Dear Parents and Guardians,
In March of 2023, the West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 3035 also known as the Third Grade Success Act. The focus of this bill was to ensure students are on track for success academically. One portion of the Third Grade Success Act mandates that schools administer reading and mathematics benchmark assessments to all students in grades K-3. In Berkeley County, we have chosen to also administer these assessments with students in grades 4 & 5. The purpose of benchmarking is to determine students that show deficiencies in either reading and/or math and then to provide supports students need to achieve proficiency. The assessment that Berkeley County has selected is called i-Ready.
In Berkeley County Schools (BCS), we utilize the West Virginia Tiered Systems of Support (WVTSS), a 3-tiered problem-solving approach to identify and support students who are not experiencing success with academics, behavior, and/or mental health. Students in grades K-5 will be identified for academic support via i-Ready and teacher input. Behavior and mental health support are determined with other documentation. Students not meeting BCS standards necessary for success will be given 2 levels of support beyond core instruction. WVTSS has been identified as best practice in education and fulfills federal and state legal requirements for meeting the needs of ALL students.
At Tier 1 (i.e., core instruction), the classroom teacher uses the core curriculum and school-wide positive behavior supports for all students, including strategies to support students with varying skill levels. Research has shown that at least 80% of students can be successful with the general education classroom approach and curriculum.
At Tier 2, core instruction and school-wide positive behavior supports are supplemented with additional small-group interventions for students that are not meeting grade-level expectations at Tier I. In BCS, students are provided additional instruction in their area(s) of need. Parents will be notified in writing and proposed interventions and support strategies will be described.
At Tier 3, a small percentage of students who do not benefit from Tier 2 are provided with more individualized and more focused interventions. At each tier, students are progress monitored on a schedule determined by the student’s need. At Tier 1, all students’ basic skills are monitored three times per year. At Tier 2 and Tier 3, students/skills are monitored more frequently. Parents will have access to ongoing progress monitoring data to ensure awareness of student progress.
We take our responsibility very seriously to ensure the success of ALL students. The West Virginia Tiered System of Support, along with the Third Grade Success Act, will allow us to support each student efficiently and more effectively. The goal of WVTSS is to close achievement gaps and ensure all students are successful in Tier 1.
Sincerely,
Craig Arch, Ed.D.
