MTSS Academics Elementary Home

Elementary schools include protected intervention time within the school day. During this time, students may receive targeted small-group instruction, intensive intervention, enrichment, or additional practice based on their current learning needs. Intervention is provided in addition to high-quality, grade-level classroom instruction.

Students in the primary grades are regularly assessed in foundational reading skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, word recognition, and fluency. Students who need additional support receive explicit, systematic instruction designed to build the skills necessary for successful reading.

CVUSD uses 95 Percent Group resources to support early literacy development. These research-based lessons provide structured instruction in specific foundational reading skills. Student assessment results help teachers identify the appropriate skills and lessons for each intervention group.

Teachers monitor student progress and adjust groups and instruction as students’ needs change.

Corrective Reading may be provided to students in grades 3–6 who need intensive support with decoding, fluency, vocabulary, or reading comprehension. Students are placed based on assessment results and receive structured, explicit instruction delivered consistently and with fidelity.

Corrective Reading is used when appropriate based on an individual student’s reading needs. It does not replace access to grade-level English language arts instruction.

Students who need additional mathematics support may receive targeted instruction focused on foundational skills, number sense, computation, problem-solving, or grade-level priority standards. Teachers use assessment information, classroom performance, and student work to identify specific needs.

Mathematics intervention may include:

• Explicit teacher modeling
• Small-group instruction
• Hands-on manipulatives and visual models
• Practice with targeted skills
• Mathematical conversations and reasoning
• Frequent Checks for Understanding
• Progress monitoring and timely feedback

IXL is a supplemental resource used for targeted mathematics practice, intervention, enrichment, and progress monitoring. It supports—but does not replace—teacher-led instruction, hands-on learning, academic conversations, or grade-level curriculum.

Teachers use IXL to:

• Assign specific skills aligned with classroom instruction
• Provide targeted practice based on assessment results
• Differentiate support or enrichment
• Monitor student progress
• Identify areas of difficulty
• Set and review student learning goals

IXL assignments should be purposeful and connected to students’ needs. Success is measured by skill development and mastery—not only by the number of minutes spent online or the number of activities completed.

School teams review student progress regularly, generally in six- to eight-week cycles. Teachers use assessments, classroom work, intervention data, and observations to determine whether support is effective.

Based on the results, teams may:

• Continue the current support
• Adjust the instructional strategy
• Change the frequency or intensity of intervention
• Regroup students
• Provide additional enrichment
• Consider other services or supports

A Student Success Team brings school staff and families together to identify a student’s strengths, discuss concerns, and develop a coordinated plan for success. The team may include the student’s teacher, family members, administrator, interventionist, counselor, specialist, or other staff members who support the student.

The team establishes strategies, responsibilities, goals, and a timeline for reviewing progress. Participation in a Student Success Team does not automatically mean that a student needs special education services.

Students with disabilities receive services and accommodations based on their Individualized Education Program, or IEP. Special education staff collaborate with general education teachers, families, and service providers to support access to grade-level instruction and progress toward individual goals.

When a disability is suspected, the school follows required evaluation procedures and includes the family throughout the process. MTSS interventions may inform the team’s understanding of a student’s needs, but they may not be used to delay or deny a special education evaluation.

English learners receive both Integrated and Designated English Language Development. They may also receive academic intervention when data shows they need additional support beyond language development.

School teams consider the student’s English proficiency, educational history, home language, classroom performance, and academic data to distinguish between language-development needs and other learning needs.

Regular, on-time attendance is essential to academic success. Missing school can interrupt learning, make it difficult to build foundational skills, and cause students to miss intervention and small-group instruction.

Schools monitor attendance and partner with families to address barriers. Families are encouraged to communicate with the school when transportation, health, family circumstances, or other challenges affect attendance.

Families are important partners in the intervention process. When additional support is recommended, the school will contact the family to explain:

• The area of concern
• The student’s strengths and current needs
• The support or intervention being recommended
• How often and for how long support will be provided
• How progress will be measured
• When the results will be reviewed
• Ways the family can support learning at home

Families receive updates as student progress is reviewed and are encouraged to ask questions, share information, and participate in decisions about their child’s support.

