Response to Instruction

EdPower 2013

CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN NEED

Estimated 1 in 10 adolescents experience a serious mental health disorder (Surgeon General’s Report, 2000)

Approximately 31% of 4th graders are proficient in reading. Among poor and minority populations, only 16% are proficient (NCES, 2005)

In math, only 35% of 4th graders are proficient (NCES, 2005)

5.1% of youth aged 12-18 report some form of victimization at school (NCES, 2005)

29% of schools report significant acts of bullying (NCES, 2005)

10% of 16-24 year olds not enrolled in school and have no diploma/GED (NCES, 2003)

A Freshman semester with 2 F grades, decreases likelihood of graduating to 44%, 3 F grades to 31%. (Deshler, Hock, & Catts, 2006)

Significant increases in students identified for special education services. 319% increase

of Other Health Impaired, 36% increase of Specific Learning Disabilities categories.

RESEARCHER ROUNDTABLE ON SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES

There should be alternate ways to identify SLD. The main criticisms were:

“wait to fail” model

Misidentification

Disproportionality

SLD

• The definition of SLD:• IDEA defines the term "specific learning disability" as "a disorder in one

or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations." More specifically, in using RTI to determine SLD, the U.S. Department of Education says that an LEA (local education agency) must comply with the criteria adopted by the SEA (state education agency) regarding this requirement.  Section 300.304(b) states that in conducting an evaluation, a public agency must use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to gather relevant functional, developmental and academic information about the child. This includes obtaining any data from a parent that may assist in determining eligibility. The public agency may not use any single measure or assessment as the only factor in determining whether a child has a disability and for developing an appropriate education program for the child.**

SLD DETERMINATION IDEA 2004

New language in the law:

“…a local education agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to scientific, research-based intervention as a part of the evaluation procedures…”

Sec. 614(b)6B [emphasis added]

In the special education research literature, the process mentioned in this language is generally considered as referring to RTI.

WHAT IS RTI

• Response to Instruction is a systemic process that ensures ALL students learn.

• A three tier approach with increasing levels of intensity based on progress monitoring.

• A framework for prevention, advancement, and early intervention which involves determining if students are learning and progressing optimally.

RTI IS NOT

• A stand-alone special education initiative.• A means for just getting more students into

special education.• A method for just increasing or decreasing special

education numbers.• Focused primarily on disability determination and

documented through a checklist.

GOALS OF RTI

• Prevention of academic/behavior problems• Attend to skill gaps early• Provide interventions/instruction early• Close skill gaps to prevent failure

• Determination of eligibility as a student with a specific learning disability• Pattern of inadequate response to interventions may

result in referral to special education• Student intervention response data are considered for

SLD eligibility

WHAT DOES RTI IMPLEMENTATION LOOK LIKE?

1. Students receive high quality, research-based instruction by qualified staff in their general education setting.

2. General education instructors and staff assume an active role in students’ assessment in that curriculum.

3. School staff conduct universal screening of (a) academics and (b) behavior.

4. School staff implement specific, research-based interventions to address the student’s difficulties.

OTHER FEATURES OF RTI

5. Continuous progress monitoring of student performance occurs (weekly or biweekly).

6. School staff use progress-monitoring data and decision rules to determine interventions’ effectiveness and needed modifications.

7. Systematic assessment of the fidelity or integrity with which instruction and interventions are implemented.

BENEFITS OF RTI

• Eliminates a “wait to fail” situation because students get help immediately within the general education setting.

• Gets teachers implementing better teaching practices in their classrooms.

• Opens communication between teachers about concerns over individual students.

WHY USE A SCHOOL-WIDE TIERED SYSTEM APPROACH?

The best way to address problems is to prevent them before they happen.

Achievement of all students is everyone’s responsibility within a school.

Early intervention to promote success is critical to future school achievement.

Early intervention requires accurate identification of children at risk for failure.

Assessment, instruction, and meaningful outcomes for students must be aligned.

STANDARD TREATMENT PROTOCOL APPROACH TO

RESPONSIVE-TO-INTERVENTION• The standard treatment is for the student to

receive a validated, intense intervention• The bad news is that all students receive the

same intervention• The good news is that the interventions are

well-specified, sequenced with clear outcomes • The interventions are more likely to be

delivered with fidelity; training is consistent• Increases the consistency of services; easy to

check for implementation

RTI REFERRAL

• Teacher completes RTI referral on scholar. All forms are located on google docs.

