Sample Case Management Plan for Third Graders Who Have Scored at
    Level 1 in Reading on the FCAT
     
    The progress for third graders who scored Level 1 in reading on the FCAT must be considered
    individually. Similarly, each family will have unique concerns and differing options for
    participating in their child’s education. A case management team should consider all current
    information about the student to determine a proper course of action. Following is an eight-step
    recommended plan of action.
     
    1. A member of the school staff meets with the family to
    :
    explain the implications of the Level 1 score,
    share information about the individual child, such as information about the child’s mean
    score and current progress,
    discuss whether the child may qualify for a good cause exemption,
    provide an overview of intensive instruction that has already been provided to the child, if
    any,
    provide an outline of appropriate options for re-assessment, given the child’s recent progress,
    and information about intensive instruction and how it is expected to meet the child’s
    individual needs,
    listen to the concerns of the family to learn from the family about the child’s needs and to
    work with the family to solve problems,
    assure the family that the child will be treated as an individual,
    ask the family if they would like the child’s teacher or another member of the school staff to
    talk to the child about the FCAT score, the child’s individual progress, intensive instruction,
    and potential retention, and
    provide the family with a copy of “Critical Information for Third Grade Parents” or direct the
    family to the electronic version at www.JustReadFlorida.com (click on “Read to Learn”).
     
    See the document “Tips for talking to Families of Third Graders who have scored Level 1 in
    Reading on the FCAT” (attached)
     
    2. If the family wishes, the teacher or other member of the school staff talks to the child
    about the FCAT score, the child’s individual progress, intensive instruction, and potential
    retention.
    See the document “Tips for talking to Third Graders who have scored Level 1 in Reading on
    the FCAT” (attached)
     
     
    3. The student’s specific areas of reading deficiency are diagnosed using all available
    information including the FCAT report, teacher observation, and other diagnostic
    instruments (if this has not already been done). A list of diagnostic instruments that can
    help teams identify specific reading deficiencies may be retrieved by clicking the “Third
    Grade Progression” button at www.fldoe.org.
     
     
    4.The student’s academic improvement plan (or individual educational plan, for students
    with disabilities) is amended to identify the following, if it has not been amended already:
    specific areas of deficiency in the five areas of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics,
    fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary),

    desired levels of performance in these five areas, and
    intensive teaching strategies that will be used to help the student reach the desired levels of
    performance.
     
    5. The family, who is part of the AIP or IEP team, is informed at the team meeting about
    the student’s specific areas of deficiency, desired levels of performance, intensive teaching
    strategies that will be used, and plan for re-assessment and reporting of the student’s
    progress.
     
    6. Once the team thinks that the child has surpassed the minimum required reading level,
    the student’s reading skills are re-assessed, using either the SAT-9 or a student portfolio.
    Below are some questions that may help teams plan for the individual progress of each
    student.
     
     
    Does the team have evidence that the Level 1 FCAT score does not reflect the student’s
    actual reading level, because the student had a “bad test day” or for another reason?
    Yes. Then, the team may decide to try to qualify the student for a good cause exemption
    immediately. The student may be given the SAT-9 or the teacher may put together a
    portfolio. If the student demonstrates the required reading level, the student may be
    promoted.
     
     
    Does the team have evidence that the student continues to need intensive instruction?
    Yes. Then, the student will participate in intensive instruction during the summer (summer
    reading camp). The team will monitor the student’s progress. A web-based reporting system
    for the Summer Reading Camps is available at http://osi.fsu.edu/ReadingCamps, for the
    purpose of communicating to the Department of Education your district plan and progress,
    and it serves as an information resource to all stakeholders.
     
     
    Does the team have evidence by the end of the summer that the student has reached the
    required reading level?
    Yes. The team may then decide to try to qualify the student for a good cause exemption. The
    student may be given the SAT-9 or the teacher may put together a portfolio. If the student
    demonstrates the required reading level before the start of the next school year, the student
    may be promoted.
     
    Does the team have evidence by the end of the summer that the student has not yet
    reached the required reading level?
    Yes. The student is then retained in third grade and intensive instruction continues (options
    also include a “pre-fourth-grade class” or a third/fourth grade combination class designed to
    help students catch up in reading while not letting them fall behind in other subjects). The
    team continues to monitor the student’s progress. When the team believes that the student has
    reached the required reading level, the student may be given the SAT-9 or the teacher may
    put together a portfolio. If the student demonstrates the required reading level during the next
    school year, the student may be moved to the fourth grade at that time.
     
    7. At any point in the process, if the student is re-assessed and does not demonstrate
    grade-level reading skills, remediation continues.
     
    8. Parents are kept informed of progress during this period of intensive instruction.
     
    Student Progress May Be Re-assessed through One of the Following Methods:
    The student may be given the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Ninth Edition (SAT-9) Form
    S, Primary 3 Reading Comprehension subtest. The student must score at least in the 51st

    percentile to qualify for a good cause exemption. The SAT-9 may be administered only once
    to each student.
    The teacher may put together a portfolio of the student’s work to document that the student
    has grade-level reading skills.
     

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