Gary L. Cates, Ph.D. Mark E. Swerdlik, Ph.D Illinois State University

1. Improving Outcomes for ALL Students Through the Flexible Student Services Model (FSSM) : Building the Infrastructure--Introduction to Data-based Decision Making Gary L. Cates, Ph.D. Mark E. Swerdlik, Ph.D Illinois State University Kirkwood, Mehlville, Special School District, Webster Groves (KMSW) Cooperative “Expect the Best”

2. Responses to Parking Lot: Questions from Yesterday

3. A Brief Review of FSSM “Expect the Best”

4. Three Tiered Model of School Supports Behavioral Systems Academic Systems Tier 3: Intensive, Individual Interventions Individual Students Assessment-based Intense, durable procedures Assessment: FBA, Tier 3: Intensive, Individual Interventions Individual Students Assessment-based High Intensity Of longer duration Assessment:, CBA/CBE, 1-5% 1-5% Tier 2: Targeted Group Interventions Some students (at-risk) High efficiency Rapid response Assessment: Group behavior data, 5-10% Tier 2: Targeted Group Interventions Some students (at-risk) High efficiency Rapid response Assessment: e.g., CBM, DIBELS 5-10% Students Tier 1: Universal Interventions All settings, all students Preventive, proactive Assessment:e.g., Office Discipline Referrals 80-90% Tier 1: Universal Interventions All students Preventive, proactive Assessment: e.g., DIBELS, CBM, Tungsten 80-90%

5. Implementing Flexible Student Services • Three Phases of Implementation • Consensus Building (Commitment)-80% buy-in • Infrastructure Development • Implementation

6. Infrastructure Development • Problem-Solving Model • Decision-making criteria for service delivery options • Data monitoring and management system • Technology to manage data • Building-level needs assessment • Standard protocol interventions that address high probability hypotheses about academic and social development: Tier 1 and 2 interventions

7. Building the Infrastructure: Universal Assessment/Benchmarking • CBM/DIBELS • Reading • Mathematics • Written Language

8. Monitoring Frequency • Benchmark Monitoring • Assessing All students at Critical Times (e.g., Fall, Winter, Spring), about 5 minutes per child (R-CBM) and 10 minutes (DIBELS) • Tracking progress in learning core curriculum • Compare to local and/or national standards • Which students may require supplemental and intensive interventions?

9. Monitoring Frequency • Strategic (Targeted)Monitoring • Assessing At-Risk Students (4/5 per class) Monthly • Measuring impact of supplemental intervention; tracking progress in core curriculum • Intensive Monitoring • Assessing student needing intensive intervention (1/2 per class) weekly. • Measuring impact of intensive intervention; tracking progress in core curriculum

10. Integrated Data System Nine Characteristics: • Directly assess the specific skills within state and local academic standards. • Assess marker variables that lead to the ultimate instructional target. • Are sensitive to small increments of growth over time. • Can be administered efficiently over short periods.

11. Integrated Data System • May be administered repeatedly. • Can readily be summarized in teacher-friendly formats/displays. • Can be used to make comparisons across students. • Can be used to monitor an IEP over time. • Have direct relevance to the development of instructional strategies related to need.

12. Integrated Data System Nine Characteristics: • Directly assess the specific skills within state and local academic standards. • Assess marker variables that lead to the ultimate instructional target. • Are sensitive to small increments of growth over time. • Can be administered efficiently over short periods.

13. Integrated Data System • May be administered repeatedly. • Can readily be summarized in teacher-friendly formats/displays. • Can be used to make comparisons across students. • Can be used to monitor an IEP over time. • Have direct relevance to the development of instructional strategies related to need.

14. Curriculum-Based Measures

15. Technically Adequate from Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., & Maxwell,L. (1988). The validity of informal reading comprehension measures. Remedial and Special Education, 9, 20-28.

