Allison Vrolijk, Esq. Sandra Riggs, B.S., Educ. Advocate Pam Ballato, Ed.D, SLP-CCC

1. RTI ,Eligibility, Services and Progress Monitoring under IDEAInternational Dyslexia AssociationGeorgia Branch Conference 2014 Allison Vrolijk, Esq. Sandra Riggs, B.S., Educ. Advocate Pam Ballato, Ed.D, SLP-CCC

2. Specific Learning Disability • Specific learning disability is defined as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations. • Deficits in basic psychological processes typically include problems in attending, discrimination/ perception, organization, short-term memory, long-term memory, conceptualization/reasoning, executive functioning, processing speed, and phonological deficits.

3. AREAS of SLD • (a) Oral expression • (b) Listening • (c) Written   • (d) Basic reading • (e) Reading • (f) Reading Fluency Skills • (g) Mathematics • (h) Mathematical problem solving

4. Dyslexia vs SLD • Dyslexia is a medical term. It is diagnosed by a medical doctor. • A medical diagnosis does not automatically qualify a child for an eligibility classification in the school environment. • School teams determine educational eligibility based on set criteria.

5. Eligibility for SLD • Deficit in basic psychological processing that is related to academic underachievement • Failure to master academics in regular grade level curriculum – to the level expected for grade level (not child’s ability level) • Determined by appropriate assessments • Progress monitoring must indicate that the child is not making the expected progress toward grade level standards.

6. Progress Monitoring for SLD Eligibility • Required to have at least 12 weeks of progress monitoring • Can be done at the same time as the evaluation is in progress • Some children will make significant gains when provided with effective instruction. • Some will continue to struggle even after receiving instruction in a core reading programand Tier 2 & 3 interventions.

7. Response to Intervention • Intention was to provide early intervention for struggling students instead of a “wait til you fail” model • NCLB requires high quality, research based instruction, universal screening, progress monitoring, early intervention • IDEA 2004 reauthorization permits use of “alternative research-based measures for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability.”

8. RTI Basics, cont. • IDEA: Team must consider following to make sure inappropriate instruction is not cause of underachievement in child suspected of “having a specific learning disability:” • Evidence of appropriate prior instruction • Data from repeated assessments “at reasonable intervals” of student progress “which was provided to parents”

10. Does RTI Work? • Research so far has focused on above components, not process as a whole. • Evidence “is emerging” that RTI improves reading achievement • Much depends on age of child, fidelity to interventions • Promising practices

11. RTI Process Can’t Be Used to Delay-Deny Evaluation for Eligibility • Memo from OSEP to State Directors of Special Education • Even though student is receiving successful interventions through RTI, student may still be evaluated for special education • Parents can make direct request for evaluation

12. Comprehensive Evaluation of Reading • Phonological Awareness • Rapid Naming • Word Recognition • Nonsense Words • Fluency • Reading Comprehension

13. Specialized Instruction

14. Research Based Instruction • Systematic and explicit • Designated reading block • Extended duration • Small group • Clearly defined sequence

15. IEP Goals and Objectives • WHO (the student)DOES WHAT -- state an *observable behavior* describing what the student will do to complete the goal.WHEN - relating to  a specific point in time when something will have been learned or completedGIVEN WHAT -- state the "conditions" that describe the  "givens" that will need to be in place for the goal to be completedHOW MUCH - describes the performance accuracy of the behavior needed for the goal to be considered masteredCRITERIA - describes how many times the behavior must be observed for the goal to be considered completedHOW WILL IT BE MEASURED - performance data

16. Assessment • Assessments • Screening for readiness • Screening for student interest • Screening for student learning style • Diagnostic assessments • Progress monitoring • Outcomes

17. Programs Used In School • Different districts have different reading programs available. Staff members at an individual school are not always aware of programs available. • If a child requires a particular type of program in order to make meaningful gains, it should be discussed and written into the IEP.

18. Resources and References • USED, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSEP 11-07), Memo to State Directors: A response to intervention (RTI) process cannot be used to delay-deny an evaluation for eligibility under the IDEA. • ww2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/osep11-07

19. Questions and Comments • Summary from moderator and panel • Questions from participants

20. References, continued • Shaywitz, S. (2003). Overcoming dyslexia: a new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level. New York: Knopf Publishing. • Vellutino, F., Scanlon, D.,Sipay, E., Small, S., Chen, R., Pratt, A., & Denckla, M. (1996) Cognitive profiles of difficult-to-remediate and readily remediated poor readers, J. Ed. Psychology, 88, 601-638.

21. References, continued • Vellutino, F., Fletcher, J., Snowling, M., and Scanlon, D. Specific reading disability (dyslexia): what we have learned in the past four decades. J. Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45 (1) 2-40. • Wright, J. RTI toolkit: A practical guide for schools. Port Chester, New York: Dude Publishing, 2007.

22. References, continued • www.interventioncentral.org • www.gadoe.org • National Center for Learning Disabilities • www.LD.org • Wright, J. (2007). RTI toolkit: a practical guide for schools. Port Chester, N.Y.: Dude Publishing.

23. References • A Parent’s Guide to RTI. National Center for Learning Disabilities. www.RTInetwork.org • Interventions for Struggling Readers- Florida Center for Reading Research www.fcrr.org

24. A Child Becomes a Reader: Birth through Preschool. Second Edition. Proven Ideas from Research for Parents  http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED481898 • A Child Becomes a Reader: Kindergarten through Grade 3 https://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pages/pubs_details.aspx?pubs_id=5698 • Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read (Teacher’s Guide), Kindergarten through Grade 3  http://nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications/researchread.htm