Update on Dyslexia Discussions/Special Education parent Satisfaction Survey

Natick Public Schools

​

​

​

​

Dyslexia Listening Sessions

Dr. Nolin, Mr. Luff, and members of the school committee met with parents from each school to hear their feedback and stories regarding the implementation of instruction for students who may have dyslexia, or who may need a multisensory structured approach to reading instruction.

​

These sessions allowed us to understand the perspective of the parents and to integrate their feedback into our goals around the dyslexia guidance this year.

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Listening Session Feedback

Patterns

​

• “Wait and See” related to student reading issues is too common
• Lack of general ed teacher training
• Parents know something is wrong but they can’t figure it out.
• Teachers know something wrong but they don’t define it-“afraid to say dyslexia”
• Parents with lower means or lack of understanding of process--don’t have access to advocates, private tutoring, outside evaluations
• “They just need to Try Harder” “They are smart, and can do the work” --common language among teachers
• Lack of confidence grows as we are late to address needs
• Screening not acted upon with appropriate Intervention early enough. Appropriate intervention, like Wilson happens too late. By the time they get to the “reading to learn” piece...gap grows exponentially and impacts mental health and engagement.

​

​

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Listening Session Feedback

Patterns, Continued

​

• Automaticity of decoding not being addressed in screening, kids being missed
• Differences in outside testing versus school testing
• Testing being denied in some circumstances
• Parents having to ask, teachers not the ones who are identifying and communicating.
• Lack of communication to parents--too vague no clarity
• “Since Preschool/K I knew something was off” --Very common part of story
• Progress reporting for special education---Not good this year.
• WIN Block not going to cover services in MS--NO flexibility in schedule
• KEIP, FEIP, Title 1 don’t address specific needs for students with dyslexia
• A lot of comments--teachers telling parents to get private testing

​

​

​

​

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Listening Session Feedback

Patterns, Continued.

​

• Teachers saying kids “would never qualify for services in Natick” - multiple elementary locations and teachers
• Parents shouldn’t be expected to know the science and interventions--the staff should know.
• Reading issues are just not taken seriously. Elementary- “they will grow out of it” ; MS- “they have the comprehension so it’s okay” OR “not trying hard enough”.
• Pacing of Wilson Language program is an issue
• Wilson does not go through the entire system. Does a student need to take it though 12th grade, why not in the 2 year span?
• Social Emotional well being of all students with disabilities being impacted

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Summary of Issues, Causes, and Possible Solutions

Issues at Pre-K-Elementary

​

PRE-K/ELEMENTARY

Problem: Students not being identified with Indicators of Dyslexia in Early Stages of Reading Development

Manifestation: Upon identification and appropriate intervention, it is too late. Students are too far behind to catch up and many realize social emotional difficulties due to their lack of reading progress.

Causes: Lack of Trained Staff, Screening Tools not being utilized in a timely manner to address skill deficits, General Education curriculum doesn’t address with fidelity these skill deficits, Interventions do not address these skill deficits. No scope and sequence identified to target interventions and appropriate times. No appropriate progress measures in place

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

PreK-4 Elementary Solutions

Solution: PrK-4 Screening, Identification, and Intervention Overhaul

• Scope and Sequence for curriculum to include instruction in dyslexia deficit areas
• Screening tools and timelines to be revamped to identify and intervene in Prk-2
• Intervention tools such as Wilson Reading to be incorporated as Tier 2 Intervention for students with indicators of Dyslexia
• Literacy Specialists to be trained in Wilson Reading System
• General Education Reading tutors trained in Wilson hired to implement with Fidelity
• Progress measures implemented as data special education eligibility-specifically to determine if student is eligible under Specific Learning Disability-Dyslexia
• Special Education focus will be continued and robust Wilson Reading System by Trained wilson certified educator/Tutor.

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Issues at MS/HS

MIDDLE SCHOOL/HS

Problem: Middle School /HS Students with special education needs around Dyslexia may not be receiving appropriate services with fidelity

Manifestation: Some students are not gaining ground in reading deficits and continue to be significantly behind grade level. Social Emotional skills are deteriorating as students feel inadequate in instructional space

Causes:

• Middle School Schedule is often a factor in the amount of services and time for delivery, rather than the IEP itself; I.E. Special Education Reading intervention only provided during WIN block, while other skills deficit areas need to be addressed during this time
• Special education teachers may not all appropriately trained in interventions nor the understanding of skills deficits and needs;

​

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Issues MS/HS Cont.

