1. Introduction to the Training Series Using RTI in SLD Determination
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
Special Education Office
Hello. My name is Gerry Teevens and I’m the Special Education Director for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
We are pleased to have you with us today as we begin a series of training sessions on Using Response to Intervention as part of the identification process for students suspected of having specific learning disabilities.
It is my task today to introduce the training series and some of the presenters who have been assisting us in developing guidelines and training for this process.
Introduction to the Series

2. Welcome
Gerry Teevens, ND Department of Public Instruction, Special Education Director

3. Background
IDEA Regulations state that:
A State must adopt, consistent with 34 CFR , criteria for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10). In addition, the criteria adopted by the State: Must not require the use of a severe discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10);
Must permit the use of a process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention; and
May permit the use of other alternative research-based procedures for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, as defined in 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10).

4. Background
We have been sharing the step by step progress towards guidelines and training for this process with our IDEA Advisory Panel. It has taken quite a while to get to this point, but we have been careful about the process which represents a big change for many in special education and have had input along the way from many ND educators.
Administrative Rules for the process were developed and are available at:
Hearings on the rules were held in four ND locations and the rules were adopted in June 2012 by the ND Administrative Rules Committee which includes members of the Legislature.

5. Background
A workgroup has assisted us through the phases of this project and some of the members are trainers in this series of sessions. In 2012, several of the workgroup members led local pilot testing of procedural steps in their own districts/special education units with students suspected of having learning disabilities. What they learned through this process has informed the guidelines and the training content for this series of web conference sessions. Guidelines for this process were drafted in 2012 and reviewed by DPI personnel during Spring, It has taken a while, but we are ready for training personnel who will guide the process in schools.

6. Overview of the Training Sessions
Session 1: Utilizing RTI as Part of Eligibility Determination in Identifying Specific Learning Disabilities
Tricia Lee, Ph.D., Special Education Director, Grand Forks Public Schools
I want to introduce our presenters for the first three sessions in the series and the topics each person will present.
Session 1 is an Introduction to Utilizing RTI as part of eligibility determination for students with specific learning disabilities. Our presenter for session 1 is Dr. Tricia Lee, Special Education Director for Grand Forks Public Schools.

7. Overview of the Training Sessions
Session 2: Overview of SLD Determination Using an RTI Model
Dawn Miller, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) District Coordinator, West Fargo Public Schools
Dawn Miller of West Fargo Public Schools will present a model that was developed by Pennsylvania Department of Education for this process that simplifies the process into 4 criteria for determining whether a student has a specific learning disability. The session will focus on determining academic achievement level.

8. Overview of the Training Sessions
Session 3: Using RTI in SLD Determination - Rate of Improvement (ROI)
Session 4: Rule Out Factors
Annette Kost, School Psychologist, Morton-Sioux Special Education Unit
Brenda Lipp, School Psychologist, Bismarck Public Schools
Julie Kost, School Psychologist, Bismarck Public Schools
Three ND school psychologists will present Session 3 which focuses on determining a student’s rate of improvement

9. Overview of the Training Sessions
Session 5: Case Studies and the Integrated Written Assessment Report
Session 6: Guidelines, Administrative Rules, Frequently Asked Questions
Other individuals who will be involved in the sessions include:
Mary Stammen and Linda Jenkins, Special Education Directors
Gerry Teevens, Bob Rutten and Brenda Oas, ND DPI

10. Thank You
On behalf of North Dakota DPI, I want to express our appreciation to the many people who have been involved in the work on guidelines, in the field testing process, and in the preparation and delivery of this training. We know we will benefit from the input and information sharing with those in the training cohort.