Pyramid Response To Intervention “Teachers and Students go hand- in-hand as learners…or they don’t go at all.” –Barth, Learning by Heart (2001)

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Pyramid Response To Intervention “The practice of providing high quality instruction and interventions matched to students needs” Professional Learning Communities use universal screening data to identify students who need interventions and the specific interventions required.

Professional Learning Communities Fundamental Assumption There is conclusive, compelling research stating that being a professional learning community is the most powerful and effective process to systematically change school culture and improve student learning.

The Three Big Ideas of Being a PLC 1) Focus on Learning (instead of on teaching) “Not what the teacher taught, but what the student’s learned.”

2) Collaborative Culture “We can achieve our fundamental purpose of high levels of learning for all students only if we work together. We cultivate a collaborative culture through the development of high-performing teams!”

3) Focus on Results “We assess our effectiveness on the basis of results rather than intentions.” Our results have to tell us: 1) Which students did or did not master specific essential outcomes 2) Which instructional practices worked or did not work

So… The burning question is: How do we respond when they don’t learn?

Welcome to the World of Response to Intervention R.T.I.

RTI Helps Us To: Create a systematic process that ensures every child receives the additional time and support needed to learn at high levels. Systematic – It doesn’t matter which teacher a child has or which school they attend, they will learn.

Traditional Interventions Up to each teacher Up to each teacher Remedial Classes Remedial Classes Summer School Summer School Retention Retention Special Education Special Education “Higher effects were found for programs more specifically tailored to student needs…” -Hattie, Visible Learning (2008)

Traditional Interventions Up to Each Teacher “In a traditional school culture in which teachers work in isolation, it is virtually impossible for every teacher to possess all the knowledge, skills and time necessary to meet the individual needs of his or her students.” (Buffin, Mattos and Weber, 2009, p. 68) “Most teachers reteach using the same instructional practices that failed to work the first time (the best they had) (Buffin et al., 2009, p. 68)

Traditional Interventions Remedial Classes “A traditional schools response to a student’s learning difficulty is to often assign them to a remedial course of study. In reality all the school has done is to ‘lower the bar,’ thus offering the child virtually no chance of accelerating learning to close the achievement gap.” “To assist children who need remedial instruction, a school that focuses on learning will design interventions that complement and support, not replace, students’ participation in rigorous curricula.” (Buffin, et al., 2009, p. 68)

Traditional Interventions Summer School This intervention’s underlying premise is: students who have failed in a regular full-day program for the entire year will catch up after a few weeks of partial-day remediation. At best summer school allows high school students to make up coursework needed for graduation with very little mastery of the essential learning they need.

Traditional Interventions Retention Research has shown that students who repeat a grade prior to high school have a higher drop out rate than those who are continuously promoted through school. (Moller & Sterns, 2008) Retention brings with it negative social consequences and in many cases students receive “more of the same” which is some cases could be an ineffective instructional program. “Retention assumes that what did not work the first time will be the answer to the students’ needs.” (Buffin, et al., 2009, p. 69)

Traditional Interventions Alternative and Special Education “Instead of looking internally to evaluate and revise the instruction program, many schools look externally, placing the blame for the child’s failed learning on his or her inability to adjust to, comprehend, and function well in the school’s core curriculum.” (Buffin, et al., 2009, p. 70) More than 98% of all special education students never reach a level of improvement that qualifies them for redesignation (IDEIA, 2004)

Traditional Interventions Doing Nothing Thousands of schools across North America do not have targeted programs for struggling students. By just providing students with the opportunity to learn the school holds the students alone accountable for choosing whether they succeed or fail. Feel they are teaching students “responsibility” for their choices and preparing them for the “real world”, when in fact they are allowing students to follow a destructive path with long term consequences. (Buffin, et al., 2009 p. 70)

Why Adopt an RTI Model? At first glance, Response to Intervention(RTI) is a method to identify learning disabilities. But, RTI plays a much larger role. It has the ability to transform how we educate all students. With RTI students may get the support they need as soon as they show signs that they are having difficulty learning. Regardless of whether or not they have a disability. At first glance, Response to Intervention(RTI) is a method to identify learning disabilities. But, RTI plays a much larger role. It has the ability to transform how we educate all students. With RTI students may get the support they need as soon as they show signs that they are having difficulty learning. Regardless of whether or not they have a disability.

Behaviour Intervention Pyramid Haven’t finished this yet, but we need to add a Behaviour Pyramid here as well and talk about it. Haven’t finished this yet, but we need to add a Behaviour Pyramid here as well and talk about it.