• Current use of Wilson Reading intervention is problematic for Middle and High School Level Students
• Does not allow for integration into the general education content
• Can not be implemented consistently and with fidelity in a middle school model
• Requires a sequence that does not allow for a teacher to go back to a skill deficit that may need to be addressed after mastered a first time
• Special Education Teachers have been focused on one specific content area and have become content teachers rather than specially designed instruction intervention specialists
• Given the content specialist areas, special education teachers have had too large a number of students(40+) to appropriately identify skill deficits, develop goals in these areas, teach to these skill deficits, and generalize those instructional strategies into the general education classroom setting.

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Solution MS/HS

Solutions:

• Middle School Special Educators will now be moving towards a smaller caseload of students(<15) across all content areas, who they will be the special education interventionist for. This will provide for a more in depth understanding of the student need, more appropriate goal development, focused specially designed intervention, and generalization of strategies into all content areas
• All Learning Center Special Educators at MS and some at HS will be trained to be Level 1 Certified Orton Gillingham Instructors in 2021-2022.
• This will allow for pull out instruction based on specific skill deficits identified, moving up and down the sequence as needed and individualized for the student.
• Program is set up to allow for strategies to be used in the general education content level classroom, including the utilization of current content based materials, allowing special education teachers to isolate skill struggles and implement research based strategies in the co-taught setting.
• Materials used can be core content, interest based upon developmental level, online using a program called “Max Scholar” which comes with the training.
• Progress monitoring tools built into “Max Scholar” allowing for better progress monitoring, reporting, and future goal development

​

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

MS/HS Solution Continued

• TO DO::
• Save the Date: Orton Gillingham Training to occur on SEPTEMBER 9 for 9-3
• 3 School Year 2 Hour follow ups to be scheduled
• Please send me names of LC Special Educators for me to sign up
• If we have space, Elementary Lit Specialists? Other elementary Special Educators?
• Reading Specialist focused on Middle School/HS to be hired for school year 21-22
• Specialist long term goal will be to train and coach HS and Middle staff on Multi-Sensory sequential approaches to reading instruction
• Short term will also fill gaps in reading instruction
• Short Term Solution during OG training: Hire up to 4 Reading Tutors certified in Wilson or Orton Gillingham for school year 21-22
• Tutors will implement multisensory reading instruction during the school day/or outside of school hours, to ensure we are meeting IEP service delivery
• Evaluation regarding the continued need for these staff members will be determined in the Spring of 2022

​

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Action Plan: Will be Added to Strategic plan

Action Steps:

• Training for Literacy Specialists and Special Educators
• Level 1 Certification in OG for up to 20 Middle School/HS Learning Center Special Educators: Start Date--Sept. 22 through Max Scholar--Year long training
• Wilson 3 Day Overview training- 11 NPS Special Educators completed June 2021, additional staff trained throughout the year as needed, available. Since there has been turnover
• Wilson Level 1 Language Certification for 4 MS Teachers, additional Overview training already completed
• Elementary Special Educators continued Wilson Language Level One/Two Cert
• Hire Literacy Coach/Specialist Trained in Orton Gillingham Based Approach to Reading for Elementary and One for Middle and HS

​

​

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Action Plan:

• Scope and Sequence Development PreK-12--To be completed by Lit Specialists
• Resources for Response to Intervention identified, deployed, and communicated
• Specific Identifiable Progress Measures Identified/Developed/Deployed
• Budgeted and Hiring of Special Education Reading Tutors for Middle School
• Specific Learning Disability Criteria Review --Special Education Coordinators
• PrK-4 Training on Indicators of Dyslexia, inclusive of use of Language around student need--Opening Day Meetings/NILS
• Middle School Schedule Analysis and Proposal to add more opportunity for more intervention time
• Develop Tracking Method for all students who have indicators of Dyslexia:
• Warning signs, to RTI process, to Special Education Eligibility
• Team meetings to be scheduled with all families who shared concerns about Dyslexia and their student’s instructional approach

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Important Points in Conclusion

• Aligned K-12 scope and sequence for literacy including multisensory approaches to reading instruction

​

• Improved process for identifying students who are struggling with reading

​

• Trained staff for various multisensory reading interventions that are matched to the student’s need and grade level.

