Evaluation and Eligibility Using

RTICrook County School

DistrictFebruary 26, 2010

ObjectivesObjectives

• Participants will understand both general IDEA evaluation requirements and evaluation requirements for Specific Learning Disabilities

• Participants will understand characteristics of learning disabilities

• Participants will practice weighing information about student performance in the context of LD eligibility decisions

Steps in the evaluation Steps in the evaluation processprocess

• Referral for a special education evaluation

• Evaluation planning• Prior Notice About

Evaluation/Consent for Evaluation• Evaluation (60 school days)• Evaluation Summary• Eligibility Determination meeting

ReferralReferral

• Typically made by the RTI team• Parents may make a referral at any time• If another disability is suspected, proceed

to referral while intervening

• Remember: Referral does not equal evaluation. Once a student is referred, the evaluation planning team (including the parents) convene to determine if an evaluation is appropriate. Before the meeting, parents receive procedural safeguards. At the end of the meeting, parents receive prior notice of the team’s decision.

OAR’s: ReferralOAR’s: Referral

(b) The public agency must designate a team to determine whether an initial evaluation will be conducted.

(A) The team must include the parent and at least two professionals, at least one of whom is a specialist knowledgeable and experienced in the evaluation and education of children with disabilities.

OAR’s: Evaluation OAR’s: Evaluation PlanningPlanning

(a) Review existing evaluation data on the child, including:(A) Evaluations and information provided by the

parents of the child;(B) Current classroom-based, local, or state

assessments, and classroom-based observations; and(C) Observations by teachers and related services

providers; and(b) On the basis of that review, and input from the

child's parents, identify what additional data, if any, are needed to determine:

(A) Whether the child is, or continues to be, a child with a disability

Evaluation Planning Evaluation Planning

Review of Existing Information:• File Review and Data Summary for Tier III/Individual Problem

Solving• Student Intervention Profile• Progress Monitoring Data• Individual Problem Solving/Planning Worksheet• Any additional diagnostic data• Developmental History• ELL Language Data (ELL checklist

The team answers the question: What do we already know about the

child?

When making evaluation decisions, consider:

– General Requirements for evaluation

– LD Eligibility Statement

The team answers the questions: • What do we still need to know before we can

determine if the student is eligible under IDEA?

• What do we still need to know in order to determine the student’s educational needs?

Evaluation Planning Evaluation Planning

OAR’s: Notice and OAR’s: Notice and ConsentConsent

(a) Before conducting any evaluation or reevaluation, the public agency must provide notice to the parent in accordance with OAR 581-015-2310 that describes any evaluation procedures the agency proposes to conduct as a result of the evaluation planning process.

(b) Before conducting any evaluation or reevaluation, the public agency must obtain informed written consent for evaluation in accordance with OAR 581-015-2090 and 581-015-2095.

(c) If the public agency refuses an evaluation or reevaluation requested by the parent, the public agency must provide the parent with prior written notice under OAR 581-015-2310.

Eligibility Eligibility DeterminationDetermination

Identifying Learning Disabilities

Under an RTI Model

Dual DiscrepancyDual Discrepancy

• Low Low achievement achievement and and Slow Progress Slow Progress (despite intensive (despite intensive interventions) are the interventions) are the foundation for foundation for determining SLD determining SLD eligibility using RTI.eligibility using RTI.• Also must consider Also must consider Instructional NeedInstructional Need..

Does the Student Have Does the Student Have SignificantlySignificantly Low Skills? Low Skills?

• Determine parameters– Differentiate low from significantly low

• Below 16th %ile• 2 times discrepant• Standard score below 85

• Maintain consistency– Between schools, grades, and children

OAR’s: Significantly Low OAR’s: Significantly Low SkillsSkills

(a)The child does not achieve adequately for the child's age or to meet Oregon grade-level standards in one or more of the following areas when provided with learning experiences and instruction appropriate for the child's age or Oregon grade-level standards:

(A) Basic reading skills(B) Reading fluency skills(C) Reading comprehension

Is Progress Slow?Is Progress Slow?

• How much is enough?• Progress monitoring growth

rates• Yearly RIT gains• Use the decision rules

• Context is key• Typical growth

• National norms• District norms

• Cohort growth

OAR’s: Slow ProgressOAR’s: Slow Progress

• (b) For a student evaluated using a response to intervention model, in relation to one or more of the areas in subsection (3)(a), the student does not make sufficient progress to meet age or Oregon grade-level standards based on the student's response to scientific, research-based intervention.

Is the Intervention Intensive?Is the Intervention Intensive?

• Scientific, research-based (IDEA 2004)• Sufficient frequency and duration• Implemented with fidelity

Eligibility Decision MakingEligibility Decision Making

It comes down to the balance. How does the “weight” of the intervention compare to the “weight” of progress?

