A Family Guide to Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) 2022-2023

What is RTI²?

Response to instruction and intervention is the way CMCSS intervenes with students who are struggling academically by focusing on quality core instruction and intervention of specific skill deficits. The purpose of RTI² is to intervene with students quickly in the area of need so skill deficit gaps do not develop as they progress through school.

What does the RTI² Framework look like?

The RTI² Framework has three tiers; each tier provides intensifying levels of support.

• In Tier l, all students receive evidence-based, high-quality, general education standards-based instruction that incorporates ongoing universal screening and assessments to inform instruction. Tier I is another name for the regular core instruction all students get every year.
• In Tier ll, students identified as having significant skill deficits receive intervention targeted to the specific area of need. Student progress is consistently monitored during intervention and decisions about tier movement are based on progress monitoring data.
• In Tier III, more intensive interventions are provided to students who have not made significant progress in Tier II, or who demonstrate a deficit significant enough to warrant immediate Tier III intervention. Students are monitored closely to determine if the intervention is effective. Movement from Tier III is dependent upon intervention success.

Tier II and III intervention occur in addition to regular classroom instruction. Schools will communicate with parents in writing when students go into and out of intervention, as well as update progress during intervention.

What are the key components of RTI²?

RTI² has been around for many years and is proven to improve instruction for all students by identifying areas for improvement in core instruction.

Schools assess all students in the fall, winter, and spring using what is called a Universal Screener. This is a skills-based measure students are given to quickly check how they perform compared to grade-level expectations. Screeners are brief and measure math and reading proficiency, as well as social-emotional protective factors. School teams consider data from a variety of sources, including the screener, to determine the level of intervention most appropriate and the specific skill deficit.

Another key component of RTI² is progress monitoring. Progress monitoring is a way for teachers to take a snapshot of how children are doing on a specific skill. It includes formal and informal assessments. Progress monitoring helps determine whether an intervention is successful or needs to be changed. Data from this type of monitoring is shared with parents on a regular basis (every 4-5 weeks).

When progress monitoring indicates a student is not responding to the intervention at an acceptable rate (gap closure is not occurring at a reasonable rate), another approach or intervention may be implemented. If a higher level of support is needed, students may be provided more intensive intervention that further focuses on the supporting skills they need to be successful learners (Tier lll). Students who do not respond to Tier III interventions may be referred for a special education evaluation.

What if I think my child needs special education?

If at any time parents/guardians become concerned that their child needs special education services, they should contact their child’s teacher or administrator. Other forms of evaluation, in addition to information gathered through the RTI² framework, are needed to determine if a student is eligible for special education services. A parent’s written consent is required for these evaluations to be conducted.

Additional information about RTI² implementation will be provided by each school.

A SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SCREENING AND CONTINUED INTERVENTION

If your student was recommended to continue participation in tiered intervention in the spring, that intervention will be continued this fall. The district will begin administering fall universal screening measures to gauge student progress and make instructional plans to meet the needs of all students as soon as students return to school. Data from the fall universal screening will be used in conjunction with previous screening, progress monitoring, and curriculum-based data to determine the need for continued intervention, tier level, and pinpoint specific deficits. After universal screening measures are administered, parents/guardians will be provided information if the continued or initial placement of their student(s) in tiered intervention is recommended. All data will be treated as continuous (i.e., the summer break does not necessitate a ‘restart’ on data collection and/or delay progression toward referral) and data teams will meet frequently and consistently to review student progress and make informed decisions.

TENNESSEE LITERACY SUCCESS ACT AND THE CMCSS FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS PLAN

In compliance with the Tennessee Literacy Success Act, each district and public charter school must submit a Foundational Literacy Skills Plan. School districts and public charter schools must create a local Foundational Literacy Skills Plan for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and submit the final approved plan to the department for approval. The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System’s Foundational Literacy Skills Plan has been approved by the Tennessee Department of Education and may be found here.

We wish you and your student(s) a healthy, productive school year! Should you have any questions, please contact your school’s RTI2 lead or the district RTI2 data team at [email protected].

TCAP Scores Not Included in Students’ Spring 2022 Grades

CMCSS will not include the TCAP state standardized test results as part of students’ final grades this school year. CMCSS updated the District grading policy in 2015 to align with T.C.A. § 49-1-617. District policy states that students’ TCAP scores will not be included in their final spring semester grades if the TCAP scores are not received by the District at least five instructional days before the end of the academic year. As CMCSS nears the end of the school year and finalizes student grades, the raw scores were not received within the last five instructional days and will not be included.

