RtI and Roles Revisited: Opportunities for School Psychologists

1. RtI and Roles Revisited:Opportunities for School Psychologists Ann Casey, Ph.D. & Holly Windram, Ph.D.

2. Objectives for today • Understand the links between your current skills and roles and those you will need in RtI functioning schools • Understand that consultation and assessment continue to be highly valued skills, but may look different • Learn of tools and resources that you can use to help your school in the implementation process

3. Fundamental Assumptions All the students are all our responsibility All students can make progress when given the amount and kind of support needed Teaching to the middle doesn’t meet all students needs. Therefore, we must use our resources in new, different and collaborative ways to ensure each student is as successful as possible! http://youtube.com/watch?v=HAMLOnSNwzA

4. What is RtI? • RtI is the practice of: • Providing high quality instruction/intervention matched to student needs • Using learning rate over time and level of performance to • Make important educational decisions. NASDSE, 2005

5. 3 Components & 3 Tiered System • RtI is a process comprised of 3 main components: • Evidenced Based Instructional Practices • System of Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring • Problem Solving as a decision making system to determine who gets what interventions, when and by whom [all of which are the systems that support RtI]

7. Why a Pyramid? An aerial view- emphasizing that all students need a strong foundation in core instruction and that all students are part of the same educational system. Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

8. What is not RtI • It’s not a prescription • It’s not a program, curriculum, strategy, or intervention - some would say this is a paradigm shift • RtI is a model that requires your school structure & resources be used in ways that improve individual student needs. • RtI requires 3 components, and a tiered instructional framework, but it’s going to look different in your school than how it looks in mine.

9. Why does my school need a 3 tiered system? Are you satisfied with how all your students are achieving? Many schools have had few options for struggling students & have not been ideal methods in preventing failure In fact, special education has really been a ‘wait to fail model’

10. RtI as an Organizing System for Accelerating Achievement While RtI was conceived with low achieving students in mind, there is no reason the system can not be used for high achieving students as well First and foremost, Response to Intervention is a school improvement model

11. What happens when you implement an RtI system? • St. Croix River Education District data • A small cooperative in east central MN comprised of 5 rural districts

15. CHANGE

16. There are some challenges . . .

17. Whole Group Discussion When you think about RtI - what are your biggest challenges right now?

18. True or False? People resist change

19. People resist change when they experience loss (or the fear of loss)

20. More work. Work I don’t know how to do.

21. “It’s a whole lot easier to look out a window than look in the mirror.”

22. Roles for . . . School Psychologists Leadership for implementing RtI framework

23. #1: We love data.

24. #2: We like problems

25. #3: We love solutions

26. #4: We like (most) people

27. School Psychologists Leaders for implementing a RtI framework

28. SCRED School Psychologists:Tier 1 Facilitate building level RtI Collect & interpret screening data Consult with general ed teachers

29. Tier 2 Facilitate problem-solving teams Influence Standard Treatment Protocol Ensure implementation integrity Ensure research-based instruction Facilitate regular data reviews

30. Tier 3 Facilitate intensive problem-solving Ensure implementation integrity Ensure research-based instruction In-depth Problem Analysis Facilitate regular data reviews

31. Chisago Lakes High School • Facilitator of Problem Solving Process • Facilitator of using data for decision-making • Leadership on research-based instruction • Coaching & support for regular ed. staff • Guidance for a systems viewpoint • Data collection and integrity checks

32. Minneapolis Public Schools • School Psychologists in MPS do not have formal roles as previously described - yet they are the ‘keepers’ of the problem solving process • Ensuring problems are well defined and analyzed • That data are collected • And that interventions are changed if progress is not made rather than immediately going to special ed. evaluation. • That the system is working - helping people analyze and disaggregate data across the school so that resources are allocated appropriately

33. What is your role in RtI? • There are a number of important roles for psychologists. But the key to well functioning RtI systems is collaboration among and between various roles groups. • We have strengths that we need to capitalize on for the benefit of the system.

34. Evidence Based Practices • The implementation of a tiered instructional delivery system rests upon the use of EBP at all levels or tiers • How can school psychologists be of assistance in this endeavor? • Understanding of importance of controlled studies • Knowledge of various types of educational journals • Skepticism is taught and valued - show me the evidence that something is effective

36. Do School Psychs Need to Know all the Research on Reading, Math, and Behavior? • No - but we must be willing to ask the tough questions when someone else suggests a particular approach, curriculum, or strategy be used: Is there an evidence base for the effectiveness of this approach?

37. Assessment • Most School Psychs think of themselves as having expertise in this area • In RtI we shift this focus to the system as a whole, rather than focusing primarily on individuals • We need reliable and valid data for universal screening and progress monitoring. • When you are doing less individual formal assessment, you will have time for other roles such as helping teams view and analyze data to make good instructional decisions

38. Data Usage and Data Analysis • This is an important skill in making RtI work - and initially, many educators may need assistance with how to use data to make good decisions for kids • Graphing behavior or skills • View trends in data across grades, years • Analyzing multiple sources of data across individuals or small groups

39. Consultation • Problem solving which is a key component in RtI has it’s roots in consultation • Many of you have had training in behavioral, instructional, or collaborative consultation • While these skills will continue to be very useful for students needing tier 3 interventions - one of the shifts school psychs will need to make is using these skills to focus on the system rather than individuals if we are serious about all students making progress

40. Consultation/Collaboration • School Psychologists as educational translators • We need to help staff see the connections! • This is not more on the plate - RtI is the plate.

41. Consensus building • Not a one time event • Goals and consensus for achieving those goals needs to revisited often to keep focus and momentum going • There is a role for you in this area

42. Think and Share: Whole Group Integrity is _______________.

43. What’s in a word or phrase? • Fidelity • Treatment Integrity • Adherence • Intervention Integrity “Intervention Integrity is the degree to which a planned intervention is implemented as designed” Greshm, Gansle, Noell, Cohen, & Rosenblum, 1993

44. Ensuring Intervention Integrity is Important Key Questions: Is it being done? Is is being done well? What the reason for progress or no progress?

45. Why School Psychologists? • Skilled at problem-solving • Trained observers of human behavior • Know the right questions to ask

46. BREAK

47. Problem-Solving Steps 1. Problem Identification 2. Problem Analysis 5. Plan Evaluation 3. Plan Development 4. Plan Implementation

48. Problem-Solving Process In an RtI model, we use a 5 step problem solving process to determine who gets Tier 2 or 3 support based on data - not on a referral process

49. What is problem-solving? A decision making process 1. Problem Identification 2. Problem Analysis 5. Plan Evaluation Revise Modify Intensify With Expanding Support 3. Plan Development 4. Plan Implementation

50. 2 Levels of Problem Solving • Grade level teams - for tier 2 • Building team - for tier 3