RTI for Literacy: Strand B Building and Implementing Universal Support for Literacy

1. RTI for Literacy: Strand BBuilding and Implementing Universal Support for Literacy Michael McSheehan www.iod.unh.edu 862-2144 mcms@unh.edu February 6, 2009

2. Given what you heard in the KEYNOTE: • What might we need to consider in our efforts to build, deepen, expand, and sustain our RTI for Literacy (and Behavior) efforts? • Take 5 minutes in your groups to reflect and generate 1-2 “Ah Has!”

3. Audience Notes • How do we improve communicating data? • How collect the data to examine progress of students and school? • Need to integrate across behavior and literacy • More objective measures in literacy • Define the interventions in each Tier – do we all need to use the same interventions

4. Audience Notes • Fluency as a quick measure – should we and how do we use it • Developing a common language across multiple schools – getting folks on the same page • Need to bring in behavior into the conversation with literacy • Formalizing the literacy interventions

5. Audience Notes • Ensure different strategies are coordinated and communicated to staff how the initiatives dovetail • How to focus and manage and translate the literacy data into action • How to maintain a view of the WHOLE child – integrating other specialists

6. Audience Notes • How will we fit the intensive interventions into daily scheduling • How do we bring together what we’re already doing with an RTI approach • Look at how to provide earlier intervention in our school (K) • May be missing kids in primary grades…. How pick them up earlier • How improve our efforts in behavior supports with this?

7. Audience Notes • How engage a team • How coordinate the programming – overall improvement • Developing common assessments to connect both elementary and middle schools • Time to examine data to inform instruction – we have the data… • Coordination of universal • Components of literacy block for K-6 – how know students are making progress (responding) • Reconfirming committment

8. Support for NH RESPONDSis provided by the NH Bureau of Special Education, NH Department of Education under a grant from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services

9. Lead Partners • NH Department of Education • Bureau of Special Education • NH Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports at SERESC • Expertise in Positive Behavior Supports • Expertise in integration of mental health and school supports • Institute on Disability at University of NH • Expertise in Literacy within an RtI model • Expertise in PBIS and Intensive Interventions (RENEW) for Secondary Transition and Dropout Prevention

10. Literacy Strand B Assumptions • Schools have already obtained readiness and a commitment to adopt a multi-tiered RTI approach for literacy. • Participants do not need to be convinced of the need for a multi-tiered system of literacy support. • Teams have come ready to construct knowledge and skills and to learn more about structures and processes that will enable them to build/improve/sustain the universal tier. • We are building our understanding of RTI together; NH and the nation is still constructing its definition of RTI

11. Outcomes for Today • To continue to construct our understanding and definition of RTI together • To provide school teams with knowledge and skills to design universal systems for literacy. • To complete a process assessment to address features of Tier 1 (Universal) in RTI for literacy • To create an action plan that will move each school closer to the goal of implementing Tier 1 (Universal) of RTI for literacy with fidelity.

12. Overview of today’s session • Introduction/Review of RTI • Working Definition • Core Concepts • RTI for Literacy: Focus on Universal Tier • Key considerations • Literacy Universal Team Checklist (LUnTCh) • Identifying research-based curriculum and instruction (Spadorcia)

13. Guiding Principle: How Full is Your Plate? Schools and educators are bombarded with changing mandates, competing and multiple initiatives and a train and hope approach to professional development that is not aligned to a few core priorities and outcomes

14. Guiding Principle: How Full is Your Plate? We believe implementation requires programs to be thoughtful in determining a small number of priorities and using a train and sustain approach to align professional development activities to those few core priorities and outcomes

15. RTI Implementation Starts from Where You Are It’s a process, not a curriculum It’s a roadmap with a set of guiding principles It requires buy-in and commitment from staff, administration and SD leadership Nationally – no ONE model…

16. Academic Systems Behavioral Systems • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • High Intensity • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual Students • Assessment-based • Intense, durable procedures • 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 Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success 1-5% 1-5% 5-10% 5-10% 80-90% 80-90%

17. The Promise of RTI Sailor, W. (2008, Sept.). Inclusion through a different logic model. Invited presentation at the 2008 Global Summit on Education, Washington, DC.

18. Systemic Process of RtI Literacy Behavior • Universal Interventions • All students • Core curriculum • Preventive, proactive 80%-90% • Targeted, Group Interventions • Some students (at risk) • Additional instruction • Progress monitoring • Intensive, Individual Interventions • Individual students • Specifically tailored instruction • Progress monitoring 5%-10% 1%-5% Secondary Transition for high school

19. Core Concepts of RtINH Literacy Action Plan • All students receive high quality instruction in their general education setting. • General education instruction is research based. • General education instructors and staff assume an active role in students’ assessment in that curriculum. • School staff conduct universal screening of academics and behavior.

