Problem Solving Team
(PST)
Elkmont High School
Pilot Program
Response to Instruction
2010-2011 School Year
Tiers of Instruction
Tier I
Whole Group & Small Group
ALL Students
Tier II
Strategic
Intervention
Tier III
Intensive
Intervention
Tier I, II, III Documentation
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Lesson plans are documentation for Tier I instruction.
The plans must include the skills taught and
assessments used to decide mastery.
Tier II documentation – ClassWorks, small group,
counseling session individual or group (counselor and
resource teachers), Harcourt, Nova Net, Intervention
Central, etc., etc., etc., etc.
Tier III documentation – Same as above but more
frequency and intensity or additional interventions.
Tier I Instruction is for All Students
Provide HQ Core Instruction – Including Whole
Group and Small Group
•Conduct Universal Screenings (DIBELS, STAR Reading
and Math, Standardized Testing Results, Core
Instructional Program Benchmark Assessment Results)
•If Mastery of Skills is not achieved after Tier II
interventions refer to PST Team
•
Who is Responsible for Tier II
Intervention?
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Classroom teachers are the primary instructors
Resource staff will assist as needed
 Special
Ed, P.E., Music, Art, Speech, Media Specialist,
Inclusion Aide
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Instruction may be given in the general education
classroom, skills lab, and/or computer lab
PST Referral Process
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Teacher is in contact with parent prior to
referral. Document phone calls: date, time,
summary of talking points; notes, letters, etc.
Students with 504 plans or IEP’s are not
referred to PST
It is recommended that the teacher contact
the parent of referral to PST.
What is the PST Process?
Step 1
 Contact PST Chairperson
 Complete PST Referral Form
 Meeting scheduled (Monthly-elementary; End of 9 week grading period –
secondary)
Step 2
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Attend meeting with the team
Bring completed documentation packet to Chairperson for team to review
Packet will include referral form and required documents
Team will create intervention plan
Step 3
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Implement Intervention Plan strategies
Progress monitor to gage effectiveness
Midpoint check by PST – monthly meeting/elementary; progress report
time/secondary
Continue plan after 40-45 days; amend plan, or refer for testing
Who is the Problem Solving Team?
Classroom
Teacher(s)
Parent
(optional)
Specialists
(Counselor,
Title I, ELL,
Literacy and/or
Instructional
Coach, Sp. Ed.)
Administration
Roles of PST Members
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Administrator – Supervision and resource
Chairperson – Send email reminders of scheduled meetings;
conduct meeting; maintain PST files; provide CO with any
documents needed
Secretary – Keep minutes of the meetings
Counselor – maintain tracking log; provide SDE with tracking
log
Time Keeper (All team members) – Ensure that time is
budgeted efficiently.
Data Manager (Referring teacher) – Present and explain Tier
I and Tier II documentation, implement Tier III plan, progress
monitor.
All team members serve as consultants, resources, and intervention
specialists.
When To Schedule Meetings
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Secondary – End of each 9-week grading period.
Secondary teachers meet during their planning
period. ALL teachers that have planning are the PST
members.
Elementary – One day per month; 80 minutes; 40
minutes reading data meeting; 40 minutes PST. ALL
grade level teachers that meet during the 80 minutes
are PST members.
Elementary – One day per month; 40-80 minute
grade level data meeting to address primarily Tier II
math students.
What are possible reasons for
referral to the PST?

Academically At Risk (Math and Reading)
 Students
below proficiency levels on standardized tests
 Students failing academic subjects

Behaviorally At Risk
 Chronic
discipline problems
 Chronic social/emotional concerns
 Chronic absenteeism/tardies
 Environmental concerns
Triangular Data – PST Referral
Classroom Data and at least Two
Standardized Tests
DIBELS
SAT
ARMT
ClassWorks
AHSGE
Common Assessments
Formative Assessments
What are they?
When should we use them?
How should we use them?
What are formative assessments?
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Formative assessments are the different ways that
we assess daily whether or not a student is
progressing in his/her learning
Formative assessments are not assessments of
learning, they are assessments for learning.
