RTI and Special Education: Making sense of it all!

2 Training Objectives  Think critically about Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)  Explore the relationship between Response to Intervention and SLD  Gain a deeper understanding of the SLD Criteria Checklist

3 Specific Learning Disability: is 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… - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

4 Response to Intervention: is the practice of providing high quality instruction to all students while using ongoing assessments to monitor student progress to make data-based instructional decisions through collaborative team processes. -Montana RTI Framework Guide:

5 The State of Learning Disabilities

6 UP to 40% of children identified for special education were there because they weren’t taught to read rather than because they had a true disability. -Presidential commission on special education report, 2002.

7 Academic Skill Deficits  In both academic areas, at least a fifth of students with LD are five or more grade levels behind their enrolled grade.  Close to half of students with LD (45% for reading, 44% for math) test more than three grade levels behind. Cortiella, C. (2009). The State of Learning Disabilities. New York, NY: National Center for Learning Disabilities.

8  Number of students with LD has declined each year since 2000, falling by 9% between 2000 and Cortiella, C. (2009). The State of Learning Disabilities. New York, NY: National Center for Learning Disabilities.

9 Possible Reasons for Decrease:  Expansion and attention to early childhood education;  Improvements in reading instruction, making reading difficulties less prevalent;  Shift in identification approaches, including the use of RTI;  Changes in definitions of various special education disability categories.

10 What RTI Is and What RTI Is Not RTI IS…RTI IS NOT… An initiative that supports general education school improvement goals A stand-alone special education initiative Intended to help as many students as possible meet proficiency standards without special education A means for just getting more students into special education A method to unify general and special education in order to benefit students through greater continuity of services A method for just increasing or decreasing special education numbers Focused primarily on effective instruction to enhance student growth Focused primarily on disability determination and documented through a checklist

11 “RTI is about showing whether any intervention – general or special – achieves the goal of improving student outcomes.” Brown-Chidsey, R. (2005). Response to Intervention: Principles and Strategies for Effective Practice. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

12 What has OPI developed to support the RTI and Special Education processes?  Criteria for Specific Learning Disability (RTI)  RTI Documentation side-by-side  RTI Evidence Report for LD Criteria Checklist (RTIE)

13 Why was the RTI Evidence Report developed?  Districts were using the RTI process before they were ready.  We started to see some huge files at the pilot schools.  Other states had started.  We like developing forms.

14 Intended use  Summarize the RTI Process.  To assist in documenting the requirements of the RTI criteria checklist.  Cut down on paper work.

15 RTI Evidence Report  Is this form required? NO, but the documentation asked for in the report is required.  If we use this form, where does it go? Attach it as a part of the Evaluation Report

16 Example:

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20 Interventions should be:  Linked to a defined goal.  Specific and systematically applied.  Responsive to student need.

21 Interventions are not…  Accommodations  Assessments, evaluations, screenings  Classroom observations  Advice or consultations  Places/Locations

22 Examples of Interventions  Research-based Reading Intervention (corrective reading, reading mastery)  Re-teach and Pre-teach of specific skills (teaching vowel patterns).  Walk to Math (small groups)  Number Worlds (small group re- teach)

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24 Example:

25 Example:

26 Self Assessment  Does your school have each of these essential components in place?  Would you have the information necessary to fill out this form completely?

27 How do I know if my district is ready to use the RTI Criteria Checklist?  It will be explicitly stated in the program narrative. Ask the Authorized Rep (typically the Superintendent)  If you are not sure what the district program narrative says, ask your sped director, principal or superintendent.

28 Program Narrative Excerpt C.IN-SCHOOL (AGES 6 THROUGH 18) (1)Referral procedures, including teacher assistance teams, parent referrals and referrals from other sources; and follow-up procedures for referral and evaluation. (2) Include a description of the procedures the district uses to ensure that all initial evaluations are conducted within the 60-day timeline established in 34 CFR (c). (3) This district uses the following procedures for SLD identification: RTI; Discrepancy. If the district has elected to use a response to scientific research based intervention in learning disability identification, it must identify the subject areas (language arts, math, reading), grades and schools for which such procedures apply.

29 If our district is not ready, what should we do in the meantime?  Continue good work on implementation.  Keep the special education requirements in mind while developing RTI policies and procedures.

30 “RTI is about showing whether any intervention – general or special – achieves the goal of improving student outcomes.” Brown-Chidsey, R. (2005). Response to Intervention: Principles and Strategies for Effective Practice. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

31 Questions, Comments & Feedback Paula Schultz Office of Public Instruction