Gifted Education (GATE) and Response to Intervention (RtI)

Federal Definition Response to Intervention is a framework that promotes providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to adjust instruction or goals, using data to make educational decisions and collaborating with a multi-tiered support system.

Identify students at risk or those demonstrating exceptional ability/potential Collect and analyze data Collaborate with stakeholders to discuss action plan Research evidence-based interventions or extensions Implement plan Evaluate effectiveness of intervention or extension Adjust programming and services based on student progress The RtI Cycle

RtI is preventative and provides immediate support to students who are at risk or who need a qualitatively differentiated curriculum RtI is a multi-level instructional framework aimed at improving outcomes for ALL students RtI focuses on evidence-based interventions and/or extensions and adjusts the intensity and nature of those interventions and/or extensions based on a student’s responsiveness

Principles for Successful Implementation RtI is for ALL children and ALL educators RtI applies to both academics and behavior Student is at the center of teaching and learning RtI supports and provides value to the use of multiple assessments to inform instructional practices Based on a problem-solving model that uses data to inform decision -making RtI is a foundation – not a program RtI requires collaboration RtI emerges from and supports research and evidence-based strategies

Wisconsin’s Vision for RtI

Reasons for Culturally Responsive Practices Wisconsin students are increasingly diverse Culturally responsive strategies have a positive impact on learning RtI is a systems change model. Ongoing evaluation of interventions is critical

High-Quality Instruction Multi-Level Support System Culturally Responsive Practices Balanced Assessments Collaboration High-Quality Instruction Multi-Level Support System

Collaboration Team includes educators, families ,specialists and community members working together formally and informally Team identifies and provides supports to students to increase academic achievement and behavioral success through data-based decision making Frequency and intensity of collaborative partnership will increase with students’ needs All discussions, programming and services should consider how culturally responsive practices such as relevance, identity, community, and sense of belonging impact collaboration

The Power of Team Planning Teachers, specialists, administrators and parents form a problem-solving team and analyze ongoing assessment so that……. data drives instruction and learning is rigorous, relevant and dynamic!

High-Quality Instruction Curriculum, instruction and assessment Engaging Standards-based Data-driven Research-based Must be differentiated for all students and aligned with common core standards Core curriculum stems from standards, the district curricular framework and the effective use of formative, summative and benchmark assessments

High-Quality Instruction Quality instruction delivered in alignment with student needs Additional interventions for students not meeting established benchmarks Additional challenges for students who demonstrated mastery, met or exceeded established benchmarks

High - Quality Instructional Practice Differentiation Multiple ways for students to acquire and apply knowledge and skills Multiple ways to motivate and engage students appropriately Multiple ways for students to demonstrate and teachers to assess student progress Multiple ways to put the student center of teaching and learning, with students’ needs driving instruction, not programs or curricula.

Multi-Tiered Multiple ways to compliment students’ unique learning styles Multiple ways for students to acquire knowledge and skills Multiple ways for students to apply knowledge and skills Multiple ways for students to demonstrate understandings Multiple ways for teachers to assess student progress

Family and Community Collaborate with teachers regarding identified needs, strengths and interests Share information about the student and family Support student learning at home Attend problem-solving team meetings Partner with program planning and progress monitoring Support social and emotional development of the child

According to the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) “There is great potential for gifted educators to be tapped as resources in order to better enable the general education teacher to meet the needs of potentially strong students.” “With the collaboration of a gifted education specialist, curriculum and instruction at multiple levels can occur and counter the argument of “I just don’t have time or know how to meet everyone’s needs,” which is a concern for many general education teachers.”

The Levels of Giftedness Level 3: Individualized Services “WOW Student” 5% of identified students Extreme strengths and abilities 3 years beyond grade-level peers Mentorships, early graduation, dual enrollment, course waivers Level 2: Beyond the Classroom “Needs Your Attention Student” 35% of identified students Beyond the regular “high-achieving student” by two or three years Online learning, acceleration, pull-out, AP classes, independent study, etc… Level 1: In the Classroom – “Catches Your Eye Student” 60% of identified students Beyond the regular “high-achieving student” by one or two years Classroom differentiation, compacting, enrichment units, team teaching, flexible grouping, clustering, etc….

Intensive Level Individualized interventions provided to students with intensive affective, accelerative, academic and/or behavior needs Targeted Level Interventions and supplemental programming provided to students identified as at-risk of academic and/or social challenges or as above expectations who require specific supports to make adequate progress Universal Level ALL students receive research based, high quality, general education that incorporates on-going universal screening, progress monitoring, and prescriptive assessment to design instruction. Expectations which are taught, reinforced, and monitored in all settings by all adults. Discipline and other data inform the design of interventions that are preventive and proactive.

Non-Negotiable All gifted learners require Tier I and Tier II programming options or interventions over the course of time. All gifted learners require a school climate and infrastructure where learning and growth is valued and fostered in academic and talent areas.

