Response to Intervention

1. Response to Intervention Recipes for Success Presented by: Betty White, MEd., LPC-S Past-President-Texas School Counselor Association kidtools@academicplanet.com www.kidtools.net

2. What is RtI? • A child/family-centered process for improving learning that is school-based and focuses on student outcomes • Includes data-driven instruction which is collaborative in nature • Uses beginning-middle-end benchmarking to target students in need of RtI • Provides continuous monitoring of student progress at all tiers • Increases intervention as needed to meet student needs • Supports the school improvement process • Involves parents throughout the process • Uses scientifically-based interventions AND • Has the goal of student success, not student placement or labeling

3. What is RtI? • High quality, targeted, research based instruction • Frequent monitoring of student progress • Data-based decision-making resulting in necessary adjustments in instruction

4. Principles of RtI • All children can learn-but not with the same level of instruction • Early intervention is essential • Services are delivered using a tiered approach • Data drives the process

5. Practices of RtI • Using ONLY research-based instruction and interventions • Using assessments for universal screening, progress monitoring, and diagnostics • Benchmarking student s 3X per year • Monitoring progress on a regular basis • Making decisions based on data • Implementing interventions with fidelity • Designing specific, targeted interventions based on data

6. RtI Process (Academic) • All students take universal screeners at beginning, middle, and end of year • Universal screening data, teacher made tests, and performance data used to target students in need of further intervention (lack of adequate progress to meet age/grade related goals) • Students in need of further intervention move to TIER 2-data is collected • Students with inadequate progress in TIER 2 move to TIER 3

7. RtI Process-Behavioral • All students follow normal campus and classroom behavioral plan • Student with excessive ODR’s, disruptive classroom behavior, or behaviors that do not respond to normal means are targeted for TIER 2 • TIER 2 involves the development of Behavioral Interventions-data is collected • Data drives whether student remains on TIER 2 or proceeds to TIER 3

8. 3 Tiered RTI Model Tier 3:INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS 5 % OF STUDENTS Significantly Low Underachievement Insufficient Response to Intervention Tier 2:TARGETED INTERVENTIONS and progress monitoring 10% OF STUDENTS Academic Behavior Tier 1:CORE ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION CAMPUS BEHAVIOR PLAN TEACHER MADE ASSESSMENTS SMALL GROUP CLASSROOM INTERVENTIONS UNIVERSAL SCREENERS 85 % OF STUDENTS

9. TIER 1 • TIER 1 instruction is CORE instruction-comprised of 3 elements: • Progress monitoring of at-risk students (3x per year minimum) • Ongoing professional research and development • In class support for all students-sheltered instruction, mentoring, scaffolding

10. TIER 1-continued

11. Tier 2-Small Group Interventions • TIER 2 is small-group instruction in addition to the time allotted for core instruction • TIER 2 includes programs, strategies, and procedures employed to supplement, enhance, and support TIER 1 (not replace TIER 1)

12. TIER 2-continued

13. TIER 3-Intensive Intervention • TIER 3 is intensive, targeted, specifically designed and customized small group supplemental instruction that is extended beyond the time allocated for TIER 1 and TIER 2

14. TIER 3-continued

15. RtI Process • Gen. Ed. Teacher notes student difficulty based on benchmarking data • Teacher begins TIER 1 interventions (interventions at a classroom level) • Teacher monitors progress for 6 weeks-maintains data • Lack of adequate progress-teacher makes a referral to RtI team

16. RtI Process, cont. • RTI Committee discusses problems and writes a plan to be followed 6 weeks • Committee reviews the Progress Report of Interventions placed in portfolio kept by teacher/interventionist • If RtI plan is effective, continue plan, dismiss if no longer needed • If RTI plan is not effective, revise the plan, follow for 6 more weeks, monitor progress, meet again • Following extended time at TIER 3 without progress (at least 6 weeks and 4-6 data points) with minimal/no progress-refer to next level following district procedure

