Response to Intervention RTI

1
Response to Intervention (RTI)

• Tonya Middling
• Learning Improvement Coordinator
• OSPI, Special Education
• Paul Alig
• Program Supervisor
• OSPI, Special Education
• Tuesday, December 12, 2006

2
Purpose

• To provide an overview of RTI systems and how it
  aligns with Reading First
• Building capacity Begin thinking about how your
  schools can apply existing practices
• To other academic areas and behavior and
• In pre-K and upper grade levels by using the
  Response to Intervention framework.
• Explain the direction of the state relative to
  RTI in response to changes in IDEA 2004
• RTI is currently optional

3
Overview

• Define RTI
• Background and research
• Discuss support for RTI in federal law
• Review core principles of an RTI system
• Discuss use of RTI for special education
  eligibility
• Review relevant IDEA 04 regulations
• District Implementation-Case scenario

4
What is RTI?

• RTI is the practice of (1) providing
  high-quality instruction/intervention matched to
  student needs and (2) using learning rate over
  time and level of performance to (3) make
  important educational decisions to guide
  instruction
• National Association of State Directors of
  Special Education, 2005

5
Response to Intervention What are the big ideas?

• High quality instruction/intervention
  Instruction or intervention matched to student
  need that has been demonstrated empirically and
  by practice to demonstrate high learning rates
  for most students
• Learning rate and level of performance Learning
  rate refers to students growth in academic or
  behavioral skills over time in comparison to
  prior levels and peer growth rates. Level of
  performance refers to a students relative
  standing (growth) on some critical dimension of
  academic or behavioral skills compared to
  expected/predicted growth.
• Important educational decisions Student
  intervention outcomes drive decision making at
  every tier. Decisions about intensity and
  duration of interventions are based upon data
  across multiple tiers of intervention.

6
What RTI Is and Is Not

• Is
• RTI is an overall integrated system of service
  delivery.
• Is Not
• RTI is not just an eligibility systema way of
  reducing the numbers of students placed into
  special education.

7
What RTI Is and Is Not

• Is
• RTI is effective for students who are at risk for
  school failure as well as students in other
  disability categories.
• Is Not
• RTI is not limited to students with learning
  disabilities.

8
Background and Research Support

• Stan Denos data-based decision program
  modification model (Deno, 1985 Deno Mirkin,
  1977)
• John Bergans behavioral consultation model
  (Bergan, 1977)
• Sharon Vaughn's 3-Tier Model
• 2 Research articles provided in packets-Fletcher
  et al and Klingner and Edwards
• Nearly all of the RTI models being implemented
  today include features drawn from all three of
  these models.

9
Why RTI?

• Provides appropriate learning experiences for all
  students
• Uses school-wide progress monitoring to assess
  entire class progress and individual student
  progress
• Promotes early identification of students at risk
  for academic failure
• Involves multiple performance measures rather
  than measurement at a single point in time
• Under RTI, students receive interventions based
  on reliable and valid data earlier than the wait
  to fail scenario

10
Why RTI? continued

• RTI identifies specific skill deficits, whereas
  teacher referrals are more frequently general
  statements of need
• Scientifically-based interventions are used more
  frequently and earlier
• Over identification based on race/ethnicity is
  reduced in programs for students with learning
  disabilities and mental retardation
• African-American children are twice as likely as
  white children to be labeled mentally retarded
  and more likely to be label EBD

11
Why RTI? continued

• Greater numbers of at-risk students achieve
  benchmarks
• Principals and superintendents want to know if
  students are achieving benchmarks, regardless of
  placement in general education, gifted, or
  special education
• SLD category has grown 300 since 1976-80 there
  because they havent learned how to read 40
  there because they havent been taught to read.

12
Effectiveness of LD Programs based on Discrepancy
Model

• Special education placements tend to stabilize
  the reading growth of students with reading
  disabilities rather than accelerate it. (Vaughn,
  1998, Moody, 2000)
• The change in acceleration rates for students
  with reading disabilities is about .04 SD/year.
  It will take 8 years to move from 5th to 9th
  percentile (Torgeson, in press Hanushek, 1998)
• Students who enter special educaiton2 years
  below age mates can be expected to maintain
  disparity or fall farther behind.
• Its the nature of the program more than the
  label that makes the difference.

