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District 128 reports MTSS progress; joint committee recommends classroom interventionists and daytime support
Summary
District 128 administrators reported Feb. 24 that first-semester student grades held steady after placement and curriculum changes and that a joint committee recommended shifting some intervention resources into the school day, adding interventionist positions and expanding executive-function coaching.
District 128 administrators reported Feb. 24 on the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), describing first-semester outcomes after curriculum and placement changes and outlining committee recommendations for intervention staffing and delivery.
District presenters said the MTSS effort is a framework "for organizing schools for continuous improvement that is meant to be systemic, sustainable, and data informed." Administrators reported that after implementing heterogeneous ninth-grade college-prep courses and placement changes tied to the district’s APA process, the grade distributions for ninth graders and upperclassmen were “nearly identical” to the previous year. The presentation concluded that the worst-case scenarios discussed last year did not materialize first semester, and most ninth graders remained in the courses they had chosen.
A joint committee composed of ESP union representatives, teacher union representatives, and building and district administration met weekly in January and February to assess the district’s academic intervention model and propose design changes. The committee recommended several themes the administration is still developing with union leadership:
- Expand math supports at Tier 1 through increased ESP presence and drop-in supports, since the committee identified math as the most frequent area students seek help. - Create interventionist positions within the English, math and science departments, with interventionists carrying caseloads to design differentiated lessons and reteaching activities during the school day (rather than before-school or in limited-time slots) so students are available to receive supports without transportation or circadian-rhythm barriers. - Increase classroom TA utilization to support teacher delivery and student learning. - Continue executive-function coaching ESP positions, which the committee said have demonstrated success at both high schools. - At Tier 3, co-locate literacy and numeracy interventions to reduce student travel time across buildings and improve delivery efficiency.
Administrators emphasized that no final staffing decisions have been made. The transcript records that final recommendations will be presented to the board as part of the district staffing plan in March. Administrators also described the ongoing culture shift to data-informed decision-making through “lunch and learns,” LST meetings, institute days (including edX) and department meetings.
Clarifying details noted in the presentation: the joint committee met weekly in January and February; interventionist roles were described as having caseloads and designing differentiated lessons; executive-function coaching is an ESP position the district proposes to continue; final staffing plans will return to the board in March for approval as part of the staffing process.
