1. Response to Intervention (RtI) What is a Teacher’s Role?
Lake County Schools
Dr. Susan Moxley, Superintendent
Ms. Nancy Velez, Chief Academic Officer
Mr. Jay Marshall, Director of Student Services
Mrs. Andrea Guogas, RtI Manager
Student Services Department
November 14, 2018

2. This shift alters everything else.
Why RtI?
Over the last 30 years, how we address the needs of students has evolved…
The central question is not “What about the student is causing the performance discrepancy?”
But, “What about the interaction of the curriculum, instruction, learner and learner’s environment should be altered so that the student will learn?”
This shift alters everything else.
DRAFT

3. Why RtI?
“The main objective of RTI is not to identify students for special education, but rather to help all students achieve at a proficient level and ultimately [schools] make adequate yearly progress.”
Source: Nebraska Dept. of Education
DRAFT

4. Why RtI? It’s the Law! ESEA/ NCLB IDEA 2004 accountability
school improvement
adequate yearly progress (AYP)
IDEA 2004
effective instruction
progress monitoring
early intervening services
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5. Response to Intervention – What is it?
These Essential Components:
Multiple Tiers of evidence-based instruction/intervention matched to student needs
A Problem Solving Method designed to inform the development of interventions
Frequent use of data to determine learning rate and student performance level (progress monitoring)
Educational decisions based upon the student’s response to instruction / intervention (data / graphing)
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6. How Does the Process Work?
Response to Intervention (RtI) – How Does it Work?
Three Tiered Model
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
Tier III: Comprehensive and Intensive Interventions
( Few Students)
Students who need Individualized Interventions
Tier III: Intensive Interventions
( Few Students)
Students who need Individual Intervention
Tier II: Strategic Interventions
(Some Students)
Students who need more support in addition to the core curriculum
Tier II: Targeted Group Interventions
(Some Students)
Students who need more support in addition to school-wide positive behavior program
Tier I: Core Curriculum
All students
Tier I: Universal Interventions
All students; all settings 6
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7. A New Dimension!
The three tiers of service are stacked resources so that they are layered and aligned with each other.

8. Tier 1 – Core Instruction
All Students Receive:
District curriculum that is scientifically, research-based and aligned to Florida Sunshine State Standards
Curriculum-based measures and assessments for screening, diagnostic and continuous progress monitoring
Differentiated instruction designed to meet the broad range of their needs
Fidelity of implementation
DRAFT

9. Is Tier 1 Effective in your Classroom?
Are 80% of students meeting benchmarks?
Have students had access to effective curriculum? (Barriers to access may include excessive student or teacher absence, high student mobility rates, excessive suspensions, etc.)
Does any overrepresentation of particular student subgroups (i.e., grade level, classroom, AYP subgroups, and gender) exist in those students identified at risk?
Which students are not meeting benchmarks?
Has core curriculum been monitored for fidelity of implementation?
DRAFT

10. How do we Intervene in Tier 1?
Consider altering whole group instruction, curriculum materials, instructional routine, independent practice (e.g., literacy/math centers)
Breadth of skill focus might vary
Group students based on skill data (data comes from many sources)
Differentiate instruction based on grouping (different groups are doing different things)
Organize students based on skill performance
Higher performing, more students
Lower performing, fewer students
Same amount of time, different use of that time
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11. Tier 2 – Supplemental Interventions
In addition to core instruction some students receive:
Supplemental interventions in the small group inside the general education classroom or outside of the general education classroom
Interventions targeted to remediate a specific skill or behavior
Interventions implemented with fidelity (e.g., number of minutes/day and per week, materials used, progress monitoring) tied to student needs
Must be in addition to Tier 1
DRAFT

12. Is Tier 2 Effective?
Are interventions delivered to smaller groups of students, either in the general education environment or outside of the classroom?
Are interventions provided in addition to core instruction (Tier 1)?
Are interventions focused on particular skill areas that need strengthening?
Do progress monitoring tools properly assess the impact of the intervention?
Are Tier 2 interventions effective? (70% of Tier 2 students are having positive response to intervention)
Are interventions properly documented and/or graphed?
Are interventions monitored for fidelity of implementation?
DRAFT

13. How Do We Intervene in Tier 2?
Can be provided in general education settings
Provides opportunities to increase exposure (academic engaged time) to curriculum
Should narrow focus of the curriculum
Must provide sufficient time for interventions to have an effect (suggested – 4 weeks or more per data point)
Must identify appropriate interventions through the problem solving process
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14. Tier 3 (Targeted Instruction)
In addition to core instruction and Tier 2 Interventions, very few students receive:
Integrated instruction from all three tiers to strengthen the accumulated impact of the interventions and instruction
Interventions delivered to very small groups of 2-3 students or individual students
Interventions focused on narrowly defined skill or behavioral area identified from the results of frequent progress monitoring
Interventions implemented with fidelity (e.g., number of minutes/day and per week, materials used, progress monitoring) tied to student needs
DRAFT

15. Is Tier 3 (Targeted Instruction) Effective?
Are interventions delivered to very small groups of students (3 or less) or individually?
Are interventions provided in addition to core instruction (Tier 1) and supplemental instruction (Tier 2)?
Do progress monitoring tools properly assess the impact of interventions?
Are interventions properly documented / graphed?
Are interventions monitored for fidelity or implementation?
DRAFT

16. How Do We Intervene at Tier 3?
Interventions are usually delivered outside of regular classroom
Focus is very narrow and targeted
Based on individual instructional level and specific skill deficits
Intervention is designed along with specific duration and assessment which supports deficit areas
Intervention is in addition to Tier 1 and Tier 2 Interventions
Progress is monitored more frequently
Delivered with fidelity
DRAFT

17. Where Do I Begin? Use Data to Define the Problem
In Order to Define a Problem, You must have 3 Pieces of Data:
Benchmark level of performance
Student level of performance
Peer level of performance
It is not enough to compare a student’s performance to the benchmark. You must also compare it to his/her peers to determine where/why the problem exists. (Remember, 80% of class AND subgroups, gender groups, etc., should be meeting benchmarks)
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18. Problem ID
Peers
Benchmark
Student
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19. Problem ID
Benchmark
Peers
Student
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20. Problem ID
Benchmark
Peers
Student
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21. Next Steps …
Is this an individual student problem or a larger systemic problem?
Are over 20% of
Are between
students
struggling?
5% and 20% of
Are 5% or fewer
students
struggling?
students
struggling?
Go to individual
student problem
solving
Examine
instruction,
curriculum, and
environment for
Develop small
needed
group
intervention
adaptations
and develop
group
intervention
adapted from:
Heartland AEA 11, Improving Children’s Educational Results
Go to
intervention
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evaluation

22. So, What is the Role of the Teacher in RtI?
Ensure Core Instruction is Effective
Differentiate Instruction to meet the needs of all students
Frequently review data to see which students need additional support
Implement Tier 1 interventions as necessary
Collaborate with colleagues to share/learn best practices
Seek help from your RtI team when Core Instruction is not working for a student or group of students
Be an active member of the RtI Problem Solving Team
Implement Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions as needed and with fidelity
Early intervention is key to success!
DRAFT

23. A Few Closing Thoughts …
Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or the same way. -- George Evans
The job of an educator is to teach students to see vitality in themselves. -- Joseph Campbell
They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel. -- Anonymous
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