Newell Elementary has taken on the first year of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) this year, coupling that with a new system of assessing students at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Utilizing the data from the assessment process allows us to individualize needed interventions for students. We now see the benefits of the teachers' and paraprofessionals' hard work.
MTSS typically consists of three tiers when completely implemented. Newell Elementary has focused on Tier 1 by focusing on explicit instruction. This tier provides support to all students within the general education classroom. Newell’s Tier 1 literacy instruction has been strengthened through the implementation of research-based approaches to phonemic awareness, phonics, and advanced word study. Teachers have integrated systematic and explicit instruction in these foundational areas of literacy, ensuring a comprehensive and structured approach across grade levels. Phonemic awareness instruction and practice have been embedded within daily lessons in kindergarten and first grade. Phonics and word study routines have also been incorporated daily for a minimum of 30 minutes, following a sequential structure that builds on previously taught skills. Students in the intermediate elementary classrooms are learning to break apart multisyllabic words through syllabication and morphology. This overall structured approach, utilizing the 95% Core Phonics program, has provided all students with the foundational skills necessary for reading success.
To support engagement and mastery, teachers have been trained to incorporate explicit instruction methods, including opportunities for students to actively respond, paired with frequent checks for understanding with specific feedback. This ensures that students remain actively involved in the learning process, reinforcing key concepts and increasing retention. Additionally, an explicit instruction vocabulary routine has been taught, and discussions have occurred regarding how to incorporate it into the existing Wonders curriculum, to enhance students' word knowledge and comprehension, with strategies designed to integrate new vocabulary in meaningful contexts.
A key achievement in Year 1 has been the training in and use of universal screening data to inform and refine Tier 1 instruction. This screening data comes from both the Science of Reading curriculum implemented this year (The 95% curriculum) and FastBridge, which is the comprehensive assessment tool used by Newell educators to monitor student progress in both reading and math. By analyzing data from both screenings, the staff has been trained to identify trends and areas for improvement, allowing them to tailor instructional practices more effectively. This data-driven approach has led to targeted adjustments in how they teach foundational literacy skills, ensuring that the Tier 1 instruction is as responsive as possible to student needs.
After this last assessment cycle for the 2024-2025 school year, we were able to analyze data to determine progress and pinpoint areas of intervention going into the 2025-2026 school year. When reviewing the data, we can see that the FastBridge assessment compares students in the school district as well as on a national level. The following are our assessment results:
· The kindergarten tested 13 out of 19 at or above proficient in reading, and is ending the school year at 84% proficiency for math.
· First grade, 13 of 19 tested at or above proficient for Newell in reading, and 69% proficiency in math.
· Second grade ended with 90% proficiency in math and 79% at or above proficiency in reading.
· Seventy-one percent proficiency in reading, and 7 out of 13 students scored proficient in math for the third grade.
· Fourth-grade students are 78% proficient or above in reading and 79% in math.
· Seventy-three percent are proficient or above in reading and 54% in fifth-grade math.
As we move forward with MTSS, we will use tools to pinpoint academic skill gaps with students and provide targeted interventions to expand academic growth. The staff at the Newell School District is excited to see the progress made in year one of our MTSS implementation and is looking forward to continued growth for the students in the upcoming year.