16. Problem Solving • A process that uses the skills of professionals from different disciplines to develop and evaluateintervention plans that improve significantly the school performance of students

17. Problem-Solving:What It Is and Is Not • What it is…. • A process designed to maximize student achievement • A method focused on outcomes • A method to ensure accountability and intervention evaluation • It is all about student progress, regardless of where or who that student is • What it is not… • A way to avoid special education placements • A less expensive way of schooling

18. What Are the Barriers? • It’s a different way of doing business for some. • It requires an expanded set of skills. • Interventions are integrated, not done by team members or special educators only • Requires frequent data collection and analysis--different culture • Focus is on HOW and student is doing, not WHERE the student is going

19. Problem Solving: Potential Weakness Areas • Applied consistently across students • Relies on infrastructure of authentic assessment opportunities • Intervention Integrity • Interpretation of data/graphs

20. Problem Solving: Intervention Integrity • Strategies that improve integrity • Follow-up by a consultant/support staff • Presentation of student data illustrating response to intervention • Review of treatment implementation • Frequency--range from daily to weekly initially Teacher responsiveness to implementing interventions • Understands the “need” for intervention • Perceives self as possessing skills to implement OR has the social support to implement while acquiring skills

21. What Are the Benefits of Problem-Solving? • Enhanced Student Performance • Accountability • Greater staff involvement • Greater parent involvement • Greater student involvement

22. Problem Solving: Strengths • Can be applied to the student, classroom, building, district, and problem levels • Student- academic and/or behavior problem • Classroom-discipline, returning homework • Building- bullying, attendance • District- over-/under-representation, increasing percentage of students reaching AYP • Problem-problem common to students in building

23. Problem Solving: Strengths • Systematic • Focused on outcomes • Tailored to specific situations • “unlimited” range of hypotheses • Evidence-based

24. Problem-Solving Can Be Used For Anything! • Direct Academic Behaviors: • Reading • Mathematics • Written Language • Academic Supporting Behaviors: • Task/Homework Completion • Academic Engaged Time • Social Behaviors • Social Skills • Disruptive Behaviors

25. Needs Assessment: Anticipating WHAT You Will Problem-Solve • 85% of students are referred for the same 5-8 problems, regardless of age/grade • Past behavior predicts future behavior • We can make data-based decisions to determine needed Tier II interventions • We can make data-based decision to determine modifications to Tier I, core academic and behavioral curricula

26. Needs Assessment • Aggregated teacher referrals indicate areas of professional development needs to strengthen the impact of Tier I core programs • Codifying and aggregating referrals for the past two years will predict referrals in the future, by rate and type--implications for Tiers II and III • Aggregating data on current interventions by the following will inform Tier II, standard protocol needs: • Type of intervention • Average time/day of implementation • Staff currently implementing

27. Team Exercise Based on your experiences in your building over the past two years, What are the types and rate (approximate percentage) of referral problems to your team? What are the types of interventions typically being implemented and who are implementing them?

28. Steps of Problem-Solving 1. Problem Identification What is the discrepancy between what is expected and what is occurring? 2. Problem Analysis Why is the problem occurring? 5. Plan Evaluation Was the intervention plan successful? 3. Plan Development What is the goal? What is the intervention plan? How will progress be monitored? 4. Plan Implementation How will implementation integrity be ensured?

29. Problem Solving and RtI • I really just want to be able to use RtI without all of that problem-solving stuff--can I do that?

30. Some General Problem Solving Components • RIOT • ICEL

31. Assessment:How Do We Confirm Hypothesis? • Review • Interview • Observe-progress monitoring • Test-progress monitoring, self- monitoring, rating scales

32. Review Existing RIOT Data, Think about Why the Problem is Occurring, & Collect Additional RIOT Data • Teams should… • Review existing data • Brainstorm hypotheses predictions for why the problem may be occurring • Plan for the collection of additional data needed to narrow down and/or support hypotheses.

