Overview: Response to Intervention and SLD eligibility process

1. Overview:Response to Intervention and SLD eligibility process Kathy Pluymert Ph.D., NCSP January 24, 2012 National Louis University

2. What is RTI? RTI isn't a new program… It IS: • a system of school improvement • starting with differentiating instruction in the core curriculum • moving towards systematically using data to identify students the core doesn't reach • then identifying and evaluating supplemental interventions for those students • to ensure that ALL students meet ISBE standards.

3. The Goals of RTI Are: • To blend classroom teachers, specialists ( RCS, Special Ed teacher, Bilingual teachers) and other support personnel’s expertise, services and resources into one system that more effectively meets students’ needs. • Focus on prevention • Target students who are at risk • Use collaborative problem-solving to meet the needs of ALL children Pluymert

4. Why Do We HAVE To Use RTI? • Federal Legislation: NCLB/IDEA 2004 factors • Illinois State Legislation: District submitted ISBE required RTI plan in January 2009. All districts must document RTI starting in 2010 for all LD case study eligibility decisions • New Knowledge: We now have better information about the impact of effective instruction and a good foundation of research on learning. Federal and state government is holding educators accountable for implementing this to improve educational outcomes for all students Pluymert

5. The Illinois State Response to Intervention (RtI) Plan January 1, 2008 RtRt Response to Intervention (RtI) is “the practice of providing 1) high-quality instruction/ intervention matched to student needs and 2) using learning rate over time and level of performance to 3) make important educational decisions” (Batsche, et al., 2005). This means using differentiated instructional strategies for all learners, providing all learners with scientific, research-based interventions, continuously measuring student performance using scientifically research-based progress monitoring instruments for all learners and making educational decisions based on a student’s response to interventions. RtI has three essential components: 1) using a three tier model of school supports, 2) utilizing a problem-solving method for decision-making, and 3) having an integrated data system that informs instruction.

6. The Illinois State RtI Plan • “ISBE believes that increased student learning requires the consistent practice of providing high quality instruction matched to student needs.” • “The success of all students toward the Illinois Learning Standards is improved when instructional and behavioral goals are frequently monitored.” • “…it is through the continuous use of progress monitoring and analysis of student academic and behavioral growth that proper instructional and curricular responses may be made.” ISBE presentation: Kathy Cox, Mark Swerdlik, Christine Martin, 2010

7. New Expectations: We can effectively teach ALL students to meet basic standards in reading, writing and math though offering a multi-tiered continuum of differentiated instruction that varies in intensity All students in the school should consistently receive academic instruction using research based materials delivered with fidelity

8. We are being held accountable for ALL students meeting standards

9. BIG IDEAS in RTI:Core Principles • We can effectively teach ALL children to be competent in reading, writing and math • Use a multi-tier model of service delivery • Intervene early • Use data to determine student progress and see if programs are effective NASDSE SLIDE

10. So how do we reach ALL students? • RTI has an impact on classroom instruction through the use a multi-tiered model of service delivery • Some students need a little more practice to learn ( re-teaching in the regular classroom) • Some need extra practice in small groups in addition to classroom instruction • Some need a lot of extra practice, different materials and more individualized instruction

11. RTI: A “Smart” System Structure Academic Systems Behavioral Systems • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • High Intensity • Of longer duration • Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Targeted Group Interventions • Some students (at-risk) • High efficiency • Rapid response • Universal Interventions • All students • Preventive, proactive • Universal Interventions • All settings, all students • Preventive, proactive 75-85% 75-85% School-Wide Systems for Student Success • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • Intense, durable procedures 5-10% 5-10% 10-15% 10-15%

12. How the Tiers Work • Response to intervention “drives” decisions regarding intensity of instruction • Higher the tier, greater support and “severity of need” • Higher the tier, more frequent assessment • Increase level of support (Tier level) until you identify interventions that result in a positive response to intervention • Continue until student strengthens response significantly • Systematically reduce support (Lower Tier Level) as child achieves benchmark level • Determine the relationship between sustained growth and sustained support.

