Response To Intervention

1. Response To Intervention “An Overview of key components for successful implementation” Owen Stockdill

2. Response to Intervention • Response to Intervention (RTI) is a: • Systems level approach that stresses providing tiered instruction / intervention for all students based on their identified need through the analysis of current individual student data. • The greater the student need… the greater the intensity of allocated time and intervention.

3. “Primary Focus ” • This presentation will stress the foundational knowledge and components that need to be in place prior to beginning training in the “problem solving” process.

4. Topics to be covered • Understanding of Key Components embedded in RTI. • Establishing a Building Wide Culture of Readiness. • Developing and Implementing a RTI infrastructure

5. Components Embedded in RTI • Rationale: • Building Level Staff Members should have a uniform understanding of RTI. • A common understanding of the goals of RTI increase the likelihood that “buy in” can be established.

6. The RTI Components • Universal Screening • Progress Monitoring • A Tiered Instructional Model • Fidelity of Implementation • Data-Based Decision Making

7. Universal Screening • Definition – The process that allows staff to gather an “ongoing manageable” measure of progress of all students throughout the year. • “Benchmarking” is recommended in the fall, midyear, and spring. • Used to determine where students are in their growth process. • This data is an “initial guide” in the process of determining need and placement for support through the tiered approach.

8. “Universal Screening”through “Curriculum Based Measures” • CBM’s provide an ongoing “time efficient” assessment of student progress in Reading, Math, Spelling, and Written Language. • CBM’s are timed assessments given with the intent of establishing baseline data. • CBM’s are General Outcome Measures • They don’t measure everything…but they measure “important things” that can be tied to student achievement.

9. “Reading CBM’s” • Early Literacy – emphasis on establishing a measurement of the phonemic awareness and phonics components of literacy as per findings of the National Reading Panel. Effectively used in grades “K – 1”. • Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) – Students are provided the opportunity to name letters within one minute. • Letter Sound Fluency (LSF) – Students are provided the opportunity to name the primary sounds associated with each letter. • Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) – students are provided with the opportunity to “decode” the sounds composing a “nonsense” word. (ex. bim). • Phoneme Segmentation (PSF) – students are provided the opportunity to segment a word emphasizing each sound that they hear. (ex. rabbit… r..a..b..i.. t).

10. “Reading CBM’s” • Comprehension is the Ultimate Goal! • High Levels of comprehension should be advanced through strategies and application. • Fluency is an underpinning of Comprehension. • Growth overtime on “CBM-Fluency Measures” have been shown to correlated with growth on global tests of reading comprehension • Fluency does not test comprehension. But the level of fluency does serve as an excellent indicator of the reader’s comprehension skills. • Fluency measures in Reading are recommended for students in Grades 2 – 8.

11. Progress Monitoring • Definition – the process that allows staff to identify and track students who, through data analysis, are progressing below an expected “aim” line. • Progress Monitoring is recommended when a students “benchmark assessment” or subsequent probes have him/her falling consistently below a prescribed national, district, or building level norm. (3 or more probes) • Progress monitoring should be completed at one to two week intervals to determine the effectiveness of the teacher or strategist/specialist lead intervention.

12. Progress Monitoring • Aim Line – a line that suggests the consistent progress that would be necessary for the student to move from his/her current achievement to the level prescribed at the completion of his/her spring benchmark period. • Growth Line – a projected line of growth that will be achieved based on the students current trends with recorded progress monitoring probes.

13. Tiered Service Delivery • The RTI approach – multiple tiers representing increasingly intense services that are directly correlated to increasing levels of learner needs.

14. The RTI “Tier” Triangle.

15. Tier I “The Core Curriculum” • The core curriculum should be successful in reaching the instructional needs of 80 – 85% of the students. • Reading: The 5 core components should be taught using systematic and explicit connective instruction as per The National Reading Panel. • Phonemic Awareness • Phonics • Fluency • Vocabulary • Comprehension

16. Components of Scientific Based Reading Instruction. • Phonemic Awareness – the ability to distinguish, produce, remember and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Includes both blending and segmenting sounds in words. • Phonics – understanding the predictable correspondence between phonemes & graphemes. Used in a progression that includes decoding unfamiliar words and then progressing to recognizing familiar words with automaticity. (Explicit phonics instruction helps average children learn to read and spell more accurately and fluently that those who don’t receive phonics instruction.)