As a reminder, the last half day of school is Wednesday, May 25.

Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder Selected as Next Director of Schools

On Tuesday, May 10, the School Board voted to select Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder as the next Director of Schools. Dr. Luna-Vedder currently serves as the Chief of Student Readiness for the Tennessee Department of Education. She has been a resident of Clarksville-Montgomery County since 2007, and previously served in CMCSS as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and Director of High Schools. The Board will begin contract negotiations, and Dr. Luna-Vedder is expected to begin as the CMCSS Director of Schools in July.

For more information on Dr. Luna-Vedder from her application packet, click here.

Operational Updates for the 2022-2023 School Year

CMCSS is reaching out with two operational updates for the 2022-2023 school year. Please note these changes will not take effect until next school year. We want to provide families with as much advance notice as possible.

End of USDA Waiver and No-Cost Meals

The USDA has not indicated that they will be extending the waiver for school districts to continue offering no-cost student meals for the 2022-2023 school year. For the past two school years, CMCSS has been able to provide breakfast and lunch meals at no cost to students each school day because of the USDA’s waivers.

At this time, unless CMCSS receives notification otherwise from the USDA, the district will be required to return to its normal meal payment methods in August. Families will continue to be highly encouraged to preload funds on a student’s online account. More information will be communicated before next school year, but below are the meal prices:

Elementary Student Meal Prices

Breakfast (Full Pay): $1.00

Breakfast (Reduced): $0.30

Lunch (Full Pay): $2.65

Lunch (Reduced): $0.40

Secondary Student Meal Prices

Breakfast (Full Pay): $1.15

Breakfast (Reduced): $0.30

Lunch (Full Pay): $2.85

Lunch (Reduced): $0.40

It will be extremely important that all families who believe their children qualify for free or reduced meals complete the application for the 2022-2023 school year. CMCSS will provide more information on the application over the summer and at the beginning of next school year. Applications for next school year cannot be completed until later in July. Applications must be submitted and approved each school year for a student to receive benefits.

Transportation Parent Responsibility Zone

In an effort to improve transportation services while facing the ongoing local, state, and national bus driver shortage, CMCSS is updating its transportation routes and qualifications for the 2022-2023 school year.

State law establishes that school districts may provide school transportation for children who live more than 1 ½ miles from their zoned school. CMCSS has exceeded the expectations of the state law to provide transportation to elementary students who live more than half a mile (.5) from their zoned school and middle and high school students who live more than a mile (1) from their zoned school.

Effective the 2022-2023 school year, CMCSS will be expanding the radius of the parent responsibility zone (PRZ), the area in which families are responsible for providing transportation (car rider, walker, etc.), by half a mile for both elementary and secondary students to:

• 1 mile for elementary students
• 1 ½ miles for middle and high school students

Exceptions: 

For student safety, transportation will still be provided for students who live in the PRZ under the following travel conditions:

• 4 or more lanes of traffic without a crossing guard
• Roads with insufficient road width (less than 24 ft.) with speeds above 35 mph
• Roads with no sidewalks with speeds above 35 mph

Notes:

• This change will not impact students who receive Special Populations transportation services as indicated in their IEPs.
• Any future development within the PRZ that has accessible safe travel paths may not be eligible for CMCSS transportation.
• If a daycare is in the PRZ, CMCSS will not provide transportation.

The Transportation Department will be directly contacting families who have students in the 1/2 mile expanded zone. Click here for more information and interactive maps of the PRZ for each school.

Open Enrollment for 2022-2023 School Year

CMCSS is offering Open Enrollment in specific schools and grade levels with available capacity for the 2022-2023 school year. The Open Enrollment application period will be April 18-May 18, 2022. Due to the comprehensive rezoning that changed capacities at some schools, the District had to delay the determination of open seats for Open Enrollment until spring 2022. The Open Enrollment process is separate from the application period for schools and programs of choice that took place January-February 2022.

Space for Open Enrollment is limited to only the specific schools and grades listed below. Each grade listed has a limited number of available seats. If more requests are received than available seats, a lottery drawing will be held.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

 *Note: a previous version of this chart indicated Richview had 15 seats in 7th. This error has been corrected above.

