The term SST has many meanings and there are several different ways that you can refer to this.
In this article I'll discuss some of the more common and most frequently used definitions and I'll also look at some of the other definitions.
Referral process
If a teacher feels that the student needs additional assistance with the curriculum, they can initiate a referral process.
A referral is a formal written request for an evaluation.
The school may accept the request or it may decline the request.
Typically, a school's administration must determine whether an evaluation is warranted before the evaluation can begin.
A referral is a document that requests an evaluation and explains why.
It is a legal requirement for schools to perform assessments to identify special education needs.
These assessments must be free of charge to the parents.
During the initial referral process, a professional school staff member will assist the parent in creating an initial referral document.
This document should describe the reason for the referral, the specific services being offered, and the parent's involvement.
Depending on the nature of the suspected disability, the staff member may also arrange for a speech and language specialist to attend the meeting.
The purpose of the pre-referral process is to provide the school district with more information about the problem.
While the pre-referral process is not a substitute for a special education evaluation, it can prevent students from being referred to the evaluation.
Usually, the pre-referral team consists of the parents and the professional staff member.
They are responsible for identifying and testing the effectiveness of various strategies to improve the child's performance.
When the student's performance has not improved after a series of interventions, the school will refer the student to a Pupil Study Team.
Generally, this team consists of a special education teacher, classroom teacher, and other school personnel.
Unlike the pre-referral process, the Pupil Study Team can offer strategies for intervention and possible alternative strategies to meet the educational needs of the student.
When the team makes a determination that an evaluation is necessary, the school will ask the parent for their permission.
The parent can either verbally or in writing ask for the referral.
Once the parent's permission has been obtained, the school must conduct an evaluation within thirty school days, which excludes weekends and holidays.
At the conclusion of the evaluation, the school will formulate an Individual Education Plan (IEP).
Parents must be notified in writing of the evaluation and their right to consent.
Goals and recommendations based on presenting problem, teacher assessment, student's needs, and parent feedback
Using data to chart student progress is an important part of classroom assessment.
It allows students and teachers to use the information to improve their performance.
Moreover, it helps teachers understand the level of performance of individual students, which is useful when adjusting lesson plans.
This process of using data to assess students also involves providing feedback.
The feedback can be formative or summative.
Formative feedback is helpful to learners because it encourages them to rethink their work.
However, it is also important to ensure that the feedback is not too harsh.
Rather, it should be constructive and focus on improving the quality of the student's performance.
When a student is provided with feedback, the most effective feedback will be the one that has a strong link to the student's goals.
For example, if a student's goal is to produce an A+ paper, then the feedback may consist of a written essay, a short answer, or a class discussion.
Ideally, it should include a specific recommendation about how to improve the student's performance.
Charting student progress is a natural part of the process.
The simplest way to do this is to write comments in journals.
Similarly, teacher-student conferences and whole-class presentations are other common types of assessment events.
Providing effective feedback is a complex task.
Teachers need to recognize that students have diverse needs.
They need to identify the student's goals and confusions.
They also need to understand the level of student engagement.
If a class has a high rate of participation, it will be easier to assess students.
Students should be given feedback in the early stages of learning.
This will avoid common mistakes.
Moreover, feedback will also encourage students to reflect on their own errors.
In addition to recognizing and responding to student confusions, teachers can offer specific guidance to groups of students.
Ultimately, this will help students close gaps in their understanding.
As a result, they will be able to better relate their new skills to the current ideas.
While students and teachers are interested in a variety of dimensions of learning, they are concerned about the effectiveness of their assessments.
By integrating formative and summative assessment into their curriculum, they will be able to improve the way they evaluate their students' performance.
School SST plans are not enforceable like a 504 Plan or IEP
There are many kinds of educational plans available to students with disabilities.
A 504 Plan, for example, is a federal civil rights law that allows students to receive certain accommodations.
These can include extra time on tests, specialized seating, and access to technology.
The IEP, on the other hand, is an individualized document that defines services and learning goals for a student with a disability.
This document is enforceable.
If the school doesn't provide a service or meet the needs of a student with a disability, then the student can use the law to enforce his or her rights.
Both the 504 Plan and the IEP are designed to help students with disabilities achieve academic success.
However, Section 504 does more than just make an IEP or 504 Plan viable.
It also ensures that these types of specialized instruction are available to students.
To get a 504 Plan or an IEP, a parent or caregiver must agree to have a school evaluate their child.
They must also agree to have the plan reviewed periodically.
Unlike the IEP, a 504 Plan does not require a formal written document.
Similarly, a Section 504 Plan does not require the inclusion of goals or objectives.
In the case of a 504 Plan, the most important thing to remember is that these plans aren't required to be a legal document.
However, they are a great way to get the most out of your student's education.
For more information, check out the Section 504 and IEP interrelationship.
Another good idea is to seek out an outside evaluation.
While not all schools may consider this to be worthwhile, a qualified professional could be able to identify the most important areas of improvement for your child.
Before committing to an outside evaluation, you should first ask your school district whether or not it offers an IEP.
If they don't, you should then contact the state special education quality assurance office.
You can then request an IEP meeting.
Finally, you may want to contact your local Parent Training and Information Center to learn more about your state's special education laws.
As you do, you will likely find out the IEP is not the only measurable success for students with disabilities.
Other meanings of sst
Student Study Teams (SSTs) are a regular education process that is designed to design a support system for struggling students.
The team is often comprised of educators, parents, and other specialists.
These meetings are held to review student progress, assess resources, and formulate an intervention plan.
SSTs can address academic, behavioral, and discipline issues.
They can also deal with other unidentified factors that may affect a child's performance.
It can also be used to determine if a child requires special education services.
A formal SST meeting can be requested by a parent, teacher, or administrator.
When this happens, an SST Coordinator will contact the referring party to discuss potential SST members.
Once a decision is made, the coordinator will schedule a formal SST meeting.
SST meetings are typically scheduled for a 30-45 minute time frame.
However, they can last longer than this if there are multiple participants.
If the parent or teacher believes that the child is not making the required academic or social progress, they can request a formal SST meeting.
This is usually the first step outside of a parent-teacher conference.
Often, an SST will meet with a consultation team of professionals to assess a student's progress.
During the meeting, a facilitator will ask questions to uncover the student's strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
After the consultation team gathers background information, the facilitator will begin the planning process.
A team will then work to find a solution that is both school-based and at-home.
Solutions could include a referral to another resource, or actions the teacher might take in the classroom.
An SST should be an effective support system for all children.
The team should be made up of educators and other specialists who are committed to supporting students.
SSTs are not enforceable, however.
In addition, school SST plans do not fulfill requirements for 504 plans.
Therefore, it is important for parents to verify that a school is following the plan.
SSTs are not always a quick process, as they can take up to several months to complete.
But, when followed, they can have a significant impact on a student's education.