17. Components of Scientific Based Reading Instruction • Fluency – The reading of text with sufficient speed & accuracy to support comprehension. • Vocabulary Development – Best achieved by reading itself, oral language practice, and instruction in a broad range of topics. Meaning acquisition will increase with repeated exposure to a word’s use in context and by explicit direct instruction in word meaning. • Comprehension – requires skills and strategies, background knowledge and verbal reasoning. (Moats 2008)

18. Tier II “Early Intervention” • Teacher driven interventions used with fidelity. • Interventions are selected based on student need identified through data analysis. • Interventions are maintained until a clear trend develops indicating the students (positive or negative) response. • This response can be determined via continuous data points ( a minimum of 3) or established trends. • If the student’s response is favorable … maintain the intervention until a gradual reduction is in order. • If the student response is not favorable… add to, or change the intervention. • A minimum of two interventions should be attempted prior to moving on to Tier III.

19. Intervention Options • There are two methods of prescribed early intervention. • Standard Treatment Protocol (Group Intervention) • An intervention is put in place for a group of students who share an identified common weakness. (Can resemble the small group instruction typically provided in targeted assistance Title I.) • Individual Intervention (Selected from a wealth of sites) • Intervention Central • Univ. of Texas Center for Reading & Lang. Arts • Florida Center for Reading Research www.fcrr.org • www.scred.k12.mn.us • RTI Toolkit: A practical guide for Schools (2007) • Local compilation: Mandan Public Schools Website

20. Tier III “Intense Intervention” • The use of the problem solving model and possible access to services through Special Education. • Problem Solving Model • Problem Identification • Problem Analysis • Plan Development • Plan Implementation • Plan Evaluation

21. Problem Solving Model Characteristics • Problem Analysis is based on determining if the problem is learner, environmental, curricular, or instructional in nature. • A goal is selected and the intervention plan is developed. It should include specifics regarding the intervention and the measurement plan. • The plan is implemented with integrity checks in place • The Plan is evaluated for effectiveness. • Problem Identification is based on Data Collection… including data analysis, interviews & observations.

22. Tier III “Intense Intervention” • Consistent failure to close the discrepancy between the student’s achievement and that of his assigned peers may result in referral for assistance through the realm of special education. • Placement on a special educator’s caseload would be determined through: • An ongoing review of the student’s data that includes: Student Demographics; State/District/Building level assessments; CBM’s; review of aim & trend lines; review of attempted interventions and results. (Not reliant on the Achievement & Abilities Testing…but they can be considered.) • Warranted placement in Special Education • the student is involved in the IEP process where Sp. Ed. regulations would oversee goals, objectives, needed accommodations and related services.

23. Fidelity of Implementation • Fidelity needs to be monitored across all tiers. • Tier I • Has your district had discussion about what constitutes your core curriculum? • Has your district made decisions at “grade level” what components of the core are high priority due to their alignment with state standards? • Has a plan been put in place that establishes “buy in” regarding what will be taught…coupled with a system to check instructional fidelity?

24. Fidelity of Implementation • Tier II • Has the teacher / interventionist developed a plan that includes intervention logistics. • How often the intervention will be used. • Where the intervention will be done. • What data will be gathered to show success. • How often will this data be gathered. • Development of decision making rules. • How many data points will be required prior to making a decision regarding effectiveness. • What is the desired amount of growth that would indicate success with the intervention.

25. Fidelity of Implementation • Tier III • Have the components of problem solving been applied? • This again includes: • Problem Identification • Problem Analysis • Plan Development • Plan Implementation • Plan Evaluation

26. Data Based Decision Making • Successful implementation of RTI hinges on data collection and analysis. • The “screening data” collected through benchmarking and progress monitoring should be: • Easy to administer and interpret • Short in duration • Able to show change over small periods of time • Standardized

27. Data Collection Options • Aimsweb • Provides access to CBM’s in Reading, Math, Written Language, Spelling and is moving into the realm of Behavior. • Allows for immediate upload / downloads. • Data is organized and made available in a variety of graphs / charts. • Cost is based on a “per student fee”. • DIBELS • Provides the same services as Aims but in Reading only.