HIGH SCHOOL

*For high school students, parents/guardians and students will need to consult with a school counselor to ensure the open enrollment transfer would not affect a student’s graduation track.

Application Form

Click here for the 2022-2023 Open Enrollment Request Application.

For more information on CMCSS’ Open Enrollment policy, click here.

Note on Virtual School: If families are interested in CMCSS K-12 Virtual for the 2022-2023 school year, there will be additional enrollment periods from April 1-30, 2022, and July 1-22, 2022. Please contact K-12 Virtual Enrollment Specialist Ashley Pledger at 931-553-1117 or [email protected] to learn more about CMCSS K-12 Virtual School enrollment.

Rezoning Plan Approved

Good evening, CMCSS families,

At tonight’s special called voting session, the School Board voted to approve the final rezoning plan for middle schools effective the 2022-2023 school year and high schools effective the 2023-2024 school year. No elementary boundaries are affected by this rezoning. 

This vote included the following rezoning phase-in plan:

Middle School Students in Rezoned Areas

Allow a choice for all currently enrolled 6th- and 7th-grade students to attend either their currently assigned middle school or their newly assigned middle school in 2022-2023. Transportation must be provided by the family if they opt out of rezoning to stay at their currently enrolled school. This choice will only apply for the student’s middle school attendance. Once the student reaches high school, he or she will be expected to attend their zoned high school. 

High School Students in Rezoned Areas

Allow a choice for all currently enrolled 8th-, 9th- and 10th-grade students to attend either their currently assigned high school or their newly assigned high school in 2023-2024. If they opt out of rezoning to stay at their currently assigned school, transportation must be provided by the family or the student if he/she is able to drive. 

Parents/guardians of currently enrolled 6th- and 7th-grade students who live in rezoned areas will receive an electronic rezoning opt-out form via text and/or email on Thursday, February 24. If you have any issues with the electronic form or do not receive one, please contact your child’s school beginning Friday, February 25.

Parents/guardians of currently enrolled 8th-, 9th- and 10th-grade students who live in rezoned areas will receive an electronic rezoning opt-out form next school year in advance of the 2023-2024 school year when high school rezoning takes effect.

April 18, 2022 Update

The deadline to request an opt-out to rezoning has passed. Families who did not submit their request must now request a Special Transfer (application found here) or fill out the Open Enrollment Application, if their student meets the school and grade requirements found here.

Family Life Curriculum Development Process Public Meetings

As communicated last semester, effective 2021-2022, all school systems in Tennessee are required to implement a program of family life education (T.C.A. 49-6-1302). In the fall, CMCSS sought feedback from teachers, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders on three proposed Family Life Curriculum resources that could be used by educators to teach the required components. After reviewing feedback with the CMCSS School Board, District leaders paused the process to seek additional guidance from the Tennessee Department of Education, legal counsel, and other districts across Tennessee. 

CMCSS is inviting all stakeholders to engage in the Family Life Curriculum development process by participating in one of the upcoming public meetings. At the meetings, District personnel will engage with stakeholders to address the following questions: 

• What materials or textbooks will be used to develop the CMCSS curriculum?
• How will teachers and students access the curriculum? 
• What is required to be taught?

Meetings:

• Tuesday, February 15
  • 10 a.m. at Central Services South – 1312 Highway 48/13, Clarksville, TN 37040
  • 5:30 p.m. at West Creek High School – 1210 West Creek Coyote Trail, Clarksville, TN 37042 (enter at the cafeteria/activities entrance)
• Thursday, February 17
  • 5:30 p.m. at Central Services South – 1312 Highway 48/13, Clarksville, TN 37040

If you have any questions or input, please use the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FamLifeEd

Accessing Student Report Cards – January 2022

CMCSS student report cards for the second nine weeks of the 2021-22 school year will be available on Wednesday, January 12. Parents/guardians will access report cards online using the CMCSS Parent Self-Service webpage at parents.cmcss.net.

If parents/guardians have issues accessing their child’s report card using CMCSS Parent Self-Service, they can contact their child’s enrolled school.

The report card available through Parent Self-Service is considered the official report card with comments for the grading period.

Parents/guardians can check their student’s academic progress on PowerSchool at any time. PowerSchool is the official grade book and attendance tracker for CMCSS. While some digital learning platforms have a grade book, please note that official grades will only be recorded in PowerSchool.

