The programs and personnel used by the Lauderdale County School System are considered by an appointed group to ensure the effectiveness and reliability of each. The programs are aligned with the state course of study to ensure that our students receive the best possible education.  A number of software programs have been purchased so that they are available to all students in our system whether they are virtual or face to face.  Each of our students is provided with the tools they need to learn, including Chromebooks to provide the necessary support in completing their learning tasks at home. Lauderdale County Schools uses the STAR assessment, ACAP results, Heggerty, and other program-based assessments to identify those students who showed deficits and learning loss. After the assessments have been administered, reading and math coaches analyze the data with teachers. PST teams recommend identified students for the following face-to-face programs in our system: Tier 3 learning time with contract interventionists, after-school tutoring program, and our summer program. Learning software programs enhance student learning using small-group instruction. Contract interventionists and classroom teachers work with identified students for tier interventions. The Math Coaches work directly with students on individual student learning plans and implementation of individual student plans to ensure students receive the best instructional interventions. PST teams monitor student progress monthly. In addition to the planned programs and personnel, any ESSER funding is used in this intervention category to address student learning loss and designed as direct push-in services to students or specially designed individual student schedules so that students are not missing instructional class time.

If a student has to be isolated because of COVID-19 or other allowable reason, teachers will conduct Google Meets to give these students the same opportunity as those in the school setting in addressing learning losses. Additional social workers are on staff who will monitor student progress so that no student suffers discrimination because of racial and ethnicity group, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English Learners, gender, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care. 

Learning loss intervention total costs is $1,958,585.20:

(A) One Math Coach (1 FTE) for 2021-2022, and three math coaches (3 FTEs) for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 at a total cost of $505,000.00: 1100 [010-199] (Salaries) $372,048.46 | (Benefits) 1100 [200-299] $132,951.54. Math Coaches work directly with students to support student achievement and learning loss in the area of Mathematics with special attention to Tier II and III instruction. The Math Coaches provide individual or small group instruction to students who are struggling academically. Students receive intervention to address learning loss directly through the work of the Math Coaches as built in, push-in direct services to students or specially designed individual schedules so that students are not missing instructional time in class.

(B) One Academic Support Coordinator (1 FTE) for 2021-2022 and (1 FTE) for 2022-2023 for a total cost of $170,000.00: 1100 [010-199] (Salary) $125,402.96 | (Benefits) 1100 (200-299) $44,597.04 [200-299]. The Academic Support Coordinator (1 FTE) will work directly with students and teams at schools advising students, facilitating study groups or workshops, assessing current programs, and tracking student learning and academic performance. The Academic Support Coordinator will provide individual or small group instruction to students who are struggling academically. Students will receive direct intervention addressing learning loss through the work of the Academic Support Coordinator as a built in, push-in service directly to students or specially designed individual schedules so that students are not missing instructional time in class.

(C) Eight instruction reading interventionists (8 contracted) for 2021-2022 at a total cost of $460,000.00: 1100 [300-399] (Purchased Services) $460,000.00. Contract reading interventionists are responsible for working directly with students and supporting student achievement in the area of English Language Arts, with special attention to reading. This position is also responsible for monitoring, reporting, and communicating individual student progress and performance. Students will receive direct reading intervention addressing learning loss through the work of the contracted instructional iterventionists as a built in, push-in service directly to students or specially designed individual schedules so that students are not missing instructional time in class.

(E) One AAA Virtual Services Technology Specialist (One .14 FTE) for 2021-2022 at a total cost of $8,202.00: 1100 [010-199] (Salary) $6,824.76 | (Benefits) [200-299] $1,377.24. The virtual services technology specialist works directly with students and assists with classroom instruction and individual student instruction; prepares instructional materials for individual students and helps modify materials to fit individual student needs in general and/or special education virtual settings. Students will receive direct learning loss support through the work of the AAA Virtual Services Technology Specialist through built in, push-in learning services directly to students or specially designed individual schedules to address learning loss so that students are not missing instructional time in class whether participating through a virtual school or in-person school model.

(G) Purchased software at a cost of $574,793.25, for reading, math, and all content areas for grades K-12 at all schools, including: Brain Pop Learning ($47,065.25), Hapara ($90,048.00), Notable (48,750.00), IXL Learning Math ($63,180.00), Reading Horizons ($86,000.00), Kami ($48,750.00), Freckle ($53,000.00), STAR ($53,000.00), SORA ($85,000.00) | [1100] [400-499]. The software programs benefit student learning and address learning loss through access to educational websites for students in grades K-12. Some examples of direct student learning strategies would include quizzes and related materials covering the subjects of science, social studies, English, math, engineering and technology, health, and arts and music. Students will receive direct learning instruction addressing learning loss through strategies provided with the purchase of technology software through built in, push-in learning services directly to students or specially designed individual schedules so that students are not missing instructional time in class.

(H) Learning materials and classroom supplies at a total cost of $30,000.00:1100 [400-499]: 1100 [400-499] Math Intervention Kits for 2021-2022 ($4,000.00), 1100 [400-499] Nancy Fetzer Writing for 2021-2022 ($5,000.00), 1100 [400-499] and Textbooks for Interventionists for direct student instruction in school years 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024 ($21,000.00). The Math Intervention Kits, the Nancy Fetzer Writing, and all textbooks directly benefit individual students by providing resources as an extension of the regular grade level course that provides students who need it additional focused instruction and support at the needed level of intensity. Students will receive direct learning loss materials and supplies provided through the purchase of learning materials and classroom supplies through built in, push-in learning services directly to students or specially designed individual schedules so that students are not missing instructional time in class.

The contracts and services will be completed and installed on or before September 30, 2024.