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Middle school outlines NWEA-driven instructional plan, AOT and MTSS steps to boost individual growth
Summary
Williamston Middle School overviewed a multi-step plan using NWEA assessments, PLCs, targeted AOT sessions, labs and MTSS to identify students not meeting projected growth and provide differentiated supports.
Williamston Middle School administrators presented an education update on May 19 detailing a data-driven instructional process using NWEA benchmark assessments, professional learning communities (PLCs), targeted small-group interventions (AOT) and a revamped MTSS process to help students reach individualized growth targets by June 2026.
Administrators said teachers analyze NWEA results three times a year (fall, winter, spring) using the Achievement Status and Growth report to identify which students met projected growth. Teachers then examine student profile reports to find subskill gaps and select differentiated instructional strategies (for example, annotated notes, intentional vocabulary instruction) in departmental and grade-level PLCs. Where classroom strategies alone are insufficient, students are assigned to targeted small-group instruction during AOT (Academic Opportunity Time), morning tutoring funded partly with 2-3g (23g) dollars and lit/math labs.
AOT occurs weekly (Thursdays between fifth and sixth hour); students sign up in advance for a teacher on their schedule and rotate to that AOT location. The program also includes SEL-focused sessions and “frozen AOT” twice a month for social-emotional learning. Administrators described AOT as intentional, pre-planned time where teachers prepare small-group lessons and students sign up in advance rather than drop-in support.
Administrators said they held two staff PD/data-dive sessions (November and February), engaged Jared from the ISD to support differentiated instruction, and meet monthly as a leadership team to align classroom observation, intervention results and PD planning. Spring NWEA testing was nearly complete at the time of the report; math data were mostly in and reading data were still being finalized.
Next steps include further examination of assessments for higher-order thinking and text-based responses, aligning instruction to identified skill sets (SCCs) across content areas, and continuing PD in August that builds on this year’s data work.
Board members praised the work and asked a few clarifying procedural questions; administrators said the work will continue and be refined for next year.