CREATING A POWERSCHOOL ACCOUNT

If you need to create a PowerSchool account, visit powerschool.cmcss.net, click the Create Account tab, and complete the form.

Families will need an Access Code for each child. Access codes can be obtained through the parents.cmcss.net portal by clicking on “Get Student Security Info” and following the steps listed in the video below.

PowerSchool Access Codes: https://ior.ad/7PBU

If you are using the PowerSchool app, the CMCSS’ District Code is P Z Q N.

UNDERSTANDING POWERSCHOOL AND REPORT CARD ABBREVIATIONS

Families may see several abbreviations in PowerSchool, including:

• N(#) ex. N1, N2, etc. This is the student’s current grade in the nine weeks.
• S(#) ex. S1, S2, etc. This is the student’s semester grade, which includes the nine weeks combined. For high school students, this grade will reflect the semester credits earned for that period. This grade will also include mid-term exams when applicable.
• Y(#) ex. Y1. This refers to the student’s cumulative grade for the year.
• OT On-Track. Students in grades K – 5 may see this designation on their report cards.
• AE Approaching Expectations. Students in grades K – 5 may see this designation on their report cards.
• BE Below Expectations. Students in grades K – 5 may see this designation on their report cards.

Watch this video to understand the PowerSchool dashboard:
K-2 Standards-Based Iorad: https://ior.ad/7MKm
3-12 Traditional Grading Iorad: https://ior.ad/7O3p

Note: Students in grades 3 – 5 may be assigned a letter grade and have letter grades available through PowerSchool. Report cards may also display the OT, AE, or BE information under College and Career Readiness.

CMCSS Seeks Community Feedback Regarding District-Wide Rezoning

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. Rezoning is taken very seriously, and the district makes every effort to ensure stakeholders are involved in the process. In May 2020, CMCSS began communicating the need for rezoning to families with the construction of the Kirkwood complex.

The population of Montgomery County has increased 27.7% in the last 10 years. Projections indicate the population could see a 40% growth rate in the next 20 years. The effect of this tremendous change can be seen in our local schools.

Growth in CMCSS

• CMCSS has a 30-year average growth of 677 new students every year.
• Current enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is 37,769 students.
• Oakland, Rossview, and West Creek Elementary schools have recently undergone expansion projects to address capacity. See the current capacity of each school here (pdf).
• School capacity has an impact on the flexibility of programming and extracurricular activities.
• Maintaining a capacity of approximately 85% is the goal of CMCSS.
• The goal of CMCSS is to not rely on portables as a permanent solution.

At the Jan. 4, 2022, School Board Study Session, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board heard on first reading the recommendation that changes be made to the middle and high school zone lines for the 2022-2023 school year.

In 2021, the district initiated the process of working with a third-party consulting firm, RSP and Associates, with expertise in school system rezoning. In collaboration with the consulting firm and community stakeholders, the CMCSS Zoning Project Team has studied and evaluated existing school zones and building capacities to identify opportunities to better serve students, per the district’s Zoning Procedure (OPS-P017). The following criteria guide the team’s work:

• Rezone as few students as possible
• The proximity of students to existing schools
• Transport students the least distance possible
• Equitable distribution of resources according to the learning needs of all students
• Enrollment capacity of existing schools
• Consideration of free and reduced lunch status (socioeconomic)
• Allow for future growth where possible (based upon Regional Planning Commission lot and permit data)

Taking these guidelines into consideration, the Zoning Project Team made the following recommendation to the School Board. (Click here to see the presentation)

CMCSS and RSP & Associates will host three public forums to gain feedback from the community regarding the rezoning recommendations. The community is invited to attend the following forums:

• Monday, January 17, 2022, 5:30 pm (Virtual Meeting – access the meeting link here)
• Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 5:30 pm (Virtual Meeting – access the meeting link here)
• Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 5:30 pm (In-Person Meeting – Rossview High School)

A final zoning recommendation will be presented to the School Board on Feb. 8 for voting. District rezoning information can be found at cmcss.net/zoning.

2022-23 Application Period for Schools & Programs of Choice

What is the Application Window?

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System offers several non-traditional schools and programs of choice for students. Each year, families can apply to express interest in their students participating in the program. Read below for more information on these innovative programs designed to provide families the opportunity to choose schools and programs that will help their children reach their potential. Unless otherwise noted, the application period is January 14 through February 11, 2022.

