The Instructional Support Team (IST) and Program

• The IST is a building based, team approach, designed to meet the needs of regular education students who are experiencing difficulty academically and/or behaviorally within the classroom setting.
• IST is required by Chapters 14 and 342 of Pennsylvania's regulations and standards for special education.
• IST involves assessing a student's needs, collaborating as a team, and designing a plan with specific interventions to enable the student to meet with success in the classroom.

The Process

The IST process begins after a teacher or a parent requests assistance from the team.

Within a set period of time the following procedures occur:

• Data is gathered for an initial assessment of the student's academic, behavioral and/or coping skills.
• The support teacher contacts the parents.
• A Curriculum-Based Assessment is completed.
• A team meeting is conducted.  The team uses a problem solving format to write an action plan with specific interventions.
• The action plan is implemented and the student's progress is monitored.
• A progress review meeting is held to determine the success of the interventions.

The Progress Review results in one of the following:

• Intervention strategies have been successful and the case is closed.
• Intervention strategies are being continued; progress of the student is monitored.
• Intervention strategies are being redesigned.
• A student is being referred to a multidisciplinary team for further evaluation.

The Benefits

Parents:

• Acquire a better understanding of a child's academic and/or behavioral performance.
• Receive a clear knowledge of interventions being tried.
• Are provided with strategies that can be used at home.

Students:

• Receive assistance with problems quickly.
• Are evaluated within their own curriculum.
• Stay in the classroom for intervention whenever possible.
• May have progress monitored from year to year.

Classroom Teachers:

• Are provided with support to deal with children who have some individual needs.
• Choose the interventions which match their own teaching style.
• Generalize effective interventions to other children in the classroom.
• Share effective teaching strategies and competencies throughout the building.

Other Programs

Mustang Tutors

The Mustang Tutors are a group of teacher and parent-approved sixth grade students. They are assigned to a fourth, fifth, or sixth grade homebase to help the teacher and students in that room before and after the school day. The tutors provide academic and organizational support to fellow students.

The program helps make GMIS a more caring community. The teachers and students receive the help they need, and the tutors gain positive feelings of self worth and accomplishment.