Response to Intervention and School Counseling:

1. Response to Intervention and School Counseling: Amy Friez November 7, 2012 University of Montana

2. Today’s Presentation • What is RTI? What does it look like in MT? • Review of RtI & the ASCA National Model • RtI & Comprehensive Developmental School Counseling Programs Are Aligned • Tiered Delivery System • DATA • Social Justice • Conceptual Model • Exercise & Group Discussion • Recommendations

3. What do you know about RtI?

5. Historically… Title Reading or Other Reading Support General Education Special Education Some “Fell’” Through Some “Fell’” Through

6. The desired outcome…A Multi Tiered System of Supports -Academic and Behavioral- Support and training for all staff all along the continuum General Education Special Education & Gifted Ed. Title & , Gifted Ed. I I I I I I I I Interventions =

8. RTI: A Brief Overview • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsAqh2Pxg0A

9. Intervention Tiers Tier One • Research-based, high quality instruction for all • Benchmark testing/screening of all students • Progress monitoring of at risk students Tier Two • Small group, increased intensity instruction • May involve separate curriculum • Continued monitoring of student progress Tier Three • Individualized, intensive services • Progress monitoring • Referral for special services • National Joint Committee on LD, 2005Feiker-Hollenbeck, 2011Primary

10. National Perspective • 71% of districts are in some stage of implementing RTI – up from 60% in 2008 and 44% in 2007 • RTI is being increasingly implemented across all grade levels with a significant increase in high school implementation compared to 2008 • Of districts with enough data, 83% indicated RTI has reduced the number of referrals to special education • Districts reported the three primary obstacles to implementing RTI as: Insufficient teacher training, Lack of intervention resources, Lack of data, knowledge, skills for tracking/charting 2010 www.spectrumk12.com

11. Schools in Montana’s RTI Project http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SchoolPrograms/RTI/

12. ASCA National Model “How are students different because of what school counselors do?” (ASCA, 2003) 4 interconnected components: •Foundation •Delivery System •Management System •Accountability

13. RTI ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS Leadership Evidence-based Curriculum and Instruction Ongoing Assessment Collaborative Teaming Data-Based Decision Making Fidelity of Implementation Ongoing Training and Professional Development Community and Family Involvement

14. RtI& ASCA: A Natural Fit • Proactive • Collaborative • Data-driven • Multi-tiered • Whole-child focused • Equity and access to quality instruction and behavior support for ALL students

15. Three Interconnected and Shared Elements • Tiered Delivery Models • Data & Use of Assessments • 3. Social Justice and Advocacy

16. Tiered Delivery System • Outlines breadth and depth of SC interventions based on student needs • Emphasizes serving ALL students as foundation of program • Outlines SC time spent in Delivery services

17. Using & Assessing Data

18. Use and Assessment of Data Needs assessments –Academic, career or personal/social –Delivered to students, parents/caregivers and/or school staff •Pre-and post-tests or curriculum based measures to assess the learning of particular standards and skills •Evaluate program interventions through the use of surveys given to students, staff or families

19. Social Justice and Advocacy RtI ASCA • Originally conceptualized as a means to address over-representation of minority students in special education • Advocated as a means of identifying students with LD, as an addition or alternative to the traditional discrepancy-based model • Strives to eliminate teacher bias in special education referrals **Early research indicates that students placed in special education in an RtI framework represent the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of classrooms and schools*(Speece, Case, & Eddy, 2003) • Ensure ALL students succeed and are as a result of RTI implementation • Transforming School Counseling Initiative (Education Trust, 1996) • Dismantle systemic policies that discriminate against certain types of students while simultaneously supporting others • Advocate for the rights of students, as well as calling for systemic investigation of such practices • Ensure ALL students succeed and are DIFFERENT as a result of ASCA implementation

20. Recommendations • Connect counseling interventions to the RtI structure • Seek a Balanced Role Between a Service Provider and an RtI Team Member • Use of data to identify needs and evaluate effectiveness • Implement research-based programs and interventions and contribute to evidence-based practices within the field • Serve as an advocate for historically underserved populations • Use RtI as a vehicle for better serving all students • Ockerman& Mason ISCA, 201123Knowing this

21. Questions? Amy Friez RTI Coordinator Office of Public Instruction afriez@mt.gov