RtI: Setting Up and Getting

StartedKimberly Honnick

ASCD, March 2008

Thank You• ASCD• New Orleans• You!

Getting to Know You• University/Higher Education• Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents• Central Office Administration• CST Members• Principals, Assistant Principals• Teachers• BOE Members• Consultants

Background of RtI• Heard of it, not sure what it is about• Know about it, need more details• Clear on what it is, looking to

implement• Planning to/going to implement• Currently implementing

Please take the index card and write down 2-3 questions or “things” you would like to learn about or have more information on during our time together today.

Share your questions/what you would like to know more about.

Objectives• “Big Picture” overview of RtI• Share my district’s experiences

researching, designing, and implementing RtI

• Focus on a “how to” approach• Dialogue/Questions & Answers

Decision to Implement RtI

• Conversations: Superintendent, Director of Special Services, and myself

• Decision was made by Superintendent

• Based in part on evaluation results of the basic skills program

• New Jersey: not a State initiative

Step 1: Research – What I Found

• RtI is a general education initiative• RtI related research and

information came from those involved in Special Education

• Predominant resources: NASP, NASDSE

• State/district initiatives

What is RtI?• Framework involving a multi-tier

system of intervention options designed to assist children exhibiting academic and/or behavioral difficulties

• Integrated approach – collaboration between special and general education

Consistent with Federal Legislation

• Outlined in IDEA (2004): Process used in determining a

specific learning disability Up to 15% of funds can be used

for RtI• NCLB

IDEALocal education agencies (LEAs) may use a

student’s response to scientifically-based instruction as a part of the evaluation process; and (b) when identifying a disability, LEAs shall not be required to take into consideration whether a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability [P.L. 108-446, 614(b)(6)(A)].

Core Principles of RtI• High quality, research supported,

scientifically based curriculum and instructional practices

• Data driven decision making: initial assessment/screen, diagnostics, continuous progress monitoring

• Problem solving, team-based approach

3 Tier Model:

Tier 3:Intensive

Individual Intensive

Tier 2: Targeted Support

Selected studentsAdditional support

Tier 1: Classroom InstructionAll students

Preventive, proactive

Behavioral Academic

Tier 1: A Closer Look• Universal screening• Curriculum based measurements (CBM)• Student data against benchmarks

within curriculum and instructional processes

• Interventions within classroom setting by classroom teacher

Tier 2: A Closer Look• Targeted short-term interventions

to those students demonstrating need

• Supplemental support in addition to core instruction

• Small group• Frequent monitoring

Tier 3: A Closer Look• Intensive intervention• Longer term• Individualized program• More frequent monitoring

Problem Solving Model

Analyze:What is happening?

Develop a Plan:What should we do?

Evaluate:Did the plan work?

Define the Problem

Team-based Approach• School-based teams are formed • Referral process is followed• Teams make data driven

decisions, collaboratively with teachers and parents, to design learning plans for identified students

RtI and SE EligibilityTraditional:• Criteria: Discrepancy,

SLD exclusion factors

• Tests: Ability, achievement

• Comparison: National norms

RtI:• Criteria:

Performance against peers, low rate of progress

• Tests: Skill specific

• Comparison: District, school, classroom standards

RtI and SE EligibilityTraditional:• Tests: 1 or 2

sessions

• Assessment Targets: Indirect or general relationship to classroom behavior, intrinsic to child

• GE Curriculum: Minimal relationship

RtI:• Tests: Continuous,

over time• Assessment Targets:

Very specific skills, what a child can/cannot do – skills and performances

• GE Curriculum: Direct relationship

RtI and SE EligibilityTraditional:• Eligibility

Assessments and Intervention Relationship: Often little

• Info from Parents and Teachers: Typically supplemental

RtI:• Eligibility

Assessments and Intervention Relationship: Direct link

• Info from Parents and Teachers: Typically central

Source: NASDSE

Step 2: Form RtI District-Wide Committee

• Superintendent• Asst. Supt.• Principals• Teachers

• CST Members• Guidance• Directors: Special

Services & Testing

Step 3: Needs Assessment

• Reviewed all current curricular materials, programs

• Schedule• Personnel• Data

Key Programs in Place• Reading Recovery• Math Recovery• LAL standards-based, research

supported program• Literacy groups

Where to Start?• Originally: K-12• Decision to implement K-5 – most

applicable current programs are in this age group

• Partially implement grade 6

To Do List• Detrack Grades 2-6• Revise Schedule: math,

intervention time• Plan Tiered Interventions• Personnel Deployment

District RTI 4 Tier Model

• Tier 4: CST referral• Tier 3: intensive 1

on 1, individual practice

• Tier 2: small group, push-in

• Tier 1: infuse strategies into classroom practices

Tier 1General Education

Tier 2Interventions

Tier 3 Intensive Interventions

Tier 4 CST

Pyramid of Interventions

Our Tier 1• Curricular Initiatives:UbDDICurriculum MappingCBM: AIMS Web

Our Tier 1• Instructional Initiatives:Schools AttunedLiteracy trainingMath training• Goal: high quality, research

supported programs/practices

How we feel about this…

Progress Monitoring“Aims Web is useful as well. It is easy to watch

the progress the children are making or not making and it gives us the opportunity to keep a close eye on ALL. One very important aspect that makes RTI easy to follow is that we do not have to wait for the paperwork to be processed, sent home, sent back and approved by the parents. Now that it is under the umbrella of regular education it makes it VERY EASY to serve EVERY student.”

