Understanding Response to Intervention & Resources to Support Implementation

1. Understanding Response to Intervention & Resources to Support Implementation Charter Schools’ Conference February 26, 2010 Adena Miller Senior Consultant RtI/PBS Unit Colorado Department of Education

2. The overarching purpose of RtI implementation is to improve educational outcomes for all RtI Defined (Colorado Dept. of Education) Response to Intervention is an approach that promotes a well- integrated system connecting general, compensatory, gifted, and special education in providing high quality, standards-based instruction & intervention that is matched to students’ academic, social- emotional, and behavioral needs. A continuum of evidence-based, tiered interventions with increasing levels of intensity and duration is central to RtI. Collaborative educational decisions are based on data derived from frequent monitoring of student performance and rate of learning. students.

3. Traditional vs. Problem-Solving

5. RtI Continuum of Support for ALL Anger Management Problem Solving Attendance Social Skills Strengths & Challenges Adult Relationships Cooperative Skills Peer Interaction Label Behaviors... Not People

6. RtI Continuum of Support for ALL Math (Acceleration) Reading (Intervention) PE Language Arts Academic Strengths & Challenges Social Studies Attendance Science Label Behaviors... Not People

7. No Child Left Behind • Scientifically based instruction • Frequent progress monitoring with changes in programs as needed • Early intervention • Student outcomes drive decisions [LRP Publications, 2006]

8. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (B) Additional authority—In determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a local education agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to scientific, research-based intervention.

9. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 A local education agency may use up to 15 percent of its federal funding…to develop and implement coordinated, early intervening services …for students…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.

10. IDEA Focus on Interventions • Improved achievement by ALL students • Early intervention • Reducing over-identification for special education • Stronger interventions within general education • Funding for prevention/intervention • Link intervention with SLD eligibility [LRP Publications, 2006]

11. Six Components of RtI To provide a framework with consistent language

12. Leadership is… • About inspiring others to be leaders • About people • A lot of hard work (Tilly, 2009)

13. Effective leaders: • Cause their school to define what it is that they want their students to know and be able to do; • Cause their schools to align their curricula and instruction to teach students these things; • Keep score.  And they use results from their scorecard to improve teaching in a continuous improvement manner. (Tilly, 2009)

14. Redefining Leadership • We need to rethink leadership roles in education. If we keep to the concept that only administrators are leaders, we will never have the manpower to address all the problems that interfere with causing all students to achieve. Howard McMackin, Ph.D.  Rolling Meadows High School (IL)

15. Six Components of RtI To provide a framework with consistent language

16. Curriculum Across the Tiers • Universal Tier • Provide foundation of curriculum and school organization that has a high probability(80 – 90% of students responding) of bringing students to a high level of achievement in all areas of development/content • Choose curricula that has evidence of producing optimal levels of achievement (evidence-based curriculum) • Targeted Tier • Supplemental curriculum aligned with Core Curriculum and designed to meet the specific needs of the targeted group • Intensive Tier • Focused curriculum designed to meet the specific needs of the targeted group and/or individual • Consideration of replacement Core curriculum

17. One key question determines when, where, & how to intervene.

18. 1st Grade Class: Before Systematic Program 2004-2005

19. 1st Grade Class: After Systematic Program 2005-2006

20. Curriculum: Guiding Questions(District or School ) • Is curriculum evidenced-based and sufficient? • How is evidence documented and what constitutes evidence (both quantitative and qualitative)? • Is the curriculum aligned to the standards? • How will the Core curriculum identify needs and how will they be addressed? • How will the effectiveness of the Core curriculum be monitored and adapted over time? • For which children/students is the Core curriculum sufficient and not sufficient, and why? • What specific supplemental and intensive curricula are needed (does the Core curriculum need to be changed)?

21. Instruction Across the Tiers • Universal Tier • Instructional strategies that are proven effective by research • Instruction that is systematic and explicit • Differentiated instruction • Targeted • Involves homogeneous small group or individual instruction • Explicit and systematic instruction targeting specific skill/content • Research-based instruction to such student factors as age, giftedness, cultural environment, level of English language acquisition, mobility, etc. • Supplemental to Tier I instruction -- increasing time and intensity • Intensive • Explicit, intense instruction designed to unique learner needs • Delivered to individuals or very small groups • Narrowed instructional focus and increased time

22. Curriculum & Instruction • It takes both: • Reflection and adaptation based on student response • Consideration of both curriculum or intervention and instruction • Analysis of evidence—is this a program issue or an instructional issue?