Formative assessments are brief, ongoing learning checks used during instruction. They may include classwork, written responses, discussions, demonstrations, quizzes, exit tickets, or student self-reflections.

These assessments help teachers provide timely feedback, address misunderstandings, form small groups, and determine the next instructional steps. They are intended to guide learning, not simply produce a grade.

Teachers use Checks for Understanding throughout each lesson to determine whether students understand what is being taught. Students may respond through:

• Partner or whole-class discussions
• Whiteboards
• Hand signals or response cards
• Written responses
• Exit tickets
• Demonstrations or models
• Digital response tools
• Questions connected to the Learning Intention and Success Criteria

Teachers use student responses to decide whether to clarify, reteach, provide more practice, or move forward.

Common district assessments measure student progress toward grade-level standards and help ensure consistent expectations across CVUSD schools. Results allow teachers and school leaders to identify strengths, instructional needs, and patterns across classrooms, grade levels, and student groups.

CVUSD uses early literacy assessments to identify students’ reading strengths and needs and provide support as early as possible.

• DIBELS measures important early literacy skills in English, such as phonemic awareness, decoding, word reading, fluency, and comprehension.
• Lectura measures essential Spanish literacy skills for students receiving literacy instruction in Spanish.
• Phonics screeners help teachers understand how well students connect letters and sounds, decode words, and apply foundational reading skills.

Results help teachers plan instruction, create intervention groups, select appropriate lessons, and monitor student growth.

When applicable, students may complete i-Ready assessments in reading and mathematics. The results provide information about skills students have mastered and areas where they may need additional instruction.

Teachers use i-Ready information with classroom evidence and other assessments. Results are not used alone to make decisions about a student’s instruction or support.

Interim assessments are administered during the school year to measure progress toward grade-level standards before state testing. They may include California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Interim Assessment Blocks, or IABs, and Focused Interim Assessment Blocks, or FIABs.

Teachers use interim results to identify standards that may need additional instruction, plan reteaching or enrichment, and prepare students for the types of questions and tasks they will encounter on state assessments.

Students in grades 3–6 participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. CAASPP measures progress toward California’s grade-level standards in English language arts and mathematics.

Fifth-grade students also take the California Science Test. CAASPP results provide one source of information about student achievement and help families and schools understand progress over time.

Students identified as English learners participate in the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California. The ELPAC measures English language development in:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing

The Initial ELPAC helps determine whether a newly enrolled student may need English language support. The annual Summative ELPAC measures progress toward English language proficiency and is one of several measures considered during the reclassification process.

Report cards and progress reports communicate how students are progressing toward grade-level standards, work habits, and other learning expectations. Grades or performance levels reflect multiple sources of evidence collected over time.

Families are encouraged to review these reports with their child, celebrate growth, identify areas for improvement, and contact the teacher with questions.

Teachers and school teams regularly review student information through data chats. These conversations help educators:

• Identify strengths and areas for growth
• Evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and intervention
• Plan reteaching, enrichment, or additional support
• Monitor the progress of individual students and student groups
• Set short- and long-term learning goals

Students may also participate in goal-setting conversations, reflect on their work, monitor progress, and identify their next steps. These practices help students take greater ownership of their learning.

CVUSD publishes district assessment windows for the school year. Individual schools develop site testing calendars within these windows and communicate specific dates to families.

Testing schedules may vary by school, grade level, program, and student need. Families should review school communications regularly and contact their child’s teacher or school office with scheduling questions.

Families can help students feel prepared and confident by:

• Supporting regular and on-time attendance
• Making sure students get adequate sleep
• Providing a healthy breakfast or encouraging participation in school meals
• Avoiding unnecessary appointments during scheduled testing
• Encouraging students to take their time and do their best
• Keeping conversations about testing positive and calm
• Reminding students that assessments are one opportunity to show what they have learned
• Contacting the teacher if the student has concerns or needs additional support

The goal of assessment is to support learning. Results are used with classroom work, teacher observations, student conversations, and other evidence to understand each student’s strengths, needs, progress, and appropriate instructional next steps.

