Response to Intervention – Tier 2 November 20, 2008 10:00 am Our session will start momentarily. While you are waiting, please do the following: Enter/edit your profile information by going to: Tools - Preferences - My Profile… Fill out the info on the “identity” tab and click “OK” To view the profile of another use, hover your mouse over his or her name in the participants window   Configure your microphone and speakers by going to: Tools – audio – audio setup wizard Confirm your connection speed by going to: Tools – preferences – connection speed

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Response to Intervention Process of aligning appropriate assessment with purposeful instruction for all students.

The look of this pyramid reflects the RTI core foundation: Strong Tier 1 standards-based classroom instruction for all students Students needing additional interventions are supported in addition to Tier 1 instruction All students are in Tier 1 and few numbers require intervention in Tiers 2-4 RTI is the process of aligning appropriate assessment with purposeful instruction for all students. Based in the general education classroom where teachers routinely implement a strong and rigorous standards based learning environment. Tiered approach to providing layers of intervention to students needing support, systematically progress monitoring the student’s response to the intervention, and adjusting instruction and interventions appropriately based on student response

Occurs at all Tiers of the Pyramid. What is the problem? What does the data show? Why is this happening? Curriculum Issue? Instructional Issue? Student Issue? What is our plan? What are we going to do? What interventions are needed? How will we measure success? Implement the plan Who will do what, where, when, and how often? How will fidelity of implementation be determined? Did the plan work? What does the data show? Problem Solving cycle. Occurs at all Tiers of the Pyramid.

Tier 1 Non-negotiables Tier 1 STANDARDS-BASED CLASSROOM LEARNING: All students participate in general education learning that includes: Universal screenings to target groups in need of specific instructional support. Implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) through a standards based classroom structure. Differentiation of instruction including fluid, flexible grouping, multiple means of learning, and demonstration of learning. Progress monitoring of learning through multiple formative assessments. RTI addresses behavior as well as academics.

When are tier 2 interventions needed? Movement between Tier 1 and Tier 2 is fluid and flexible. Three important questions must be addressed to determine the reason for the need for additional support: Is the learning concern a curriculum issue? Is the learning concern an instructional issue? Is the learning concern a student issue? Students identified through the universal screening and classroom performance data are placed in Tier 2 interventions that supplement the Tier 1 classroom.

High achievers and low achievers may need interventions based on progress monitoring data and individual performance expectations.

Tier 2 Non-negotiables NEEDS-BASED LEARNING: In addition to Tier 1, targeted students participate in learning that is different by including: Standard intervention protocol process for identifying and providing research based interventions based on need and resources. On-going progress monitoring to measure student response to intervention and guide decision-making. Sometimes in Tier 2, the intervention will be for a group or, but in fewer instances, for individuals.

Standard Protocol a process where a school or system uses pre-determined scientifically based interventions in a specific sequence with identified students.

Interventions at Tier 2 are typically standard protocols employed by the school to address the learning and/or behavioral needs of identified students. These protocols are typically implemented in a specific sequence, based on the resources available in the school.

Example Georgia Middle School, students who are identified as needing additional reading support will go to a reading intervention during Connections. During the intervention, the teacher uses specific research based practices to address the group’s reading needs while keeping a clear focus on the GPS, grade level expectations in the content areas, and transfer of learning to the general classroom.

Collaboration between the intervention teacher and the general teacher team is required.

During the intervention, progress monitoring is used to determine the student’s response to the intervention. The progress monitoring tool and frequency of implementation are collaboratively determined by the teaching team and the intervention teacher (and the Data Team).

Based on the progress monitoring data, the school standard protocol process may require individual students to continue in the intervention, move to another Tier 2 intervention, or move to Tier 1 interventions. For a few students, the data team may consider the need for Tier 3 interventions based on individual responses to Tier 2 interventions.

Interventions Scientifically proven interventions mean that scientific results have already been published in peer-reviewed journals using the scientific rigor described in the definition from NCLB (see chapter 3). Research based interventions mean the methods, content, materials, etc. were developed in guidance from the collective research and scientific community. Evidence-based interventions indicate that specific data is available that shows the intervention improves student outcomes. The interventions used at Tiers 2-4 should supplement the learning that is occurring in the Tier 1 classroom, address identified weaknesses in basic skills, and accelerate learning toward individual expectations. Continuous monitoring of the implementation of the intervention (fidelity) and progress monitoring data is critical to determining the impact on student achievement.   Schools have the responsibility to use scientifically validated (research and evidence-based) intervention methods to prevent wasting time and effort, to give students the best chance to be successful (Wright, 2007).

Tier 2 interventions are not a substitution for Tier 1 instruction, but are layered in addition to the Tier 1 instruction that is provided. Tier 2 interventions should be pre-planned, developed, and supported at the school level, thereby, becoming “standard intervention protocols” that are proactively in place for students who need them.

The instruction within the Tier 2 intervention is a critical focus for the data team. Is the instruction different from the general classroom? Is the instruction designed to support targeted student performance in the general classroom? Are students responses to the intervention being monitored?

Progress monitoring should be used for identified students involved in Tier 2 to measure the effectiveness of the intervention. The Georgia Department of Education recommends districts and schools monitor the transfer of learning from all interventions to the Tier 1 general classroom.  