Tier 1 Differentiated instruction should be provided to accelerate learning for high-ability students and maximize student achievement for all students; The classroom teacher should provide flexible instructional grouping of students based on their ongoing identified needs; Classroom teachers should be clear about what they are trying to teach and why it is important; Students have multiple avenues to show mastery of essential content and skills and to demonstrate their learning; Instructional pacing, depth and complexity are varied as needed; Research has shown that teachers are often too random in their delivery of instruction, unclear as to what they are teaching, and unable to define the succinct reason for instruction.

SOME: Strategic Targeted Instruction Tier 2 SOME: Strategic Targeted Instruction Small and flexible grouping Supplemental curriculum that aligns with core and standards and meets specific needs of targeted individual or group Instructional interventions are typically delivered in small groups of students with similar strengths and interest needs. Instruction is based on the needs of individual students as determined by assessment data. Gifted students perform significantly more highly when the majority of their time in academic core areas is spent in true peer interactions.

Tier 3 Tier 3 refers to evidence-based intensive targeted interventions for students whose academic and intellectual needs are not being met by Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplemental, targeted instruction. Children and adolescents who will need this intervention are highly gifted (IQ of 145 or greater) or exceptionally gifted (IQ 180+). This small percentage of students requires radical acceleration, dual enrollment, early entrance, specialized counseling, long-term mentorships or participation in a specialized classroom or school for gifted students. They require a curriculum that differs significantly in pace, level, and complexity from age-level peers. Tier 3 instruction may take place in addition to Tier 1 instruction or it may replace it entirely. If progress monitoring and diagnostic assessments indicate that a student is not making adequate progress, a student may need a replacement of the core program (Tier 1 instruction) or be referred for further evaluation.

Enhance success and reduce barriers for vast majority of students. Another Perspective Universal Options Options provided to all students through core curriculum, differentiate d instruction, progress monitoring. Enhance success and reduce barriers for vast majority of students. Selected Options Supplemental options provided for small groups who have not met benchmarks to reduce the potential of long-term failure Selected Options Supplemental options provided for small groups who meet benchmarks easily or quickly to increase the likelihood of continued progress Targeted Options Options individually designed interventions for students who have a high likelihood of academic failure Targeted Options Individually designed interventions for students who exceed expectations and need radical acceleration

Tier 2 – Supplemental Level The Levels of RtI Tier 3 – Intensive Level 1 – 5% of students Intensive interventions instead of the core curriculum Tier 2 – Supplemental Level 5 – 15% of students Needs met through supplemental and intervention in ADDITION to core curriculum Tier 1 – Universal Level 80 – 85% of students Needs best met through differentiated core curriculum in regular classroom

Parallels Between RtI and GATE Tiered model of programming that allows for and provides support systems for diversity of individual need Progress monitoring continually contributes new data so that learning is dynamic and adjustments are made for depth, pace, and complexity Supports setting targets or trends for students with long-term planning and monitoring of student progress. Pace of acceleration is based upon experiences and needs of student Embeds gifted education into the daily focus of quality instruction; not solely enrichment targets

Parallels Between RtI and GATE In gifted education, rather than remediation-based interventions, strength-based interventions and strength-based programming are used for tiered instruction Problem-solving process which uses data, strengths and interests of students to implement appropriate, rigorous and relevant curriculum and instruction are strengths of RtI The goal for the struggling student is to be integrated into the regular curriculum and classroom for all content areas, tier 1. The goal for the gifted learner is independent study or tier 3. The usual model for RtI is a 3-tiered pyramid which works well for GATE learners, however, the time spent in each of the levels should be inverted for gifted learners.

Seven Non-Negotiable Essential Components Evidence-based curriculum and instruction Ongoing assessment Collaborative teaming Data-based decision making Ongoing professional development Community and family involvement Strong leadership

Talking Points: RtI Components that have direct implication or application to HASD GATE programming and services Problem-solving -stakeholders collaborating researching and implementing evidence-based strategies School Climate -social and emotional needs Leadership -embeds needs of gifted in instructional, budgetary, professional development, etc… Professional Development -increasing the capacity of teachers , support staff and administrators to facilitate the effective and affective development of a GATE child Assessment –commitment to using ongoing formative and pre-assessments and progress monitoring Curriculum and Instruction -developing and implementing advanced learning plans because C and I is the heart of developing exceptional abilities Family and Community –building ongoing rapport for planning, problem solving and monitoring student progress

Resources http://www.nrcld.org/rti_practices/collaboration.html# http://www.nrcld.org/rti_practices/video/PD_Changes.mov http://www.watg.org/watg-webinars.html http://search.wi.gov/query.html?qt=response+to+intervention&qp=url%3Adpi.wi.gov&style=dpi http://www.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id-42&Itemid-108 http://www.rti4success.org/subcategorycontents/webinars