Background+of+TAT

Oakwood Elementary School Teacher Assistance Team (TAT)

The Teacher Assistance Team (TAT) is a committee of teachers whose goal is to provide problem solving assistance to other teachers by designing interventions and accommodations within the general education classroom setting for “difficult-to-teach” students (Chalfant, Pysh, and Moultrie 1979). The use of TAT’s has been shown to have positive effects on student achievement and behavior in addition to reducing referral rates for special education testing (Hayek 1987). As the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 1997) strongly encourages the use of interventions prior to making a referral to special education, we at Oakwood will utilize a TAT that will provide research based, data driven interventions/accommodations to support teachers and students in meeting with success. Should these interventions/accommodations not assist the students in the general education classroom, then a referral to tier three- the Student Support Services Team (SST)- will be made for possible investigation into a disabling condition as identified by IDEA.