OAR’s: Intervention & Slow OAR’s: Intervention & Slow ProgressProgress

(A) The type, intensity, and duration of scientific, research-based instructional intervention(s) provided in accordance with the district's response to intervention model;

(B) The student's rate of progress during the instructional intervention(s);

(C) A comparison of the student's rate of progress to expected rates of progress.

(D) Progress monitoring on a schedule that:(i) Allows a comparison of the student's progress to the performance of

peers;(ii) Is appropriate to the student's age and grade placement;(iii) Is appropriate to the content monitored; and(iv) Allows for interpretation of the effectiveness of intervention.

Instructional NeedInstructional Need

• Students need to receive the intensive instruction in order to make adequate progress.– Need to describe the instruction in

either it’s content, methodology, and/or delivery

• Note… special education is not remedial education.

OAR’s: Instructional OAR’s: Instructional NeedNeed

(4) For a child to be eligible for special education services as a child with a specific learning disability, the eligibility team must also determine that:

(a) The child's disability has an adverse impact on the child's educational performance; and

(b) The child needs special education services as a result of the disability.

Avoid Exclusionary FactorsAvoid Exclusionary Factors

• Lack of appropriate instruction

• Existence of another disability

• Limited English proficiency

• Environmental or Economic Disadvantage

• 2nd Grader• Fall: ORF 22• Winter: ORF 55• Gain: 2.37

words/week• Typical gain: 1.5

words/week

• Core program• + SMART

volunteer• + Read Naturally

2 times per week• +Phonics for

Reading and Read Naturally 5 times per week

SusieSusie

• 25thth percentile on ORF

• Remains at 25th percentile

• “Low average”

• Core program• 20 minutes/day

additional practice

• 40 minutes/day explicit instruction and guided practice

EllieEllie

• 1st Grader• Gain: 6-10 wpm

in 8 weeks• Other students

gain 22 wpm in the same period of time

• Core program• +45 minutes of

decoding and fluency program

EmilyEmily

• 2nd grader• Reads 45 words

per minute (target is 90 wpm)

• Core program• Reading Mastery

in addition• New to the district • Has been in 4

different school districts

• Recently moved in with a relative

JohannaJohanna

• 5th grader

• Reads 77 words per minute (target is 124 wpm)

• Scores below average benchmark on the State-wide assessment

• Core reading program• 30 minutes of

Corrective Reading 5x a week

• Natasha was adopted from Russia 2 years ago

• ELL teacher interviews family and finds out she didn’t attend school before she came the U.S.

NatashaNatasha

• 3rd grader• Reads 45 words per

minute in Spanish• Reads 5 words per

minute in English

• Core Spanish reading program

• Additional interventions in Spanish 5x a week since 1st grade

• Has been in the same school since Kindergarten

• The other students in her cohort group read an average of 90 wpm in Spanish and English

MarisolMarisol

Quality Evaluation Quality Evaluation ReportsReports

1. Low Skills:– Actual level of performance is significantly below

expected level of performance (on multiple measures)

• DIBELS scores• Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) scores for math, reading,

writing • OAKS percentile ranks• Other standardized test scores (WJ, WIAT, GRADE, etc) percentile

ranks

…as compared to expected level

(Report template section 2)

2. Slow Progress (despite research-based instruction and interventions matched to student need)

– Baseline level of performance…– Ending level of performance…– Growth rates…

…as compared to expected level– Description of decision-making based on

district decision rules

(Report Template section 3)

Quality Evaluation Quality Evaluation ReportsReports

Quality Evaluation Quality Evaluation ReportsReports

2. Slow Progress (cont)– Summary of each level of instruction/intervention (could include):

• Curriculum used• Brief description of skills addressed• # of weeks/months implemented; days per week, min

per day• Group size

– Fidelity of implementation data:• e.g. Observations of the Phonics for Reading

intervention on 10/16/09, 11/2/09, and 11/17/09 indicate that an average of 97% of intervention components were implemented with fidelity.

(Report Template section 3)

3. Instructional Need– Summary of why the student requires specially

designed instruction in order to make progress towards the district standards and benchmarks

• Examples:

“Progress monitoring data indicate that Amy requires direct, explicit phonics instruction in a small group of no more than 4-5 students in order to make sufficient progress towards reading benchmarks.”

“Data indicates that Scott only made significant progress to catch him up to his typical peers when provided with small group instruction focusing on number sense activities. This instruction was provided for 30 minutes for 5 days per week, in addition to his 60 minutes of Core math instruction. Without this additional support, Scott made no progress towards catching up to his peers.”

(Report Template section 3 or 9)

Quality Evaluation Quality Evaluation ReportsReports

Quality Eligibility ReportsQuality Eligibility Reports

• Individually: Quickly review the report template, highlighting 4 or 5 bullets/sentences that provide especially useful information.

• As a Group: Share what you’ve highlighted. What makes this template useful?

Eligibility Determination Eligibility Determination meetingmeeting

• Held within 60 school days of receiving parental consent.

• The team, including the parents, decides if the student is eligible for special education services; NOT individuals.

Questions/Comments