Warren County Elementary Schools
Mathematics Initiative for Students with Special Needs
Spring, 2009
Introduction
In 2000, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) developed the
Principles and Standards for School Mathematics which articulates the vision that the gift of
mathematics is for all children, not just a few. This document, along with No Child Left Behind
law, has been a guide for the national mathematics movement towards students with special
needs reaching proficiency. A designated committee in Warren County has developed the
following guidelines, in line with this movement, for serving students with special needs in math.
Response to Intervention Framework
In line with instructional practices for students in Warren County, all students must be
considered for receiving math instruction in a core program taught by a regular classroom
teacher as their least restrictive environment. As stated in the district RTI document, students
will be placed appropriately at their instructional level in the core program. For students in
special education, additional data such as eligibility and specially designed instructional needs
will guide service delivery.
Based on the IEP, special education may provide service delivery through collaboration
with core instruction, remediation, and/or intensive remedial instruction. For students who
perform substantially below that of their peers, have been provided with validated instruction,
and have not responded sufficiently, the decision may be to provide intensive remedial
instruction which could involve a different program from the core. The following outline should
be used as a guide, but ultimately, a student’s IEP determines service delivery.
Tier 1
Generally includes students above stanine 3
60 minute Core Content/POS taught by regular class teacher
Tier 2
Generally includes students at or below stanine 3
60 minute Core Content/POS taught by regular class teacher
Resource teacher may collaborate using Van de Walle strategies,
Ladders, and/or FASTT Math, etc.
30 minute remediation is added and taught by regular class or resource
Remediation is only for skills gap, not for homework, drill
practice, or worksheets
Remediation will likely include following the “I Can” statements
as a curriculum guide, utilizing Number Worlds, Van de Walle
strategies, etc. with maximum student engagement
Tier 3
Generally includes students at or below stanine 3 who have not responded
sufficiently to Tier 2
Not all Tier 3 students need an alternate core
30 minute Core Content/grade level emphasis with modification
(e.g., calculator and Ladders)
60 minute intensive remedial instruction
Remediation will likely include following the “I Can” statements
as a curriculum guide, utilizing Number Worlds, Van de Walle
strategies, etc. with maximum student engagement
(with limited use of worksheets and traditional drill practice)
Considerations/Exceptions:
K first semester - ALL students in core, resource may provide
collaboration
K second semester – ALL students in core, resource may
provide collaboration and/or 30 min remediation
1st grade – ALL students in core, resource may provide collaboration
and/or 30 minutes remediation
2nd grade – Tier 3 students may switch from core to 90 minutes of
remediation. 30 minute Core Content is not required
3rd – 6th grade – Use the guidelines indicated above
Assessment
The NCTM’s Assessment Standards clearly articulates the necessity of integrating
assessment with instruction. Our special education staff will utilize on-going formative
assessments throughout the year. More specifically, progress on district “I Can” statements will
be documented. As a summative assessment, the district will administer the Group Mathematics
Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GMADE) twice a year. In addition, the FASTT Math
program will generate a fluency summary report for each individual student. District staff will
meet with each school’s special education team to discuss this data, along with progress
monitoring, at least twice yearly.
References
Griffin, S., Clements, D.H., & Sarama, J. Number Worlds: A Prevention/Intervention
Math Program. SRA Publishing, Columbus, OH, 2007.
Hasselbring, T. FASTT Math. Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, 2007.
National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Foundations for Success: The Final Report of
National Mathematics Advisory Panel, U.S. Department of Education: Washington, DC, 2008.
Van de Walle, J. & Lovin, L.H. Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching
Developmentally. AGS Publishing, Circle Pines, MN, 2007.
Williams, K. T. Group Mathematics Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation. AGS
Publishing, Circle Pines, MN, 2004.