I would create a Response to Intervention (RTI) plan for these students. This is a way to bring in parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators and set yearly goals for the students. This way everybody is involved and the student is aware of the goals that have been set without having to have an IEP or 504. The student also becomes aware of the extra work needed in order to get to the reading level that they should be at. Assigning the students a teacher mentor that meets with them briefly once per week to check for progress and report findings back to the team will help keep the student accountable. Mentors are preferably teachers who already teach the students in class and have easy access to progress and grades.

If students are being assessed by teacher assessments, I would differentiate the assessment to fit the need of the student. For example, if the student cannot read the questions, the student could write in their own words the key elements that are being asked within the test. Students could also receive an accommodated assessment based on their reading level, with the same questions, just written in simpler format. This would allow them to feel confident with their reading ability while also taking the assessment.

These students should be submitted for review to get accommodations put in place that will benefit them! If the students are successful with the oral directions, then they should have a plan that states that. The students may know the material but are not being successful because of the reading portion. This negatively affects their grade when it could be that they know the answers to the science questions they just can't read them. This should be dealt with quickly, as it seems there should have already been a plan put into place for them.

I would definitely see if these students could be pulled out by a differentiation coach or given 30 minutes a day in class to work independently on a reading program (computerized, so that the student could work at home) that would incorporate the student to advance from different levels. I would set goals each week in regards to sight words and assess weekly for progress.

Ms. Sands could give them a fluency test and see what their lexile score is. After she has figured out the lexile score, I would start taking them to the library and having them check out books on their level to build their vocabulary and comprehension. Once they have mastered those books she can move them on to the next level. This could be done during tutorial. She can write some comprehension questions for them to answer and have them participate in vocabulary activities to broaden their vocabulary. This should show growth with the student. While she is completing this , she could start progress monitoring to refer to the student to the SST process, if growth is not being shown.

Contact the parents of the students and inform them of the situation. Let them know that the students need more practice reading at home and assign some work that will help them.

The first thing would be to start the steps to get them tested for an IEP or 504 plan to receive these modifications on all assessments. Until then, the teacher could read the test to the class as a whole or ask for a paraprofessional or special education teacher to assist as much as possible.

It is a very easy process to get a 504 accommodation plan. The teacher needs to look into this quickly. You need this to be in place before standardized test take place.