13
RTI Manual Introduction

• Outlines principle components of RTI
• Guidance on RTI decision making
• Recommendations on using RTI data to identify
  specific learning disabilities (SLD)
• Answers common questions
• Includes additional resources and practical
  appendices

14
How to use the RTI manual

• Recommendations NOT regulations
• Each district and school design their own RTI
  system built on your existing Reading First
  practices depending on resources
• The RTI manual aligns with OSPIs K-12 Reading
  Model-Should be familiar with both models

15
RTI Big Ideas

• RTI is a general education approach that aligns
  resources from general, remedial and special
  education through a multi-tiered service delivery
  model in order to provide scientific,
  research-based interventions to struggling
  students.
• Can be applied in all academic areas and behavior

16
RTI Big Ideas

• RTI includes making data-based decisions using
  curriculum based measurements (CBMs) through
  problem-solving or standard protocol approaches
• Uses formative assessments to monitor
  effectiveness of interventions and student
  progress
• May be used in the identification of students
  with specific learning disabilities

17
RTI- A Systems Change

• Shift in sequence related to funding
• Shifting our view of the problem-RTI focuses on
  student intervention need and not What is wrong
  with the student?
• Need to first look at variables that might be
  preventing the student from learning (i.e., the
  curriculum, instruction, or environment)
• Shift in student data Focus on instructional
  need rather than diagnosis
• Shift in student ownership Not just special
  education or Title 1, but all of our students

18
Activity 1 Leadership

• Complete Leadership table on the RTI checklist
  with team (10 minutes)
• Guiding questions
• Who would be natural leaders in expanding
  practices used in Reading First into a full RTI
  system?
• What commitment is needed to expand existing
  practices to pre-K and upper grades
• Prioritize 2 things that need to occur regarding
  leadership in your school or district and enter
  on the Action Plan

19
Response to Intervention Core Principles

• Use all available resources to teach all students
• Use scientific, research-based interventions
• Monitor classroom performance
• Conduct universal screening/benchmarking
• Use multi-tier model of service delivery
• Make data based decisions using a problem
  solving/standard protocol approach
• Monitor progress frequently
• Implementation fidelity

20
1. Use all available resources to teach all
students

• RTI practices are built on the belief that all
  students can learn and everyone supports all
  students
• Districts need to review existing initiatives to
  determine where RTI can complement and/or help
  unify efforts already in place.
• Basic Education
• LAP/Title
• Reading First (NCLB, 2001)
• School Improvement Plan
• Student Learning Plans
• Special Education (IDEA 2004)
• K-12 Reading Model
• Goal is to match resources in a manner that is
  directly proportional to students needs,
  regardless of source.

21
2. Use scientific, research-based interventions

• Curriculum and instruction approaches must have a
  high probability of success for the majority of
  students
• Offer as soon as it is clear the student is
  lagging behind
• Increase intensity of instruction and practice
• Opportunity for explicit and systematic
  instruction/practice and cumulative review
• Provide skillful instruction with good error
  correction, immediate feedback
• Guided by and in response to progress monitoring
  data
• Must provide a supportive atmosphere for learning

22
Activity 2-Curriculum

• Discuss and complete the curriculum table on the
  RTI checklist with team (10 minutes)
• Guiding questions
• What core instructional programs are in place for
  the intermediate grades in reading?
• For math and writing, what core instructional
  changes are needed at all grades?
• What about school wide behavioral systems?
• Prioritize 2 things that need to occur regarding
  curriculum in your school or district

23
3. Monitor classroom performance

• General education teachers
• Play a vital role in designing and delivering
  high quality instruction
• Collect student centered data for making informed
  instructional decision rather than waiting for an
  outcome measure (i.e., WASL)
• Are in the best position to assess students
  performance in relationship to state standards
  (GLEs)
• Must constantly assess and reassess the value of
  programs and their impact on students

24
4. Assessment System

• 4 types of assessment, each for varying purposes
• Universal Screening (i.e., DIBELS, Gates-
  MacGinitie Reading Test)
• Progress Monitoring(i.e., Curriculum Based
  Measures CBMs)
• Targeted-(i.e., Curriculum Based Mastery
  Measures)
• Outcome- WASL

25
a) Universal Screening Assessments

• School staff conduct universal screening in all
  academic areas and behavior to all students three
  times/year
• Purpose of universal screening is to identify
  students at risk for academic or behavior
  failure
• Universal screening data tells us whether a child
  is on track compared to peer group and/or state
  standards
• The students data at benchmark testing periods
  can be utilized to validate the effectiveness of
  intervention. Is the gap closing?

