RtI in the Secondary School Setting: Making it Work! Jennifer Maichin Whittney Smith

Albert Einstein once said… “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Essential Components Tiered Instruction / Intervention Ongoing Student Assessment Family Involvement High Quality Classroom Instruction

 “Without the right building-level leadership, RtI will not realize the potential it has in fundamentally altering for the better both the delivery system and educational practice in our schools.” Dr. David P. Prasse, Professor and Dean of the School of Education, Loyola University ChicagoDr. David P. Prasse, Professor and Dean of the School of Education, Loyola University Chicago

NYSED April 2008 State Education Department Field Memo  Authorizes the use of RtI in the State's criteria to determine learning disabilities (LD) and requires, effective July 1, 2012, that all school districts have an RtI program in place as part of the process to determine if a student in grades K-4 is a student with a learning disability in the area of reading. “Effective on or after July 1, 2012, a school district shall not use the severe discrepancy criteria to determine that a student in kindergarten through grade four has a learning disability in the area of reading.”  Authorizes the use of RtI in the State's criteria to determine learning disabilities (LD) and requires, effective July 1, 2012, that all school districts have an RtI program in place as part of the process to determine if a student in grades K-4 is a student with a learning disability in the area of reading. “Effective on or after July 1, 2012, a school district shall not use the severe discrepancy criteria to determine that a student in kindergarten through grade four has a learning disability in the area of reading.” [8 NYCRR section 200.4(j)]

Prior to the State’s Memo:  IDEA 2004: “…in determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a local agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to scientific research-based intervention as part of the evaluation procedures…” (H.R. 1350, 2004, section 614 (b)(6)(A&B)) “…in determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a local agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to scientific research-based intervention as part of the evaluation procedures…” (H.R. 1350, 2004, section 614 (b)(6)(A&B))

Background:  WelI Established IST  The Team Constant Members: IST Chairperson, Guidance Counselor, Speech Therapist, School Psychologist, ParentConstant Members: IST Chairperson, Guidance Counselor, Speech Therapist, School Psychologist, Parent Varying Members: Team Teachers (General and Special Education), Encore Teachers, Support Staff, Social Worker, StudentVarying Members: Team Teachers (General and Special Education), Encore Teachers, Support Staff, Social Worker, Student See Attached “Initial Referral Protocol and Task List” See Attached “Initial Referral Protocol and Task List”

Background: Tier I Tier II Tier III School-wideIndividual Constant Members IST Chairperson, Guidance Counselor, Speech Therapist, School Psychologist, Parent Varying Members: Team Teachers (General and Special Education), Encore Teachers, Support Staff, Social Worker, Student See Attached “Initial Referral Protocol and Task List” R.O.C.K. Committee AIS Team Meetings BPST Meetings Guidance Meetings Content Literacy Committee PLC Guiding Coalition A Well Established IST:

Tier I: What is it?  Quality classroom instruction Within the general education classroom Within the general education classroom High quality program incorporating standards High quality program incorporating standards Research-based instructional strategies or materials Research-based instructional strategies or materials On-going assessment of strengths and needs On-going assessment of strengths and needs On-going professional development On-going professional development

Implementation: Part I  Educate the staff about what RtI is? IDEA 2004 IDEA 2004 “Wait to fail” vs. RtI “Wait to fail” vs. RtI District Support District Support  Leverage with New IDEA “ In determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a local educational agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to a scientific, research based intervention as part of the evaluation procedures” (IDEA 2004, Title 20, Section 1414, subsection b(6)). “ In determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a local educational agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to a scientific, research based intervention as part of the evaluation procedures” (IDEA 2004, Title 20, Section 1414, subsection b(6)).

