Our teachers are expected to follow all protocols for administering this test with one exception. Our teachers are allowed to continue the test when fluency falls in the second gray range IF and only IF the holistic score for fluency falls into the third range. Students are not reported as proficient if they cannot meet the rate BUT we use multiple measures, so kiddos who are successful readers but simply a bit slow come out showing their strengths in other measures. We have established testing ceilings, as we too saw the push. Faulty towers. In terms of special needs students, we see the same issues you see and have addressed it very simply. If the there is not a specific accommodations listed in the IEP. If it is not listed, then the child is expected to take the same assessment everyone else does. Some of the modifications I have seen are: Able to pre-read text. Sometimes the timing is waved for children with processing issues. Sometimes the modification is for dictation. No matter what, there will be some who do not follow protocols, but we are getting better.
Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 5755 ----- Original message ----- From: Sandy Stevens <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, April 02, 2009 2:48 PM Subject: [MOSAIC] DRA > I am a Title 1 teacher in a small rural school. I have been asked to do a > training for staff on administering the DRA. As I am exploring the needs > and the practices in my school, I am now hesitant to do this. But then > again, I guess that is why it was recognized that there is a need for this > kind of training. > > There are great inconsistencies in how teachers are administering the DRA. > Teachers have admitted to prompting kids and many say they "push" the > kids as far as they feel they can go. On occasions when I do the DRA's, I > find the levels I get are much lower than what the teachers get. Many > times as much as 3 or 4 levels lower. We even have several 1st graders > who are supposdly at level 30. > > Some teachers are doing great. But others are not doing the comprehension > piece and, to top it off, some teachers are doing the older version of > DRA(which does not account for fluency)and a few are doing the DRA2. As I > am exploring the DRA 2, I see that there is a big difference between the > two. > > When I go to IEP referral meetings, I often notice that there is a > difference between the reading levels that I test kids at and the levels > that classroom teachers test at. Also, many 2nd grade teachers have > expressed that the kids coming in the fall are at much lower levels than > the 1st grade teachers have documented that they are at, even taking into > consideration the loss during the sumer break. > > I have a great rapport with all the teachers here. But even with that, I > try not to express my opinion unless asked. I have previously worked in a > school where teachers were very resentful to have anyone outside their > classroom give suggestions, so I try to not advise unless asked. > > A big part of the problem is that there has never been any training of the > DRA, formal or otherwise. The previous administrators bought the kits and > just expected teachers to figure it out. I believe they are trying to do > their best. > > I am not a trained reading coach and I am not a reading specialist, > though my Master's is in reading. And while I want to help, I think they > need someone from the DRA company to come and do a training. But you know > how it is, money is tight and budgets are continually cut. > > Any suggestions would be appreciated. > > Thanks. > > Sandy in WI > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