17. RtI Sequence • Tier I (all students) Teacher’s General Academic Strategies are effective Yes? Or No? If NO… • TIER 1 Intervention Plan is Made/Monitored to see if effective Yes? or No? If NO, • Tier II RtI Plan Modified/Monitored (small group instruction) to see if more effective Yes? Or No? If NO… • Tier III RtI Plan Modified/Monitored (individualized instruction) to see if more effective Yes? Or No? If NO… • Special Program Referral may be considered for testing to see if a Learning Disability exists that requires a more restrictive environment Yes? (qualifies) or No? (does not qualify) If no, continue RtI Tier III Interventions and modify as needed

18. RtI CoreTeam • Parent • Classroom teacher • Administrator or designee • Instructional Specialist/Interventionist

19. Additional Team Members • Speech Pathologist • School psychologist • Diagnostician • Occupational Therapist • Physical Therapist • School Nurse

20. Teacher/Interventionist Work samples Records of student’s grades, schools, test scores, attendance, previous referrals, changes in family, medication, contacts/consults Meeting requests, problem analysis and/or progress forms (assessments)for RTI Nurse information about hearing and vision RTI Coordinator Campus log and plans filed in student folders Observation reports if requested with recommendations Conferences with teacher on progress Plans meetings, records summaries for RTI plans and files with signature forms What’s My Job? Lynn Smith, M.Ed., LPC-Intern Certified School Counselor

21. Attendance records Number of schools Discipline referrals Results of home language survey Hearing and vision Parent input Teacher work portfolio Evidence of opportunity to learn Appropriate level of instruction in place Problems related to temporary factors Health problems Behavior problems Learning differences RTI Decisions are based on the following criteria: Lynn Smith, M.Ed., LPC-Intern Certified School Counselor

22. Nuts and Bolts • Teacher fills out a Request for RtI Meeting form • Teacher fills out a Background information for RtI form • Teacher fills out Problem Analysis Worksheet • RtI coordinator places meeting on Blank RtI calendar • RtI coordinator prepares Parent Letter • RtI coordinator prepares folder with initial information and signature sheet

23. First Meeting • Team gathers, discusses progress, deficiencies, prepares Intervention Plan • Plan is written up, copies shared with parents and those who will be administering the plan • Teacher/interventionist administers the plan-collect data points for 6 weeks

24. Next Meetings • RtI coordinator schedules meetings at 6 week intervals • Parent letters sent • Interventionist/teacher brings data points, work samples, disciplinary records to the meeting • Committee determines future outcomes:

25. Possible Outcomes • Student is making exceptional progress with interventions-no longer demonstrates a need for interventions-move down a TIER or dismiss from interventions (keep folder-mark dismiss) • Student is making progress with current interventions and is on track to meet the “aim’ line”- continue present interventions • Student is making little or no progress with current interventions- modify interventions and/or move to another TIER

26. Possible Outcomes • Student fails to make progress after extended time on TIER 3 interventions (6-12 weeks)-committee recommends further testing (Do NOT state that Special Education Testing will be done until SPED has reviewed the folder and agreed that testing is needed)- further testing might be: • Dyslexia • Section 504 evaluation • FIE for SPED

27. Possible Outcomes • Student is tested for and qualifies for a special program-continue RtI Interventions in areas where that program is not active 9ex; child qualifies in reading-continue needed math interventions) • Student is tested for and does not qualify for a special program-continue RtI interventions as long as needed-some students will be TIER 3 students throughout their academic career

28. Documentation • At each meeting, data points are filed, along with any pertinent work samples (keep these limited) or behavioral information • Copies of intervention plan sent to teacher, interventionist, and parent following each meeting

29. Folder Organization • Use punch clips to keep materials in folder • On left side, place all preliminary information, topped by signature page • On right side, keep copies of plans, oldest on bottom, with work samples and data points-ALL material is fastened into folder