Access to the applications is NOT currently available. They will be available during the application period.

CMCSS K-12 Virtual School

CMCSS K-12 Virtual is an at-home educational experience that provides families the opportunity for both structure and flexibility in learning. Students accepted into CMCSS K-12 Virtual will be immersed in direct instruction from CMCSS certified teachers and also provided the opportunity for independent application of skills.

Eligibility:

CMCSS incoming kindergartener through 12th grader who is self-motivated, organized, and, with the help of teachers and learning mentors, can take responsibility for their own learning.

Application Deadline:

Feb. 11, 2022

Parent Informational Meeting:

• Monday, January 17, at 12:00 p.m.
• Thursday, January 20, at 6:00 p.m.

For more information, visit: k12virtual.cmcss.net

Sign Up for Information Meeting

Moore Magnet Elementary STEM School

STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, is embedded kindergarten through 5th grade at Moore. Students apply the knowledge they gain across the curriculum to solve challenges aligned with real-world problems tied to local community issues. Moore was one of the first schools in the state to receive the prestigious Tennessee STEM School Designation. Additionally, Moore was the first Montgomery County Green Certified School.

Eligibility:

CMCSS incoming kindergartener through 5th grader

Application Deadline:

February 11, 2022

Parent Informational Meeting:

Monday, January 17, at 5:30 p.m. Held in the Moore Magnet School Cafeteria 1350 Madison Street, Clarksville

Learn More About Moore Magnet

Spanish Immersion Program at Barksdale

The Spanish Immersion program is a proven method of educating children by immersing them in the Spanish language so they become bilingual. In a language immersion program, the classroom environment becomes the setting for language acquisition through subject content instruction, educational discourse, and social interactions. Students who enter the program need to be committed to continuing Spanish dual-language learning through 5th grade at Barksdale.

Eligibility:

Incoming kindergartner; early literacy benchmark screening required

Application Deadline:

February 11, 2022

Parent Informational Meeting:

A virtual meeting will be offered on Tuesday, January 18, at 6:00 p.m. Parents must complete the RSVP form below to receive the invite. (An in-person meeting was offered in November.)

Request Link to Parent Meeting

CMCSS Academies

College and career academies are schools within a school, aligned to a specific career theme. They are college and career preparatory small learning communities in which students focus their core class experience around a common career interest. Students share many of the same teachers, allowing educators to collaborate with each other in the coordination of lesson planning and classroom activities that align with the academy theme. Incoming high school freshmen will have the opportunity to apply to eight different college and career academies across the district. Rising sophomores interested in joining an Academy should talk with their school counselor.

Eligibility:

CMCSS incoming 9th grader

Application Deadline:

February 11, 2022

Parent Informational Meeting:

January 26, 2022 (in-person)
February 7, 2022 (virtual)

Learn More about CMCSS Academies

Middle College at Austin Peay

Middle College is a unique collaborative program between CMCSS and Austin Peay State University. This program enables junior and senior high school students to complete a high school education while receiving direct and invaluable access to free college courses at the same time, while on a college campus. Through grants and scholarships, Middle College students are not required to pay tuition nor do they incur the expense of college textbooks.

Eligibility:

CMCSS incoming 11th grader; 2.85 GPA or higher; maturity for a college environment; good attendance and behavior; and on track to graduate

Application Dates:

Rolling Admissions Process

Parent Informational Meeting:

January 13, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
Held at Central Service South
1312 Highway 48, Clarksville

Middle College Application

Early Technical College at TCAT

The Early Technical College at TCAT is a unique, hands-on learning experience that allows students a no-cost opportunity to work towards an industry certification while also completing the necessary high school courses for graduation in the state of TN. Students can choose one option from four pathways, earning up to two certifications for the chosen pathway. Students who qualify can use funding from TNPromise to complete TCAT diplomas following HS graduation.

Eligibility:

CMCSS incoming 11th grader; 2.2 GPA for IEMM, HVAC, Diesel Powered Equipment, Pharmacy Technology, 2.5 GPA for Pre-Practical Nursing; maturity for a college environment; good attendance and behavior; and on track to graduate

Application Dates:

Rolling Admission Process

Parent Informational Meeting:

January 13, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
Held at Central Service South
1312 Highway 48, Clarksville

Early Technical College Application