1. RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI) AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
Shawn Goodman,
School Psychologist,
Ithaca High School
(607)
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2. The quality of a school as a learning community can be measured by how effectively it addresses the needs of struggling students.
- Wright, 2005.
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3. Goals of Presentation Overview of using RTI at the High School level
Role of Guidance Counselors in making data-based decisions
Map out resources, supports, and interventions at IHS
Discuss how to align student problems with array of interventions
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4. The Real Goal: Learn More Acronyms!
IDEA
IDEIA
PBIS
ADA
IEP
CSE LD
SLD MR
MMR ED
SED
OHI
RTI
CBM
DIBELS
BEA
NCLB
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5. Bonus: Solve this acronym: NCLTFBUHOSCKU
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6. G. Reid Lyon of the National Institute of Child and Human Development
Learning disabilities have become a sociological sponge to wipe out the spills of general education.
G. Reid Lyon of the National Institute of Child and Human Development
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7. Problems with Traditional Approaches
Little empirical support
Too many false positives and negatives
Inappropriate placements
Focus on pathology: failure is prerequisite for interventions/support
Emphasis on diagnosis and classification rather than intervention or remediation
Reliance on confusing formulas
Poor outcomes in Special Education
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8. What is Response to Intervention?
(RTI)
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9. RTI is a promising approach used to identify and remediate learning problems. It is a model and not a specific technique or program.
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10. Advantages of RTI: Allows for early intervention
Can be used with all students
Provides a map of what works (and what doesn’t) for individual students
Tracks student response over time (instead of at intake and release)
Conforms to IDEIA
The focus is on measurable and changeable aspects of the instructional environment
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11. Compliance with IDEIA
May not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability
Must permit the use of a process that determines if the child responds to scientific, research-based intervention
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12. Compliance with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004)
Redefines Learning Disabilities to include students with low ability (IQ) and academic delays
Encourages use of RTI (“show that the student responds to scientific, research-based interventions…”)
Discourages use of traditional methods associated with poor validity (discrepancy testing)
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13. Discrepancy Formulas SDL = CA (IQ/300 + .17) – 2.5
(Ysx IQ/ ) - AGL
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14. …Much to be gained by abandoning much of what we were doing (Ysseldyke et al., 1983).
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15. How RTI works:
Universal screening of all students (typically 3 times per year)
Progress Monitoring
Data (from screening and progress monitoring) used to make decisions about instruction, educational placement, etc.
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16. 1. School-Wide Screening of all students:
Quick, cheap, repeatable testing of important skills areas or behaviors (such as Reading Fluency)
Tells us who is “at risk”
Examples include Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy (DIBELS), Iowa Test of Basic Skills, etc.
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17. 2. Research-Based Progress Monitoring (For students identified as at-risk)
At-risk students are assessed weekly
We will use Curriculum-Based assessments (not standardized): quick and relevant
We will chart results to show progress
Allows us to see when a student is not responding – leads to early intervention
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18. 3. Data-based Decision Making
Schools develop a system to collect and record data on student performance (beyond what standardized tests show)
Helps to analyze curricular, departmental, and administrative roles
Establishes a model of constant improvement
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19. Oral Reading Fluency: Best Academic Indicator
Empirical studies have consistently demonstrated a strong, positive correlation among oral reading fluency, reading decoding, reading comprehension, and on-task behavior (McDowell & Keenan, 2001; Shinn, Good, Knutson, Tilly, & Collins, 1992)
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20. ABOUT READING PROBES Typically last one-minute
Are given at different grade levels
Number of correctly read words is recorded and measured against benchmarks
Administer consecutively lower grade level probes until student shows proficiency
Gives very accurate indication of student’s real reading level (based on actual reading curriculum rather than standardized material)
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21. The following is an example of a common RTI Reading Probe (DIBELS):
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22. DORF Progress Monitoring 15
Nicknames
When I was born I was named after my grandfather. Most 11
people call me by my nickname instead of my real name, though. 23
I got my nickname when I was about six months old and starting 36
to eat solid foods. My mother would dip the spoon into my baby 49
food and start to bring a bite to my mouth. Before the spoon even 63
touched my lips, I would open my mouth very wide and make a 76
little noise
My mother said to my father, “Look at him eat. Isn’t he 90
cute?”
My father said, “He looks just like a baby robin in his nest 104
waiting for a juicy worm.”
After that, my father started calling me Bird as a nickname. 120
he mostly kept it to himself, but then my grandfather began 131
calling me Bird. Finally, even my mother called me Bird. 141
Now I’m in the third grade and most of my classmates call 153
me Bird. Only my teacher uses my real name. I am so used to my 168
nickname that when my teacher calls on me I sometimes don’t 179
realize she is talking to me
Whenever my parents really want my attention, they call me 195
by my real name. When they call me by my full name and even 209
use my middle name I know I better pay attention
  Dynamic Measurement Group, Inc.
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23. Sample Program: represents one of many possibilities
How can IHS use RTI?