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
b) Progress Monitoring

• Documents student growth over time to determine
  if students are learning critical skills at an
  adequate rate
• CBMs are primarily used as a method for progress
  monitoring because they are brief, easy to
  administer and score, and are good predictors of
  student ability
• Progress monitoring data provide a picture of the
  students performance and rate of growth to
  inform instructional and curricular changes so
  that every student reaches proficiency on
  targeted skills

29
Words Read Correct
X
X
X
30
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Words Read Correct
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
31
c) Targeted Assessment

• Targeted assessment means shifting to evaluations
  that are designed around the specific targeted
  concerns of the student.
• In other words, we select assessments that
  measure the area of concern rather than
  administering an assessment and then trying to
  determine what it means.
• Usually conducted when student enters Tier III,
  but may be conducted earlier

32
Tools and Resources for Universal Screening,
Progress Monitoring and Targeted Assessments

• OSPIs Reading Assessment Tool
• http//www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Reading/pu
  bdocs/ReadingAssessmentMatrixV12-5-5.doc
• Use as a reference tool
• Not endorsed by OSPI
• Simply a consumers guide to norm and criterion
  referenced assessment tools and purpose and type
  of measurement
• Investigate further what will work for your
  district
• Consistency of use, delivery, data reporting, and
  use of data to drive instruction will make the
  biggest difference
• Reading, math and writing tools
• http//www.interventioncentral.org/
• Aimsweb/DIBELS

33
Data Management for Assessment System

• Technical Support
• How will you track assessment data and who has
  access to this data?
• Who will be responsible for maintaining the data?

34
Activity 3 Assessment System

• Complete the screening table on RTI checklist (10
  minutes)
• Refer to page 1 of Appendix A in RTI manual
• Guiding questions
• What assessment tools are used in reading, math
  and writing in grades beyond K-3?
• What kinds of assessments are currently being
  used to monitor progress and to drive instruction
  at all grade levels?
• When should targeted assessments be applied in
  all grades?
• Prioritize 2 things that need to occur regarding
  assessment in your school or district

35
Features of a Multi-Tiered Model

• Each tier represents increasingly intense level
  of services associated with increasing levels of
  learner needs-the greater the tier the greater
  the support needed for the student
• The nature of the academic or behavioral
  intervention changes at each tier, becoming more
  rigorous as the student moves through the tiers
• Students move up and down the tiers depending on
  need

36
Three-Tier Model of School Supports

• Intensive, Individual Interventions
• Individual Students
• Assessment-based
• Intense, durable procedures

1-5
1-5
5-10
5-10
37
Tier I All Students

• All students receive high quality scientific
  research based instruction in the core curriculum
  in all areas
• Core curriculum provides the foundation for
  instruction upon which all strategic and
  intensive interventions are formulated
• Serves 80-90 of the student body
• Some Tier I interventions may be applied to at
  risk students followed by progress monitoring

38
Activity 4 Tier ITable Discussion (15 minutes)

• Guiding questions
• What does Tier I currently look like in your
  schools relative to universal screening, progress
  monitoring, and interventions? What might Tier I
  look like in the intermediate grades (4-6) in
  reading?
• What is needed so teachers are able to implement
  an effective core program in every classroom for
  grades 4-6 in reading?
• What about in math, writing or behavior K-6?
• How will you evaluate the effectiveness of your
  core programs in math and writing?
• What changes need to occur, if any?

39
Tier II Some Students

• For students who are not achieving standards
  through the core curriculum alone, strategic
  interventions would be necessary to supplement
  the core program
• Consists of 5-10 of the student body
• Occurs in small groups of 3-6 students
• Short-term in duration 9-12 week blocks
• Interventions are not implemented for set periods
  of time but, rather, are modified or discontinued
  based on student progress data.
• Recommended 3-4 sessions per week at 30-60
  minutes per session

40
Tier II Some Students, cont.

• Students progress is monitored more frequently at
  Tier II, usually every 2 weeks
• Students should receive more than one block of
  Tier II interventions if progressing but who have
  not yet reached the goal
• Students who reach goal would be reintegrated
  into Tier I
• Students who do not progress in Tier II may
  require more intensive interventions

41
Activity 5 Tier IITable Discussion (15
minutes)

• Guiding questions
• What does Tier II currently look like in your
  schools relative to progress monitoring, targeted
  assessment and strategic interventions? What
  might Tier II look like in the intermediate
  grades (4-6) in reading?
• What is needed so staff are able to implement
  effective strategic interventions for struggling
  students in grades 4-6 in reading?
• What about in math, writing or behavior K-6?
• Who could deliver strategic interventions and
  when might it occur?

