Response to Intervention:Response to Intervention:Part 1Part 1

September, 2008September, 2008

HistoryHistory

• Focus of Special Education services has Focus of Special Education services has shifted from procedures to outcomes and shifted from procedures to outcomes and improvement.improvement.

• Students receiving SPED services under Students receiving SPED services under the LD label have increased dramatically the LD label have increased dramatically from 22% in 1975 to 50% in 2004.from 22% in 1975 to 50% in 2004.

• This number of students is too large for This number of students is too large for special educators to implement research-special educators to implement research-based interventions.based interventions.

Why does my school need Why does my school need RTI?RTI?

• Many schools have had options for Many schools have had options for struggling students that have confusing struggling students that have confusing entrance requirements – Title I services or entrance requirements – Title I services or Special Education.Special Education.

• Those have not been ideal methods for Those have not been ideal methods for preventing failure.preventing failure.

• Learning Disabilities within Special Learning Disabilities within Special Education has really been a “wait to fail” Education has really been a “wait to fail” model.model.

LegislationLegislation• Recent updates to state and federal special Recent updates to state and federal special

education guidelines are changing the way education guidelines are changing the way schools are expected to support students schools are expected to support students with academic and behavioral problemswith academic and behavioral problems

• With the passage of the No Child Left Behind With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, revision of IDEA and state regulations, Act, revision of IDEA and state regulations, schools are now schools are now requiredrequired to utilize proactive to utilize proactive approaches that match the service a student approaches that match the service a student receives with his/her level of need.receives with his/her level of need.

What is RTI?What is RTI?RTI is comprised of the following components:RTI is comprised of the following components:

1. A 3-tiered model of instructional support1. A 3-tiered model of instructional support 2. Evidence based instructional practices2. Evidence based instructional practices 4. System of universal screening and 4. System of universal screening and

progress monitoringprogress monitoring 4. Problem solving as a decision making system 4. Problem solving as a decision making system to determine who gets what interventions, to determine who gets what interventions, when and by whomwhen and by whom

RTI & PBISRTI & PBIS

• This RTI approach to behavior is imbedded This RTI approach to behavior is imbedded in the School Wide Positive Behavior in the School Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Initiative (PBIS) Intervention and Supports Initiative (PBIS) that is currently being implemented in all that is currently being implemented in all Coventry Elementary Schools. Coventry Elementary Schools.

• It is based on a It is based on a problem-solving modelproblem-solving model that is designed to prevent inappropriate that is designed to prevent inappropriate behavior through teaching and reinforcing behavior through teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors. PBIS offers a appropriate behaviors. PBIS offers a range range of interventions that are of interventions that are systematically applied to students systematically applied to students based on theirbased on their need need

3-Tiered Model3-Tiered Model• Tier 1: Universal InterventionsTier 1: Universal Interventions - High quality instructional and behavioral - High quality instructional and behavioral support in general ed classroom for allsupport in general ed classroom for all - On-going progress monitoring for all - On-going progress monitoring for all • Tier 2: Targeted Group InterventionsTier 2: Targeted Group Interventions - Focus on students not responding to Tier 1 - Focus on students not responding to Tier 1 interventionsinterventions• Tier 3: Intensive Individual InterventionsTier 3: Intensive Individual Interventions - Interventions targeted at individual student- Interventions targeted at individual student - Data collected at this level plays a key role in - Data collected at this level plays a key role in

eligibility eligibility decisions decisions

Evidence-Based Instruction and Evidence-Based Instruction and InterventionsInterventions

• School staff implement specific, research-School staff implement specific, research-based interventions to address the based interventions to address the student's difficulties student's difficulties

• Intervention Library in RTI manual and Intervention Library in RTI manual and soon to be available on the web.soon to be available on the web.

• Interventions for all tiers in the areas of: Interventions for all tiers in the areas of: - Reading- Reading - Mathematics- Mathematics - Writing- Writing - Organizational- Organizational - Social/Emotional/Behavioral- Social/Emotional/Behavioral

Progress MonitoringProgress Monitoring

• Continuous progress monitoring of Continuous progress monitoring of student performance and specific student performance and specific difficulties occurs at all levelsdifficulties occurs at all levels

• School staff use progress-monitoring School staff use progress-monitoring data to determine interventions' data to determine interventions' effectiveness and to make any effectiveness and to make any modifications as neededmodifications as needed

Steps of Problem-Solving Model

1. Problem Identification

What is the discrepancy between what is expected and what is occurring?

