Project Title: Development of Demonstration Site to Improve Special Education Student Outcomes in General Education Curriculum

Kulshan Middle School Bellingham School District Contact: Gige Morganti gmorganti@bham.wednet.edu 1250 Kenoyer Street Bellingham, WA 98226 (360) 676 4889

Population	Special Educ	504	Title I/LAP	ESL
668	85	7	0	24

Kulshan Middle School: OSPI Inclusion Grant Progress Report 2001

INSTRUCTION:

Schoolwide Instructional Strategies

1. Reading Profile Cards: All reading data for students is tracked from year to year on a Reading Profile card. Data includes WASL, DRP, Reading Fluency and personal reading goals.
2. Eighth Grade Student-led Conferencing: All eighth grade students will analyze their WASL results and use the information to set goals in reading that are based on the EALRS in reading.
3. Sixth Grade Reading Goal Spreadsheets: All sixth graders monitor their individual reading goals through the use of spreadsheets and charts in Infotech class.
4. Partner reading: Many teams are using a partner reading model for reading practice.
5. Standardized "Reading Fluency" practices with Handbook: A group of teachers developed standardized procedures with associated materials for grade level reading fluency assessments.

Interdisciplinary Teams

1. Use of Graphic Organizers: Teams are using graphic organizers across all content areas because it is a reading strategy that will improve student metacognition and comprehension in the use of informational text. This is being implemented in hopes that student achievement will increase on the WASL in the subsets of critical thinking, interpretation and analysis.
2. Reading Groups: Several teams have grouped students into skill-based levels in order to differentiate reading instruction. The Cypress team has identified five levels of readers and has a thirty-minute reading block in which they meet daily. Every teacher in the team takes responsibility for teaching reading during this period. The different levels allow teachers to deliver individualized reading instruction, with lower readers focusing on reading strategies and improving skills/confidence. It also allows for higher level readers to explore a variety of genres, different types of tests, author's purpose, etc.
3. Individualized reading Goals: All teams require students to establish individualized reading goals where students practice reading material in their zone of proximal development (ZPD is the range in which a student can read and comprehend independently without frustration).
4. Teacher Collaboration for Student Progress and Achievement: All staff members meet as a team for two hours per week to discuss student progress and achievement as part of our teaming model.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

• Studied and implemented "Text Forms and Features"
• Aligned critical curriculum with EALRS
• "What Do We Do After They Read? Aligning Instruction to the EALRS"- Jan Chappuis
• "Using assessment to improve reading instruction"- Jan Chappuis
• "Reading across the content areas- meeting the needs of all learners"- Marcy Stein
• Integrated studies staff attended six hours of instruction on the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP)
• "Reading in the Content Areas"- McRel workshop
• Three "trainer of trainers" from McRel
• Development of common language through the collaborative analysis of WASL reading subsets
• Eight teachers attended Anita Archer's workshops on "Teaching Reading in the Content Areas" and "Reading Strategies."
• Analysis of schoolwide teaching reading processes for Gates Grant Needs Assessment- in process Analyzing reading data for ongoing implications for improving reading instruction- in process

STRONG POINTS

Comments from Mary Lindsey, Special Education Life Skills Teacher and Team Member

• Entire staff received two-day training on inclusion, special education laws and procedures. Gave staff the same "language".
• Strong building administrator commitment and involvement throughout the entire grant application process and implementation of the grant and teaming.
• A dedicated staff that was willing to support the restructuring of our school into interdisciplinary teams.
• Paid collaboration time outside of the workday was imperative to start and maintain the interdisciplinary teams.
• The teams made the school smaller with team spirit as well as school spirit.
• The teams are also the IEP and 504 teams that address the individual needs of specific students. Classroom procedures and expectations are also more consistent in the teams.
• Parent contact with the team is easier and more efficient so communication has increased.
• Students served in the life skills program have identified with their teams and parent satisfaction and support is at an all time high.
• Western University practicum students from three university classes work with Kulshan students.

Life Skills Program at Kulshan Middle School

 

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Directory of Programs

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This article is in the public domain and can be freely copied and used in trainings as handouts at parent and community meetings, and in creating your school or district programs. (Please cite all sources of materials you use.)

This information is provided by:
Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Special Education
P O Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
(360) 725-6088
Fax (360)586-1631
E-mail: dgill@ospi.wednet.edu