42
Tier III Few Students

• Intensive interventions are designed to
  accelerate a students rate of learning by
  increasing the frequency and duration of
  individualized interventions based on targeted
  assessment data.
• Students at Tier III are those performing
  significantly below standards and have not
  adequately responded to Tier I or Tier II
  interventions

43
Tier III, cont.

• Consists of less than 5 of student body
• Occurs in groups of no more than 3 ideally
• May occur longer than 9-12 weeks
• Student progress is monitored on at least a
  weekly basis
• Students who are successful at Tier III
  reintegrate to Tier I with Tier II support
• If not successful at Tier III, consider referral
  for special education and/or other long-term
  planning 504 plan, additional Tier III cycle

44
Activity 6 Tier IIITable Discussion (15
minutes)

• Guiding questions
• What does Tier III currently look like in your
  schools relative to progress monitoring, targeted
  assessment and intensive interventions? What
  might Tier III look like in the intermediate
  grades (4-6) in reading?
• What is needed so staff are able to implement
  effective intensive interventions for struggling
  students in grades 4-6 in reading?
• What about in math, writing or behavior K-6?
• Who could deliver intensive interventions and
  when might it occur?

45
6. Data-Based Decision Making

• The purpose of using data based decision making
  is to find the best instructional approach for a
  student with an academic or behavioral problem
• Decisions are made by teams consisting of
  professionals knowledgeable about the student,
  and the parent
• Decisions regarding interventions should not be
  made based on scores alone
• Decisions should be made by a team using a
  combination of the a) problem solving process
  and/or b) standard protocol approach

46
a) Problem Solving

• What is problem solving?
• A process that uses the skills of professionals
  from different disciplines to develop and
  evaluate intervention plans that significantly
  improve the school performance of students
• The composition of the team will vary by adding
  additional specialists expertise as students
  move from tier to tier

47
Scientific Method The Problem Solving Process
48
Designing Instruction to Meet Student Needs
Standardized Assessments
Benchmarking or Screening

Instructional Problem Solving
Requires taking multiple sources of evidence and
selecting appropriate instructional interventions
based on identified student needs
Progress Monitoring
Performance or Criterion Assessments
49
Content Domains of Influence
50
Apply R.I.O.T. procedures to each of the content
domains
51
Evaluation Planning
52
b) Standard Treatment Protocol

• The words standard (consistent, the same for all
  students), treatment (instruction, intervention),
  and protocol (predetermined format or delivery
  system) describe this approach to RTI.
• SP uses one validated intervention, to improve
  the academic skills of its struggling students.
  Because a single, consistent intervention is
  used, it is easier to ensure accurate
  implementation, or treatment fidelity.
• A variety of support staff (such as paras,
  tutors, or parent volunteers) can deliver the
  instruction however, critical that they receive
  comprehensive training before assuming their
  instructional responsibilities.

53
Soap Lake Example
54
Activity 7 Decision Making/ Teaming

• Complete the table on Teaming in the RTI manual
  (10 minutes)
• Guiding questions
• What does decision making look like in your
  school?
• Are you using a combination of the two approaches
  of decision making?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of using
  problem solving? Standard treatment?
• Are the right people participating in decisions
  at the right time?
• Prioritize 2 things that need to occur regarding
  decision making in your school or district and
  include on the action plan

55
Lack of Responsiveness to Interventions

• Defined as rate of improvement, or progress slope
  that is not sufficient for the student to become
  proficient with state standards without more
  interventions
• Decisions to advance students from one tier to
  another is based upon analysis of the progress
  monitoring data to determine if the student is
  responsive e.g. 4-6 data points below the
  aimline after interventions have been altered may
  show a student is non-responsive

56
Fidelity

• Fidelity refers to the degree to which RTI
  components are implemented as designed, intended,
  and planned.
• Fidelity is achieved through sufficient time
  allocation, adequate intervention intensity,
  qualified and trained staff, and sufficient and
  sufficient materials and resources.
• Fidelity is vital in universal screening,
  instructional delivery and progress monitoring.

57
Intervention Plan

• Documents analysis of student data and outlines
  interventions and evaluation of progress
• Also documents implementation of interventions
  with fidelity See appendix F

58
Support for RTI in federal law

• IDEA 2004 focused national attention on a growing
  successful practice in the general education
  classroom-RTI as a tool for assessing and working
  with struggling learners. IDEA 2004 brings new
  interest to the use of RTI because of major
  changes made in the law
• when determining whether a child has a SLD as
  defined in Section 602, a LEA shall not be
  required to take into consideration whether a
  child has a severe discrepancy between
  achievement and intellectual ability P.L.
  108-446, 614(b)(6)(A)
• In determining whether a child has a SLD, a LEA
  may use a process that determines if the child
  responds to scientific, research-based
  intervention as a part of the evaluation
  procedures P.L. 108-446, 614(b)(6)(B) and