Sample Program: represents one of many possibilities
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24. RTI Pilot: Cost: No cost. Materials: Downloaded from internet
Staff: School Psychologist, and one student intern (Ithaca College)
Participants: 22 students
Duration: 6 months for all 3 phases
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25. RTI Pilot: Overall Results (for the graph-phobic among us)
High level of cooperation, participation, and student satisfaction
Accurately identified effective interventions for each student
Students showed significant improvements in reading ability (from session to session and across all sessions)
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26. Protocol
Existing student achievement scores were used to identify 22 students at-risk for learning disabilities in reading
All 22 at-risk students received additional screening using DIBELS probes
6 students were identified with severe reading fluency deficits.
Brief Experimental Analysis (BEA) and Extended Analysis were used with these 6 students to identify effective interventions and collect data on response to intervention.
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27. RTI Pilot: Case Studies
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28. Age: 15 years, 7 months Grade: 8
Sample Case One J.S.
Age: 15 years, 7 months
Grade: 8
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29. J.S. - History Repeated first grade Multiple suspensions and transfers
Multiple residential placements
Longstanding family conflict (adopted, incarceration of siblings., illness, etc).
Reading is frustrating and embarrassing
Avoids reading and academic tasks
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30. J.S. - RTI RESULTS
Assessment and Intervention given by School Psychologist for 30 minutes/session over 3 weeks
Reading Fluency increased from 85 to 135 Words/Minute
Errors decreased from 6/minute to 0
Six sessions of Intervention showed an average increase in Fluency of 8 Words/Minute per session
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31. J.R. – Brief Experimental Analysis
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32. J.R. – Extended Analysis
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33. J.S. – RECOMMENDATIONS (presented to J.S. and Teacher)
Material in all subjects to be given at 5th grade level
Weekly practice sessions (30 minutes) with a reading specialist to focus on skill acquisition
Weekly practice sessions (30 minutes) with a reading specialist or tutor using Intervention.
Reassess progress at one month intervals
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34. Age: 15 years; 7 months Grade: 10
Sample Case Two P.V.
Age: 15 years; 7 months
Grade: 10
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35. P.V. – History History of school failure
Classified Emotionally Disturbed by Special Education
Reads at 2nd Grade Level
Reads very slowly, but makes no errors
Increased anxiety when reading aloud
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36. P.V. - RTI RESULTS
Intervention and assessment given by college intern for 30 minutes/session over 4 weeks
Reading Fluency increased from 41 to 132 Words/Minute
Error rate remained 0
Youth satisfaction high
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37. P.W. – Brief Experimental Analysis
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38. P.W. – Extended Analysis
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39. P.V. - Recommendations Reading material at the 3rd grade level
Instruction/Intervention should include Motivation and Repeated Reading (Practice)
Reduce distractions and interruptions
Allow extra time, especially during long pauses. Do not finish words or sentences unless she asks for help.
Assess anxiety which manifests as stuttering, fidgeting, and giving up.
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40. NEXT STEPS for IHS:
Introduce RTI to IHS as a way to raise the quality of educational services available to all students
Map all programs, services, resources, and supports currently available at school and in the community
Develop a practical model of assessment and progress monitoring
Align problems with appropriate interventions or supports
Use RTI model to track and analyze program effectiveness
Use implementation guides currently available
Establish IHS (or Department-Specific) criteria for “at-risk” status
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41. Resources
National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD): Core Findings About Response to Intervention.
University of Nebraska Omaha. Response to Intervention: The Latest News and Resources.
Big Ideas in Beginning Reading (U of Oregon):
What Works Clearinghouse (US Dept of Education):
Intervention Central:
CBM Warehouse:
The Behavior Reporter (Behavior Report Card Generator):
Gresham, F.M. (2004). Current status and future directions of school-based behavioral interventions. School Psychology Review, 33,
Fuchs, L.S. (2003). Assessing intervention responiveness: Conceptual and technical issues. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 18,
Mellard, D. (2005). Responsiveness to Intervention: Implementation in Schools.
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42. Resources
Intervention Central. Jim Wright’s excellent website for RTI, and other interventions.
Link to Syracuse School’s model using Intervention Teams.
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy.
School program using RTI.
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43. Process of Learning New Tasks
Acquisition: student learns to read new words
Fluency: student practices accurately reading words
Generalization: student reads words in different contexts
Adaptation: student uses knowledge of new words to decipher words with other sound patterns
- Wilbur, and Cushman, 2006
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44. Five Possible Reasons for Academic Difficulty
Not motivated
Not spent enough time practicing
Not received enough help
Not had to use the skill that way before
Too hard
- Chafouleas, Riley-Tillman, & McGrath, 2002
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45. Academic Interventions:
Not motivated?
Need practice?
Need help?
Too hard?
Provide choices and incentives
Drills, practice, and structured teaching
Modeling, prompting, correcting, error corr.
Modify materials to ensure instr. match
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