Jan W. Lanham Issues for Leaders—Sept, 2009

Response to Intervention RTI is: A multi-tiered problem-solving approach! A focus on instructional and social/emotional needs using research-based strategies and ongoing progress monitoring! By focusing first on assuring high quality instructional for all in the classroom, the potential is there to raise the “floor” for gifted students, improving the match between their needs and instruction. By focusing on NEEDS and on-going progress monitoring, CONTINUOUS PROGRESS BECOMES THE GOAL FOR ALL!

RTI Expectation: Multi-tiered Approach Implications for High Potential Learners Response to Intervention is to be a multi-tiered problem- solving approach. High quality instruction for all students (80%) mastery is supposed to be the baseline from which interventions are built. Interventions are matched to student need, based on varying degrees of intensity and frequency. Talent-pool/high potential/Gifted-Talented services should be developed on a continuum of services, involving all who work with the student. Quality instruction will raise the “floor” for high potential students. GT students’ strengths represent instructional needs to be met by interventions.

RTI Addresses the Academic and Behavior Needs of All Students! Talent Pool/High Potential/GT Students Needs May Represent both Deficits and Strengths to be Addressed Universal screeners and ongoing monitoring are expected to establish baselines and to get true pictures of student performance. Levels of intervention are matched to student needs as progress is monitored. Establishing a strength profile provides invaluable information to guide planning and instruction. Due to asynchronous development of G/T students, Tier I and Tier II interventions will be necessary to address both strengths and deficits. Screening instruments MUST have appropriately high ceilings to assure measurement of progress at all levels.

RTI is a school improvement model!! Better instruction for ALL, including Gifted students. Requires improved teacher capacity to address students as individuals. Requires building capacity to use data effectively to diagnose strengths/needs and to measure effectiveness of interventions. Requires MORE than the adoption of a program or “system”. Breaking down the barriers posed by “everyone on the same page” instruction benefits GT students, too. As long as the measures used to gather the data have no ceiling, measuring progress for ALL is a reality. The range of needs of students, both academically and behaviorally, requires improved teacher capacity and use of multiple forms of intervention!

RTI is based on standards- based instruction using research-based strategies for ALL! Standards based instruction paired with research-based strategies in the field of Gifted Education Standards-based instruction based on a continuum of benchmarks is essential for quality instruction for all. Range of services—whole group, small group, smaller group/frequency of service— provided based on student needs. Appropriate acceleration to allow students to meet benchmarks based on readiness is essential Provision of needs-based groupings including cognitive peers, inquiry groups, special counseling, problem-solving, leadership

RTI requires early and frequent assessments of learning/progress. Establishing strengths and needs is critical for high potential students. Universal screening in academic areas and social/emotional/behavioral areas. Universal screeners and progress measures must be culturally fair and have high ceilings. Progress monitoring should look for strengths, as well as, needs. Vital to high potential students to ensure that talents are nurtured and to help prevent underachievement. Underserved GT populations are often overlooked and those students learn early to high their talents. Models that only monitor a few students will not provide integrated school improvement

RTI requires that increasingly intense tiers of intervention are available. Meeting GT needs requires range of services. “Pyramid” of interventions moves students from whole group-in-class instruction through various interventions up to one-on-one outside of the classroom. A team approach is essential to assuring that student needs are met. The needs of Talent Pool and GT students will vary based on the strengths/needs of the students and the willingness and capacity of the classroom teachers. A team approach is essential to assuring that student needs are met.

INDIVIDUAL data is used to determine the appropriateness of services. Referral/special education evaluation may follow. GT is category of exceptional children in KY; data may also help determine if student is twice exceptional. Ongoing progress monitoring guides instruction at all levels; helps determine levels of service. Lack of progress will determine recommendation for full scale evaluation in which data is used to determine eligibility for services in special education. Progress monitoring will guide decisions about additional GT interventions/levels of service. Though the formal discrepancy model will not apply, students with high ability, who have received intervention but fail to progress at the expected levels would be included in recommendations for additional evaluation for twice-exceptional

Levels of intervention must be identified and resources must be allocated. Potential interventions for GT students will include: Cluster grouping, instruction in critical and creative thinking skills, authentic problem- solving, special counseling. Resource acquisition/matching is a shared responsibility— school, parents, community Must match affective needs, areas of strength, and areas of deficit. Failure to address will create underachievement, depression, non-compliance, potential drop-out, etc. Team approach based on shared responsibility

Individual Learning Plan developed: IEP GSSP Identifies present levels of performance, learner goals, accommodations to support continuous progress, team members responsible for implementation Should include the same elements to assure continuous progress and quality services

RTI Interventions must target underachievement: Underachievement has a number of underlying causes. Interventions will be developed to try to address identified causes, many of which are most pronounced among gifted students: 1. Low self-esteem or lack of confidence (doesn’t see relationship between hard work and success) 2. Negative peer pressure (performing well is negatively reinforced) 3. Lack of goal setting ability (short and long term) 4. Lack of challenge (sees no point in performing) 5. Lack of skills of task persistence/problem-solving

RTI requires ongoing, job-embedded professional development to build teacher capacity. Training in strategies to improve student outcomes. Training with research-based strategies; training with standards-based instruction; training with use of data to inform instruction Include nature and needs of gifted in training; underachievement; implications of all research- based strategies for high potential students.

VITAL QUESTIONS:  Are our Talent Pool/GT students learning something new and meaningful every day?  How are we fostering continuous progress in key academic areas, in skill development, and in social- emotional development?  How are we removing barriers that impede continuous progress?  How are we easing transitions from one level of schooling to the next, including early college planning?  How are we allocating/accessing all available resources to support continuous progress?  What is my role is assuring that the needs of high potential learners are considered in RTI development and implementation?