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Special Education Parent Satisfaction Surveys 2020-2021

Key Notes about Survey

• Scale is based on a 1-5 system in which 1 is Strongly Disagree, 2 is Disagree, 3 is Neutral, 4 is Agree, and 5 is Strongly Agree
• Survey is given to parents at the end of each annual review or re-evaluation meeting but never given twice if multiple meetings
• In past years we have had slightly more responses, roughly 400-500 in our greatest years, however, given the online IEP meeting the 375 responses is a good and valid response rate. This is a 42% response rate.
• The most recent survey, prior to this one, revealed satisfaction percentages of 90-94%.

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

375 Respondents; 42% Response Rate

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Grade Levels

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

School Reports

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Comprehensive Evaluation: 93.4%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Understanding Goals: 93.3%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Understanding Services: 95.6%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Understanding Progress: 92.1%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Respectfully Addressed: 96.5%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Valued Member of Team: 96.2%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Good Communication: 93.9%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Contact

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Strategies and Alignment: 94%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Transition: 92.5%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Overall Satisfaction: 92.7%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Service Proposal Satisfaction: 94%

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Comments-177 Positive/8 Negative

The staff have been wonderful - they have been accessible for questions, kept us informed of progress, always returned emails or phone calls quickly, and included us in discussions about potential changes being considered for services. We feel like they have really gotten to know our child as an individual and truly believe that they have our child's best interest at heart.

​

The team worked hard to make the virtual experience a pleasant one and they addressed all the needs and our concerns

​

This was our first experience with Natick Special Ed services, and it was really wonderful.

​

The teaching staff are spectacular

​

The great communication and professional options to help my son get the proper help he needs. I appreciate it so much

​

It has been SO helpful for our child to be in school in person every week. The small group of kids in the off-weeks turned out to be a "safe place" where he is able to more easily make friends. Having adults around who understand what he needs and can provide it (running breaks, etc) is such a relief, too

​

While Covid-19 was certainly challenging in terms of limited contact with typically developing peers, the silver lining was the extra time in the CLC. I believed that helped my son grow leaps and bounds this year,

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Comments

My son is having one of his best school years yet.

​

All team members have worked really hard and provided my son with excellent services and teaching. He has made great improvement.

​

She truly cares and is invested in his progress. She collaborates so well with his classroom teachers and with me. Thoroughly impressed.

​

Speech & Physical therapy teachers have adapted to my sons needs. They are amazing at what they do and teach.

​

I feel like my son is being supporting and advocated for. This is the most important part of the process for me.

​

Amazing team. Thoughtful, caring,understanding, professional.

​

In our initial evaluations, I could tell that the team took more time than on most students because my child presented in a complicated way. It was clear they all wanted to enter the discussion knowledgeably and with my son's best interests at the center of their work.

​

The most helpful part is let the students attend the school in person and every day .

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Comments

We’re grateful for all the work and support of the team, and their inclusion of us in the process. We feel like they have our son’s best interests at heart.

​

It seems that teachers are hesitant to report lack of progress or other "bad news" and attempt to sugar-coat the situation. This is unhelpful and frustrating.

​

The Special education team has done a great of keeping us informed of my child's progress, needs, wants etc.. and they value our input tremendously. So many accommodations have been made and we greatly appreciate the time they are all putting in to make this very unusual year a positive experience for my daughter.

​

Everyone was thorough, kind, and encouraging! The most pleasant IEP meeting I’ve ever attended!

​

The entire staff surrounding my child both in class and support is amazing!

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org

Thank you

• This survey shows some significant satisfaction in a year that was not normal at all...
• Although there were comments about difficulty, there were also many that showed how happy parents were to have their children in school full time
• Kids made progress this year, in part because of the extra attention and services they received from special educators during the remote week.
• That said, we still have work to do…including doing a better job for our struggling readers.

Natick Public Schools • 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA · 01760 • Visit us online: www.natickps.org