Chapter 13: Classroom Assessment and Response to Intervention (RTI)

Chapter 13: Classroom Assessment and Response to Intervention (RTI) Addressing the Needs of All Students in the Classroom

NCLB Several critical impact features associated with NCLB including (Reschly 2008): (a) emphasis on improving low achievement in general, remedial, and special education; (b) endorsement of scientifically based instruction (SBI) and scientifically based reading research principles (SBRR); (c) focus on prevention of achievement problems and antisocial behavior patterns; (d) improving general outcomes for all children and youth including SWD (students with disabilities) in areas such as high school completion, passing high-stakes state tests, and entering post-high school educational and career preparation

IDEA (2004) or IDEIA In addition, the reauthorization of IDEA (2004) or IDEIA requires early and documented intervention services before any referral can take place. Also, the evaluation of a student’s response to intervention services must occur as part of that process. In response, a systematic and verifiable approach at addressing and remediating learning problems and issues, complete with verifiable evidence, was considered necessary. Response to intervention or RTI (sometimes listed as RtI) has emerged to assist with the evidence-based mandates that have accompanied the recent NCLB and IDEIA legislation.

RTI Approach Several key factors are associated with the RTI approach; they include the following: High learning standards are expected to be achieved by all students Effective classroom instruction is the main mechanism by which those standards can be accomplished A leveled or tiered intervention model responsive to the learning needs of the students can address problems early on in the learning process

RTI Approach In regards to interventions, the use of research supported and validated treatments are followed so as to ensure the highest probability of success RTI is centered around a problem-solving process whereby concerns are clearly identified and substantiated, interventions implemented, and progress monitored in order to determine and evaluate the value and effectiveness of the intervention services provided to the students Educational decisions are made based on the collection of relevant student progress data that is generated by that process

Problem-Solving Model

A Three Tiered Model

Tier 1 • Emphasis on providing school-wide instruction and support for all. • School-wide positive behavior support systems to teach and promote positive behavior within students and prevent later problems. • This reflects both an instructional component of desired behaviors expected from children, as well as providing corrective feedback during “teachable moments” when incidents arise or problems are documented. • School-wide support and intervention can take various forms and are directed at increasing the academic skill base of the students to ensure that the identified and expected academic standards are met • Evidenced by the data that is collected through their achievement performances. • Maximize learning and to minimize the number of students who will require individualized intervention assistance. • Individuals needing supplemental support are typically identified by periodic academic screenings and progress monitoring as part of instruction.

Tier 1 • Focus on core curriculum and daily instruction so all students acquire intended learning outcomes, standards, and benchmarks. • Achieved through sound, quality general education instruction, maximizing learning opportunities for all students. • Information on progress gathered in class and by school-wide sources • Used to demonstrate learning and behavioral accomplishments.

Tier 2 • Core curriculum and instruction is maintained, but supplemental help is provided to a small percentage of students (~10-15%) • As Tilly (2008) has stated, “It is important to note at this level that both core instruction and something supplemental are received by students. That supplemental instruction can range from additional time in the core curriculum to additional opportunities and/or more time to learn, all the way through additional, strategically planned supplemental instruction.” • Require more instruction before they become proficient with the material. • Tilly (2008) emphasizes that, “Supplemental instruction in all cases is put in place in addition to core instruction. It does not replace it. It is usually delivered in groups of three to six students. Often, 30-45 minutes of supplemental instruction are provided to students. Usually 10 weeks of supplemental instruction is provided in a cycle with the option of an additional 10-week cycle being available if student performance warrants it.”

Tier 2 • At-risk for not reaching the academic and/or behavior standards that exist for their same-age peers. • Supplemental instruction identified as being culturally responsive and scientifically supported are followed. • Usually the programs are very specific and customized in the content that is provided. • Also directly linked to the core curriculum. • Flexible, small groups. • The instruction-intervention match is critical for maximizing the potential progress. • The instruction provided is focused and explicit to specific need(s) and resulting progress is monitored frequently and consistently. • Considered a general education intervention • Often provided by general classroom teachers, or intervention specialists.

Tier 3 • Receive core instruction, but also receive intensive, individual instruction to address particular needs and skills. • 5% or less of students receive this level of intervention. • This level does not provide or imply any special status or classification. • Tilly (2008) is quick to point out, “that intensive instruction does not connote special education. Special education is one service that might be brought to bear to meet some students’ intensive instructional needs. However, there will be students who have intensive needs that will not qualify for, nor would it be appropriate to provide them special education services.” • For example, a student whose academic difficulties stem from learning English as a second language may need intensive instructional support, though he may not qualify for special education services.

Tier 3 • At this intervention level, a student should possess a written plan that outlines his or her individualized, research-based supports and instruction. • These supports would be specifically designed to provide explicit and systematic instruction by skilled and highly trained educational specialists. • Each student’s progress is carefully monitored to determine the effectiveness of the intervention(s). • In regards to skill development, daily sessions involving one-on-one opportunities to practice emerging skills are expected as part of an intensive intervention program.