23. Six Components of RtI To provide a framework with consistent language

24. RtI Problem-Solving Team and Process • When a student is struggling and needs targeted or intensive intervention to succeed, a team of family members, teachers, and specialists works to: • Identify and prioritize concerns • Develop shared measurable goals • Plan prescriptive interventions • Progress monitor • Evaluate effectiveness • Move students up and down tiers as needed • Refer for possible special education consideration if insufficient progress

25. Problem-Solving Process DEFINE Directly Measure Behavior/Skill EVALUATE Response to Intervention ANALYZE Validate Problem Identify Contributing Variables IMPLEMENT Develop Plan and Implement as Intended Progress Monitor and Modify as Necessary

26. Six Components of RtI To provide a framework with consistent language

27. Purposes of Assessment • Identify strengths and needs of individual students • Inform problem-solving process • Inform instruction and necessary adjustments • Evaluate the effectiveness of instruction at different levels of system (e.g., classroom, school, district) • Inform educational decisions

28. Assessments in RtI • Screening and BenchmarkUniversal measures that give a quick read on whether students have mastered critical skills. • DiagnosticIndividually administered to gain more in-depth information and guide appropriate instruction or intervention plans. • Progress MonitoringDetermines whether adequate progress is made based on individual goals regarding critical skills. • OutcomeProvides an evaluation of the effectiveness of instruction and indicate student year-end achievement when compared to grade-level performance standards.

29. Progress Monitoring in RtI

30. Outcomes of Progress Monitoring • ScreeningGoal: To identify students at academic or behavioral risk • Benchmark TestingGoal: Evaluation of students at designated periods • Strategic MonitoringGoal: Monitoring individual students using ongoing information about specific skills. • Intensive MonitoringGoal: Based on an individualized plan, monitoring individual students using ongoing information about specific skills and interventions.

31. Sufficient Progress Spring Benchmark of 90 minus Current Level of 20 = 70 (gain needed to close the Gap). Intervention resulted in the 4.6 WPM growth per week necessary to close the Gap with peers.

32. Insufficient Progress Spring Benchmark of 90 minus Current Level of 20 = 70 (gain needed to close the Gap)Intervention did not close the Gap – student needs more time, intensity or a different intervention.

33. Sufficient Progress with Intense Intervention

34. Insufficient Progress With Intense Intervention – Possible SPED Referral/Determination or More Intervention

35. Six Components of RtI To provide a framework with consistent language

36. Positive School Climate:Essential Elements A caring school community Instruction in appropriate behavior and social problem-solving skills Positive Behavior Support (PBS) Effective academic instruction

37. Positive School Climate: Essential Practices • Defining and consistently teaching expectations of behavior for students, parents and educators • Acknowledging and recognizing students and adults consistently for appropriate behaviors • Monitoring, correcting or re-teaching behavioral errors

38. Positive School Climate: Essential Practices • Engaging teachers in a collaborative team problem-solving process that uses data to guide instruction • Including families in a culturally-sensitive, solution-focused approach to supporting student learning

39. Six Components of RtI To provide a framework with consistent language

40. Families, Students and Educators are“On the Team” On a football team, every player has a job to do and a role to play. Each player is respected for his/her unique expertise. Each player practices and works to become better at executing personal responsibilities. The team works together to obtain the best results possible.

41. Families, Students, and Educators are“At the Table” Picture a table where people are discussing a problem. • Respecting and listening • Understanding different perspectives • Focusing on positive outcomes • Disagreeing at times • Intentionally working to compromise Each involved party has a place “at the table”, even if he/she can’t attend. All voices are heard.

42. “…No matter how skilled professionals are, nor how loving families are, each cannot achieve alone, what the parties, working hand-in-hand, can accomplish together.” (Adapted from Peterson and Cooper as cited by the Futures in School Psychology Task Force on Family-School Partnerships, 2007)

43. RtI Lessons Learned • Leadership is crucial • Special Ed General Ed Every Ed • SLD Criteria • SIED Criteria • Primary emphasis on tier one vs. tier two and three interventions • What’s special about special education?

44. State Technical Assistance • Online Modules • Problem-Solving/Consultation Online course • Assessment/Progress Monitoring Overview & Preparation:   What You Need to Know • Improving Math Outcomes for Struggling Learners • SLD Online Course • Family/Community Engagement Training in development • Family/Community Engagement Toolkit Training • Problem-Solving Video & Guide • Secondary RtI Implementation Video in development • Data Driven Dialogues • Development of a set of Fidelity of Implementation Tools • www.cde.state.co.us/rti

45. Other Resources Aims Web website: www.aimsweb.com Alpine Achievement: www.alpineachievement.com Curriculum-Based Measurements: www.easycbm.com Discipline Help: You Can Handle Them All: http://www.disciplinehelp.com/ Do What’s Right: http://dww.ed.gov

46. Intervention Central website: www.interventioncentral.org Florida Center for Reading Research: www.fcrr.org Ohio Literacy Alliance: www.ohioliteracyalliance.org Oregon Reading First: http://oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu/ Pikes Peak Literacy Strategies Project: www.pplsp.org What Works Clearinghouse website: www.w-w-c.org

47. The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. Michelangelo