Literacy and Intervention

In Franklin Special District we keep the vision of “excellence in teaching and learning for all” at the forefront of all decisions.  Meeting the varied needs of students is the most important task we have as educators. Throughout the year, teachers assess a wide variety of academic and behavioral skills to determine each student’s ability level and to ensure success is within reach. Teachers use flexible, tiered support in reading, language arts, math, and behavior. This means that students who excel will be challenged at higher levels, and students who need additional instruction, intervention, or support will receive that help based on their needs. This support may be provided by the student’s classroom teacher or by other qualified personnel in the building. Ongoing assessments are used to determine how well the interventions are working to meet the student’s needs.

Certain assessments meet the criteria of Tennessee’s “Say Dyslexia” initiative, requiring school districts to screen for characteristics that can be associated with dyslexia. Sometimes difficulties in reading can be attributed to these characteristics. When students struggle with foundational reading, dyslexia-specific interventions may be effective to address the skill deficit. Students requiring interventions in these areas do not necessarily have dyslexia but could benefit from this type of instructional support. Although the term ‘dyslexia’ may not have been used to describe these intervention needs previously, FSD has already been identifying these characteristics and providing appropriate intervention through our existing practices.

Sometimes, teachers need assistance from a team of teachers or other specialists at school to determine effective strategies for student success. This team, known as the Academic and Behavior Support Team (ABST), is in place to provide necessary support to teachers as they work to find the most appropriate interventions for students. On occasion, the ABST will suggest a change in strategy or may ask for a parent conference. When the Academic and Behavior Support Team meets to discuss a student’s progress, families will receive a confidential brief summary of that discussion. Families will always be notified of the support that they may provide at home to help the child reach his/her academic and behavioral goals.

Thank you for your continued support, and please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions regarding your child’s academic and behavioral progress throughout the year. We are committed to providing the best possible instruction for children and are excited to be able to partner with our families to ensure every student achieves success.

Definition of Dyslexia from the International Dyslexia Association: 
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

– Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov., 2002

FSD Dyslexia Guidance Team Members:
    •    Janetta Davenport, Ed.D., Assistant Principal

    •    Sarah Goode, Reading Interventionist

    •    Gina Looney, Ed.D., District Reading and RTI Coordinator

    •    Jennifer Marotta, Reading Coach

    •    Cheryl Robey,  Ed.D., Supervisor of Special Populations

    •    Shauna Sheehan, School Psychologist

    •    Chris Treadway, Ed.D., Principal


Resources

• What is Dyslexia Video?
• FSD Universal Reading Screening Flow Chart
• Tennessee’s Dyslexia Resource Guide
• FSD Dyslexia Screening Areas
• Dyslexia Myths and Truths
   

How Does FSD Address Tennessee’s Dyslexia Law?
Tennessee Public Chapter 1058 from 2016, the “Say Dyslexia” Bill, requires screening of dyslexia in order to provide appropriate interventions; however, it does not refer to the identification or diagnosis of dyslexia. Screening for characteristics of dyslexia is a proactive way to address skill deficits through appropriate interventions. Screening results that reflect characteristics of dyslexia do not necessarily mean that a student has dyslexia nor can dyslexia be diagnosed through a screening alone. 

These survey-level or diagnostic assessments must explicitly measure characteristics of dyslexia, including phonological awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, rapid naming, and encoding skills. 

If it is determined that the student requires a dyslexia-specific intervention, the law requires schools to communicate information about the student’s performance and the need for intervention to parents. This correspondence should include specific areas of deficits associated with the characteristics of dyslexia. In addition, the law requires school personnel to identify in our Skyward program any students that are receiving dyslexia-specific interventions.

Supporting Students with Characteristics of Dyslexia?
The purpose of our screeners is not to label students as having dyslexia, but rather to determine the most appropriate reading interventions for students. Many students may display characteristics of dyslexia and require dyslexia-specific interventions, which are successful in addressing these deficit areas for students. Some students may display characteristics of dyslexia but require intensive dyslexia-specific interventions for many years. For the most struggling students, school teams will want to address this concern in ABST meetings. Some of the students who receive intense interventions and fail to respond appropriately may qualify for an IEP (SLD) or a 504 plan. 

The Academic and Behavior Support Teams (ABST) at each school are committed to identifying and addressing the needs of all students. All students are given reading, math, writing, and behavior screenings throughout the school year. These screenings are part of the Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtI2), which is a tiered instruction program used for all students. This multi-tiered approach allows us to efficiently address the academic and behavioral needs of students who may require additional support and/or other types of instruction or intervention. 

Sometimes difficulties in reading can be attributed to characteristics that are associated with dyslexia. When students struggle with foundational reading, dyslexia-specific interventions may be effective to address the skill deficit. Students requiring interventions in these areas do not necessarily have dyslexia but could benefit from this type of instructional support. Recommendations for accommodations, interventions, and specific programs will be developed, monitored, and communicated with you through ABST. Parents receive regular reports of their student's progress. 

Universal Reading Flow Chart (pdf)

 

The very popular Story Bus program is part of FSD’s community outreach program and is designed to foster a love for reading in children ages 3 through the 4th grade (younger if accompanied by an adult).  The operation of the Story Bus has been primarily during the summer with a staff composed of certified teachers and volunteers.

The Story Bus program concentrates on fostering a love of reading in young children, but the district hopes to be able to expand its focus on the academic needs of children through the eighth grade.

This summer outreach program is a previous winner of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) Magna Award.

2023 Story Bus Summer Schedule