Building District Capacity to use RTI for SLD Eligibility Joyce Woods, Director of Student Services Tigard Tualatin School District Sally Helton, ORTIi Implementation Coach

Why we do RTI Rob’s words....Students ALL RECIVE EVIDENCE BASED HIGH QUALITY JOYOUS INSTRUCTION! are screened immediately on entry, placed in interventions, progress monitored... We have to insist that every student every student receives excellent instruction Since the inception of Oregon RTI in 2005-2006, students in school districts participating in Oregon RTI were more likely to meet or exceed on OAKS Reading than students in Oregon school districts non participating in Oregon RTI, in any given year OrRTI Districts = All districts that have participated at least 2 years with OrRTI as a full support district Non OrRTI Districts = All other Oregon school districts

Evidence-based Core and Interventions make a difference CADRES 5-8: 79% of OrRTI districts decreased the percentage of 3rd graders in the high risk range (Avg decrease of 5.6%)

SLD Data: Cadre 8 1st year in ORTIi % of students (K-5) Identified as Specifically Learning Disabled (SLD)

SLD Data: Cadre 9 1st year in ORTIi % of students (K-5) Identified as Specifically Learning Disabled (SLD)

SLD Data: Cadre 10 1st year in ORTIi % of students (K-5) Identified as Specifically Learning Disabled (SLD)

Effect of RTI Implementation on Student Outcomes Average % of 1st – 3rd graders in each reading risk category (by level of implementation) Proficient Some Risk High Risk 5 Districts with Highest Implementation = Sutherlin, Creswell, Milton-Freewater, Brookings Harbour, Gladstone 5 Districts with Lowest Implementation= Jefferson County, Jefferson, Rainier, Neah-Kah-Nie, Scappoose Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Fall 2014 Spring 2015 5 Districts with Highest Implementation (as measured by DIET-SB2) 5 Districts with Lowest Implementation (as measured by DIET-SB2)

Technical & Adaptive Support Data- Based Decision Making ORTIi Essential Components ORTIi Essential Components SLD Decision Making Vision Standards of Practice Communi c-ation Technical & Adaptive Support Teaming Structures Data- Based Decision Making Decision Rules Ongoing & Embedded : Training Coaching Fidelity Progress Monitoring Interventions Screening/Early Warning System Core/Coordinated Literacy Leadership Culture: High expectations for all student populations, belief that all student populations can learn, belief that the measurement of how well I teach is how well they learn Leadership: Teaming/DBDM: Disaggregate data, Professional Learning & Support: Core: Sheltered instruction, implicit, opportunities to respond, Teaming/Data-Based Decision Making Professional Learning & Support Culture High Expectations For ALL Student Populations

What is our goal? District A District B Goal is to improve outcomes for students...labeled not labeled-students deserve services to improve outcomes. Does your district have a system to smoothly transition a student through a multi-tiered system of supports? Are all stakeholders aware of the child’s needs and instruction which garners results? Effective-communication all along the way- data and results driven, or ate we white knuckling, fingers crossed hoping for a label and then “problem” is passed along? Is our system for working in concert for achievement all along the way, monitoring and adjusting? What is your hope for your district?

Targets Develop policy & procedures Train staff Monitor Practices What is the scope of the work? “Just do it!” Why wait? What are we waiting for?

Implementation is Messy Implementation is messy but to develop fluency we have to begin, we start somewhere and we improve all along the way...We do not wait to start eating until we have perfected eating clean...to get Colby eating indecently he had start holding the spoon, First we

And We’re Never “Done”

And We’re Never “Done”

But Getting Started is Easy!

Infrastructure Steps Develop Policy & Procedures Train Staff Monitor Practice

Policy Development A set of expectations/standards that you set to ensure quality performance/care. Curriculum Adoption Policy Sustainability Show sample policies Special Education Policy? Anti-Bully Policy

Policy Statement Examples Purple Handout

OARS TTSD Policy 581-015-2170 Specific Learning Disability (f) For a student evaluated using a model that is based on the student’s strengths and weaknesses, the evaluation must include an assessment of the student’s strengths and weaknesses in classroom performance and academic achievement, relative to age, Oregon grade-level standards, or intellectual development. Note: The district does not use this approach in determining a Specific Learning Disability. All SLD evaluations are conducted using an RTI problem solving approach.

What are two things you notice about TTSD’s policy statement?

What do you need to do to develop policy for RTI eligibility? Leadership support to develop a policy Superintendent School board Sped Dept. OARs Samples of district RTI policies Write it!

Redefine Roles of Staff Who: Special Education Staff Special Education Teachers School Psychologists Related Services Principals General Education Teachers

Federal Register (OSEP): Nov 2010 Myth: The Definition of SLD Mandates Evaluation of Cognitive Processing Federal Register (OSEP): “The Department does not believe that an assessment of psychological or cognitive processing should be required in determining whether a child has an SLD.”

Not helpful! “There is no current evidence that such assessments are necessary or sufficient for identifying SLD. Further, in many cases, these assessments have not been used to make appropriate intervention decisions.”

Burdensome! ..…In many cases, assessments of cognitive processes simply add to the testing burden and do not contribute to interventions… ” (Federal Register, vol. 72, no. 156, p.46651)

Changing Role of the School Psychologist School Psychologist Job Description: Major Function: Assessment &Interpretation Conducts tests and evaluates the needs and educational programs of referred students; acts as a consultant to staff and parents regarding student learning concerns; and assists in team planning and screening efforts within assigned buildings.