School leaders visit classrooms frequently to understand the student learning experience, recognize effective practices, and identify opportunities for additional support. Classroom visits focus on the implementation of the CVUSD Instructional Framework, including Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, Gradual Release of Responsibility, academic discourse, Checks for Understanding, feedback, and student ownership of learning.

Teachers receive timely, goal-aligned feedback that recognizes strengths and supports instructional improvement. Feedback is connected to instructional goals, student learning evidence, and agreed-upon practices. Teachers and administrators use feedback as part of an ongoing cycle of reflection, collaboration, and professional growth.

Principals, teachers, coaches, and district leaders work together to ensure students receive standards-aligned instruction using district-adopted curriculum and approved resources. School teams monitor implementation, identify needed materials or training, and provide support so that all students have access to rigorous grade-level learning.

Teachers have opportunities to plan and learn together. During collaborative planning, teams may:

• Review grade-level standards and curriculum
• Develop Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
• Plan lessons and common assessments
• Examine student work
• Share effective instructional strategies
• Coordinate intervention and enrichment
• Identify supports for diverse learners

Collaboration helps create consistent expectations and learning experiences across classrooms and grade levels.

CVUSD provides professional learning, coaching cycles, model classrooms, demonstration lessons, and opportunities for teachers to observe effective practices. Coaches and administrators partner with teachers to plan instruction, implement strategies, reflect on results, and make adjustments based on student needs.

Professional learning is connected to district priorities, the CVUSD Instructional Framework, curriculum implementation, academic content, intervention, and the needs of each school community.

School teams regularly review classroom assessments, district assessments, intervention results, student work, and other evidence of learning. This information helps educators identify strengths, recognize students who may need additional support or enrichment, and determine whether current instructional strategies are effective.

No single assessment is used to define a student or make instructional decisions. Teams consider multiple sources of information and student progress over time.

Teachers, administrators, coaches, and specialists participate in regular data chats and instructional response cycles. These conversations generally occur every six to eight weeks and help teams:

• Celebrate student progress
• Identify unfinished learning
• Evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and intervention
• Plan reteaching, acceleration, or enrichment
• Adjust student groups and supports
• Establish goals and next steps
• Monitor progress during the next cycle

Schools develop schedules that protect the time students need for:

• Grade-level core instruction
• Daily Designated English Language Development
• Academic intervention and enrichment
• Special education services
• Collaborative learning and independent practice

Protecting these instructional blocks helps ensure that students receive all required instruction and support without unnecessarily missing essential grade-level learning.

Families are essential partners in student success. Teachers and school teams communicate with families about student strengths, academic progress, attendance, assessment results, intervention or enrichment, and areas where additional support may be helpful.

Communication may occur through conferences, progress reports, report cards, phone calls, messages, parent meetings, student goal-setting conversations, or other school communication systems. Interpretation and translation support are available when needed.

CVUSD encourages families to ask questions, share information about their child, and work with the school to support continued growth. These shared expectations create a culture in which educators and families learn together, respond to student needs, and continuously improve the educational experience for every child.

The CVUSD Instructional Framework establishes consistent expectations for high-quality teaching and learning across district classrooms. It includes clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria, explicit instruction, Gradual Release of Responsibility, academic conversations, Checks for Understanding, meaningful feedback, and opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery.

The framework helps students understand what they are learning, how they will know they are successful, and what they need to do next.

Begin by contacting your child’s teacher. The teacher can share information about your child’s strengths, classroom performance, assessment results, and current support.

You can ask:

• Which specific skills are causing difficulty?
• What support is being provided at school?
• How will progress be measured?
• What can we practice at home?
• When will we review progress?

If additional support is needed, the teacher may involve an interventionist, instructional coach, specialist, administrator, or Student Success Team.

