The Early Intervention Program is a created by the State of Georgia to help students who are not at the level they should be.  The following was taken from the Georgia Department of Education, Linda C. Schrenko, State Superintendent of Schools, 06/20/01.

Purpose

Children start school at a designated chronological age, but differ greatly in their individual development and experience base.  The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is designed to serve students who are at risk of not reaching or maintaining academic grade level.  The purpose of the Early Intervention Program is to provide additional instructional resources to help students who are performing below grade level obtain the necessary academic skills to reach grade level performance in the shortest possible time.

Program Structure

The program design is selected locally in coordination with regular instruction and other education programs.  Development and evaluation of the program shall involve teachers, administrators, and parents at the school level.  Program coordination at the system level may vary according to the size, needs, and policies of the local system.  The following are indicators of a successful program:

    (1)    Instruction

    (2)    Parental Involvement

    (3)    Staff Development

    (4)    Program Evaluation/Accountability

1. Instruction

STAFF: EIP must be staffed by certified teachers. Paraprofessionals with experience and expertise in teaching students with diverse needs and abilities may assist teachers. Ability to work well with other teachers is essential in collaborative teaching models.

TEACHING STRATEGIES: A variety of instructional strategies and materials should be selected by the school staff based on knowledge of how children learn and documented best/effective practices. Strategies should promote further development of children's language, cognitive, social and motor skills.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT: Student assessment should reflect the students' academic progress and be used for instructional planning for academic achievement. Evaluation instruments that provide the basis for establishing and assessing achievement objectives and yield a measure of student gains should be used. Students should be moved into this program, provided assistance, and moved out of this program upon reaching grade level performance. According to progress, students may exit or remain in the program for the entire school year. Schools must have a system for documenting entry dates and exit dates of all EIP students.

DELIVERY MODELS: Each participating school selects the delivery model(s) to be used.  Any combination of the following models may be used within a system or school depending on the unique needs and characteristics of the students and school.  There are four models:

(1) Augmented - The augmented model incorporates EIP services into the     regular group class size by providing an additional early childhood certified teacher to reduce the teacher/pupil ratio to 1: 11 while providing EIP services. The regular classroom teacher, referred to as host teacher, and the augmentation teacher coordinate the instructional program for all students with consideration given to individual needs of EIP children. The schedule and role of the augmentation teacher is established at each school. Together, teachers plan and develop appropriate strategies for meeting students' needs. Either teacher may work with targeted students and any other student. The teachers may work together and share one classroom.

(2) Self-Contained - This model is used to reduce the class size (1:11) in order to provide more emphasis on instruction and increased academic achievement. When forming EIP classes, schools should be mindful of civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, disability, etc.

(3) Pull-Out - EIP students may be removed from the classroom for remedial instruction. This model may serve a maximum of 14 students at a time.

(4) Reduced Class Model - This model allows for the combination of EIP students with regular education students in smaller classes.

Reading Recovery Program - Students may be removed from the classroom for one segment of reading. This segment of instruction will be provided by the Reading Recovery teacher using the Reading Recovery Model. Students served by Reading Recovery may be counted for one segment of EIP instruction for the entire year.

Other School Designs - Schools may submit to the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) a school design model. Use of this model requires a written description of how EIP students will be provided services above and beyond the regular classroom setting. Other school designs must include the following:
• an appropriate and effective program in remediating student deficiencies.
• services through a state-certified teacher.
• the use of EIP funds that provide supplemental instruction above and beyond those services provided by the state.
• compliance with the maximum class size rule.

2.     Parental Involvement

Parental involvement in the child's education is vital to success. The parent component of EIP should be coordinated with other programs as part of the school's overall plan for involving parents.  The school shall provide within ten calendar days notice an opportunity for a conference with the student's parents or guardians and the student to discuss the student's performance and the role of the early intervention program. The school will develop a parental needs assessment. Using the needs assessment, a plan for involving parents/guardians shall be developed, approved by the school council when in place, implemented, and documented to enable schools to meet the needs and characteristics of the families and community. The plan shall be maintained and made available for monitoring at the system and school level upon request of the Georgia Department of Education.  The Department of Education will collaborate with local RESAs to help provide training on models/strategies to encourage parental involvement. Examples of activities that may be included are:
• home visits
• parent workshops, training/instructional opportunities
• parent/guardian volunteer or mentoring programs
• resource centers at the school
• advisory panels and school improvement committees
• skills checklist

3. Staff Development

Staff development should be provided for all staff to adequately prepare teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators for working with diverse learners. All staff members involved in EIP (administrators, all teachers who work with EIP students, and paraprofessionals in EIP classrooms) will have continuing opportunities to acquire additional knowledge and skills needed to teach challenging subject matter, and be trained to use emerging new methods, forms of assessment, and current technologies. Project coordinators, building level administrators and teachers should identify criteria and goals for staff development, then evaluate whether working practices coincide with targeted goals. Topics for staff development may include, but are not limited to:
• assessing student achievement
• using assessment to differentiate instruction
• the school as a learning community
• classroom organization and effective classroom management
• effective instructional practices for the at-risk learner
• curriculum development activities that correlate with QCC content standards
• information on the CRCT content domains

*EIP funds may not be used for parent workshops or staff development (See Georgia School Laws, Section 20-2-167)

4. Program Evaluation/Accountability

• The Office of Education Accountability will consider the length of time that students spend in the EIP as one of the determinants of performing and non-performing schools.
• Program exit criteria for the 2001-2002 school year will be established by the local school system. School systems may use the same qualifiers from the EIP Teacher Checklists as one criteria for exiting the program.
• Students placed in EIP must be administered an assessment that will reflect achievement gains for the academic year.

II.    REPORTING PROCEDURES

• Eligibility records and exit documentation should be maintained at the local school and made available for monitoring upon request of the Office of Education Accountability.

III.    ELIGIBILITY

Until the Office of Education Accountability determines entry and exit criteria, the following will apply:
• Criteria for eligibility shall be consistent throughout the system.
• Eligibility determination is made at the school level by identifying the students functioning below the normal expectation for the respective grade.
• Kindergarten students must display at least six of the II qualifiers on the Kindergarten Checklist for EIP Eligibility.

• Grades one, two, and three must display at least eight of the 14 qualifiers on the designated teacher checklist.
• Grades four and five must display at least six of the 11 qualifiers on the designated teacher checklist.