Students at TBIS are grouped by ability level – not age or grade level – for math, as well as for reading and writing in both Spanish and English. This structure enables students to work in small groups in core academic areas and to receive instruction that is differentiated and more tailored to meet their needs. Our guided reading and math groups consist of as few as just two or three students and typically not more than seven or eight members. 

Ability-based groupings ensure that a younger student who is an advanced reader is able to participate in reading groups with peers who are older and reading more advanced content. A student who is ready to be challenged mathematically can work with a curriculum of a higher grade level, alongside students of similar ability levels. By the same token, students who need extra time to master mathematical content and to progress as readers and writers can work within a group that advances at a pace that is more suitable for them, often alongside younger peers. We do not talk to students about “being on grade level.” Rather, we set learning goals and objectives for our students and we provide a rigorous academic program to help them meet those goals. We nurture and we challenge our students to meet their potential, recognizing that all human beings learn different things in different ways and at different rates.