2. Problem Analysis

Why is the problem occurring?

3. Plan Development

What is the goal?What is the intervention plan to address this goal?

How will progress be monitored?

4. PlanImplementation

How will implementation integrity be ensured?

5. Plan Evaluation

Is the intervention plan effective?

Who may be on the Who may be on the Collaborative Problem Solving Collaborative Problem Solving

Team?Team?• Referring Classroom TeacherReferring Classroom Teacher• ““Master” teachers/InterventionistMaster” teachers/Interventionist• School PsychologistSchool Psychologist• Reading SpecialistReading Specialist• Special educatorSpecial educator• School Counselor School Counselor • Building Leaders (principals, asst. Building Leaders (principals, asst.

principals, curriculum leaders)principals, curriculum leaders)• Others as needed (OT, PT, Speech & Others as needed (OT, PT, Speech &

Language)Language)

Benefits of Collaborative Benefits of Collaborative Problem Solving ModelProblem Solving Model

• Teachers are NOT alone!Teachers are NOT alone!• Lower teacher frustrationLower teacher frustration• Ideas from others: Ideas from others: - with experience in similar situations- with experience in similar situations - with a different perspective- with a different perspective - with a fresh point of view- with a fresh point of view• Students provided with instruction Students provided with instruction

developed through broader experiencedeveloped through broader experience• Systemic & data-drivenSystemic & data-driven

How long does this process How long does this process continue?continue?

• Team determines timelineTeam determines timeline• Team evaluates and determines Team evaluates and determines

“success”“success”• When a child demonstrated “adequate” When a child demonstrated “adequate”

performance, intervention planning stopsperformance, intervention planning stops• May implement more than one May implement more than one

intervention within Tier 2intervention within Tier 2• If not successful, may consider more If not successful, may consider more

intensive interventionsintensive interventions

Four Organizing Four Organizing PrinciplesPrinciples

1.1. Earlier rather than laterEarlier rather than later -- Prevention and -- Prevention and early intervention are supremely more effective early intervention are supremely more effective and efficient than later intervention and and efficient than later intervention and remediation for ensuring reading success.remediation for ensuring reading success.

2.2. Schools, not just programsSchools, not just programs -- Prevention and -- Prevention and early intervention must be anchored to the early intervention must be anchored to the school as the host environment and primary school as the host environment and primary context for improving student outcomecontext for improving student outcome

3.3. Evidence, not opinion Evidence, not opinion -- Prevention and early -- Prevention and early intervention pedagogy, programs, instruction intervention pedagogy, programs, instruction and materials should be based on trustworthy and materials should be based on trustworthy scientific evidence. scientific evidence.

4.4. Each and All--Each and All-- To teach To teach allall children to read, we children to read, we must teach must teach eacheach child to read. child to read.

How we think aboutHow we think about achievement problems achievement problems

•Perhaps the most important Perhaps the most important change in thinking that is needed change in thinking that is needed to move all students toward to move all students toward proficiency in basic skills is proficiency in basic skills is framing ALL achievement framing ALL achievement problems in terms of variables problems in terms of variables that teachers controlthat teachers control. .

Lessons To Be Learned Lessons To Be Learned From Noah's Ark . . .From Noah's Ark . . .

• One: Don't miss the boat.One: Don't miss the boat.• Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.• Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. • Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask

you to do something really big. you to do something really big. • Five: Don't listen to critics, just get on with the job that Five: Don't listen to critics, just get on with the job that

needs to be done. needs to be done. • Six: Build your future on high ground. Six: Build your future on high ground. • Seven: For safety's sake travel in pairs. Seven: For safety's sake travel in pairs. • Eight: Speed isn't everything. The snails were on board with Eight: Speed isn't everything. The snails were on board with

the cheetahs. the cheetahs. • Nine: When you're stressed, float awhile. Nine: When you're stressed, float awhile. • Ten: Remember the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic Ten: Remember the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic

by professionals. by professionals.

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

We will have tough choices to make – we’ll decide based on what’s best for our kids