Response to Instruction (RtI) Implementation

Fall 2011

A MULTI-TIERED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION

WHY RTI?

No Child Left Behind requires research based instruction/interventions by general education teachers for at-risk students

Reading

Math

Behavior

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S MULTI-TIERED

INSTRUCTION MODEL

INTERVENTIONS VS. ACCOMMODATIONS

Interventions

Improve student skills

Scientific research based

Examples: Small group instruction Pre-teaching

Level the playing field

Are not designed to improve skills

Examples: Preferential seating Extended time on tests Copy of class notes

Accommodations

Teachers should use appropriate accommodations for all students.

TIER I (ALL STUDENTS)

General education teacher is responsible

Research based strategies/programs are implemented for all students

Essential standards are re-taught if needed

Enrichment activities are provided if needed

Differentiated instruction is required

Content, process, and product based on student need is scaffolded

Time to meet with small groups to address gaps in learning is set aside

TIER II

General education teacher is responsible

Research based strategies/programs are implemented for identified students (different from Tier I program)

Formative assessments are used regularly

Identify students who need additional support

Target specific learning needs

Small group instruction occurs often

Provided by general education teacher

Directly targets a skill deficit

TIMELY, STRUCTURED, MANDATORY

Focus on the cause of the student’s struggle rather than the symptom (i.e. letter grade, disruptive behavior, etc.)

Analyze universal screening data (DIBELS, AIMSweb, document review, etc.) to identify students lacking prerequisite skills

Provide targeted support before delivering core instruction to identified students

This is more than just RETEACHING!

DOCUMENTATION FOR TIER II

Lesson plans for intervention listing date, students, time, and intervention

Behavior contracts with anecdotal notes (Ex. behavior charts)

Charts documenting daily interventions

Student self assessments to determine effectiveness of intervention over time

Documentation of parent notification

Etc.

TIER III

Exact plan is determined by SST based on student needs

Academic Interventionist or SBR Teacher is responsible

SBR program guarantees intensive support

Intervention is provided in addition to core instruction and with greater intensity and time

Intervention is intensive, individualized, and based on a problem-solving approach

Progress is monitored to determine actual rate of improvement (ROI)

CURRICULUM BASED MEASUREMENT (CBM)

CBM was initially developed more than 20 years ago by Stanley Deno and others at the University of Minnesota Institute for Research on Learning Disabilities to develop a reliable and valid measurement system for evaluating basic skills growth.

CBM is supported by 30 years of school-based research.

CBM is endorsed by the United States Department of Education as a method for assessing student progress.

AIMSWEB IS A CURRICULUM BASED MEASUREMENT

WHY CBM?

Direct measure of student performance

Correlates strongly with “best practices” for instruction and assessment

Correlates strongly with research-supported methods for assessment and intervention

Focus is on repeated measures of performance

Rainbow Report

THE DATA HELPS EDUCATORS ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS:

How are the majority of students progressing who receive general education instruction? (RTI-80% + 15%)

Who are the students who are at-risk of academic failure? (RTI- 5%)

How are the “high flyers” doing and are they progressing?

WHEN DO I REFER A STUDENT TO STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM (SST)?

When the documentation of intervention shows:

Student is not making progress in identified area of reading or math

Intervention for behavioral concern is not effective

Significant deficits in reading, math, or behavior identified by universal screeners

STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM (SST)

The SST is responsible for the decisions which ensure that:

students receive instruction and interventions matched to their identified needs,

appropriate progress monitoring tools are utilized to provide evidence of students’ response to instruction and intervention, and

progress monitoring data are used to make timely instructional decisions which maximize student outcomes.

STRUCTURE OF STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS

Elementary Teams

Counselor

General Education Teacher(s)

Presenting Teacher

Academic Interventionist

Reading Coach

Special Education Teacher

Administrator

Others as needed

Secondary Teams

Counselors

Administrator

Special Education Teacher

General Education Teacher

Others as needed

FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF MEETINGS

Determined at the school level with a minimum of once monthly

Each referred student’s data should be reviewed by the SST monthly

SST RESPONSIBILITIES

1 - Ensures that screening data are gathered and utilized to verify Tier I instruction.

2 – Ensures that tiers of differentiated, scientific, research-based instruction and intervention are provided with consistency.

3 – Ensures that decisions are based on screening procedures, benchmark testing, and progress monitoring.

SST RESPONSIBILITIES

4 – Ensures that screening and assessment data are used in selecting individual student interventions.

5 – Ensures that an intervention plan includes measurable intervention goals.

6 – Ensures that appropriate progress monitoring tools are used.

7 – Ensures that student progress monitoring is conducted at a minimum of 2 times per month for each student in Tier III.

SST RESPONSIBILITIES

8 – Reviews progress monitoring data on a specified schedule.

-Data should be graphed

-Goal ROI and Achieved ROI should be available for discussion

SST RESPONSIBILITIES

9 – Ensures that parents of students receiving Tier III intervention are provided with regular data-based intervention progress reports with report cards and mid-term progress reports.

10- Ensures that students transitioning out of Tier III are monitored to ensure continued success.

HOW IS SST DIFFERENT FROM BBSST?

It is NOT a plan of accommodations but a plan of interventions

Plan must include SBR programs/interventions for reading, math and behavior

Measurable goals must be included. Baseline score is determined

Desired score is identified

ROI is calculated:

Progress monitoring is on-going and reported to parents