CVUSD considers multiple sources of information, including:

• Classroom work and participation
• Teacher observations
• Formative and common assessments
• Reading and mathematics screeners
• Intervention data
• Report card performance
• Attendance
• Family input
• Student progress over time

No single score determines whether a student receives support. School teams identify specific needs, provide targeted instruction, and monitor progress regularly.

Intervention provides additional academic or behavioral support to help a student develop specific skills. It may be provided individually or in a small group for a set amount of time. Student progress is monitored, and the support is adjusted as needed.

Special education provides individualized services to eligible students with disabilities through an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. Eligibility is determined through a formal evaluation process that includes the family.

Receiving intervention does not mean that a student is in special education. Intervention may help teams better understand a student’s needs, but it cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation when a disability is suspected.

IXL is a supplemental resource used for targeted mathematics practice, intervention, enrichment, and progress monitoring. Teachers may assign specific skills connected to classroom instruction or identified student needs.

IXL supports—but does not replace—teacher-led lessons, grade-level curriculum, hands-on learning, collaboration, or mathematical discussion. Teachers review student performance and use the information to provide feedback, adjust assignments, and plan instruction. Progress is based on learning and mastery, not simply minutes spent online.

Families receive information about student progress through:

• Teacher communication
• Student work and assignments
• Progress reports and report cards
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Assessment reports
• Intervention updates
• Student goals and reflections
• Student Success Team meetings, when applicable

Families may request a conversation with the teacher whenever they have questions about their child’s progress.

Assessments vary by grade level, program, and individual need. Students may participate in:

• Classroom formative assessments
• Checks for Understanding
• Common district assessments
• DIBELS or Lectura literacy assessments
• Phonics screeners
• i-Ready, when applicable
• IXL Diagnostic
• Interim Assessment Blocks
• CAASPP in grades 3–6
• California Science Test in grade 5
• ELPAC for English learners
• AVANT for designated Dual Language students
• GATE universal screening at designated grade levels
• Intervention placement and progress-monitoring assessments

Schools provide families with information about required assessments and testing dates.

English learners receive language support throughout the school day through Integrated ELD and a protected daily period of Designated ELD.

Students develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while participating in grade-level academic instruction. Teachers use visuals, vocabulary instruction, sentence frames, structured conversations, modeling, and other supports to make learning accessible.

ELPAC results, classroom performance, assessments, and teacher observations are used to monitor progress and determine when a student is ready for reclassification.

Dual Language programs are offered at designated schools and grade levels. Enrollment depends on program availability and district procedures.

Families may need to complete an interest or enrollment form and attend an orientation to learn about the program’s goals, instructional model, language allocation, and commitment to long-term participation. Contact your child’s school or the CVUSD Dual Language Education Department for current locations, timelines, and enrollment information.

CVUSD uses universal screening at designated grade levels, including grades 2 and 4, along with multiple measures to identify students who may benefit from GATE services.

The identification process may consider screening results, academic achievement, classroom performance, teacher and family input, student work, and other evidence of advanced ability or potential. Families should contact their child’s teacher, principal, or the district GATE program for information about screening, identification, and services.

Families can support learning by:

• Ensuring regular, on-time attendance
• Reading and discussing texts together
• Asking children to explain their thinking
• Encouraging effort, independence, and perseverance
• Establishing consistent homework and bedtime routines
• Using everyday activities for mathematics practice
• Reviewing school messages and student work
• Using teacher-recommended resources
• Communicating with the teacher
• Reading, speaking, and telling stories in the family’s home language

Home support should reinforce classroom instruction without creating unnecessary pressure or replacing teacher-led learning.

Begin with your child’s classroom teacher. The teacher has the most direct information about daily instruction, classroom performance, and current supports.

If additional assistance is needed, contact:

1. The interventionist, specialist, or instructional coach, when appropriate
2. The school principal or assistant principal
3. The appropriate CVUSD Elementary Education, English Learner, Special Education, or Student Support department

Families are encouraged to communicate concerns early so the school and family can work together to identify needs and develop appropriate next steps.