By Jo Ann Vertetis and Karin Moe

Self-Assessment Can you define RTI? What is its purpose? Rate your understanding of RTI and how to implement it on a scale of 1 to 10 (jot down your answers on a piece of paper so that you can refer to them later).

What is RTI? Response to Intervention or RTI integrates assessment and intervention within a school-wide, multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and reduce behavior problems. -Source National Center for Response to Intervention

Why is this important to ELL’s? A disproportionate amount of students from the ELL population are characterized as having a learning disability as defined in the IDEA Act of 2004, even though the act specifically states that “Lack of appropriate instruction cannot result in LD diagnosis”

Three Main Components The National Center on Response to Intervention identifies 3 major components: 1. Universal Screening 2. Progress Monitoring 3.Tiered Instruction (multi-level prevention system) -Primary Level -Secondary Level -Tertiary Level

Research What counts as Research?

Research With whom?

Research By whom?

Research Not a simple matter

A Common Theme Evidence and Relevance: Screening tools, Progress Monitoring Tools, Instructional programs -Evidence Based -Relevant to Your needs

How to Begin Establish a team for making decisions Conduct a needs assessment Identify and learn about tools that are available Select tools that meet your needs and priorities

Scope Start by thinking about your initiative and placing in a larger context: for example -Class -School -District -Region -State

Scope Target Population -Demographics -Characteristics

Scope Timing: - When will you conduct your screening? -How often will you monitor your students’ progress?

Identify Desired Outcomes Academic Skills? Behavioral Skills? Both? -Phonemic Awareness? -Reading Comprehension? -Math Computation? -A combination?

Think About… Your current curriculum How your outcomes align with this curriculum Priorities Staff skills Current staff support Staff ability to adapt and assist with implementation

More Thinking Needs: - Materials - Space -Time -Funds -Training -Additional Materials -Administrative Support -Software for analyzing data

Ask the Expert Doug Fuchs- tent&task=view&id=1454 Fidelity refers to the accurate and consistent provision or delivery of instruction in the manner in which it was designed or prescribed according to research findings and/or the developer’s specifications.

What parents should ask about RTI How many tiers are included the RTI model? How long will my child remain in a tier before moving to the next tier? What scientifically research based form of instruction will the teacher use? What documentation demonstrates the effectiveness of the program? What education journal documents this form of instruction as “peer reviewed”? Does the reading program include the elements defined as "essential components of an effective reading program" set forth by the National Reading Panel? How often will the school monitor my child's progress?

Parent Questions continued What type of progress monitoring will the school use? When will the school report the progress monitoring results to us, the parents, and how often? Will the type of progress monitoring used show how the child is progressing when compared to his peers? What rate of progress should we parents expect? At what point will the school refer our child for an evaluation due to lack of response to instruction? What do your state regulations say about the RTI process? From A Parent's Guide to Response to Intervention (RTI) by Susan Bruce, Regional Education Coordinator

Final Assessment How would you rate yourself now? Can you define RTI? What is its purpose? Rate your understanding of RTI and how to implement it on a scale of 1 to 10?