SIPPS by the Center for the Collaborative Classroom is a systematic decoding program that helps developing and struggling readers.  It contains materials for initial instruction as well as interventions for students who fall behind. The program has three levels. In the Beginning Level, students work on phonological awareness, single consonants, short vowels and sight words.  At the end of the level, students will be able to understand and use short vowels, know 81 sight words and read and spell new words.  Instruction content in the Extension Level consists of consonant blends and inflections, final e and r-controlled vowels and vowel digraphs, and high-frequency sight words. By the end of the level, students will be able to read single–syllable words with complex vowels and 184 high-frequency sight words.  The Challenge Level addresses six syllable types, morphemic roots, prefixes and suffixes, high-frequency academic vocabulary at three developmental levels and sight syllables and their meanings.

According to the Florida Center for Reading Research, a comprehensive reading program includes instruction in the five essential components of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Making Meaning currently implemented in Clay County grades K-5 combines research-based best practices in reading comprehension and vocabulary development with support for fostering children’s social development does not have the phonological awareness and phonics component needed to make a complete comprehensive reading program.  Primary teachers are forced to search beyond Making Meaning to identify materials to support instruction in phonological awareness and phonics, a gap in the Making Meaning materials.

While all elementary schools have a variety of piecemeal solutions for phonics there has been no consistent phonics tool to use districtwide to assess the effectiveness of phonics instruction.  Due to fluctuation in the local and state assessments administered it has been difficult to assess which tool is most effective and predictive of student achievement in this domain.   In an attempt to find a phonics solution for our K-2 teachers, two Title 1 schools began implementing SIPPS in October 2014, the phonics component that completes our existing ELA Curriculum.  The first comprehensive data will be when the inaugural group takes the FSA ELA assessment in 2018.

The SIPPS program will  provide an initial assessment to help teachers determine the appropriate starting place for each student so they can meet each student at the point of need. Several forms of ongoing assessment enable teachers to track student progress and determine when to modify instruction including regular mastery tests and informal assessments.  Students revisit skills with a reteach lesson if mastery is not achieved.  Progress continues at each student’s point of need.  District wide fidelity of implementation will be monitored weekly via principal observations and learning walks. Progress monitoring will be conducted with unit mastery tests given to students.  Expected outcomes at the end of year 1 are charted below:

• All students can learn and that is the responsibility of the school district and all stakeholders to ensure that each child meets and/or exceeds his/her potential.

• Schools will decrease their percentage of non-proficient students in each applicable sub-group.

That the Clay County School Board approve the purchase of SIPPS Materials from Center for the Collaborative Classroom.

No attachments available