Enhancing Tier 1 Literacy Supports through Effective RtI Implementation

1. RtI: Core Analysis rationale, tier 1 instruction, systems-level data analysis, Literacy Analysis Guide

2. Rationale • How do you know RtI—as a system—is working? • Are your tier 1 supports effective? • RtI Stages of Implementation (Fixsenet.al, 2005) • Exploration • Program Installation • Initial Implementation • Full Implementation • Innovation • Sustainability

3. Critical Components of strong Tier 1 literacy supports • A core instructional program of validated efficacy adopted and implemented school-wide • Core instruction is differentiated to meet students’ skill needs • Supplemental and intervention programs support core program • Programs and materials emphasize big ideas

4. Critical Components of strong Tier 1 literacy supports • Programs implemented with high fidelity • Strong professional development and coaching to support those providing instruction • Reliable and valid assessment systems to guide decision-making • All staff working together to meet the needs of all students

5. Common RtI Pitfalls • Too many students needing interventions • Often can’t develop ways to check fidelity or assess core implementation if expectations are unclear • What does 80-85% at benchmark really mean? • Limited resources to provide continuum of supports • We have 90 minute reading blocks. Doesn’t that mean we’ve got a good core? Now what?

6. Taking a Closer Look • If at least 80% of students ARE reaching benchmarks, consider: • Examining key features of effective Tier 1 supports to ensure you have features in place to sustain those effective supports • If at least 80% of students ARE NOT reaching benchmarks: • Consider: • Instructional delivery • Fidelity to program design • Ineffective core (research basis, need supplement?, need new?)

7. Systematic Problem Solving and Action Planning Process

8. A Useful Tool: RtI Consortium Partners in Training Online http://rtinebraska.unl.edu

9. Preparation: Gather the data! • What data is available and most useful to study tier 1 systems (core implementation and instruction)? • Prepare the data to facilitate analysis.

10. a bit of (attempted) humor…

18. Preparation: Gather the data! • What data is available and most useful to study tier 1 systems (core implementation and instruction)? • Prepare the data to facilitate analysis.

19. Universal Screening Reports • Summary Report • Summary of Effectiveness • Cross-Year Box Plot • DIBELS School-Wide Effectiveness Worksheet

20. Summary Report

21. Cross-Year Box Plot

22. School-Wide Effectiveness

23. Calculating Growth Rates • Annual normative growth • All kids in particular grade level • Semester growth • winter – fall and spring - winter spring mean score – fall mean score # of instructional weeks = growth rate

24. Normative Growth Rates Example • If the average third grade district score was 60 CWPM in fall and the average third grade district score in winter was 90 there would have been a 30 word improvement. If there were 15 instructional weeks, the growth rate equals 2 words per week. 90 - 30 15 = 2 words per week

25. Using Growth Rates • Normative growth at a grade/class level • Average growth of all students receiving core instruction alone • Semester normative growth rates to national growth rates • How do growth rates compare fall-winter, winter-spring, full year? • How do the starting points compare from year to year? • How do school growth rates compare to national growth rates currently available?

26. Literacy Analysis Guide (LAG) a systems-check for RtI

27. Report Findings & Next Steps

28. Taking a Closer Look • If at least 80% of students ARE reaching benchmarks, consider: • Examining key features of effective Tier 1 supports to ensure you have features in place to sustain those effective supports • If at least 80% of students ARE NOT reaching benchmarks: • Consider: • Instructional delivery • Fidelity to program design • Ineffective core (research basis, need supplement?, need new?)