Jim Wright The School Pre-Referral Intervention Team: A Checklist for Getting Started… Jim Wright

Jim Wright New Teacher Support Teams: Stages of Adoption 1.Finding a Good Fit. Team structured problem-solving process seems artificial. Members can experience some anxiety, frustration: ‘Why can’t we just have a natural conversation with the referring teacher?’ 2.Hitting Its Stride. Team starts to internalize the problem- solving model and find it more ‘natural’. Members begin to automatically use the model to frame any teacher concern. (Example: ‘So what do you think is the function, or ‘driver’, for this student’s calling out in class?’) 3.Getting the Word Out. Team feels confident in their process and skills, start to actively recruit staff to refer students.

Jim Wright Teacher Support Teams: Stages of Adoption (Cont.) 4.Building Capacity. Team finds that it receives many referrals for same problem (e.g., poor reading skills, lack of work completion). Decides to increase its capacity to handle these common referrals (e.g., setting up a peer tutoring program, building an intervention bank, offering mini-clinics to teachers in effective intervention techniques, etc.) 5.Planning for the Long-Term. The team recruits new members to join as current members rotate off. Staff understanding and use of problem-solving model becomes part of building’s culture.

Jim Wright Step 1: Assess Teacher Concerns Step 2: Inventory Student Strengths and Talents Step 3: Select Target Teacher Concerns Step 4: Set Goals Step 5: Design an Intervention Plan Step 6: Plan How to Share Information with the Student’s Parent(s) Step 7: Review the Intervention and Monitoring Plans SBIT Consultative Process

Jim Wright What should not be changed in the SBIT model? The school strives to have diverse representation on the team, including teachers Referring teachers are treated by the team as valued colleagues, with courtesy and respect The team follows the general 7-step problem- solving model All team members share the rotating roles (facilitator, recorder, time-keeper, case liaison) The team uses ‘research-based’ interventions The team measures student progress to determine whether interventions are effective

Jim Wright What can be changed in the SBIT model? Forms can be changed (e.g., different terms, simplified layout, etc.) to meet school’s needs Meeting time can be shortened or lengthened Meetings can be held more or less frequently Team can decide to target specific building populations (e.g., grades 1-3; special education students; all initial student referrals, etc.)

Jim Wright

Jim Wright Intervention Team: Next Steps… Step 1: Establish a clear team process and meeting procedures, to include: selecting a regular meeting time that is most convenient for team members and referring teachers. finding a suitable meeting place. establishing a system for responding promptly to teacher referrals. working out procedures for communicating efficiently among all team members.

Jim Wright Intervention Team: Next Steps… Step 2: Publicize your team and its services to your faculty, other staff, and parents by: scheduling time at a faculty meeting to present a team overview. presenting brief ‘updates’ about your intervention team at faculty meetings throughout the school year. writing up a short team description and placing it in all teacher mailboxes. presenting a workshop on the intervention team to your PTO. offering occasional professional-development ‘clinics’ for staff on common intervention topics.

Jim Wright Intervention Team: Next Steps… Step 3: Create an inventory of resources in your building that your team can use by: making a list of locations around the school that can be used as space for interventions. writing down names of staff volunteers willing to help with implementing and/or monitoring interventions. creating a directory of staff willing to serve on your intervention team whose training or professional experience gives them expertise in key intervention topics (e.g., reading instruction, behavior management). identifying instructional materials, rewards, etc., available in school to use with interventions.

Jim Wright Intervention Team: Next Steps… Step 4: Try out the team roles, meeting procedures using referrals from team members before taking referrals from the entire school. Follow all meeting steps: The referring team member completes a written referral. A case liaison is assigned to collect classroom information, academic and behavioral-baseline data. An initial meeting is scheduled for at least 90 minutes. Team roles (i.e., facilitator, recorder, case liaison, time- keeper) are assigned prior to the meeting. Formal intervention, monitoring plans are developed. A follow-up meeting is scheduled to review progress. Time is reserved at the end of each meeting to debrief.