Academic Intervention Services (AIS) / Overview

Academic Intervention Services (AIS)

The New York State Education Department requires that we develop and communicate the process for determining which students receive Academic Intervention Services (AIS) in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) as a result of the NYS grades 3-8 assessments. Academic Intervention Services (AIS) are supplemental instruction and/or student support services intended to assist students in meeting the expectations of the Common Core Learning Standards. This additional support or instruction is intended to address barriers to improved academic performance, assist students who are at risk of not meeting standards in English Language Arts, mathematics, science and/or social studies in grades K-12 and assist students who have not met designated performance levels in English Language Arts, mathematics, science and/or social studies. Students are identified for AIS services through a two-step process. First, all students performing below the median scale score between a Level 2/partially proficient and a Level 3/proficient on a Grade 3-8 ELA or Mathematics state assessment shall be considered for AIS. Please see the chart below for this “cut score” by grade level and subject area.

This link provides the median scale scores for the purpose of identifying students to receive AIS

If your child falls below this scale score, they will move on to phase two of this process. Each building has an established study team, Elementary Study Team (EST) at PQ and Child Study Team (CST) at the MS/HS that applies Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). MTSS is a school-wide, data-driven prevention system designed to maximize academic and behavioral instruction and intervention for children. This team meets regularly to determine appropriate interventions based upon student needs. If your child is considered initially eligible based on their NYS ELA or mathematics assessment score, they will be referred to the EST or CST. At this stage, the team of professionals will examine additional data to determine whether intervention is needed, and if so, what resources will be utilized. Please click here to find out more about MTSS. A NYS RtI parent site describes the structure for determining levels of interventions. The criteria used is as follows:

All students performing below the median scale score between levels 2 and 3 are identified as eligible (see chart above for that score).

Once a student is identified as eligible, other local measures will then be examined to determine the necessity and/or appropriateness of AIS support:

At PQ Elementary, a combination of the following measures will be utilized: Renaissance STAR Reading, Renaissance STAR Math, Group Mathematics Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation-GMADE, Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation-GRADE and New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (if applicable).

Students who score below the median scale score on the NYS ELA or NYS Math assessments are tested using STAR Reading or STAR Math

Students who score below the 35th Percentile on STAR Reading or STAR Math are tested using GRADE or GMADE.

Students who score below the 30th Percentile on GMADE or GRADE receive AIS

Students below the 54th Percentile receive urgent intervention.

Students below between the 55th and 64th Percentile receive intervention.

Students between the 65th and 73rd Percentile are on watch

Students at the 74th to 84th Percentile are at grade level benchmark.

Students at or above the 85th Percentile are above the grade level benchmark.

At North Salem MS, a combination of the following measures will be utilized: In-class assessments, STAR Reading, STAR Math, and New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (if applicable).

Students who score below the median scale score on the NYS ELA or NYS Math assessments

Students whose in-class testing average is below a 65% average

Students who score below the 64th Percentile on STAR Reading or STAR Math receive AIS

Students below the 54th Percentile receive urgent intervention.

Students below between the 55th and 64th Percentile receive intervention.

Students between the 65th and 73rd Percentile are on watch

Students at 74th Percentile or above the 84th Percentile are at grade level benchmark.

Students at or above the 85th Percentile are above the grade level benchmark.

Qualifying for intervention services does not necessarily mean services will be provided outside of the classroom. Our general education teachers may provide intervention services at a Tier 2 level in consultation with specialists and/or the CST or EST. A link to the memo from the NYS Education Department can be found here.

If you have any questions about AIS, CST, EST, or MTSS, please do not hesitate to contact Roy Martin, Principal at PQ, Vince DiGrandi, Principal at the MS/HS or Julio Vazquez, Director of Instruction and Human Resources.

Academic Intervention Services (AIS)

Academic Intervention Services (AIS)

This link provides the median scale scores for the purpose of identifying students to receive AIS

All students performing below the median scale score between levels 2 and 3 are identified as eligible (see chart above for that score).

Once a student is identified as eligible, other local measures will then be examined to determine the necessity and/or appropriateness of AIS support:

Students who score below the median scale score on the NYS ELA or NYS Math assessments are tested using STAR Reading or STAR Math

Students who score below the 35th Percentile on STAR Reading or STAR Math are tested using GRADE or GMADE.

Students who score below the 30th Percentile on GMADE or GRADE receive AIS

Students below the 54th Percentile receive urgent intervention.

Students below between the 55th and 64th Percentile receive intervention.

Students between the 65th and 73rd Percentile are on watch

Students at the 74th to 84th Percentile are at grade level benchmark.

Students at or above the 85th Percentile are above the grade level benchmark.

At North Salem MS, a combination of the following measures will be utilized: In-class assessments, STAR Reading, STAR Math, and New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (if applicable).

Students who score below the median scale score on the NYS ELA or NYS Math assessments

Students whose in-class testing average is below a 65% average

Students who score below the 64th Percentile on STAR Reading or STAR Math receive AIS

Students below the 54th Percentile receive urgent intervention.

Students below between the 55th and 64th Percentile receive intervention.

Students between the 65th and 73rd Percentile are on watch

Students at 74th Percentile or above the 84th Percentile are at grade level benchmark.

Students at or above the 85th Percentile are above the grade level benchmark.

If you have any questions about AIS, CST, EST, or MTSS, please do not hesitate to contact Roy Martin, Principal at PQ, Vince DiGrandi, Principal at the MS/HS or Julio Vazquez, Director of Instruction and Human Resources.