Students Who Struggle with Mathematics: Identification and Support.
Inclusive Schools Network is excited to announce our continued partnership with Vanessa Rayner, PhD, a mathematics consultant with the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Vanessa specializes in elementary mathematics teaching and for several years has been working with school-level teams to support students who struggle to learn mathematics. Vanessa's work in this area is largely based on the 6 Recommendations in the Institute of Education Sciences Practice Guide, "Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades.", with a focus on putting these recommendations in practice.
Vanessa and the SWLSB team have made significant strides in math assessment and intervention to address the math achievement gap between students with and without Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to ultimately optimize mathematics learning for all students.
The Math Assessment and Intervention Project
For the past three years, the Math Assessment and Intervention project has aimed to support resource teachers by promoting best practices in mathematics assessment and developing an understanding of research-based pedagogical practices that have been shown to positively impact mathematics learning in Tier 1 settings.
In 2023 the project focused on supporting students that struggle in their learning of mathematics in two ways, piloting a mathematics universal screener to identify at-risk students (Acadience Math), and exploring a research-based framework that outlines 6 Recommendations with strong evidence for promoting effective mathematics instruction (i.e., Practice Guide 26, 2021, What Works Clearinghouse). The focus on these two areas served as a guide for resource teachers in using data for targeted math support by highlighting practical strategies for connecting assessment and effective Tier 1 and Tier 2 intervention.
Building on the successes of the previous year, project expanded its reach in 2024-25 and 2025-26, to include more schools and classroom teachers. Key goals of this project included:
Scaling the use of universal screeners
Strengthening Tier 1 instruction
Exploring resources to inform Tier 2 interventions
During this phase, teachers collaborated to co-plan lessons to implement the 6 Recommendations in their practice—particularly focusing on fractions—and began integrating Cognition Based Assessments to better inform Tier 2 math support.
Continuing Commitment to Mathematics Improvement
Vanessa and her team will continue their work using the cognition-based assessments with a focus on interpreting and situating student thinking within developmental learning trajectories (place value, addition/subtraction, fractions and multiplication/division), and using this data to inform subsequent intervention tasks. Throughout this project, they have showcased their dedication to enhancing math achievement for all students by effectively connecting assessment with intervention strategies and promoting collaboration among educators.
Their efforts not only address current challenges in the teaching and learning of mathematics, but continue SWLSB goals in building teacher capacity in shifting mathematics instruction.
Join US!
Professional Development Sessions on Identification of Students who Struggle with Mathematics: Identification and Support.
These sessions are tailored for consultants, teachers, and resource educators aiming to improve their skills in identifying at-risk students and utilizing Cognition-Based Assessments (CBA). Discover how to effectively implement the CBA to assist students facing academic challenges. Participate in our three insightful sessions to expand your knowledge and enhance your teaching methods.
All sessions will take place ONLINE.
Session 1: Identifying Students at Risk
November 3, 2026, 9am-12pm
Flow Chart for Identifying At-Risk Students
Review of Acadience Math Assessment
Overview of Cognition-Based Assessments
Discussion on Current Practices in Resource for Math Across the Province
What is Working?
What Needs Improvement?
Session 2: Administration and Scoring of Cognition-Based Assessments
November 17, 2026, 9am-12pm
Determining For Whom the Assessments are Appropriate
Administration Procedures
Scoring Methods
Interpreting Results
Applying Cognition-Based Assessments in Instruction
Session 3: Sharing Experiences with Cognition-Based Assessments
February 3, 2027, 9am-12pm
Volunteers to Share Their Experiences
Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation
How Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) Informs Instruction and Practice
Sharing Best Practices with Resource Teachers
Identifying Required Support
Join us for these engaging sessions to enhance your skills in using Cognition-Based Assessments effectively and to collaborate with your peers in the field. Click HERE to register.
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