Bracker Elementary Profile
Details
Where: Nogales, Arizona
Type: Suburban
District: Nogales School District
Grade Level: K-5
Demographics: > 95% Hispanic
> 95% Limited English Proficient
73% Free or Reduced-Price Lunch
(School Report Card, data from 2005-06 school year)
Contact: Michelle Olguin, Principal
——————————————————————————–
Highlights
Just this side of the border with Mexico, Bracker uses a structured English immersion approach with its population of English learners. Highlights of their approach include:
- Reading First program, fully implemented
- Three-tiered model of progress monitoring and intervention: benchmark, strategic, and intensive
- More frequent progress monitoring for students most at-risk
- All staff used to provide small-group instruction, with the smallest group sizes for students with the greatest need
- Research-based targeted support programs in reading, for both intervention and acceleration
- Emphasis on student engagement and instructional support
——————————————————————————–
Summary of Approach
Practices covered:
- Screen and Monitor Progress
- Provide Reading Interventions
As a Reading First school, Bracker uses a three-tiered model of assessment and intervention: benchmark, on grade level; strategic, needing differentiated intervention; and intensive, needing more intensive intervention.
At the beginning of the school year, Bracker staff use data from the state test, selected assessments, core reading pretests and classroom assessments to group students based on instructional needs. For the students who are at the intensive and strategic levels, they may do additional diagnostic assessments.
Interventions use additional support packages from the core reading program and also supplementary materials appropriate to a grade level or area of need.
Staff are also used strategically to reduce group size. An intervention team goes to each grade level in turn so that staff available to teach reading include not only the classroom teachers but also the Title I reading specialists, instructional assistants, and the library clerk. Group size depends on level, with the benchmark groups the largest, and intensive groups as small as possible, perhaps two or three students.
The two teachers at each grade level plan together often. In addition, once every month the entire intervention team reviews progress monitoring data and decides upon changes in grouping, instructional strategies, or assignment of staff to groups.
Download further details | WORD | 132 KB
——————————————————————————–
Achievement Data
- Spotlight on Success school, May 2005 (AZ DOE)
- Has progressed from Performing, to Performing Plus, to High Performing in the state accountability system.
- Made AYP every year since 2002 (Arizona Department of Education, data from 2006-07 AYP Report)