Frequently Asked Questions

Schools are encouraged to consider academic priority needs first - students starting the year behind the 35th percentile in reading or math or off-track to accrue graduation credits.  School ultimately make the decision about which students would benefit from the added layer of high dosage tutoring in addition to other existing supports.

School teams can identify the length of the support of high dosage tutoring within cycles of intervention (typically 6-10 weeks long).  When high dosage tutoring is implemented for students, teams should identify the aligned tool to monitor progress and the response to the intervention.  Data-informed decisions determine when the frequency, intensity, or duration of the tutoring sessions should be adjusted.

Multiple tutors may work with students.  Site Facilitators are encouraged to ensure the alignment of the supports and content to match the student needs and coordination with classroom instructor or other layers of support.

Yes, high dosage tutoring can be an additional layer of support for students with disabilities.  The focus of the tutoring should be in addition to and cannot replace supports outlined in the IEP. 

If additional expenditures, materials, or supplies are needed to facilitate the tutoring sessions, schools must cover the expenses or contact the Director of Professional Development for guidance. 

No, high dosage tutoring is intended to accelerate the learning of students and when possible help with credit accrual.  The model is not for test preparation or enrichment.

No, high dosage tutoring is intended to accelerate the learning of students by focusing on skills using strategies aligned with classroom instruction.  Tutors may administer a short probe for progress monitoring but this really is not the role of the tutor or intended use of the time during tutoring sessions.

Yes.  The extra duty salaray schedule stipend will be split equally.  If the equivalent of 50 hours may not be met because the school is exploring implementation starting in Fall 2022, a 50% stipend will be applied.  Hiring and Payroll Procedures

We will explore what this could look like. We hope that if the need for high dosage tutoring is driven through the MTSS problem solving process and collaboration with teacher team, that interaction with the tutor could be done via email or the Site Facilitator during scheduled times in the day for teachers to connect with any other colleagues that provide additional support. We will need to analyze this as the program launches.  It could be via email, through teams and or in person when the teachers  have already carved out time for data talks about their students.  The Site Facilitator will also maintain ongoing communication with tutors.  External Service Providers may use their own diagnostic assessments to identify areas of need in literacy and math. We have our assessments that support our  direction which will be used to evaluate the growth of our students. Putting  together this can be powerful for being targeted and establishing goals. This won’t require teachers to identify areas of need; although, we do believe the collaboration with tutors will produce better results. 

School licensed staff with less than 100% contract are eligible to be hired as a site tutor as long as tutoring occurs outside contract schedule and staff may not tutor during planning periods or lunch.

Staff may not tutor during planning periods or lunch.  Tutoring MUST occur outside contract schedule.  Administrator shall ensure Article 11.1 of PSD Employee Agreement parameters are met regarding time outside the bell schedule - An agreement can be made that individual staff members will adjust daily contract schedule to have the equivalent of "the school day begins ½ hour before and ends a ½ hour after the school bell schedule".  For example, a staff member can hold a tutoring session 45 minutes before the school bell schedule if the Employee Agreement expectation of ½ hour is added to the end of the day. 

For hired site tutors, instructional planning time or collaboration with Site Facilitators or classroom teachers may be included at a maximum of 1 hour week for tutoring sessions that same week.  Tutors will enter this time in the electronic timekeeping system.

For hired site tutors, tutors may clock in and clock out allowing for set up before tutoring sessions or clean up after tutoring sessions.  This should not exceed 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after time with the student(s).  Tutors will enter this time in the electronic timekeeping system.  Kronos does automatic rounding that may impact what this looks like in reporting monitored by the Site Facilitator.

Starting in Summer 2023, the ERs for tutors will roll into future sessions, semesters, years.  This means you will only need to do ERs for any brand new hired tutors.  What we do need to ask for though is Term of Assignment ER for any tutors that you know for sure will not be returning.  This cleans up and frees up licenses in Kronos.

No.  

This is under development.  Stay tuned.

This is under development.  Stay tuned.

Schools with concern of not providing the tutoring layer of support in 2022-2023 without transportation should contact (TBD).  

In '22-23, no busses will be available before 4:15 and very limited availability of busses before 4:45. Drivers may be willing to work late and it will depend a lot on what schools need service.

Additional PSD Nutrition food services are not available for tutoring sessions in Model 2.   Schools are encourage to consider current food services when scheduling tutoring sessions.

The Reading Corps AmeriCorps volunteers will not have their own time card tracking as they are not being paid by the District.  All volunteer names should have been provided by AmeriCorps to HR already. These individuals should be following the volunteer protocol, including registering as a volunteer (https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/NjA0Mzplbi1VUw==) and signing in at the front desk through the Raptor system each day.  These tutors will not receive a PSD email address nor get a badge.  Contact Deborah Meyer in HR for more information.

Contact Mariah Martin at mariahm@psdschools.org to discuss coordination between PSD after 3 and any possible HDTutoring sessions.