Helen, Interventionist

Our Tier 2• Push-in model• Goal: in-class support within

regular classroom setting through flexible grouping

Commentary on the Push-In Model

“Tier 2- I push in to two second grade classrooms for math. It is going very well. We team teach during the 2 to 3 days I am in with them . I find that the children are doing well and are very receptive to the different styles of teaching. Sometimes we alternate teaching while the other teacher watches the children’s responses and sometimes we make small groups.”

Helen, Interventionist

Commentary on the Push-In Model

“Co-teaching is working Great for me. I push-in (Tier 2) with grade 3 Reading and grade 3 Math. We work very well together. Sometimes, they teach a lesson or I do. Sometimes, we pull small groups or conference with individual students. I have been Strategic Monitoring all of my identified Tier 2 students in both subjects for concrete data. Unfortunately, due to my tier 3 schedule, I don’t get to stay for an entire period with either teacher, and I believe they would both like to keep me with them to complete lessons we start together.”

Dawn, Interventionist

Our Tier 3• Literacy Groups• Reading Recovery• Math Recovery• Supplemental instructional periods with

materials – Options (Options publishing)• Goal: provide intensive, supplemental

support that minimizes time out of classroom

How is this going?“Tier 3-Math Recovery is going very well. I

believe that the Everyday Math series correlates to the SNAP and Math Recovery program we have been using. The language is closely related to each other. I work closely with the classroom teacher to make sure the children are succeeding in their classrooms. During parent teacher conferences parents remarked on the program and that their children are improving greatly.”

Helen, Interventionist

How is this going?“Tier 3 is also going well. I take my Grade

1 Math Recovery students at all different times of the day and I progress monitor them through AIMS Web so I have additional concrete data. Math Recovery students are finding great success and making connections. Math Recovery is going well and the language is reciprocated in the classroom with Everyday Math.”

Dawn, Interventionist

Children Served: Ravine Drive School

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3

Tier 2

LAL

9 (5 + lit groups)

18

Tier 2

Math

8 5

Tier 3

LAL

23 (RR + lit groups)

3 3

Tier 3

Math

14 2 2

Ravine Drive School

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3

# exited (2/3-1)

3 2 1

# moved down a tier (3-2)

2 1 3

# CST 0 0 3

Strathmore School

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3

Tier 2

LAL

13 10 16

Tier 2

Math

0 10 11

Tier 3

LAL

9 1 3

Tier 3

Math

12 0 3

Strathmore School

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3

# exited 2 0 1

# moved down a tier

0 1 1

# CST 0 1 1

Lloyd Road School

Grade 4 Grade 5

Tier 2

LAL

35 37

Tier 2

Math

42 37

Tier 3

LAL

5 9

Tier 3

Math

10 8

Lloyd Road School

Grade 4 Grade 5

# exited 0 0

# moved down a tier

1 2

# CST 2 2

What are the Parents Saying?

Please see letter in packet

Jessie: Elementary Supervisor

“Through RtI, we are beginning to see a great deal of growth in collaboration and articulation among teachers.”

Wayne: Director and Principal

“This program is one of the best initiatives we have taken on to date. Our goal is to have all students reach their fullest potential.”

(30 years in district)

Helen: Director of Special Services

“RtI bridges the gaps between special education and general education. It allows for collaboration that has not occurred before and instead of children being seen as “mine” or “yours”, they are ours”.

Long Term Goals: Hopes and Aspirations

• Increase student learning• Decrease long term cost of Special

Education• Reduce number of at-risk students• Increase self-esteem and

classroom successes for children• Increase collaboration

Disclaimer….This is really (no, REALLY ) hard….• Second order change• Do things differently• See things differently• Be consistent and use mandates

Hurdles• Financial • Additional resources, especially in higher

grades• Co-Teaching – has become much more

accepted and rewarding as the year goes along

• Technology Use• DI

“To Do” Checklist• Communication• Buy in• Make connections - how it all fits

together• Take a piece at a time

Questions?

Contact InformationKimberly Honnickkhonnick@marsd.k12.nj.uswww.marsd.org(732) 705-4006

Helpful Websites• Individuals With Disabilities Education

Act• http://idea.ed.gov/• No Child Left Behind• http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml• What Works Clearinghouse• http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/• Jim Wright• http://www.interventioncentral.com/

Thank You!