Tier One – Core Program Tier 1, base, primary, or universal program is a school’s initial instructional practices… the teaching and school experiences that all kids receive every day. No Intervention program can compensate for ineffective core instructional practices. For this reason a pyramid response to intervention must be built upon a framework of a school’s core instructional program. According to Buffin et al., (2009) “a school that has significantly less than 75% of it’s students at or above grade level proficiency has a core program problem, not an intervention problem” (p. 74).

Key Components of Tier 1 Differentiated Instruction – Most important step to improve core program Differentiated Instruction – Most important step to improve core program Determine Power Standards – Most important outcomes/indicators for students Determine Power Standards – Most important outcomes/indicators for students Analyse Assessment Data – Formative (for learning) & Summative (of learning) Analyse Assessment Data – Formative (for learning) & Summative (of learning)

Key Components of Tier 1 Ensure Quality Teaching and Focused Staff Development – Single most important factor to student achievement Ensure Quality Teaching and Focused Staff Development – Single most important factor to student achievement Maximize Instructional Time – Marzano (2003) only 21-69% of time used for instruction Maximize Instructional Time – Marzano (2003) only 21-69% of time used for instruction Use Programs with Fidelity – Follow Scope and Sequence of Curriculum/programs Use Programs with Fidelity – Follow Scope and Sequence of Curriculum/programs

Tier Two – Supplemental Level While the foundation of PRTI is an highly effective Tier 1 core program, it is nearly impossible for differentiated core instruction alone to meet the needs of every child. A learning-centered school will systematically identify students that need additional time and support and provide targeted interventions.

Tier 2 – Supplemental to Core Designed to meet the needs of: Failed Learners – Students who failed to learn Intentional Non-learners – Students who failed to try

Tier 2 – Support Failed Learners Targeted Differentiated Instruction Targeted Differentiated Instruction Additional Time Additional Time Prerequisite Skill Review Prerequisite Skill Review

Tier 2 – Support Non-Learners Mandatory Study Halls Mandatory Study Halls Mandatory Homework Help Mandatory Homework Help Frequent Progress Reports Frequent Progress Reports Study-Skills Classes Study-Skills Classes Goal Setting and Career Planning Support Goal Setting and Career Planning Support

Tier 2 – Targeting Interventions Variety of Supplemental Interventions to meet diverse needs Variety of Supplemental Interventions to meet diverse needs The more targeted the more effective the intervention will be The more targeted the more effective the intervention will be Students grouped by the cause of their difficulty rather than the symptoms Students grouped by the cause of their difficulty rather than the symptoms

Tier 3 – The Intensive Level Intensive: Intensive: –Frequency: Amount of time per day (up to an hour per day) –Duration: Number of days per week and number of weeks of instruction (per day, weeks) –Number of students receiving the intervention at one time and the consistent frequent monitoring (2-3 times per week)

Tier 3 – Intensive Level Cont. Interventions generally last weeks Interventions generally last weeks Designed for students with low content area skills and/or lack or progress over time when provided with Tier 1 and 2 Interventions Designed for students with low content area skills and/or lack or progress over time when provided with Tier 1 and 2 Interventions Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Team may determine possible Special Education designation Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Team may determine possible Special Education designation

CORE AND MORE Students are not pulled from core subjects in order to do interventions except in Tier 3 where, after review, a student may need a radically redesigned curriculum Students are not pulled from core subjects in order to do interventions except in Tier 3 where, after review, a student may need a radically redesigned curriculum Scheduling needs to be arranged so that interventions are done outside of core instruction time. Scheduling needs to be arranged so that interventions are done outside of core instruction time.

Fundamental Assumption “To Achieve our mission, it is not a ‘regular ed’ issue, nor a ‘special ed’ issue It’s and ‘ed’ issue!”

Historical Look at Special Ed. Identification Carolyn, there is a section that talks about “Why Adopt RTI” which deals with how and why students were designated in the past, which is really interesting and right up your alley and could shed some light on why this needs to change. I have the info. you would need to flush this out as I am sure you already know the history Carolyn, there is a section that talks about “Why Adopt RTI” which deals with how and why students were designated in the past, which is really interesting and right up your alley and could shed some light on why this needs to change. I have the info. you would need to flush this out as I am sure you already know the history

Role of Special Education Team During Interventions Carolyn this is where I thought your expertise could come in as well, but I am not sure if this is the right place to do it or earlier. Something we can discuss on Monday. Carolyn this is where I thought your expertise could come in as well, but I am not sure if this is the right place to do it or earlier. Something we can discuss on Monday.

Review of Draft RTI Model for the NWSD. Go through RTI draft model with principals for feedback and insights. Go through RTI draft model with principals for feedback and insights.

Pod Discussion on Implementation of RTI in some NWSD Schools Certain principals have been notified and are willing to lead these pod discussions. Certain principals have been notified and are willing to lead these pod discussions.