13. Another way to look at it Intensive/Tier 3 5%-10% Strategic/Tier 2 10%-20% Benchmark/Tier 1 70%-80%

14. Accelerated students Struggling students BELL CURVE Side view of RTI… Grade level expectation Iowa Department of Education

15. Core Instruction Tier 1: Core Instruction • The district adopted comprehensive curriculum • Provided for all students • Screening and formative evaluations occur Core Instruction Iowa Department of Education

16. RTI Components: Tier I Tier 1 RTI Activities: • Whole-class instruction using research-based curriculum • Differentiated instruction and small group re-teaching • Universal benchmarks to monitor student progress three times per year using curriculum based measures • Identification of lowest 25% • Comparison with teacher judgment and classroom assessments from curriculum

17. TIER 1 - DocumentationGeneral Education: Grade Level Teams • Using Screening Data for Initial Team Decision Making on need for additional data or intervention • Instructional PracticesDocumented • Fidelity to Core Instruction • Classroom based small group skill based focus • Parent Notification/Involvement • Screening/Progress Monitoring Data • If a child is getting “more”… Pluymert 2010

18. Regularly Scheduled Grade Level or Academic Team Meetings ( Including Specialists) The foundation of effective TIER 1 service delivery….

19. Why review data by Grade Level or academic team? • Allows for a broader perspective on resource allocation and student performance (particularly in selecting students for small group or individualized interventions) • Allows for a review of how well core curriculum is meeting students instructional needs in aggregate • Possible to disaggregate data to examine subgroups ( Coding students needs to been done to accomplish this)

20. Grade Level Team Meeting: SCREENING Data Who is making good progress in Core instruction and who is “at risk” or not progressing?

21. Grade Level Data Meetings Purpose Grade Level Data Review, Analysis, and Intervention Planning Define Tier Cut-Off Scores & Review Triangle Data Create Updated Intervention Plan and Progress Monitoring plan for Tier 1 & 2 Group Students According to Tiers & Needs Review Resources & Match to Interventions DEVELOP IPF Review Interventions & Match to Students’ Needs

22. Team Meeting Agenda: • DATA REVIEW: • Prompt review of Screening/benchmarking data by Grade level or Academic Team after each screening in context of other assessments • Is Core Instruction resulting in 80% of students meeting benchmarks? • Using benchmarking data to develop flexible, skill based grouping structure and to see who is making good progress • Periodic data review to check student progress • PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION • Develop IPF form • Collaborative Planning for Differentiated Instruction • Collaborative Planning with Specialists to connect interventions and other supplemental work with core instruction • DATA COLLECTION • Coordinate Progress monitoring including data collection and data entry schedules

23. Define Tier Cut-Off Scores & Review Triangle Data Using Screening Data during Data Team Meetings

24. “Big Picture” Questions from Screening CORE instruction can be considered by the building School Improvement Team and/or individual Grade Level or Department ( junior high ) teams: • Is our core program meeting the needs of at least 80% of our students? • If not, which skill sets are the students having difficulty with? • What supplemental materials do we have ( or can we get from DOI) to address these skills? • What activities can we plan to provide more targeted instruction OR instructional time in the classroom for ALL students to build these skills? • Are there any subgroups that are NOT meeting benchmarks as a GROUP? If so, do these students have any unique differentiation needs in additional to supplemental instruction?

25. KEY CONCEPT IN RTI • Moving students to supplemental interventions ( i.e. Tier 2) is not a substitute for high quality differentiated instruction in the general education classroom setting.

26. How to use data to see if more differentiated instruction is needed in Tier 1 • If more than 20% of the student population ( or subgroup) is not successful in Core Instruction, the problem is that there needs to be more differentiation and support in TIER I… • A school building can only provide effective Tier 2 for about 10-15% of the population

27. Example of a “Core” problem Goal: By Spring 2006, 80% of students will be proficient & likely to meet state standards (115 cwpm). Courtesy of Christine Martin, Indian Prairie School District, IL

28. CBM and data-based decision making CBM is one piece of data that suggests additional diagnostic information or progress monitoring is needed That said: • The CBM and MAP data should be looked at : • progressively ( first by grade level, then disaggregated by group, and then individually) • in conjunction with other student data to see if it “makes sense” with what the teachers know about the student… Remember: the team, not the CBM score, is the decision maker…

29. OVERVIEW: Assessment Systems Used in RtI Models Taken from Heartland AEA 11

30. Student Performance Review T R I A N G U L A T E Authentic assessments: Anecdotal records, work samples Mastery Measures: Holistic Assessments Read Naturally, Read 180 Standardized Norm-referenced Tests : ISAT, MAP, CBM

31. e.g., < 25th Tier 2 Candidates e.g., <10th Tier 3 Candidates WITH RTI : Schools Use Universal Screening Instead of Referral Driven Practices FOR EARLY IDENTIFICATION ( NO MORE WAIT TO FAIL)

32. Implications of Standards-Based Universal Screening

33. One Example: Reading Instruction in 3-Tiers Tier 3 Instructional Reading = 135-165* minutes Assessment- Weekly Using R-CBM 15% Tier 2 Instructional Reading = 120 Minutes Assessment- Weekly Using R-CBM Tier 1 Instructional Reading = 80 Minutes Assessment- 3 Times/Year Using R-CBM

34. Develop a plan for Tier 1 “interventions” for each team • Who will teach the group? • When will it be taught? • Who will prepare materials? • Who will provide supervision to program assistant (if someone other than a teacher delivers instruction) • How often will progress monitoring data be collected? • Who will collect the data and enter it into AIMsweb?