What Formative Assessments Are Not
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They are not graded assignments
They are not conducted after a unit or chapter of
learning
They are not used to see how much learning has
taken place
What is the purpose of formative
assessments?
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They serve as practice for the students
They check for students’ understanding
They guide a teacher’s decision making about
future instruction
They provide feedback to students so they can
improve their performance
They help teachers’ differentiated instruction
National Forum of Assessment
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Assessment systems should include opportunities for both group work
and individual work
Teachers can monitor group work to check for problems or
misconceptions which can be addressed immediately
Teachers can monitor individual work to pinpoint the specific needs of
each student
The opportunity to work with others before working individually can
lead students toward mastery
When you evaluate an individual student’s work, it doesn’t always have
to be graded, but some feedback must be given
What to do After Formative
Assessments Have Been Given
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Both teachers and students use assessments as
sources of information
Assessments must be followed by explicit corrective
instruction
Give students second chances to demonstrate
success
Tiering after Assessing
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Give corrective feedback to those who did not master the
concept/skill
The corrective feedback and additional instruction needs to
be presented in a new way, and students need to engage in
different learning experiences that are appropriate for
them
Give enrichment activities to those who did master the skill
Fair is not always equal; fair is getting what you need
Examples of Formative Assessments
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Summaries
Reflections
Lists, Charts, and Graphic Organizers
Visual Representation of Information
Discussions
Collaborative Activities
Exit Cards
Progress Monitoring
Reading
Fluency:
Fluency
Passages
Reading
Comprehension:
Maze or Cloze
Passages
Word Decoding:
Word Probes
(Fry List, etc.)
Data
Sources
Phonological
Processing: Nonsense
Word Fluency or
Phoneme
Segmentation
Core
Instructional
Program
Assessments
Math
Computation:
Computation
Probes
Behavior:
Behavior Contract,
Recording Form,
or Report Card
Math Concept
Application:
Applications
Probes
Easily Generate
Probes at
www.intervention
central.org
Steps Taken by EHS to Begin the PST
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Grade level meetings/elementary and planning
periods/secondary– PowerPoint was used to
explain components of RTI.
Teachers were trained in eduTrax.
Forms were developed to document Tier II and Tier
III instruction, mid-point check, anecdotal notes, and
referral plan.
Monthly meetings/elementary and 9-week
meetings/secondary were scheduled for PST.
Steps Taken… Continued
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Monthly grade level meetings/elementary were
scheduled beginning in January to assess data for
Tier II instruction in math.
Formative assessment PowerPoint was designed by
reading coach and disseminated to K-12 faculty.
Formative assessment occurs daily and is used for
flexible grouping in elementary and secondary.
Teachers’ lesson plans show skills being taught to
each group level.
Steps Taken… Continued
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Secondary – Lesson Plans – Targeted planning for
Reading and Math Skills and Small groups at least
two times/week in English and Math classes.
Secondary – Identifying Student Tiers (Benchmark,
Strategic, and Intensive).
CARE Program – No Zeroes – Requires students to
complete assignments.
Reading Skills in secondary science and social
studies classes.
Time Allotments - Elementary
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Elementary – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
grade level teachers have 80 minutes common
planning.
Monday and Friday – teachers have 40 minutes
common planning.
Monday and Friday – 40 minutes math intervention
K-6. Small group instruction with flexible grouping
for math intervention.
Monday – Friday – 60 minutes for math. Teachers
have whole group and small group instruction.
Elementary and Secondary teachers meet monthly
with the PST team.
Time Allotments – Elementary Continued
Reading block – 90 minutes, teachers have
whole group instruction as well as small group.
 Reading skills are incorporated across the
curriculum.
 Reading Coach works primarily with K-3.
However, the coaching cycle has been used in
upper elementary as well as some secondary
classes.
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Professional Development - RTI
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Differentiated Instruction
Pearson Training
NAEP Training – 4th grade
Coaching Cycle
eduTrax Training
ClassWorks Training
PST – Elkmont High School Problem Solving Team
Helping ALL students succeed!