20. Core Concepts of RtI NH Literacy Action Plan • Continuous progress monitoring of student performance occurs. • School staff implement specific research-based interventions to address the student’s difficulties. • School staff use progress-monitoring data to determine interventions’ effectiveness and to make any modifications as needed. • Systematic assessment is completed of the fidelity or integrity with which instruction and interventions are implemented.

21. Fidelity of Implementation “Without knowing whether an intervention was delivered in the way that research has shown it to be most effective, it is impossible to know the reason for the child’s lack of progress.” Recognition & Response Implementation Guide (2008)

22. How Will This Work? RtI is a general education initiative - 3 key components* • High quality instruction/intervention •matched to student needs •demonstrated to produce high learning rates for most • Learning rate and level of performance •primary sources of information for decision making • Important educational decisions •intensity and expected duration of interventions •based on individual response to instruction across multiple tiers •informed by data *NASDSE: RTI Policy Considerations and Implementation

24. Word ID • Phonemic Awareness • Alphabetic Principle • Automaticity • Decoding • Writing Whole-to-Part Model • Print Processing • Beyond Word ID • Fluency • Prosody • Print-to-Meaning Links • Writing • Language • Comprehension • Vocabulary • Comprehension • Background Knowledge • Text Structures Adapted from Spadorcia, 2007 and Cunningham, 1993

25. A 3-Tier ApproachLevel 1 • Primary prevention for the whole population • Differentiated instruction to reach 80-90% of students • The purposes of universal strategies are to • maximize achievement, • prevent future difficulty, and • increase positive interactions (success) with people and learning.

26. Tier 1 – Universal Whole School, All students, Screening and Early Identification Behavior Expectations Promotion of positive behavior (define, teach, recognize) Response to problem behavior (define behaviors and response processes) Literacy Standards Word ID Language Comprehension Print Processing Data Weekly data reports of problem behavior; Attendance, Periodic self-assessments Tools Explicit instruction/modeling Systematic instruction/skill-building Ample practice opportunities Immediate corrective feedback Differentiated instruction Continuous assessment Data DIBELS NWEA AIMSweb Other Tools Research-based literacy curriculum Classroom-wide and small group Benchmark assessment Data-driven instruction Tools Matrix of expected behaviors Teaching plan and practice Recognition plan Problem behavior definitions Response process Reporting/Data collection Movement to Tier 2 supported by effective decision rules, goal-setting, progress monitoring, fidelity of implementation, use of evidence-based instruments and linkage to specific skill deficits

27. Differentiated Instruction in General Ed Classrooms Evidence-Based Literacy Curriculum Classroom-Level Benchmark Assessment Materials and Supplies Literacy Instruction Universal Approaches Universal Team and Processes Content-Area Literacy Instruction Professional Development Progress Monitoring

28. A 3-Tier ApproachLevel 2 • Increase opportunities for struggling students to succeed by providing additional time, strategies, approaches and tools • Structured secondary interventions to meet needs of at-risk youth through group interventions and targeted core instruction • Increased monitoring of targeted skills to measure intervention progress

29. Tier 2 – Targeted Small Groups and Individual Supports Based on Similarities of Needs and Data Literacy Additional group instruction time to address specific skill needs Behavior Social contracting Targeted group interventions based on function of behavior Data Weekly data reports of problem behavior or prosocial behavior Progress monitoring of group interventions Periodic self-assessments Tools Social contracting Check-In, Check-Out PASS (Preparing and Supporting Self-Managers) And other group interventions Functional Behavioral Assessment and Support Tools Diagnostic assessment Small groups based on specific skill needs (e.g., comprehension, sight word recognition, vocabulary) Data DIBELS AIMSweb Other Movement to Tier 3 or 1 supported by effective decision rules, goal-setting, progress monitoring, fidelity of implementation, use of evidence-based instruments and linkage to specific skill deficits

30. A 3-Tier ApproachLevel 3 • Targets the 1-5% who are not responding to Tier I and Tier II efforts. • Intensive strategies or programs delivered in small group or 1:1 in addition to core instruction • Increased monitoring of targeted skills to measure intervention progress • Student-centered and adapted to meet individual needs.