Getting Stuck in Tier I  Scenario: Your team has an IST meeting to discuss a student who is struggling in school. A few strategies were brainstormed after a lengthy conversation about what the student can’t do. Six weeks later, the team meets again and…

Strategy Development (Tier I)  Teacher Ownership vs. “Buy In”  Station Activity Devote Faculty Meeting Time Devote Faculty Meeting Time Objectives from IST Meetings Objectives from IST Meetings Teachers working in groups to brainstorm strategies Teachers working in groups to brainstorm strategies  Weed Out the ones that are not measurable  Share the collective strategies with the entire faculty & bring them to IST Meetings  Attach the strategies to research

Implementation: Tier I Tier II Tier III School-wideIndividual A Three Tier RTI Model Staff Development / Curriculum Writing Problem Solving Approach vs. Standard Treatment Protocol Scheduling of IST Meetings Master Schedule Changes Scheduling of Committee Meetings

Implementation: Part II Tier I IST AIS / IST Tier I Scheduling Programs (ROCK, Universal Screenings, DIGS) Content Literacy PLCs Walkthroughs Department Meetings Tier II AIS / IST (movement between tiers) Strategic Monitoring (monthly) Dynamic Program Positive Reinforcement Plan Tier II Scheduling AIS Tier II Small group counseling Tier III FBA / BIP 1:1 Counseling Tier III AIS Tier III Progress Monitoring IndividualSchool-wide IST 6 week follow-up Core Team Meetings

Our Structure of Academic Support  6 th Grade Double ELA --- with a Reading Teacher Double ELA --- with a Reading Teacher Double Period Math Double Period Math  7 th Grade Dedicated Period --- On-Target; AIS Math Tier II or III; AIS ELA Tier II or III; or any combination Dedicated Period --- On-Target; AIS Math Tier II or III; AIS ELA Tier II or III; or any combination  8 th Grade Dedicated Period --- On-Target; AIS Math Tier II or III; AIS ELA Tier II or III; or any combination Dedicated Period --- On-Target; AIS Math Tier II or III; AIS ELA Tier II or III; or any combination Master Schedule Changes (see attachments)

Visual Representation of Tiers II & III in 7 th and 8 th Grade Day A Day A  Reading Tier III  Math Tier III  ELA Tier II  Math Tier II  On-Target 4-6 students students 25 students Day B Day B  Reading Tier III  Math Tier III  ELA Tier II  Math Tier II  On-Target 4-6 students students 25 students

Identification & Progress Monitoring

Identification  ELA Scores  Math Scores  Teacher Recommendations  Universal Screening  AIMs Web  Elementary Articulation Meetings  Attendance and Discipline Records

AIMS Web (Tracking Program)  READING MAZE MAZE Reading Curriculum Based Measurement (R-CBM) Reading Curriculum Based Measurement (R-CBM) Tier I – Universal Screening (Benchmarking 3x/year) (Benchmarking 3x/year) Tier II – monthly progress monitoring monitoring Tier III – Progress Monitoring (weekly / bi-monthly) (weekly / bi-monthly)  MATH All Facts Math Concepts and Applications (M-CAP) Tier I – Universal Screening (Benchmarking 3x/year) Tier II – monthly strategic monitoring Tier III – Progress Monitoring (weekly / bi-monthly)

Sample AIMsWeb Data 8 th Grade Tier II AIS

Sample Student Benchmark Report

Reading Improvement Report for School Year

Benchmark Scores for School Year

Implementation: Part III Continuous Improvement:  Training Manuals  Yearly Timeline ---- meetings, testing  Protocols and Task Lists  Research Based Interventions

Tier 1 - Universal Quality classroom instruction using research-based strategies with targeted students Tier 2 - Strategic Small Group (10-12 students) AIS Classes Benchmarking three times / year Tier 3 - Intensive Small group (4-6 students) AIS classes Progress Monitoring every 2-3 weeks At-Risk Student Teacher analyzes data, refers student to IST and moves student to Tier 2. Three data checks, regression/no progress IST Process On Target Student Teacher analyzes data and keeps student in Tier 1. Three data checks IST Process Regression /no progress, revise (repeat if not successful) --- consider referral to CSE Progress Continue with program IST Process

Questions…

RtI Resources/Links      