Response to Intervention: Climbing New Heights to School Improvement

1. Response to Intervention: Climbing New Heights to School Improvement Valerie J. Robnolt and Jennifer Jones Virginia State Reading Association Roanoke, VA March 21, 2014

2. RTI Anticipation Guide • True or False: • RTI is the only process to use to identify students for special education. • A key component of RTI is providing tiered instruction (i.e., Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3). • Teachers must use DIBELS to progress monitor.

3. Purpose/Rationale • In 2004, the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendment (IDEAA) introduced Response to Intervention (RTI) as an alternative identification pathway for special education identification. • A way of providing differentiated and responsive instruction for every child.  

4. Review of the Literature • Vellutino and colleagues (Vellutino, Scanlon, & Lyon, 2000; Vellutino, Scanlon, Small, & Fanuele, 2006) introduced the process of RTI as a way to move educators away from the IQ-achievement discrepancy model of learning disability identification. • One goal of RTI is to reduce the number of students who are referred to special education through a process of early identification, “appropriate instruction” and intervention (Johnston, 2010). • Many states have adopted the term Multi-Tier System of Supports (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2013).

5. Guiding Principles for Educators from theIRA Commission on RTI: 1)core instruction2) responsive & differentiated instruction3) assessment4) collaboration5) systemic & comprehensive6) professional expertise“RTI may involve a range of professionals; however, the greater the literacy difficulty, the greater the need for expertise in literacy teaching and learning.”

6. Turn to your neighbor… • Discuss your experiences with Response to Intervention at your school. • What do you want to get from this session?

7. IRA Principle #1: Instruction “RTI is first and foremost intended to prevent problems by optimizing language and literacy instruction” (IRA, 2010, n.p.). • High quality core instruction by classroom teachers – Tier 1 • Use of research-based best practices

8. IRA Principle #2: Responsive Teaching and Differentiation “The RTI process emphasizes increasingly differentiated and intensified instruction or intervention in language and literacy” (IRA 2010, n.p.) • Small group and individualized instruction • Comes from teacher-student interactions • No single approach will meet the needs of all students

9. IRA Principle #3: Assessment “An RTI approach demands assessment that can inform language and literacy instruction meaningfully” (IRA, 2010, n.p.). • “The utility of an assessment is dependent on the extent to which it provides valid information on the essential aspects of language and literacy that can be used to plan appropriate instruction” (IRA, 2010, n.p.). • Diagnostic assessments • Initial screening assessments • Ongoing progress monitoring

10. IRA Principle #4: Collaboration “RTI requires a dynamic, positive, and productive collaboration among professionals with relevant expertise in language and literacy. Success also depends on strong and respectful partnerships among professionals, parents, and students” (IRA, 2010, n.p.). • Intentional collaboration: Intentional thought and planning prior to and after the meeting. • Incidental collaboration: Spontaneous incidences of colleagues engaging with one or more knowledgeable person for assistance with a particular problem. • Mandated collaboration: Colleagues having mandated attendance at RTI meetings. (Robnolt et al., 2013)

11. IRA Principle #5: Systemic & Comprehensive Approaches “RTI must be part of a comprehensive, systemic approach to language and literacy assessment and instruction that supports all preK–12 students and teachers” (IRA, 2010, n.p.). • “Specific approaches to RTI need to be appropriate for the particular school or district culture and take into account…” (IRA, 2010, n.p): • Leadership • Expertise • Diversity of the student population • Available resources

12. IRA Principle #6: Expertise “All students have the right to receive instruction from well-prepared teachers who keep up to date and supplemental instruction from professionals specifically prepared to teach language and literacy” (IRA, 2010, n.p.) • The students who have the greatest literacy needs should have instruction from the personnel with the most expertise in literacy learning.

13. Professional Development • In a comprehensive approach to RTI, “ongoing and job-embedded professional development” is key to success. • All personnel, from the administration to the paraprofessionals, should be involved in professional development. • Mentoring/coaching from colleagues who have expertise is essential.

14. Implications • We need to break down the silos between general education, reading specialists, special educators, school psychologists, and other personnel to implement systemic and comprehensive approaches to RTI. • More systematic professional learning about RTI is needed in most schools. The professional learning should core and differentiated learning that leads to collaboration among professional educators.

15. In conclusion… • Do you have any final thoughts? • Do you have any questions?

16. Contact Us • Valerie J. Robnolt, vjrobnolt@vcu.edu • Jennifer Jones, jjones292@radford.edu