We respect the right afforded to you and your child through Federal Law (see IDEA 2004, 34 C.F.R. § 300.309(c)) to seek an evaluation of your child for specific learning disabilities, and we will work closely with you to move through that process. Throughout the multi-disciplinary evaluation process, we will continue to provide interventions and monitor your child's progress. While making the decision to have your child evaluated for a specific learning disability/special education identification can be emotional, confusing and filled with misinformation, we ask that you read through the following to help guide you and your family to make an informed decision that will follow your child through their academic career here at Saucon Valley and beyond grade 12.

 

 "The number of students identified as having a specific learning disability (SLD) has declined by 12.4% since 2004. Although the decreased numbers alone cannot confirm that RtII programs are having the intended beneficial effect on rates of special education identification, the data are a positive and hopeful sign that this is the case." 

(TA&D Network (2011). Historical State-Level IDEA Data Files.  Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/ld/legal-implications-of-response-to-intervention-and-special-education-identification)

Saucon Valley School District Special Education by the Numbers

2005-2006 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

2006-2007 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

2007-2008 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

2008-2009 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

2009-2010 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

2010-2011 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

2011-2012 Saucon Valley Special Education Data

(Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Special Education (2013). State Performance Plan Public Reporting  Retrieved from http://penndata.hbg.psu.edu/)

Since 2006 in the Saucon Valley School District, the number of specific learning disability/special education identification referrals have decreased from 51 in 2006-2007 to 27 in 2010-2011. The following is the breakdown for referrals and identifications:

	Learning Support	Learning Support/Speech	Speech	Gifted	Total
06-07	51	25	21	13	110
07-08	69	24	28	31	152
08-09	67	43	36	39	185
09-10	42	44	30	42	158
10-11	27	9	7	38	81

Since 2006, the Saucon Valley Elementary School has implemented RtII in grades K-4 and created a schedule change to utilize time for Interventions and Extensions for students.  Some of the interventions teacher may use in their classroom at Tier I or in small groups during I/E time at Tier II can be found on my website by clicking here.

In 2009, we started to look at moving the RtII protocol into the secondary schools starting with grade 6 and ending in grade 11.  Part of this process was to look to procure reading programs that would help support instruction and intervention at the Tier II and focused Tier III of RtII. The process used and programs purchased can be reviewed on my website by clicking here for the AMP System and here for Hampton Brown Reading System.

As part of the implementation to move RtII into the high school, we developed a Bridges to Literature and Bridges to Composition course, in 2011, to help support students transition from RtII Tier II or Tier III at the middle school.  These courses can be viewed on my website by clicking here.

The following two documents explain the RtII protocol here at the Saucon Valley School District and how you and your child, working with the teachers and administrators, can be better informed about the academic support of instruction and interventions currently in place.  We know that all the information on this webpage can help you and your family make a more informed decision regarding you child's academic present and future.  

Saucon Valley School District RtII and Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation (MDE) Referral Protocol

RTIIFlowchart(Revised8_2011).pdf

 

Saucon Valley School District RtII and Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation Informational Broshure

RtII_BrochureFINALedit2012.pdf

 

Pennsylvania Department of Education/ PATTAN Overview of RtII

As you have read, the Saucon Valley School District has put a tremendous amount of targeted instruction and interventions in place to help provide an informed decision that will have an impact on your child's academic life. If you still need clarification on this information or are still not sure if evaluating your child will be the best academic decision, please contact me with any questions or concerns: email or call me at 610-838-7001 ext. 1109