At a Glance
The faculty of Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School implements data-driven instruction and test preparation strategies to help ready students for end-of-program assessments.
Description
At CPAVTS, the difference in performance on the NOCTI and NIMS assessments between students with IEPs and those without IEPs is smaller than it is at many other secondary Perkins fiscal agents. Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services Albert Parrillo notes that this achievement is due in part to a schoolwide focus on preparing both IEP and non-IEP students for the end-of-program assessments. Many of the preparation methods are used for all students.
A key factor in preparing students is the use of NOCTI pre-test data to identify areas in which students need additional support. Teachers are required to rank the NOCTI duty areas according to how their class performed. They then identify potential strategies for improving student performance on each duty area. Teachers focus instruction on these identified weaknesses, and they also make students aware of them so that they can take some ownership for filling in gaps in their learning.
Students are given opportunities to learn and practice both the theory and hands-on skills using practice and study guides for this purpose. In addition, instructors use MAX Teaching strategies to help students understand and apply content. With all of these practices, special education teachers and instructional assistants provide ongoing support to students with IEPs as needed and required.
Contact
Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School
http://www.cpavts.org/
Albert Parrillo, PhD, LPC, GCDF; Supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services
aparrillo@cpavts.org