An Introduction to Response to Intervention

1. An Introduction to Response to Intervention MN Response to Intervention Center Ann Casey, Ph.D. Director St. Croix River Ed. District acasey@scred.k12.mn.us www.scred.k12.mn.us/RTI/RTIcontact.htm RtI

2. Objectives for today • Learn: • What is RtI • Why our school needs RtI • What are the components that comprise an RtI system - must haves • Underlying assumptions for the model • RtI is about school improvement - not about identifying students for special education • Decide if our school wants to commit to implementing an RtI model of service delivery

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!

4. One final assumption • Schools have not had all the tools and/or training needed to implement such a model where all resources are organized around ensuring each student is as successful as possible

5. What is RtI? • Response to Intervention is a 3 tiered model of instructional support for all students • 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 • The first assumption when students are not succeeding is that they are struggling with the curriculum or instruction, and therefore, we need to make a change in one or both of those areas.

6. What’s a 3-tiered system?

8. Why a pyramid? Tier 1 An aerial view- the implication is that all students need a strong foundation in core instruction Tier 2 Tier 3

9. Why does my school need a 3 tiered system? • Many schools have had few options for struggling students - Title I services or special education • Those have not been ideal methods in preventing failure • In fact, special education has really been a ‘wait to fail model’, and Title I is a funding source and whether those resources resulted in student improvement varies greatly from school to school • Even if your school is making AYP, there are students at every grade level who are not on target for proficiency

10. Sea of Ineligibility Reading Recovery Amount of Resources Needed To Solve Problem Special Education Title 1 Peer Tutoring Counseling General Education Intensity of Problem

11. RtI is a process • Comprised of 3 components • Measurement system that allows for frequent monitoring of progress • Instruction that is evidenced based for both core and interventions • Problem Solving process that relies on data to determine who needs intervention, when, how, and what interventions to be delivered.

12. Problem Solving RtI an integrated System Measurement Instruction

13. Measurement • Schools have to make many choices about measurement tools - and often end up with several measures for the same purpose • We need different measurements for different purposes

14. RtI requires an easy to use measurement system • A system that allows for quick screening that is highly reliable and valid • A system that allows for frequent measurement to determine if students are progressing • Such systems are referred to as ‘general outcome measures’ or ‘curriculum-based measurements’

15. www.studentprogress.org/chart/chart.asp • Schools should visit the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring to determine which measurement system best meets your schools needs

16. Evidenced Based Practices • RtI is a process for improvement that can be used for both academics and behavior; however the MN RtI Center is funded to improve literacy outcomes at this time

17. Evidenced Based Literacy Practices • 5 foundational skills of EBP for literacy: • Phonemic awareness • Phonics/word study • Fluency/automaticity • Vocabulary • Comprehension

18. Literacy Professional Development • The professional development we undertake will be based on our student needs indicated by the data we collect, as well as teacher expertise or teacher need for expertise. • A study group/professional learning community model is encouraged

19. Problem-Solving Process • All school staff need to learn the problem solving process so we have a common approach to solving problems

20. Problem Solving: A 5 step process • Problem Identification • Problem Analysis • Plan Development • Plan Implementation • Plan Evaluation

21. Building PS team; IEP consideration Grade Level teams Resources for Problem Solving Teacher & Parent Intensity of the problem Adapted from Tilly, 2002

22. Problem Solving is used in each part of the pyramid • Grade level teams problem-solve regarding core instruction as well as deciding who are candidates for tier 2 interventions and what the interventions will be • A building problem solving team may decide who needs more intensive, tier 3 support, including special education

23. Think about Problem Solving in new and different ways • Old • Student referred by teacher/parent • One student at a time • Decisions not necessarily data-based • Not very prevention oriented • RtI • Teaching teams review data of all students in the team • Students not at benchmark are targeted for Tier 2 support in addition to strong core instruction • Focus is on success - keeping students from needing special education

24. A Quick Review • RtI is a process of 3 things: EBP, progress monitoring, & problem solving • The instructional practices comprise a 3 tiered model of support with a strong core for all students, targeted supports for some, and intensive supports for a few. • We use universal screening and progress monitoring to help us determine flexible groupings and determine whether students are progressing or not.

25. Commitments for School Participation • Internal coach appointed part time to work with MN RtI Center and Site leadership team • SiteTeam for RtI implementation to include administrator, coach, and both general and special ed. staff • 80% staff agreement and principal support • Completion of an RtI Readiness checklist- can be done by the team • Embed RtI process in the school’s ongoing improvement process/plan • Agree to work with MN Rti Center through 2008-09 school year