Responsiveness to Instruction: Using a Problem Solving Model to Guide Student Support Team Decision Making Pender County Schools Summer 2009

Academic/Behavior Triangle

The Challenge  To improve achievement, we must provide instruction at the appropriate instructional level for each student

In Other Words…  …focus on intervention rather than on what is wrong with the student  …focus on the solution rather than the problem  …focus on addressing the needs of ALL students having difficulty, not just those with labels  …focus on ALL educators being responsible for ALL students

How is This Different?  Creates a shift in focus  Eliminates “wait to fail”  Early intervening to prevent failure  More efficient use of resources

Questions to Ponder  What do we expect our students to LEARN?  How will we know they've LEARNED it?  What will we do if they HAVEN'T LEARNED it?  What will we do if they ALREADY KNOW it?

-Rick DuFour “School Effectiveness must be assessed on the basis of results rather than intentions.”

-Fullan 2001  “All innovations worth their salt call upon people to question, and in some respects, change their behavior and their beliefs – even in cases where innovations are pursued voluntarily.”

Core Content K-12 Screenings/Benchmarking Parent/Teacher Conferences Parent/Teacher/ ”informal” resources PEP’s Progress Monitoring Student Support Team EC Referral Intensity of interventions increase Tier 1: Universal Tier 2: Targeted Tier 3: Intensive Responsiveness to Instruction

Tier I – Universal  Academic Core Content Benchmarking Assessments  Behavior Schoolwide PBS

Tier 2 - Targeted  Academic Data Analysis/Progress Monitoring PEPs Flexible Grouping Scheduling Informal Resources – Interventionists, mentors, grade level SST representative  Behavior Group Contingencies Small Group Skill Building

Tier 3 – Intensive Formal Problem Solving Model through Student Support Team  SST Referral  Student Support Plan Formalize hypothesis – adjust or change interventions from Tier 2 Increase intensity of intervention Progress monitor Tier 3 goal(s)

Tier 4 – EC Referral – Not the goal!  Completion of SST Documents = Pre-referral  Acceptance of SST Documents by IEP Team = Formal EC Referral and begins 90 day timeline  EC Process Begins

Pilot – North Topsail Elementary  Process of implementation – Starting year 2 of at least 3 years  School Psychologist implemented Responsiveness to Instruction – Problem Solving Model training  DATA!!! 10 students referred, 9 served up to Tier IV, all 9 qualified: 8 LD … 1 OHI

Model SST/Problem Solving Team School Administrator School Psychologist School Counselor Reading/Math Coach Grade Level Representative Speech/EC Representative (as needed)

Expectations  Commitment to professional development as a Professional Learning Community  Two year commitment by team members  Mandatory weekly meetings  Proactive and preventative demeanor  Team members viewed as leaders of school improvement  Team members do not have additional supervisory duties  Designated space for meeting and resources

Foundations of a Professional Learning Community 1. Collaboratively developed and widely shared mission, vision, values, and goals (fundamental purpose of schools) 2. Collaborative teams that work interdependently to achieve common goals 3. A focus on results as evidenced by a commitment to continuous improvement and a recognition that “Learning for All”is the purpose of schools

Responsiveness to Instruction “The practice of providing high quality instruction matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals and applying child response data to important educational decisions.”