FIRST GRADE ENTRY PROCEDURES

In June, Kindergarten classroom teachers compile a list of all students who they feel might experience difficulty learning to read in first grade.  Accompanying this list is an individualized checklist for each child evaluating reading readiness skills.  This data is retained by the reading specialist until the Fall.

In September of the following school year, first grade teachers are asked to observe students closely in order to compile similar data of all first grade students who they feel are experiencing difficulty in reading.  This data is given to the reading specialist at the end of the first two weeks of school to be cross-referenced with the kindergarten information that was retained from the previous June.

Each student is individually screened with DIBELS Rapid Letter Name, DIBELS Phoneme Segmentation, a Dictation Test, Oral Reading Fluency Test, Pseudo-word Assessment and Word Recognition Test.  Non public students who qualify are assessed by the non public school they attend.  These services are offered via an agreement with the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit 3.   

Eligibility for the program is determined from the results of a weighted scale which consists of multiple criteria: 

1. Points from the initial screenings
2. Kindergarten teacher or First grade recommendation
3. Teacher evaluation 

Classes are established based on the students with the greatest need (or lowest total points) on the weighted scale.

SELECTION OF STUDENTS IN OTHER GRADES

Grade two students are recommended for screening by the first and second grade teachers.   These students are then screened individually using an informal reading inventory (IRI).  A weighted scale is established using the following criteria: points for IRI test scores, including fluency and comprehension, sight  pseudo words, Harcourt placement test, recommendations by either first and second grade teachers, and teacher evaluation.

Selection is made on a greatest need basis.

To establish a rank order in Grade 3, points are computed by teacher evaluation, and informal reading inventory for fluency and comprehension, pseudo words, and Harcourt placement test.  Students recommendation and evaluations from second or third grade classroom teachers are also included in the weighted scale to determine students eligible for the program based on greatest need.