2022-24 Academic Intervention Services (AIS)
Academic Intervention Services (AIS) means additional instruction which supplements the
instruction provided in the general curriculum and assists students in meeting the NY State Learning Standards. Academic Intervention Services are intended to assist students who are at risk of not achieving the NY State Learning Standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science, or who are at risk of not gaining the knowledge and skills needed to meet or exceed designated performance levels on state assessments. Academic Intervention Services shall be made available to English Language Learners and students with disabilities. In the case of AIS being provided to students with disabilities, services will be provided on the same basis as those provided to non-disabled students, as long as those services are consistent with the student’s individualized education program.
Academic Intervention Services includes two components:
- Additional instruction that supplements the general curriculum
- Student support services needed to address barriers to improved academic performance
Academic services will be provided to students in English language arts and mathematics in grades K-12 and social studies and science in grades 4-12. Support services will be provided to address barriers to increased academic performance related to attendance, behavior, family difficulties, health issues, lack of study skills, and transition or mobility issues.
Response to Intervention
Effective July 1, 2012, all school districts in NYS must have an RTI program in place as part of its evaluation process to determine if a student in grades K-5 is a student with a learning disability in the area of reading. The decision as to whether a student has a learning disability must be based on extensive and accurate information that leads to the determination that the student’s learning difficulties are not the result of the instructional program or approach. RTI is an effective and instructionally relevant process to inform these decisions. NYS Regulations define RTI as a school district’s process to determine if a student responds to scientific, research-based instruction, which minimally must include:
- Appropriate instruction delivered to all students in the general education class by qualified personnel.
- Screenings administered to all students for the purpose of identifying those students who are not making academic progress at expected rates.
- Instruction matched to student need with increasingly intensive levels of targeted intervention and instruction for students who do not make satisfactory progress in their levels of performance and/or in their rate of learning.
- Repeated assessments of student achievement which should include curriculum-based measures.
- Written notification to the parents regarding the nature and scope of interventions.
- At the end of the year the teachers identify students for AIS based on a number of criteria because the student is at risk of failing to meet the State learning standards.
- During the summer the principals with the guidance counselor and reading teachers decide who will receive AIS by reviewing students’ results on the identified multiple measures and teacher, Grade Level Team and Instructional Support Team (IST) recommendations. The AIS Eligibility Lists are reviewed at the beginning of the school year.
- Principals can assign students to AIS or discontinue service at any time it is needed as advised by the GradeLevel Team or IST.
- The principals will oversee the implementation of the parent notification requirements.
- The RTI process is used in K-5 Reading to identify students that need to be referred to CSE. The process and responsibilities are outlined in the attachments.
AIS Instructional Needs
Eligibility for AIS: Identification for AIS and intensity of service is based on multiple measures for each grade and subject area: Grades K-12 ELA and math, Grades 4-12 social studies and science. Students are identified for AIS at the Tier I – III level if they:
Tier 1: Monitoring
▪ Lack skills needed to maintain/monitor his/her own academic achievement (e.g., organizational skills, listening skills, test-taking skills, etc.)
▪ Grades K-8: performing at or below a median cut point score
between a Level 2/partially proficient and a Level 3/proficient on the NYS Assessments and/or do not meet one of the benchmark criteria
▪ Grades 9-12: score below proficiency on the NYS Regents
and/or do not meet one of the benchmark criteria
Tier 2 – Moderate Risk
▪ Are inconsistent in demonstrating expectations of grade level. Consistently lack some specific skills that are required for satisfactory performance.
▪ Grades K-8: score a low Level 2 below specified scale score on
NYS Assessments and/or do not meet two of the benchmark
criteria
▪ Grade 9-12: score below proficiency on the NYS Regents and/or do not meet two of the benchmark criteria
Tier 3 – High Risk
▪ Are potentially at-risk of not achieving the New York State
Learning Standards and/or meeting graduation requirements.
▪ Grades K-8: score Level 1 on NYS Assessments and/or do
not meet at least two of the benchmark criteria. The measure used, as well as degree of discrepancy is taken into account.
▪ Grades 9-12: score below proficiency on the NYS Regents and/or do not meet at least two of the benchmark criteria. The measure used, as well as degree of discrepancy is taken into account
Exiting AIS: Based on multiple measures
It is determined that a student is achieving the standards if they have:
▪ Achieved proficiency on the content area NYS assessment and/or
▪ Achieved the benchmark criteria on two or more of the multiple measures outlined above