Summer ESY and PD opportunities
Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research
Addressing the Impact of Lost Instructional Time
Strategies for Using the American Rescue Plan
Funding to Address the Impact of Lost
Instructional Time
View the US Department of Education information here.
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1. Use evidence-based practices to address the impact of the lost instructional time due to COVID-19
Evidence-based,” when used with respect to a state, LEA, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that (1) demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on strong evidence from at least one well designed and well-implemented experimental study (“tier 1”); moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well implemented quasi experimental study (“tier 2”); or promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias (“tier 3”); or (2) demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention (“tier 4”).
STAR Autism Support (SAS) Solution:
- SAS curricula and training is based on evidence-based practices that meet the criteria identified in the USDE guidelines.
2. Use ARP ESSER funding for students impacted by lost instructional time (e.g. students with disabilities, students of color, and multilingual students).
While the pandemic has impacted all communities, it has deepened pre-pandemic disparities in access and opportunities facing students of color, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) students, with significant impacts on their learning as described in the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department’s) Office for Civil Rights report Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Students.
As described in FAQs A-3 and A-15, ESSER and GEER funds may be used for any activity authorized by the IDEA. LEAs should consider what services are needed to meet the needs of children with disabilities.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS provides curricula, professional development, and resources to support educators, school districts, and state departments of education serving students who were most impacted by lost instructional time.
3. Use SRP ESSER funding to build local capacity to sustain meaningful and effective teaching and learning
ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds provide an opportunity to make investments that respond to the urgent needs of students in ways that address gaps in educational opportunity and build local capacity to sustain meaningful and effective teaching and learning. ARP ESSER funds can be used to support the design, implementation, evaluation, and use of data to inform continuous improvement of proven and promising strategies and practices to address the impact of lost instructional time.
Section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act requires LEAs to reserve at least 20 percent of their ARP ESSER funds, and section 2001(f)(1) requires that states likewise reserve at least 5 percent of their ARP ESSER funds to (1) address the academic impact of lost instructional time2 through the implementation of evidence-based interventions; (2) ensure that the interventions implemented respond to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs; and (3) address the disproportionate impact of COVID19 on students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, students with disabilities, multilingual learners, migratory students, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS is uniquely positioned to build district capacity through the proven success of developing training sites and district coaches to implement EBP curricula.
4. Use tutoring and creative staffing to reengage student learning
Reengaging students in their learning including by meeting the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students and through such approaches as tutoring and creative staffing; 2. Providing information and assistance to families as they support students, including through home visits and information sharing; and 3. Using high-quality assessments to inform teaching and learning, including acceleration, and target resources and supports.
Tutoring can yield important results for students when done in effective ways, based on a significant body of research. The best available evidence suggests that tutoring is most effective when it uses the following approaches: Use trained educators as tutors. Teachers, paraprofessionals, teaching candidates, recently retired teachers, or highly trained tutors who receive a stipend (e.g., AmeriCorps members) are most likely to be effective, particularly when also given time for planning and collaboration with classroom teachers. Provide high dosage tutoring each week. Programs that include frequent sessions (e.g., daily or at least three sessions per week) of at least 30–50 minutes work best. The youngest students (e.g., early childhood through 1st grade) benefit from increased weekly sessions in terms of length and frequency. Conduct tutoring during the school day whenever possible. Tutoring programs that take place during the school day appear to have the largest effects.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS curricula uses a model of tutoring for students who need additional support. Effective tutoring requires a staffing model that includes 1:1 and small and large group instruction based on the unique needs of the learner. Resources include online scheduling tools.
