RtI

 Learn: ◦ What is RtI ◦ Why schools need RtI ◦ What are the components that comprise an RtI system - must haves ◦ Underlying assumptions for the model ◦ RtI is about school improvement - not about identifying students for special education  Decide if your schools want to commit to implementing an RtI model of service delivery

 We are all responsible for all of our students  All students can make progress when given the amount and kind of support needed  Teaching to the middle doesn’t meet all students needs.  Therefore, we must use our resources in new, different and collaborative ways to ensure each student is as successful as possible!

 Schools have not had all the tools and/or training needed to implement such a model where all resources are organized around ensuring each student is as successful as possible

 Response to Intervention (RtI) ◦ The practice of providing high quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make changes in instruction, and applying child response data to important educational decisions.

 Response to Intervention is a 3 tiered model of instructional support for all students  RtI is a process comprised of 3 main components: ◦ Evidenced Based Instructional practices ◦ System of Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring ◦ Problem Solving as a decision making system to determine who gets what interventions, when and by whom  The first assumption when students are not succeeding is that they are struggling with the curriculum or instruction, and therefore, we need to make a change in one or both of those areas.

 The Old Way of Doing Business with a new label (e.g., Pre-Referral Intervention)  Expecting GE Teachers to meet the needs of all students  A referral-driven system that considers one student at a time  Putting barriers in the way of assisting students or teachers  A cheaper and faster way of assigning disability labels

 Many schools have had few options for struggling students - Title I services or special education  Those have not been ideal methods in preventing failure  In fact, special education has really been a ‘wait to fail model’, and Title I is a funding source and whether those resources resulted in student improvement varies greatly from school to school  Even if your school is making AYP, there are students at every grade level who are not on target for proficiency

General Education Special Education Intensity of Problem Amount of Resources Needed To Solve Problem Sea of Ineligibility Title 1 Peer Tutoring Reading Recovery Counseling

 Comprised of 3 components ◦ Measurement system that allows for frequent monitoring of progress (i.e., AIMSweb) ◦ Instruction that is evidenced based for both core and interventions ◦ Problem Solving process that relies on data to determine who needs intervention, when, how, and what interventions to be delivered.

Instruction Problem Solving Measurement RtI an integrated System

 Valid and Reliable  Simple  Quick  Inexpensive  Easily understood  Sensitive to growth over short period of time

 AIMSweb is a 3-tier Progress Monitoring System based on direct, frequent, and continuous student assessment which is reported to students, parents, teachers, and administrators via a web-based data management and reporting system for the purpose of determining response to instruction

 Need a Measurement System appropriate for RtI implementation? Please consult the review from the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring:

Instruction Problem Solving Measurement RtI an integrated System

 RtI is a process for improvement that can be used for both academic and behavior  Essential steps to determine whether a practice is evidence based seem to be: ◦ Locating the high-quality, experimental research that examines the effectiveness of the practice ◦ And then determining whether sufficient quantity of evidence show that the practice causes improve learner outcomes exists.

 5 foundational skills of EBP for literacy: ◦ Phonemic awareness ◦ Phonics/word study ◦ Fluency/automaticity ◦ Vocabulary ◦ Comprehension

 Best Evidence Encylopedia – This site reviews Elementary Math, Middle and High School Math, Technology in Reading and Math, Comprehensive School Reform, Reading for English Language Learners and Secondary Reading  The Promising Practices Network  For those interested in behavior, check out the national PBIS website at:  Intervention Central at:

 For information on core and intervention reading programs, check the following link: The Florida Center for Reading Research  The What Works Clearing House. Click on Current Topics under the catgories of Beginning Reading, Character Education, Dropout Prevention, Early Childhood Education, Elementary School Math, Middle School Math, and English Language Learners

Instruction Problem Solving Measurement RtI an integrated System

 All school staff need to learn the problem solving process so we have a common approach to solving problems

 Problem Identification  Problem Analysis  Plan Development  Plan Implementation  Plan Evaluation

 Old ◦ Student referred by teacher/parent ◦ One student at a time ◦ Decisions not necessarily data-based ◦ Not very prevention oriented  RtI ◦ Teaching teams review data of all students in the team ◦ Students not at benchmark are targeted for Tier 2 support in addition to strong core instruction ◦ Focus is on success - keeping students from needing special education

 RtI is a process of 3 things: evidenced- based practices, progress monitoring, & problem solving  The instructional practices comprise a 3 tiered model of support with a strong core for all students, targeted supports for some, and intensive supports for a few.  We use universal screening and progress monitoring to help us determine flexible groupings and determine whether students are progressing or not.

 Local leader/facilitator  Site Team for RtI implementation to include administrator, RtI leader/facilitator, and both general and special ed. staff  80% staff agreement and principal support  Completion of an RtI Readiness checklist- can be done by the team  Embed RtI process in the school’s ongoing improvement process/plan

Thoughts on moving toward the RtI process in your building…  What systems are currently in place that would support RtI process?  Adjustments to current systems?  Resources in place to support RtI..  What additional resources are needed?