33. Review Existing Data • Consider discrepancy data collected during Problem Identification • Permanent Products • Records • CBM/DIBELS information

34. Brainstorm Hypotheses/ Predictions for Why a Problem is Occurring • Consider multiple domains for hypotheses • Remember: many problems have “typical” hypotheses • Focus on changeable variables • Write the hypotheses

35. Consider Multiple Domains: ICEL Instruction Curriculum Learner Environment

36. Problem Analysis: ICEL • Instruction: Includes selection and use of materials, placement of individual materials, clarity of instructions, communication of expectations, criteria for success, direct instruction with explanation and cues, sequencing of lessons designed to promote success, variety of practice activities, and pace of presentation of new content.

37. Problem Analysis: ICEL • Curriculum: Includes the long-range direction of instruction, instructional philosophy/approaches, instructional materials, stated outcomes for the course of study, standards and benchmarks, content of the course of study, arrangement of the content, and pace of the curriculum sequence leading to outcomes.

38. Problem Analysis: ICEL • Environment: Includes the physical arrangement of the room, furniture/equipment, classroom/school rules, management issues, routines, expectations, peer context, peer and family influence, and task pressure

39. Problem Analysis: ICEL • Learner: Last area to consider when planning interventions. At this point should be known that the curriculum and instruction are appropriate and the environment is positive. Includes individual academic and performance data and individual social/behavioral data.

40. CURRICULUM • Content of materials • Difficulty level of materials • Sequencing • Organization • Perceived relevance INSTRUCTION • Instructional philosophy • Instructional approach or method(s) • Expectations/objectives • Clarity & organization • Pace • Opportunities for practice • Duration of continuous instruction • Nature & frequency of feedback • Academic engaged time • Classroom Management Content of Domains

41. ENVIRONMENT • Arrangement of the room • Furniture/equipment • Rules • Management plans • Routines • Expectations • Peer context • Peer (e.g., attention) and family influence (e.g., cultural beliefs) • Task pressure LEARNER • Appropriateness of curriculum and instruction • Perception of learning environment • Academic skills • Social/behavioral skills • Adaptive behavior skills (e.g., self-help, ) • Motivation Organization • Medical Issues

42. Example of Data-Based Problem Solving at Tier I

43. Types of Systems-Level Data • Direct Academic Behaviors: • Curriculum-Based Measurement • Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills • Other Norm/Criterion-Referenced Local Assessments • Academic Supporting & Social Behaviors: • Permanent Products • Observations • Office Discipline Referrals • Suspensions/Expulsions • # of Assignments Turned In On-Time/Late

44. Levels of Problem-Solving ~5% ~15% Tier 1: Universal / Systems ~80% of Students

45. Steps of Problem-Solving 1. Problem Identification What is the discrepancy between what is expected and what is occurring? 2. Problem Analysis Why is the problem occurring? 5. Plan Evaluation Was the intervention plan successful? 3. Plan Development What is the goal? What is the intervention plan? How will progress be monitored? 4. Plan Implementation How will implementation integrity be ensured?

46. Step 1: Problem Identification Question: What is the discrepancy between what is expected and what is occurring? North Glen had 23 students not meet the 2005 Missouri Standards for Communication Arts.

47. Use of RIOT Data For Tier I Example: Writing • Review-MAP Communication Arts Scores, writing curriculum • Interview-classroom teacher input • Observe • Test

48. ICEL Domains For Tier I Example: Writing • Instruction-Review instructional practices • Curriculum-Review the Writing Curriculum (curriculum lacking in explicit instruction in writing structure and mechanics) • Environment • Learner

49. Step 2: Problem Analysis Question: Why is the problem occurring? Students did not have enough explicit instruction (i.e. universal instruction) about the requirements of the writing structure and mechanics.

50. Step 3: Plan Development Question: What is the goal? All 23 students would meet Missouri State Standards in the area of Communication Arts. Question: What is the intervention plan to address the goal? See Instructional Planning Form (IPF). Question: How will progress be monitored? A practice MAP Communication Arts test will be administered in the winter to determine whether students are acquiring the necessary writing skills.