Problem Solving Response-to-Intervention Bringing Theory to Practice Watergrass Elementary School June 2009

Getting Started RtI Defined Success Stories Putting it into Practice Next Steps

PS/RTI: RECAP Quick Summary

RtI is defined as…. The practice of providing high quality instruction and using data over time to make important educational decisions.

Connecting to our Vision

Tiered levels of services is defined as … The practice of providing support to students based upon need rather than categories.

IT III: COMPREHENSIVE INTERVENTION: I T I: UNIVERSAL INTERVENTION: PS/RtI Model Intervention Tier I ALL STUDENTS 80-90% of Students Respond I Tier II 10-15% of Students I Tier III 5% of Students Behavior Academic IT III: COMPREHENSIVE INTERVENTION: I T I + IT II + Students with Intensive Needs Problem Solving and Progress Monitoring Specialized Procedures, of Longer Duration Frequent, Assessment-Based IT II: SUPPLEMENTAL INTERVENTION: I T I + Targeted Group Interventions Problem Solving to Identify Students At-Risk Implement Standard Treatment Protocol High Efficiency, Rapid Response Problem-Solving/Response to Intervention is simply monitoring a response to an intervention. It is looking at the core curriculum and instruction to see that it is maximizing the student learning long before a team supplements instruction or refers a student to special program or services. I T I: UNIVERSAL INTERVENTION: School-Wide Systems Implement Core Instruction All Students, All Settings Preventive, Proactive

Problem Solving is defined as… A process to determine: what a student needs to do to be more successful why the student is not doing what we want them to do which evidence-based high quality instructional practices to use what data should be collected, how often is should be collected, and what progress is considered “good”

Provide a student-centered atmosphere that will empower all learners to achieve their highest potential. Do we really believe that all children can learn at high levels? Do we really believe that decisions are best made with data? Do we believe that our first focus should be on improving core instruction (TIER I)? Do we believe our instruction should meet students’ needs? Do we believe that the actions we take as educators can impact student learning?

Response to Intervention: Activities at an exemplary school Providing high quality instruction Best Practices/research based instructional strategies, scientifically proven curriculum materials, ongoing professional development activities related to student needs, administrative monitoring of implementation Using Data Overtime Ongoing data collection Classroom assessments-informal running records, writing work samples, benchmark and unit assessments FAIR (formally known as DIBELS) Important Educational Decisions using Problem Solving Data Feedback Meetings, Administrative Student Progress Reviews, Teacher Based Intervention Teams, School Based Intervention Teams, Lead Literacy Team Meetings, Grade Level Meetings

PS/RtI Example Walkthrough In order to implement RtI, you need a few pieces of infrastructure: Capacity to Problem-Solve Capacity to Collect Data, and Make Sense of it Capacity to Display Data Over Time Capacity to deliver instruction at different intensities (Tiered-levels of services)

PS/RtI Example Walkthrough: Collect Relevant Data and Problem ID

PS/RtI Example Walkthrough: Problem ID We need to do something, collect data over time, and ask ourselves if it worked. Tier I: We provide instruction to ALL kids, collect classwide/schoolwide data over time and ask “Did it work?” Based upon the data, does it appear to be working?

PS/RtI Example Walkthrough: Problem Analysis & Intervention Dev Hypotheses A, B, C Hypothesis A: Not confirmed Hypothesis B: Confirmed Hypothesis C: Not confirmed Intervention Development Based upon Hypothesis B, Instructional Technique Y seems to be needed

RTI: Did it Work?

PS/RtI Example Walkthrough: Tier II Most students should respond to the core Some students will need more (Tier II) Tier II: We provide more instruction for some groups of AT-RISK kids, collect group data over time and ask “Did it work?”

PS/RtI Example Walkthrough: Tier III Most students should respond to the core + supplemental Some students will need even more (Tier III) Tier III: We provide even more intense instruction for some individual kids, collect individual data over time and ask “Did it work?”

Problem Solving 4th grade Curriculum Issues Donna-dilemna was there was no curriculum, all the teachers did their own thing, worried about declining test scores, no materials/resources to work with-until this document came from the state and district. -started PS Team-what to do about the writing scores-and though our Strategic Planning, we decided to use this document and some Annenburg videos with 4th grade teachers -our goal was to ensure we were using best practices, structured the hour writing block with writing workshop, and created a timeline for common prioritized assignments/lessons -Again, aligning-knowledge, resources, research, materials---to ensure we were providing high quality instruction in writing

Components/Implementation of Writing Workshop Donna

Donna

Personal Reflections What is the reality in my grade/team/classroom today? Is the core sufficient? Why? Why Not? Exactly what is it we/I want all students to know? Do? Understand? Is it happening? How will we/I know when students have acquired the essential skills and knowledge? What happens in my grade/team/classroom when a student or group of students do not make adequate progress?

Ticket out the Door High quality instruction Using data over time Making important instructional decisions

Thank You for Your Time!