River Vale Schools Basic Skills Program

The Basic Skills program is designed to address the needs of students who are experiencing difficulty in the areas of reading, writing, or mathematics. Basic Skills assistance is focused on the child's individual area(s) of need and is directly linked to the district's curriculum. Assistance may be provided within or outside the classroom setting.

The goal of this program is for students to eventually be able to function without outside intervention.

Entrance and Exit Criteria for Basic Skills

Reading

• Kindergarten: Teachers use the kindergarten visitation assessment, the standard kindergarten assessment given in the fall, and classroom performance to choose candidates. The program begins in November when kindergarteners attend all day. The classroom teacher will notify the parents of newly identified students before the parent permission letter is sent.
  
  Exit is based on the spring standard assessment and/or the Test of Phonological Awareness (TOPA) for kindergarten as well as teacher recommendations.
  
• First grade entrance is based on teacher recommendations, observations by the basic skills teacher in class, and a Test of Phonological Awareness (TOPA) for early elementary students. The classroom teacher will notify the parents of newly identified students before the parent permission letter is sent.
  
  Exit is based on two teacher recommendations and/or scoring above the 50th percentile on all subtests of the Gates MacGinitie reading test given midyear or in June. Teachers are also asked to rate students on a 1-4 system which is included.
  
• Second, third, fourth and fifth grades: Entrance is based on two teacher recommendations, their scores on the Gates Mac Ginitie reading test and/or the Terra Nova or ESPA which fall below 50% tile or proficiency levels in one category, and a teacher rating scale discussed above. The classroom teacher will notify the parents of newly identified students before the parent permission letter is sent. . Exit is based on two teacher recommendations, being above the 50% tile on the Gates and Terra Nova or ESPA tests, when given, and improvement on the rating scale.

Writing (all grades)

Entrance is based on teacher recommendation, testing scores on the Terra Nova and/or ESPA of below 50% tile, a writing sample given in the fall (examples follow), and class observations by BSI teachers. The classroom teacher will notify the parents of newly identified students before the parent permission letter is sent.

Exit is based on district testing, if applicable, teacher recommendation, and an end of year writing sample.

Math (all grades)

Entrance is based on teacher recommendation, testing scores on the Terra Nova or ESPA of below 50 % tile, and an end of book test from the previous year (Math text). The classroom teacher will notify the parents of newly identified students before the parent permission letter is sent.