Mrs Dara Kline   Instructional Support Teacher

Instructional Support

Owen J. Roberts Instructional Support Teams
The Owen J. Roberts School District is committed to the Instructional Support Team (IST) Process as a collaborative team effort to facilitate success for all students.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Instructional Support Team Process is to identify the learning needs of students experiencing school difficulties or who are at risk of failure and to provide them with academic, emotional, and/or behavior support needed to succeed in school.

What is the Instructional Support Process?
Instructional Support is a process to maximize individual student success, while at the same time serving as a screening process for students who may be in need of specialized education services. Instructional Support is a positive, success-oriented program which uses specific assessment and intervention techniques to help remove educational or behavioral stumbling blocks for all students in the regular classroom.  The process consists of a team working together to identify the student’s needs, set goals, and develop an intervention plan to achieve those goals.  Administrators, faculty, and parents are all members of the Instructional Support Team. An Instructional Support Teacher is assigned to each elementary school and the middle school.

What is the Function of the Instructional Support Teacher?
The Support Teacher provides informal collaborative support to parents, teachers, and students.  Once a formal “Request for Instructional Support Team Collaboration” has been made, the Support Teacher works with the referring teacher, parents, and student to implement the process.  Duties may include:

• data collection and maintenance of records
• curriculum-based assessments
• perform classroom observations
• conduct interviews with parents, teachers, and students
• establish meeting schedules
• assist the Team in identifying concerns and goals
• monitor the intervention plan
• coordinate efforts of teachers, parents, and outside agencies
• model strategies for students, teachers, or parents
• coordinate referrals for available services

Procedure for Referral and Screening for Instructional Support
Any professional staff member or parent may ask for assistance from the Instructional Support Team. Parent requests for assistance should be directed to the classroom teacher and/or Instructional Support Teacher. Completed forms are given to the principal.

During the first 20 school days:

• a request is made to the IST
• parent notified of referral by classroom teacher
• interviews are conducted with parents, teachers, and student
• data is collected
• parent/teacher input is used to prioritize problems
• potential goals(s) are identified

During the next 30 school days:

• the intervention meeting is held
• final goal(s) is/are established
• an intervention plan is written
• strategies are implemented
• success in monitored

During the last 10 school days:

• the progress review meeting is held
• progress is evaluated
• outcome recommendations are made

NOTE: If IST interventions have produced little or no improvement within 60 school days after their initiation, the student shall be referred for a Multidisciplinary Evaluation (MDE). Additionally, the Team may at any time during the 60-day intervention period refer the child to MDE.

What Are the Benefits of Instructional Support?

• Identifies students in need of academic, emotional and/or behavioral support.
• Identifies students at risk of failure through a variety of screening methods and referral procedures.
• Provides initial and timely assistance to teachers, students, and parents.
• Uses a team approach that always encourages parent participation.
• Systematically searches to identify and prioritize problems as well as strategies to assist students.
• Monitors the progress of the student.
• Evaluates progress and determines recommendations.