If things work as expected, an unfunded mandate may help school administrators and teachers improve student performance and lower the drop out rate.
Using an unfunded monitoring program called “scientific research based interventions” (SRBI) will allow the school system to identify students that need extra help to get over hurdles early, before they fall through the cracks.
In some cases the process might identify a child who just needs an extra push where he or she otherwise would have been sent to special education.
The program is already in effect in the Seymour school system with great success, according to Superintendent of Schools MaryAnne Mascolo.
While she isn’t fond of the unfunded part, she said mandates such as this and No Child Left Behind do help force communities to do the right thing for the students.
“If you continue to let a problem smolder, it just gets bigger and bigger,” Mascolo said.
The program establishes a three tier system for identifying and evaluating the progress of students.
Those found to be struggling are moved from Tier 1 to Tier 2, where they receive some extra help in the areas they are struggling with.
If a child still shows no or very limited improvement, they are bumped to Tier 3.
The process uses testing and developmental analysis to help evaluate the student. Each tier represents a different degree of specialized instruction on problem areas with Tier 1 encompassing all students.
Director of Special Education Nancy Snopkowski gave a presentation recently to the Board of Education on the SRBI process, emphasizing that the evaluations are done along data driven guidelines. Developmental psychologists are used to help determine the nature of a child’s slowed progress.
“Not every child develops at the same rate or at the same time,” Mascolo said.
Currently the school system is only focusing on language arts with the SRBI program. Two positions were created to aid the program, which are covered at least in part by a one-time grant.
Three new positions are being proposed for next year when mathematics are added to the SRBI program. At that point all of the positions added for the program will likely have to be funded by the district itself.
Mascolo said the program should help curb the drop-out rate by helping students get the help they need early on. Seymour’s drop out rate is as high as 10.5 percent, though school administrators say that number is slightly skewed by an overall low population in the school system. The state average is a little below 7 percent.
“If we can get the students to where they are wanting to learn to read, we can decrease the drop out rate,” Mascolo said.