35. Create or Update Instruction and Intervention Plan How are Core instruction and tier 1 interventions delivered in the classroom?

36. Instructional Planning Form Grade Level/Subject Area _______________________ Teacher Name________________ School Year ____________ Goal ___________________________________________________________________________________ 10/03 Adapted from the U of Oregon

39. Student Name__________ Teacher Name________________ School Year ________ Goal ________________________________________________________________ Sample IPF: First Grade Tier 1 interventions added 10/03 Adapted from the U of Oregon

40. PLEASE REMEMBER:Tier 2 interventions should only be considered when • Students are not successful with classroom instruction that is • Delivered with fidelity to the curricular model • Differentiated appropriately to meet student needs • Provides accommodations and modification for ELL students and students with disabilities

41. Tier 2: Supplemental Instruction • Instruction that is available for students identified as exceeding or not meeting core- learning expectations • Provided to smaller groups of students with similar needs • Research based/evidence based strategies selected • Targeted instruction in identified area • IN ADDITION TO CORE Core Instruction Supplemental Instruction Supplemental Instruction Iowa Department of Education

42. RTI Components: Tier 2 Tier 2 activities: SOME students receive everything in Tier 1 PLUS • Daily small-group instruction in addition to classroom based instruction (added instructional time). • Direct and systematic instruction in the core skills students need. • Monitor student progress once or twice a month using curriculum based measures • Those students still not meeting benchmark goals at preset time points are referred for additional problem solving and evaluation. CHIDSEY-BROWN

43. Supplemental Instruction Instruction Components of the Cycle • Focus on the identified student learning needs • May involve the use of additional resources within the classroom • May be changes in, intensity, consistency, and immediacy of feedback • May include a change in instructional strategy Iowa Department of Education

44. Supplemental Curricula & Instruction • Supplemental Curricula is used in 2 ways: • Fill gaps in the core reading program • Highly focused instruction some students need on certain skills • Need to be compatible with core curriculum • Supplemental Instruction: • 30 minutes a day; 5 days a week • Homogeneous groups of 3-6 students;20-25% of student population • Progress monitored monthly Mark Shinn

45. Supplemental Instruction Assessment Components of the Cycle Given that all students are screened, some will need more assessment to determine why they are not meeting targets? • Usually includes a diagnostic assessment • Formative evaluation • Students included in formative assessments given to the class • Focus on measuring improvement in the targeted area of need • May include performance monitoring/formative assessment Iowa Department of Education

46. Core Supplemental Intensive TIER III Iowa Department of Education

47. TIER III: Intensive • TIER III is intensive, strategic, supplemental instruction specifically designed and customized small-group or 1:1 reading instruction that is extended beyond the time allocated for Tier I and Tier II. TIER III Iowa Department of Education

48. Intensive Instruction Instruction Components of the Cycle • Often includes different instructional strategies • Lesson plan prescribed for the individual • Provided to individuals or small groups of students • Often includes other support personnel Iowa Department of Education

49. RTI Components: Tier 3 Intervention • A Few Students Receive: • Individualized Intervention Plan • Integrated instruction from all three tiers to strengthen the accumulated impact of the interventions and instruction • Interventions delivered to very small group of 2-3 students or individual students • Interventions focused on narrowly defined skill areas identified from the results of frequent progress monitoring • Interventions implemented with integrity (e.g. number of minutes/day and per week, materials used, progress monitoring and implementer) tied to an individualized intervention plan

50. Determine how the student interacts with the curriculum, instruction and environment Determine the conditions under which the student experiences the most success Plan regular, frequent analysis of learning growth and resulting instructional decisions Record expected learning target Record all instructional changes made to meet the target Determine the student’s learning rate for targeted skill acquisition Intensive Instruction Assessment Components of the Cycle • Every student is included in all screening and district-wide assessments • Diagnostic Assessment • Formative Assessment Iowa Department of Education