Overview of the Program
Highland Park Independent School District supports the educational concept that reading, writing, and spelling skills provide the foundation for overall academic success. Opportunities are provided for students who are experiencing difficulty in acquiring basic language arts skills to maximize their academic development in a regular education setting. This service is provided by a reading specialist on each campus, using intensive small group and individual activities. The intervention, which is based on the Orton-Gillingham Phonetic Approach to Reading, Writing, and Spelling, incorporates strategies appropriate for struggling readers as well as students identified with dyslexia. Using this method of learning, students are able to grasp skills at a much faster rate and are ready to move into higher levels of application.
Structured intervention is designed for a period of time appropriate for each individual student in kindergarten through grade twelve. Beginning at seventh grade, reading instruction is offered as an elective to those students whose test results show that they could benefit from a multisensory and phonetically based approach to reading, writing, and spelling. Many connections are made to support classroom instruction in the core classes.
The HPISD dyslexia program follows all TEA guidelines as per the TEA Dyslexia Handbook 2007.
You may view the TEA Dyslexia Handbook 2007 at the following web address:
http://www.region10.org/dyslexia/Documents/2007EnglishHandbook.pdf
Professional Development
Campus dyslexia specialists have been trained in multi-sensory methods for teaching reading, writing, and spelling. All dyslexia specialists hold Master’s Degrees and have many years of experience working with students with learning disabilities. These teachers stay current in the area of dyslexia by attending numerous local, state and national conferences and workshops each year.
Program Design
Grades K-4
Students in grades K-4 may receive additional reading instruction from the Jump Start teacher (dyslexia/reading specialist) on their home campus. Students typically attend this pull-out program for small group instruction for thirty minutes per day. Instruction is delivered using a multi-sensory, sequential, systematic approach to reading, writing, and spelling.
Grades 5-6
Identified students at McCulloch Intermediate School (MIS) may receive additional reading/dyslexia instruction from the STARS teacher (Strategies and Techniques for Advanced Reading and Spelling). Students attend this pull-out program for small group instruction for thirty minutes usually four times per week. This program is a continuation of the elementary Jump Start program.
Grades 7-8
Students at Highland Park Middle School (HPMS) who are identified as needing additional reading instruction, attend the STARS reading/dyslexia class as one of the two electives in their schedule. These small classes meet for 50 minutes daily. Reading, writing, and spelling are taught in a multi-sensory, sequential, and systematic approach. Study skills and strategies are emphasized.
Grades 9-12
Students at Highland Park High School (HPHS) who are identified as needing additional reading instruction, may attend the high school multisensory reading class each day. Students receive local elective credit for this class. Students receive sequential and systematic instruction in reading, writing, and spelling. Study skills and strategies that are essential for success in high school are taught.
Student Assessment
Teachers and parents may refer a student in need of additional reading instruction to the Student Support Team (SST) or the Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) Committee at each campus. Decisions regarding the admission, continuation or termination of services in the reading/dyslexia program will be made by members of the SST or ARD Committees or by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Committee.
Admission, continuation, or termination of services in the reading/dyslexia program may be recommended based on tests of phonological awareness, word recognition, decoding, comprehension, spelling, reading fluency, written expression, and letter-sound correspondence. These tests are administered by the reading/dyslexia specialist or by other school assessment personnel.
Kindergarten through second grade students are often identified as needing additional reading instruction as a result of their scores on the Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) that is administered by the classroom teacher. In addition, elementary classroom teachers may initiate a child’s referral to Jump Start by administering the HPISD Dyslexia Screening Matrix.
Records Retention
When students complete 4th grade, all student records of both active and former Jump Start students are sent to the reading/dyslexia specialist at McCulloch Intermediate School. These records then follow the student through MIS, to Highland Park Middle School, and eventually to Highland Park High School. In the event that additional reading/dyslexia services are needed, the campus reading/dyslexia teacher will have the past record of reading intervention for the student.
Parental Involvement
The Park Cities Learning Disabilities Association (PCLDA) sponsors parent programs throughout the school year. An AdHoc Committee on reading is currently being established in HPISD under the auspices of the Special Education Parent Committee (SEPAC). This group will sponsor parent education meetings on various reading issues.