RTI at the High School Level

1. RTI at the High School Level • JoAnne Malloy, MSW Project Director Institute on Disability/UCED University of New Hampshire • Maria Agorastou, MSW Research Associate Institute on Disability/UCED University of New Hampshire

2. Response to Intervention in High-Schools • What are your reactions to the presentations? What are the implications? • What questions do you have in regards to RTI at the High school level?

3. Some essential features of RTI-NH Responds • RTI refers to specific procedures that align with the steps of problem solving: • Implementing evidence-based interventions • Frequently measuring a student’s progress to determine whether the intervention is effective • Evaluating the quality of the instructional strategy • Evaluating the fidelity of its implementation. (For example, did the intervention work? Was it scientifically based? Was it implemented as planned?)

4. Implications for HS RTI • Limited research on RTI in secondary level. • 8th to 9th Grade transition is critical: • Baseline • Progress monitoring • Academic and behavioral challenges might not surface until the student reaches high-school. • 3-Tiered structure should be in place for all incoming freshmen

5. Progress monitoring for High Schools • Programs and progress monitoring/data collection should be focused on high school related issues: • Attendance/academic progress/credits earned • Dropout prevention – monitor to keep students on track • Transition and planning for after high school • School climate

6. How is On-Track Related to Graduation?

8. APEX High School Example: Who is Falling Behind?

9. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 1. Identify screening and progress monitoring tools for high school students across subject areas. • Multiple, universally administered, standardized and valid measures that can help identify students that need interventions and are not keeping up with their peers across a number of subject areas.

10. Issues related to RTI at the high school level cont.. 2. Identify high school intervention models appropriate for high school that work across subjects • Age and developmentally appropriate interventions that will work for HS students across subject areas. • Fidelity of implementation

11. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 3. Consider implementation issues unique to high schools • Consider issues related to program structure and how students move through the process (e.g academic & behavioral flowcharts), sequencing of activities within tiers, balancing flexibility with consistency and cut scores and other data for moving between tiers specific to your high school.

12. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 4. Examine the changing roles of general and special education teachers • As fewer students receive instruction and supports in special education self -contained classrooms, the roles and responsibilities of teachers will need examination. • Consider co-teaching models

13. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 5. Determine universal instruction across content areas • High schools will need to determine what constitutes high-quality universal instruction across content areas. • Teachers will need additional professional development on differentiated instructional techniques

14. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 6. Ensure structural supports for professional collaboration • RTI requires collaboration and coherence across departments. Teams of educators will need to review student progress and discuss intervention strategies across departments

15. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 7. Ensure on-going professional development • High quality instruction and effective behavioral management is key to the RTI model • Professional development should include introduction to RTI model and related procedures, effective teaching strategies and classroom management, best practices for student monitoring and data decision making.

16. Issues related to RTI at the high school level 8. Expand student involvement, and parent and community communication • High school students can play a significant role in the development and implementation of the system • Effective parent communication to ensure awareness of new processes and practices and build support • Community awareness of school’s new processes and involvement in supporting the efforts

17. APEX PBIS MODEL Tertiary Prevention: RENEW Intervention ~5% Secondary Prevention: Specialized Group Systems for Students with At-Risk Behavior ~15% Primary Prevention: School-/Classroom- Wide Systems for All Students, Staff, & Settings ~80% of Students

18. Universal Team:Beginning Stages of Implementation • Representative team • Ground rules and Member Roles • Team process • Team checklists • Data present at all meetings • Communication with Staff and Community • Action Plan / Decision Log

19. Essential Components of PBIS for SHS & CTC • Staff & Administration Buy-In • Clearly Defined Expectations for Behavior • Put in student handbook, & school web page • Post throughout the school • Clearly defined office referral behaviors, including consequences when feasible • Put in student handbook • Required all to review on the first day of school

20. Essential Components of PBIS for SHS & CTC • CONSISTENCY • Expectations • Teachers • Administration • Students • Consequences (Appropriate too) • Teachers • Administration • Students

21. Essential Components of PBIS for SHS & CTC • Belief that behaviors can and have to be taught, even in high school • Data Based Decision Making • Teacher or student designed lessons called Roll-outs • Taught to Teachers • Teachers teach to ALL students • Growth Goal identified • Positive Affirmation of Success(short term)

22. Personalized Learning Plan

23. Did it make a difference?

24. And we continue to make a difference!Average Office Referrals as Jan. 8, 2009

25. Contact info • Joanne Malloy • jmmalloy@aol.com • Maria Agorastou • Maria.agorastou@unh.edu • www.iod.unh.edu • http://iod.unh.edu/nhresponds.html • http://iod.unh.edu/apex.html