59
Support for RTI in federal law, contd. Early
Intervening Services and NCLB

• a LEA may use up to 15 of its federal IDEA Part
  B funding to develop and implement coordinated,
  early intervening servicesfor students in
  kindergarten through grade 12 (with a particular
  emphasis on students in kindergarten through
  grade 3) who have not been identified as needing
  special education or related services but who
  need additional academic and behavioral support
  to succeed in the general education environment
  P.L. 108-446, 613(f)(1).
• Aligns with No Child Left Behind (2001)

60
RTI and Child Find

• Anyone, including parents and teachers, can make
  a referral at any time in a RTI system.
• A student cannot be required to go all the way
  through Tier III before being evaluated if
  evidence exists to suspect a disability.

61
When should a student be suspected of having a
disability due to a lack of responsiveness?

• Students who are performing significantly less
  than their peers and have been provided two or
  more Tier III interventions that did not
  significantly decrease the gap in achievement
  should be suspected as having SLD and evaluated
  absent other evidence.

62
Parent Involvement in RTI

• In a RTI system parents must be provided progress
  monitoring data. 34 CFR Sec. 300.309(b)(2).
• Parents must also be informed of
• State policies regarding the amount and nature of
  student performance data that is collected and
  the general education services that are provided
• The strategies for increasing the students rate
  of learning and
• Their right to request an evaluation.
• 34 CFR Sec. 300.311(a)(7).

63
Is consent required before conducting screenings
or CBMs?

• Teachers or specialists do not need to obtain
  consent to evaluate when administering universal
  screening, CBMs, or targeted assessments to a
  student in order to determine appropriate
  instructional strategies for curriculum
  implementation.
• 20 USC Sec. 1414(a)(1)(E).

64
Using RTI data to identify SLD

• SLD Flowchart
• District procedures set out criteria for using
  RTI data to establish SLD.
• District criteria must incorporate new federal
  regulations on SLD.
• 34 CFR Sections 300.309 through 300.311

65
Adopt an established approach for using RTI data
to identify SLD

• Districts are strongly encouraged to use
  established approaches for using RTI data to
  identify SLD.
• Criteria determines if a student is not making
  sufficient progress to meet age or State-approved
  grade-level standards in one or more of the SLD
  areas. 34 CFR Sec. 300.309(a)(2)(i).

66
Special Education Eligibility

• To be eligible for special education, the
  evaluation group for students with SLD must find
  an adverse educational impact and the need for
  specially designed instruction (SDI).
• The evaluation report for eligible students
  should include recommendations about the SDI and
  any related services, program modifications,
  accommodations and other supports the student
  needs with enough specificity to develop an IEP.
• In a RTI system, the SDI provided should
  supplement the scientific-based interventions and
  high quality instruction the student was already
  receiving in general education.

67
Same players new roles I

• The New Psychologist Role
• Data Manager
• Data Analyzer
• Data Synthesizer
• Detective Extraordinaire
• Progress Monitoring?
• The New Sped Teacher Role
• Data Provider
• Targeted Assessment
• Progress Monitoring
• Intervention opportunities

68
Same players new roles II

• The New Parent Role
• Data Provider (FAAB)
• Interventionist
• Progress Monitoring
• The New General Ed.Teacher Role
• Tier 1 Tier 2 interventions
• Progress Monitoring
• Data provider (FAAB) for Learning Env.
• Be ready for intervention

69
Same players new roles III

• The New Principal Role
• As goes the principals attitude, so goes the
  team
• Providing for the assessment of intervention
  fidelity
• The New Attitude
• We are not looking at the child as broken
• Focus is on Why isnt the general education
  curriculum working for this child?

70
EIS

• Early Intervening Services are
• Activities to support students in grades
• K-12 who are not currently identified as
  needing special education, but who need
  additional academic and behavioral support to
  succeed in the general education curriculum
• Districts may not use more than 15 of IDEA Part
  B funds for EIS activities, less any amount
  reduced by MOE
• 34 CFR 300.226

71
EIS Allowable Activities

• EIS activities may include
• Professional development for teachers and other
  school staff to enable such personnel to deliver
  scientifically based academic and behavioral
  interventions
• Instruction on use of adaptive and instructional
  software and
• Educational and behavioral evaluations, services
  and supports

72
Disproportionate Representation

• States must require LEAs to reserve maximum
  amount of EIS funds to address any issues of
  disproportionate representation of minority
  students in special education
• 34 CFR 300.646

73
Thank You!
RTI Manual http//www.k12.wa.us/SpecialEd/RTI.asp
x