If students make progress they can return to AcLab. “There will be a set of weeks for the student to be in intervention and if they make progress then they can stop intervention,” said Mrs. Hopkins.
STAR Scores Matter More than Ever
BY AMANDA MCKECHNIE
As students recently prepared to take our fall STAR testing, we were notified by our teachers that STAR testing for reading and math will affect us more this year. We were told we would be pulled out of AC Lab for intervention if we did poorly. The reason behind it all was unknown.
“This year we are using STAR to identify students in grades 9 and 10 in need of intervention in the areas of math and reading. Some students will be meeting with intervention teachers during AC Lab,” explains Mrs. Macomber.
Most students at CHS know that STAR scores are used to monitor the progress of students in math and reading. The recent change, however, is now students will be pulled out of AC Lab to receive an intervention. Teachers not chosen by the students will help “ramp up” students showing that they are falling behind in reading and/or math.
Mrs. Macomber stated, “We have been using STAR for several years in math. Last year was our first year testing students in reading. The only change this year has been adding intervention during AC Lab.”
“The school is doing this because it doesn’t want students to fall through the cracks,” said Mrs. Macomber.
The group that scheduled students for interventions was the Response to Intervention Team of the school. “Response Intervention is multi-tier approach to early identification and support and students who have learning and behavior needs.”
English and math teachers are trying to encourage students to understand that if we do poorly on the tests, it could affect more this year because of the recent policy change.
Students who feel like the STAR results don’t always represent them well should not worry too much. “Star is used as one indicator of student achievement. The RTI team will also look at other indicators such as grades and input from classroom teachers when deciding to provide interventions,” Mrs. Macomber said.
Students will get pulled out during AC Lab in Advisory and will possibly meet in the library. Other meeting places can be arranged too. Students will get notified by a teacher and the student and parents will get notified by guidance or administrators.
Mrs. Macomber added, “If a student scores well nothing will change for them. The tests are just designed to see how a student is doing.”
“STAR is another measuring tool to measure a student’s progress through the years. Also, it helps to track students progress to place them in correct classes or if they need extra help,” Mrs. Hopkins from the English Department said.
“The students in Literacy are already receiving an intervention so they won’t be called down for AC Lab,” said Mrs. Hopkins.
Intervention should not make a student mad at themselves but should be seen as an opportunity to get help and get better at a subject they struggle with. Intervention is a way of teachers guiding checking on their progress more closely and how they can help.
If students make progress they can return to AcLab. “There will be a set of weeks for the student to be in intervention and if they make progress then they can stop intervention,” said Mrs. Hopkins.
The policy changes happening with STAR seem like a lot, but STAR is just a test to see if we are improving at the right rate. This just shows the school leaders and teachers have help to offer and the school has more supports for students too.
“Aside from supports during the Academic Lab period, the school also offers ELA and Math support after school in Success Academy. On Mondays and Wednesdays, students can stay after school from 2:00-4:00 to receive extra help from Math and ELA teachers. This takes place in the Green Room. All students are welcome,” Mrs. Macomer said.
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