Changing Role of the School Psychologist School Psychologist Job Description: General Duties Summary: Advocate for every child’s academic, emotional, behavioral, and social development in school communities where all students are known, respected, and safe.

Changing Role of the School Psychologist Provide a leadership role in the development and delivery of school-wide and classroom-based behavior and academic programs. Provide leadership to schools’ Effective Behavior Support (EBS) teams. Model the use of school-wide, group, and individual data for effective decision-making using … protocols. Help to develop and deliver school-wide positive acknowledgement systems… Help to develop and deliver school-wide consequence systems that decrease occurrences of negative behavior. Implement programs that support the school-wide system of behavior and instructional support.

Review Job Descriptions What is one thing that you want to replicate?

Plan to communicate Who What Policy Staff Roles School board Staff Community and parents

Procedure Development An established or accepted way of a series of actions that are done in a certain way or order. Airplane Medical Human Resources Special Education?

Special Education Procedures Referral Evaluation Planning Meeting Conduct Evaluation Review progress monitoring & intervention information Observation Additional supporting data Eligibility Meeting IEP Meeting

Procedures

Procedure Review Take 3 minutes to review the sample procedures document independently Tell your partner how you think the form supports the staff in conducting an evaluation using RTI for SLD eligibility

How do you develop your procedures? Determine how your current district procedures are aligned to using RTI for SLD eligibility. Determine what needs to be changed to have them support using RTI for SLD eligibility? Ensure clarity and usability

Procedure Document Resources http://www.ontario.k12.or.us/fileadmin/osd/Student_Services/Section_1_Special_Education_Procedures_Manual_and_Resource_Guide.pdf   http://www.ontario.k12.or.us/fileadmin/osd/Student_Services/2013_2014_OSD_SPED_Manual.pdf http://www.ontario.k12.or.us/fileadmin/osd/Student_Services/IA_Manual.pdf https://portal.ttsd.k12.or.us/iVisions/LinkClick.aspx?link=Student+Services%2fSped%2f2013-14+FINAL+TTSD+SPED+Manual+-+1st+Section.pdf&tabid=137&mid=824

Infrastructure Steps Develop Policy & Procedures Train Staff Monitor Practice

Professional Learning Beliefs Knowledge Skills Behaviors Professional learning refers to planned and organized processes that actively engage educators in cycles of continuous improvement guided by the use of data and active inquiry around authentic problems and instructional or leadership practices.

What do you train for SLD Eligibility? Beliefs Develop strong RTI belief systems All kids can learn RTI maximizes the academic growth of all students RTI is a valid way of identifying SLD eligibility

What do you train for SLD Eligibility? Skills: Train: RTI Components Core, Screening, Data-Based Teaming, Interventions, Progress Monitoring, SLD Train: Eligibility Decisions Low skills Slow progress Instructional need Exclusionary factors

Partner Talk What might be your biggest training needs?

How do you build your capacity?

When a system looks to accountability on the back end to support implementation, there likely was not enough done around capacity building on the front end. (Fullan, 2014).

Infrastructure Steps Develop Policy & Procedures Train Staff Monitor Practice

Accurate and consistent application of an agreed upon procedure. Fidelity Accurate and consistent application of an agreed upon procedure.

Fidelity is about setting criteria to measure success and areas for improvement. It does not mean we stop or wait for perfection...we monitor and adjust all along the way.

Developing a Culture of Fidelity It’s not about a “gotcha”..... It is about “how is it going and how can I support you?”

Considerations of RTI Fidelity for SLD Eligibility Special Education Eligibility requires a standardized process Do you have a reading protocol? Do you have a consistent decision making process (decision rules, meetings)? How do you monitor it? Do you provide supports as a result of the monitoring?

How well are we implementing?

Review Staff Survey Data

And OASIS Data

Conduct a File review

System Readiness: Just do it!

What impacts student achievement? Which are you committed to? Effective teaching variables Effect size Other variables Student expectations +1.44 Socioeconomic Status +0.57 Response to Intervention +1.07 Parental Involvement +0.51 Formative Evaluation +0.90 Computer based instruction* +0.37 Teacher Clarity +0.7 5 School Finances +0.23 Reciprocal Teaching +0.7 4 Aptitude by Treatment Interactions* +0.19 Feedback +0.7 3 Family Structure +0.17 Teacher-Student Relationships +0.7 2 Retention -0.16 *Effect of computer based instruction not any higher as technology has increased *There is no research support for ATI’s. Kids benefits from instruction that uses multiple modalities Talk time – With a partner, talk about one variable that makes sense, and one variable that is a surprise. John Hattie, Visible Learning, 2009

Despite “dire predictions” few child find issues with RTI itself LAW: …thus far no published court decision has specifically concerned RTI and child find, and the few pertinent hearing officer decisions have been deferential to school districts (e.g., Cobb County School District, 2012; Joshua Independent School District, 2010). (Betesh, Brown, Thompson, & Zirkel, 2012)

“Get Started”

What is holding you back from using RTI for SLD eligibility? Partner Talk What is holding you back from using RTI for SLD eligibility?

Back to District A and B

Thank You!