31. Tier 3 – Intensive Individual Assistance Focused on Needs and Data Literacy Additional individual instruction time to address specific skill needs Behavior Individualized plan for behavior supports Tools One-on-one instruction Explicit instruction/modeling Systematic instruction/skill-building Ample practice opportunities Immediate corrective feedback Alternative Education Planning (HS) Data Weekly data reports of problem behavior Progress monitoring of student Periodic self-assessments Student Progress Tracker (HS) Tools Functional behavioral Assessment Behavior Support Plan Person-Centered Planning Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) Wraparound RENEW School-to Career Planning (HS) Alternative Education Plans (HS) Data DIBELS AIMSweb Diagnostic Assessment

32. Sample 3-Tier Arrangement K-3 Reading Tier I: General Education: All Students • Scientific-based reading instruction and curriculum emphasizing 5 critical elements of beginning reading • Multiple grouping formats to meet student needs • Core instruction = 90 minutes per day (or more) • Benchmark assessment at beginning, middle and end of the academic year • General education classroom/general education teacher (with support from other educators, service providers, staff, and volunteers) • Ongoing professional development Adapted from NH RTI Task Force

33. Tiers or Levels of Instructional Intensity Tier II: Supplemental (Targeted) Instruction • For students identified with marked reading difficulties and who have not responded to Tier I efforts • Specialized scientifically based reading program(s) emphasizing the 5 critical components of beginning reading • Homogeneous small group instruction (1:3-5) • Minimum of 30 minutes per day in small group in addition to 90 minutes of core reading program • Progress monitoring (twice) a month on target skills to ensure adequate progress and learning • Setting designated by school (within or outside of general education class) • Personnel determined by school (classroom teacher, reading specialist, external interventionist) Adapted from NH RTI Task Force

34. Tiers or Levels of Instructional Intensity Tier III: Intensive Intervention • For students identified with marked difficulties in reading or reading disabilities and who have not responded to Tier I and Tier II efforts • Sustained, intensive, scientifically based reading program(s) emphasizing the 5 critical components of beginning reading • Homogeneous small group instruction (1:1-3) • Minimum of two, 30 minute sessions per day in small group or 1:1 in addition to 90 minutes of core reading program • Progress monitoring (twice) a month on target skills to ensure adequate progress and learning • Appropriate setting designated by school • Personnel determined by school (classroom teacher, specialist, external interventionist) Adapted from NH RTI Task Force

35. NH RESPONDS • Use Literacy Curriculum already in place as a starting point • Use data management/progress monitoring systems already in place OR • If there are not satisfactory systems – Support to establish one • Identify programs/materials/strategies that will meet the needs of all the students, across the tiers. NOT • Discard what’s working • “Pushing” a particular program or method

36. Literacy Universal Team Checklist(LUnTCh) • See Handout • Review Components • Begin Individual Ratings

37. Literacy Universal Team Checklist(LUnTCh) • Establish Commitment • Establish & Maintain Team • Self Assessment • Screening • School Wide Curriculum for Literacy Instruction • Establish and Monitor for RTI

38. Composition of the Universal School Leadership Team by Role • Administrators • Curriculum/Assessment Director • General Education Classroom Teacher • Special Education Teacher • Behavior Specialist/Guidance/Psychologist • Reading/Literacy Specialist and/or Title I Coordinator • Family Member • Paraeducator

39. Roles of the Universal School Leadership Team • Lead the Universal System of RtI • Meet regularly • Identify key issues/concerns • Conduct a site analysis • Identify data management system (SWIS, Performance Pathways, district system) • Develop/revise the school-wide RtI program using current data

40. Roles of the Universal School Leadership Team Actively communicate with staff members and families regarding the activities of the school team Conduct staff meetings to ensure the understanding, implementation and maintenance of the school-wide RtI program Serve as exemplars for staff and families

41. Team Activity (if time) • RESPONDS Collaborative Team Checklist • Complete Checklist with present team • Action Plan/Decision log should reflect tasks necessary to form Universal Team • 10 minutes!

42. Using the RtI Model for Literacy Instruction School-based teams consider a shift from: “Is there a discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement” to “Is the student successful with the current level of support, and if not, what additional [or different] support does the student need to be successful? Source: McIntosh, Chard, Boland, & Horner, 2007)

43. Data Sources for Instructional Tiers UNIVERSAL ASSESSMENT All students are measured 3 times/year on a global measure of academic or functional performance NWEA, DIBELS, PALS, CBM (AIMSweb) TARGETED ASSESSMENT Criteria is set to identify those “falling behind;” at risk students receive more frequent measurement (e.g. monthly) of progress in identified academic area CBM, CBA, PM INTENSIVE ASSESSMENT Comprehensive assessment includes norm referenced tests and interpretation of progress data from Tier I and II

44. School Ratings on LUnTCh • In your school team, share individual ratings and fill-in a consensus rating on the MASTER form (colored copy)

45. Action Planning from LUnTCh • In your school team, review the consensus ratings and begin generating action planning steps • Fill in Action Planning Master (color copy) • We will revisit these in the March session!