At the Board of Education Meeting on November 9, 2010, Westport Central School was officially added as a Validated Practice Site and Mentor School by the New York State Education Department's S³TAIR Project.  Westport Central School's Validated Practice Site is named in the area of Data Based Decision Making in Literacy.

The S³TAIR Project, New York's IDEA State Personnel Development Grant, is based on the premises that:

• Many schools and districts in New York State are providing evidence based effective practices resulting in success for students with disabilities, and

• These schools' and districts' experiences in implementing and maintaining effective practices can help other schools and districts attempting to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

New York's project is designed to improve outcomes for students with disabilities by helping educators increase skills in literacy, positive behavior intervention, and special education instruction.  Through the S³TAIR Project, districts and schools that have effective, evidence based practices in these areas will mentor schools in need of assistance or intervention as they implement similar practices.

A key element in the S³TAIR Project is identification and validation of effective evidence based practices in nominated districts and schools statewide. Schools and districts whose practices are validated are spotlighted on the S³TAIR website.

Schools and districts whose practices are validated also may apply for grants to mentor other districts/schools' practice implementation efforts. Documentation of these partnerships are also highlighted on the S³TAIR website. The schools whose practices are selected as Mentor Schools have been funded to form a partnership with a Replication School in need of assistance or intervention to improve outcomes in an area targeted by the New York State Improvement Plan.