28. Establishing Readiness • Awareness • Establish a need for change • What does your current data show regarding student progress? • Is AYP a concern? • Explore options • Book Reviews • Attend Trainings

29. Establishing Readiness • Select Approach and Establish “Buy In”. • Provide staff with “informational based training” on RTI. • Discuss how implementation of RTI might positively impact your school. • Chart the positive and negative impacts of making this change • Establish a “Buy In” criteria.

30. Developing Infrastructure • Facilitate staff needs for consistent grade level Reading blocks & planning time. • Develop a schedule that provides an uninterrupted instructional Reading Block. (90 minutes) • Develop a schedule that provides a consistent time for collaborative staff planning. (90 minutes every other week) • This planning time centers on: 1) Professional Development 2) Child Study 3) Planning for collaborative instruction. • This type of schedule will result in adjustments made to your building’s master schedule.

31. Developing Infrastructure • Develop a plan to implement a Screening & Progress Monitoring procedure. • This can be accomplished through the use of Aims Web. • Prescribed trainings and use of the process quickly help staff develop a comfort and reliance on data to make decisions.

32. RTI The Model in Review • The components represent the foundational blocks for a successful program. • Universal Screening (CBM’s) • Progress Monitoring (CBM’s) • Tiered Approach (General Ed & Interventions) • Fidelity of Instruction (Core curriculum & interventions. • All based on sound data and its analysis. • The created delivery system that includes time for professional development, child study, and collaborative planning represents the mortar that holds it all together!

33. RTI The Model in Review (Universal Screening) • Explain what Universal Screening is… and its role in the RTI process. • How often should every child be “benchmarked? • What are Curriculum Based Measures? • Are these probes administered in a “full group” or “individual” setting? • What should happen if a student is “at or above his/her benchmark goal? • What should happen if a student is “below his/her benchmark goal?

34. RTI The Model in Review (Progress Monitoring) • Explain what progress monitoring is… and its role in the RTI process. • How do you determine when to begin the “progress monitoring” process with a student? • What should the teacher “put in place” as the progress monitoring begins? • How often should a students progress be monitored? • How might you track student success/failure in the progress monitoring process? • How many “teacher driven” interventions should be tried before considering referring the student to the RTI intervention team?

35. RTI The Model in Review (The Tiered Approach) • What is the 1st tier of instruction/intervention in the RTI process? • What is the desired success percentage for students in tier I? • What are the 5 Key components necessary for successful reading reported by the National Reading Panel? • How might you check for “fidelity” in your tier I instruction? • Is it acceptable to use “standard treatment protocol” type interventions in tier I? • What might be considered a group intervention found in tier I instruction?

36. RTI The Model in Review (The Tiered Approach) • What steps occur prior to a student being considered for tier III interventions? • What might occur in each step of the problem solving model? • Problem Identification • Problem Analysis • Plan Development • Plan Implementation • Plan Evaluation • How is fidelity protected during this intervention process? • How many tier III interventions should be attempted prior to moving on to consideration for Special Education Assistance?

37. RTI The Model in Review (The Tiered Approach) • Who in the school setting might provide the highly intense interventions found in tier III? • How might a student qualify for this level of intervention in the RTI process? • How is fidelity insured for students who are placed on an IEP? • What, in your opinion, is the most important difference between the “tiered approach” and the use of the “discrepancy model” of providing assistance?

38. RTI The Model in Review (Data & Data Management) • Curriculum Based Measures are “termed” General Outcome Measures…what does that mean? • Name some advantages/disadvantages of using CBM’s as the primary source of data for Benchmarking and Progress monitoring? • What additional data sources would be important considerations as you look at designing interventions? • Name a Data Management System that can assist you with CBM’s?

39. Good Luck in Your RTI Journey!