Research Supported Practices One of the most effective and utilized early reading literacy programs is the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). DIBELS incorporates a research-based reading program designed to monitor student progress (i.e., benchmark assessments conducted at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year) on the basic foundation literacy skills for reading. This program is designed to measure the growth of foundational reading skills (i.e., initial sound fluency; phoneme segmentation fluency; nonsense word fluency; oral reading fluency; word use fluency; and retell fluency) in order to promote reading success and to avoid student reading failure by identifying reading difficulties early on and then providing skill-specific interventions.

CBM Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) involves the use of quick standardized curriculum skill assessments to measure student learning progress in the basic skill areas of reading, math, writing, and spelling, and was originally developed for special education teachers to help construct IEP goals and document progress. CBM requires the use of probes which are short skill tests that students complete in order to examine their skill performances in particular content areas (reading, math, writing, and/or spelling). These learning probes, constructed from the instructional curriculum that is to be learned, serve as learning evidence and confirmation that students are acquiring the desired skills and performance levels so that more advanced material and/or skills can be introduced and learned. They are generally administered weekly and the results are visually graphed so that the performance data can be compared to a set goal or performance level.

PBS Positive behavior support (PBS) includes an array of systemic and individualized research supported strategies that are designed to promote appropriate social behavior within school environments. Consistent with the RTI approach, PBS is a data-based problem-solving approach that operates as a functional extension of applied behavior analysis. Through the guiding direction of an identified school team(s), PBS attempts to change the existing behavioral climate of the school building while at the same time establishing and educating students to a new and expected behavior curriculum.

Teacher as Active Problem-Solver and Researcher RTI involves a systematic approach at addressing the needs of all students. This problem-solving model and tier-leveled intervention follows the curriculum and the instructional delivery format of the schools. The fact that collected data and evidence is used to evaluate and direct changes makes sense and is essential in confirming intervention effectiveness. This approach “feels right” and fits within the classroom setting because the teacher serves as an active researcher in identifying and addressing the instructional needs of his or her students through this process.

Teacher as Researcher Babkie & Provost (2004) contend that, “When a teacher considers evidence-based practices in making decisions or provides content based on his or her knowledge of a particular strategy or methodology’s effectiveness, that teacher is conducting research. When he or she groups students based on performance, the teacher is using research. When he or she evaluates the effectiveness of different interventions for changing a student’s behavior, it is a form of research” (page 261).

Action Research Steps for a Teacher to Follow in the Classroom 1. Identify the Problem/Concern to be Researched 2. Collect and Evaluate Information from Various Sources 3. Analyze the Data 4. Develop a Plan for Intervention/Change 5. Implement the Intervention/Change and Collect Data 6. Analyze the Data/Evaluate the Results 7. Plan for the Future: Keep, Revise, or Alter Intervention

When Classroom Intervention Isn’t Enough RTI with its tiered intervention is designed to help all students regardless of their particular accomplishments, skills, and learning needs. However, even with Tier 3 support and intervention some students’ performances will be extremely low (e.g., falling below the 10th percentile on reading skill measures) and their needs will exceed the instructional resources and limits of the regular classroom. These are the students that will likely need and qualify for special education services.

Identification of Students with Special Needs With the passage of IDEA 2004, local school districts are able to identify students with learning disabilities through a response to a scientific, research-based intervention model like the DIBELS model that was briefly described. This approach is favored and supported by special education professionals because it involves the systematic assessment of a student’s skill progress when provided with quality, research-based general education instruction.

Input from Regular Education Regular classroom teachers play a major role in helping to identify, through collected classroom evidence, students who may be eligible for special education services. In addition to the data that is collected as part of regular classroom intervention, additional information through observations, rating scales, and/or other measures and instruments may also be collected as part of the identification and qualification process. Regular education teachers also assist in the development and implementation of the IEPs of those identified students. In fact they are specified by IDEA (2004) as a legal part of an IEP team. Therefore, input from regular education teachers is vital to the process.

Conclusion Due to legislative mandates and professional expectations, teachers need to be able to provide academic and behavioral intervention for their students and the use of the RTI model provides for the needs of all students. A multi-tiered intervention approach allows for the provision of help and support at the level that it is needed. All are served and consequently all benefit with no particular individuals singled out in the process. The hallmark of this approach is that direct student evidence is used in deciding which interventions are effective and used within the classroom setting.

Classroom Reality Teachers are currently confronted with an ever-increasing need of addressing both academic and behavior related issues and problems in today’s classroom. Behavior problems are often connected directly to academic-based issues or student-skill weaknesses, and teachers must have at their disposal knowledge and skills that allow them to address and hopefully remediate counterproductive behaviors and responses.

Classroom Reality As school districts across the country address this issue, functional problem-solving models, including response to intervention (RTI) approaches, are being developed and implemented at all levels, from elementary to high school. As school districts work on their RTI programs, teachers must recognize and integrate data-driven decision making into the classroom. Moreover, system approaches, like RTI, are predicated upon the importance of prevention and early intervention of academic and behavioral problems.

Chapter 13: Classroom Assessment and Response to Intervention (RTI)