decision to include or exclude their child
from the supplementary literacy services described in this policy must first
arrange for a meeting with the school principal and a member of the reading
staff to review the child’s assessments.
If resolution of the matter seems unlikely at the
building level, either party is encouraged to refer the matter to the
Superintendent for review.
In accordance with School Committee policy #I.B.11., the
Committee will consider hearing citizen complaints when they cannot be resolved
by the administration. Matters referred to the School Committee must be in
writing and should be specific in terms of the action desired. The School
Committee will not consider or act on complaints that have not been explored at
the appropriate administrative level.
1st Reading: November 14, 2007 Narragansett School System
Adopted: December
19, 2007 Narragansett,