• RTI team meets to discuss scholar with teacher. • RTI team reconvenes in 2 weeks to review progress. Teacher

submits Tier 1 documentation. If progress has not been made, scholar is moved to TIER 2 and teacher is given an intervention action plan to implement.

• RTI team meets in 2-3 to discuss progress of scholar. If progress is small or absent, scholar will be referred to TIER 3. Scholar will receive interventions in a one on one or more individualized setting.

• Upon completion of TIER 3, if scholar has made progress, they may return to TIER 1 or 2 or be removed from RTI. However, if progress is not made in TIER 3, scholar may be referred for special education assessments.

SCENARIO 1

• Scenario 1 • Cecilia is a 3rd grader who has never been retained. She lives with her• grandmother. Her mother does not want her, and her father has just been• released from jail. Her eye exam shows she needs glasses; she does not• yet have them. Grandmother states Cecilia was on medication, but the• doctor stopped them. This is Cecilia’s third school since starting school in• kindergarten. The teacher reports Cecilia can read words, but has a difficult

time• comprehending. Additionally, the teacher reports her behavior is disruptive,• especially when she is around her sister. She is most disruptive in P.E.,• music, lunch, and transitional periods. She has better control of her• behavior in the classroom. She is currently failing all of her subjects.

SCENARIO 2

• Gerald is a tenth grade transfer student from another high school in the• city. He is 17 years old. Gerald attended three elementary schools and• two middle schools. He currently lives with his aunt and uncle. Gerald• wears glasses, when he remembers. Gerald qualifies for Section 504; his• disability is diabetes. A review of Gerald’s attendance shows he has 30

unexcused and 3• excused absences as of March. He is currently failing ELA, math, and• science. When asked about his strengths and weaknesses, his teachers• state he is absent too much to really know. When in class, Gerald is quiet.• He does not turn in assignments. Teachers cannot state whether his• current 504 accommodations are appropriate because he is not in class• consistently enough to implement them. Gerald passed the ISTEP Reading and

Math tests in seventh grade. Since that time, he has failed to pass the ISTEP or ECA. He has not taken any companion courses to address the failures. Although tutoring classes are

• available after school, Gerald does not attend. There have been no parent/teacher conferences with Gerald’s aunt or uncle.

SCENARIO 3

• JaMarquarin is a 15 year old 7th grader. He has been suspended 7 days in the first 20 days of school. He has NWEA scores in the bottom 5%. He is failing all subjects except Math and P.E.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

• Parental/Family involvement crucial part of effective RTI process. Parent letter MUST be sent home

• Families should be notified of the teacher concerns and plan as soon as possible.

• Meet with family to discuss concerns and planned interventions.

CONTINUUM OF SCHOOL- WIDE INSTRUCTION

TIER 1

• Universal screening and progress monitoring to provide information about a student’s learning rate individually and in comparison with the peer group.

• Whole Group/Core Instruction• This is supported entirely in the gen ed setting and

primarily by the gen ed teacher.• Make sure you are keeping records indicating the

multiple ways you have tried to help the student you feel may need to benefit from the RTI model.

• Students not showing adequate progress are moved to Tier 2.

TIER 2

• Students are not making adequate progress in the regular classroom in Tier 1.

• Increase rate of interventions. Possible change to interventions or creation of new, more intensive interventions (time and/or space).

• Exceptional Learners team intervene for assistance with interventions intensity.

• Monitor progress over a period of time, not to exceed one month.

• Done in addition to Tier 1.

TIER 3

• Examine “intensive” interventions• Assumption is more of the “problem” lies within

the student.• Implement additional one on one intensive

interventions.• Monitor student progress closely.• Continue to document activities/progress

regularly.• Done in addition to Tier 1 & Tier 2.

WHICH STUDENTS MAY HAVE A LEARNING GAP?

• Low income • Culturally diverse • English language learners• Special education • Disengaged • Male or female• Career and technical education • Gifted education

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

• Meeting diverse needs of diverse student population

• Differentiating based on content and student strengths and needs

• Choosing curriculum components to differentiate• Within the core curriculum• Consistent with state learning standards

WHAT NEXT?

• Document Baseline• Progress Monitor• Determine if Progress has been made• Chart Results

RTI AS PART OF SLD IDENTIFICATION

• Necessary for determining expected response or inadequate response to intervention

• Considering• Expected level of achievement of peer group• Target for this student• Movement toward the target• Trajectory of improvement, or lack thereof