A program of The University of Texas at Austin, TCSS aims to provide the means for Texas public schools to create effective, targeted interventions and instructional acceleration in all content areas and grade levels. In order to provide these strategies, TCSS needed to identify strong schools meeting needs of high-ESL populations and at-risk students in order to share with other schools and districts across state. A team of experienced, highly-trained educators was assembled to identify and disseminate relevant research, resources, and examples that target the areas of intervention and accelerated instruction.
TCSS staff reviewed data from the National Center for Educational Achievement and TAKS scores to identify higher performing when compared to other Texas schools. TCSS is interested in exploring the intervention and acceleration practices being implemented at schools such as Lamar. TCSS first conducted telephone interviews with identified sites; Lamar Principal Rocci Malone was interviewed November 4. Malone said TCSS asked about strategies Lamar was using to help students achieve success in school. Malone noted Lamar faculty are trained to provide differentiated instruction for their students, including gifted and talented strategies, pre-Advanced Placement (AP) and AP strategies, and participate in the ARISE program with graduate students at Southern Methodist University. Malone also spoke about Lamar’s use of technology in the classroom, including the use of Netbooks for students.
Next representatives will visit a select number of schools to learn more about and observe intervention and acceleration practices, and finally TCSS will assist schools in showcasing their best practices. These highlighted practices will serve as models for other schools to replicate, will be featured in TCSS courses, and during upcoming regional and state-wide conferences.
