Harlandale ISD reports early gains in first- and second-grade math, outlines RTI supports
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
RTI/Dyslexia coordinator Carrie Espinosa told the Harlandale ISD board Dec. 17 that first- and second-grade Renaissance STAR Math results show early progress toward a district goal to raise proficiency from 60% to 65%; staff outlined tiered RTI time, PLC data digs and targeted programs to support students.
Carrie Espinosa, Harlandale ISD's RTI and dyslexia coordinator, presented elementary math outcome targets and early assessment results to the board on Dec. 17, saying the district aims to raise first- and second-grade students scoring at or above grade level on Renaissance STAR Math from 60% to 65% by the end of the school year. "The percentage of first grade students achieving at or above grade level using Renaissance STAR Math will increase from 60 percent to 65 percent by the end of the school year," Espinosa told trustees.
Espinosa reviewed what the STAR Math universal screener measures'number and operations, algebraic reasoning, geometry and measurement, and data analysis/probability'and described how the adaptive assessment adjusts difficulty based on student responses. She presented campus-level bar graphs showing that first-grade English results were roughly halfway to the 65% goal while first-grade Spanish testing (206 students) had already exceeded the 65% target. For second grade she said the district average in English was about 44% (455 students tested) and Spanish was about 50% (207 tested), and characterized these early measures as leading indicators for future state assessment performance.
To close gaps the district emphasized tiered RTI supports. Espinosa described a 45-minute daily RTI block for small-group targeted instruction, frequent RTI committee reviews every nine weeks, professional learning community (PLC) "data digs" that align STAR data with unit assessments, on-site coaching, and professional development tied to programs such as Engaging Mathematics, Do the Math, Hands On, and Freckle (which integrates with Renaissance STAR). "We use strategies and materials that are different from those used in Tier 1," she said, explaining how targeted interventions are selected and monitored.
Trustees asked several implementation questions. Trustee Ortiz asked whether algebra and geometry concepts appear in early grades; Espinosa replied that foundational algebraic concepts (for example, missing-number items) and geometry ideas begin in kindergarten and that the STAR screener is computer-adaptive, which can present higher-level items when students demonstrate readiness. Trustee Martinez confirmed the screener is universal: "every student takes this assessment." Espinosa told the board that the RTI work and PLCs are intended to identify root causes of student struggle and to create action plans to support growth.
No board action was requested at the meeting; Espinosa asked trustees to continue prioritizing instructional quality, investment in intervention programs and professional learning. The district plans to use the STAR data from this fall as a midpoint check and to report progress as the school year continues.