5. Implement a stand-along social emotional program that uses evidence-based practices.
Additionally, schools could consider implementation of stand-alone social-emotional schoolwide initiatives, such as the CASEL School Guide or use of curriculums with a strong evidence base, and PBIS. Schools or districts may also choose to partner with community-based organizations (CBOs) to expand mental health services or to supplement existing school counselor staff. Another resource is the Turnaround for Children Toolbox, which provides evidence-based strategies for creating school systems, structures, and practices that support students’ holistic development and learning
States and districts may use ARP ESSER funds to provide educators with the supports and professional development they need to integrate social and emotional learning into their practice and address trauma and loss resulting from the pandemic and on the most effective evidence-based strategies to reengage and support students in their learning.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SOLER (Social Learning and Emotional Regulation), published by SAS, can be used in conjunction with schoolwide initiatives for students who need additional support to learn the social skills. SAS provides professional development to integrate social and emotional learning into student’s life at home and school.
6. Teach student skills rather than use remediating techniques.
If students are coached on developing skills rather than engaged in traditional remediation techniques, students can complete 27 percent more grade-level work. For this approach to be successful, educators will need to first identify what core or foundational content students need to know to be prepared for the next level. Educators may establish a baseline and use data-based decision making to inform lesson plans and academic progression.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS curricula focus on skill instruction and the generalization of those skills into everyday routines. SAS uses a data-based approach to implement skill instruction.
7. Districts should provide high quality instructional materials and the needed professional development to staff.
- Adopting and using high-quality instructional materials;
- Providing necessary professional learning for teachers and educators;
- Ensuring all students have access to grade-level instruction; and
- Reexamining and creating support structures to accelerate learning.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS materials are research-based and meet the criteria of effective evidence-based practices. SAS provides professional development at multiple levels including workshops, program set-up training, in-class consultation, and follow-up to ensure all instructors are implementing the curricula with fidelity.
8. Support parents to support their own child's learning.
Supporting parents and caregivers in their efforts to support their own child’s learning is critical to addressing the impact of lost instructional time and increasing student success. Strong family-school partnerships can promote children’s literacy, better prepare students for learning and improve student academic achievement and health. Positive family-school partnerships also benefit parents as they can increase awareness of community resources available to the family.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- All SAS curricula has an integrated parent-education, training, and resources component
9. Use effective high-quality assessments to identify student learning needs.
As students continue to return to in-person learning and we work through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for educators and parents to know where students are in their learning and what is needed to support their success. These efforts can be aided by highquality assessments that provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their thinking; are aligned with state standards, grounded in the content students are expected to learn, and instructionally relevant; and provide educators and parents the information they need to effectively support student success. ARP ESSER funds can be used to administer and use high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students’ academic progress, and assist educators in meeting students’ academic needs, including through differentiating instruction.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS curricula includes effective, research-based assessments to identify each child’s learning needs. Instructional programs include on-going data collection to ensure student progress.
10. Implement a stand-along social emotional program that uses evidence-based practices.
Diagnostic and summative assessments can include performance assessments and can be seamlessly integrated into teaching and learning processes. Performance assessments offer one way to develop useful information about how well students understand important concepts and can also be embedded into instructional lessons to support student learning. When well-designed, performance assessments can provide extensive and nuanced evidence of student abilities, including meaningful insight into student thinking and performance. States and districts could also provide rubrics and supports for teachers around developing learning goals, interpreting student performance, and next steps based on the information provided from these assessments. Well-designed performance assessments can provide students with culturally and linguistically responsive ways of demonstrating progress, while poorly executed assessments can be damaging to students’ progress.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- The functional routine assessment and instructional system that is used in the STAR and Links curriculum are appropriate performance assessments that provide useful summative information on student progress and generalization of skills.
11. Use assessment to better understand students' social and emotional needs.
Assessment practices can also be designed to help educators better understand students’ social and emotional needs. For example, formative assessment practices can include student discourse prompts and reading, writing, and oral reflections and activities that include elements that are centered on students’ experiences, perceptions, and identities. A blog series by the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment describes some key activities states can take to include social and emotional learning as part of balanced systems of assessment.
STAR Autism Support Solution:
- SAS had developed a new curricula for students with social and emotional needs. The SOLER (Social Learning and Emotional Regulation) curriculum includes an assessment system to identify student needs, monitor on-going progress on social skills, and to provide outcome data on generalization of social skills in the general education classroom.
ESSER and CRRSA Act funding