For Tier 2, what should the data team be doing? Monitoring intervention implementation – fidelity Analyzing progress monitoring data Individual, group, and school wide Evaluating intervention effectiveness Supporting the collaboration between intervention teacher and general teacher

Interventions are… Targeted based on progress monitoring Dr. John McCook Targeted based on progress monitoring In addition to classroom instruction Individual, small group, or technology assisted Increase in structure and relevant practice Additional learning strategies Mini lessons on skill deficits Administered by classroom teacher, specialized teacher or external interventionist

Interventions are NOT… Dr. John McCook Preferential seating Shortened assignments Parent contacts Classroom observations Suspension Doing MORE of the same Retention Peer helpers (informal)

ELL Interventions http://www.centeroninstruction.org/

ELL Interventions Explicit, early, and intensive phonological awareness and phonics to build decoding skills. Increase instruction and opportunities to develop sophisticated vocabulary knowledge. Strategies to comprehend and analyze challenging text as many ELL students read passively, without effective monitoring/strategy use, a process, which is narrow in focus and hindering. Strategies to promote fluency, focusing on vocabulary . Engagement in structured, academic talk . Independent reading with structure, goals, careful text selection with purpose, direction, immediate corrective feedback, and an avoidance of self-directed, self-chosen, independent reading programs without direct involvement by an educator.

Examples of Interventions for gifted students Students are Assessed in Multiple Ways Tiered Activities Tiered Products Independent Study Multiple Testing Options Multiple Texts Alternative Assessments Subject Advancement within class/group, across teams, across grade levels Course Compacting Tiered Centers Spelling by Readiness Varying Organizers Community Mentorships Stations Group Investigations Choice Boards Think-Tac-Toe Simulations

Math Interventions Manipulatives and Tools Questioning Transfer of learning from manipulatives to the concept or skill Questioning See math Teacher TALKs for more information to support teacher content knowledge and questioning skills Balance of Instruction Modeling, Practice, Independence, Modeling Continuous cycle

ELA Interventions at Tier 2 should include: Teacher Modeling Guided Practice Collaborative Practice Independent Practice Application

Differentiation Content: Multiple options for taking in information Process: Multiple options for making sense of the ideas Product: Multiple options for expressing what they know Environment: Multiple arrangements and settings to foster engagement and relevance. (From the Sacramento City Unified School District) Differentiated Instruction is a broad term referring to the need of educators to tailor the curriculum, teaching environments, and practices to create appropriately different learning experiences for students. Differentiation occurs at all Tiers, but especially Tier 1 To differentiate instruction is to recognize students’ varying interest, readiness levels and learning profiles and to react responsively.

Progress Monitoring at Tier 2 Students identified for Tier 2 interventions are regularly assessed to measure understanding and transfer of learning to core classrooms. The progress monitoring process used for the intervention is pre-identified by the school data team based on the intervention components and should include curriculum based measures and/or other standardized assessments. Benchmarks for expected progress are set, and student progress toward these benchmarks is closely monitored through assessments. Graphs of these purposeful data points are needed to illustrate the progress toward benchmark goal. These data graphs support the data team in monitoring individual student growth as well as the fidelity of implementation of the intervention. Three reason to progress monitor: 1. To determine whether children are profiting appropriately from the instructional program, including the curriculum; 2. To build more effective programs for the children who do not benefit; and 3. To estimate rates of student improvement. Progress monitoring is more than “doing what you are already doing” Progress monitoring is using assessment data to drive instruction Progress monitoring includes common assessments but does not stop there Intensity and Frequency increase as additional support is added. Progress monitoring at Tier 1 is different from Tier 4. Curriculum Based Measures and/or other standardized assessments need to be used to determine a students response to an intervention in Tiers 2-4. In most cases, the intensity and frequency of these assessments increases as students move through the Tiers.

Poor RTI Aimline= 1.50 words/week From Dr. George M. Batsche Co-Director, Institute for School Reform Florida Problem-Solving/RtI Statewide Project University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Poor RTI Aimline= 1.50 words/week From Dr. George M. Batsche Co-Director, Institute for School Reform Florida Problem-Solving/RtI Statewide Project University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Dr. Batsche’s Training Notes: Steven’s performance on ORF is shown here. While he is making some progress, the rate of improvement over the 8 weeks is about 3 times slower than the target which is shown on the aimline. One can see that if the same trend was maintained he is unlikely to meet the winter benchmark. GaDOE Notes: The data team identified other factors that could possibly be impacting student performance (attendance, personal tragedy, illness for both student and teacher should be considered). Consideration of an additional intervention is always appropriate before moving to the next Tier. Trendline = 0.55 words/week

Positive RTI Aimline= 1.50 words/week Training Notes Dr. George M. Batsche Co-Director, Institute for School Reform Florida Problem-Solving/RtI Statewide Project University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Positive RTI Aimline= 1.50 words/week Training Notes From Dr. George M. Batsche Co-Director, Institute for School Reform Florida Problem-Solving/RtI Statewide Project University of South Florida Tampa, Florida This slide depicts the outcomes of the intensive strategic intervention effort. As seen in the trendline, Steven shows substantial improvement here and reaches a level of gain that is likely to lead to a successful winter benchmark. Again, the question of whether he would continue until the winter benchmark will be raised. Given that this would now be 16 weeks after starting tier 2 intervention, it is likely that the winter benchmark is about to occur so the team would likely leave him in the strategy until the benchmark was taken. Assuming he meets the benchmark, the team may ease him back to tier 2 strategies again to see if a less intense effort will sustain his progress. Another intervention could have been implemented in Tier 2 based on this student performance. Trendline = 0.2.32 words/week

Tier 2 Non-negotiables NEEDS-BASED LEARNING: In addition to Tier 1, targeted students participate in learning that is different by including: Standard intervention protocol process for identifying and providing research based interventions based on need and resources. On-going progress monitoring to measure student response to intervention and guide decision-making. Sometimes in Tier 2, the intervention will be for a group or, but in fewer instances, for individuals.

Contact Information John Wight (jwight@doe.k12.ga.us) 404-657-9064