Spotlight on Districts and Campuses Bonham Independent School District February 25, 2011

Background Too many students being pulled out of classroom for reading intervention A need to bridge the gap between campuses

Number of Students Pulled for Reading Intervention Grade Level Kinder 150 Total st 140 Total nd 160 Total RI 35 LS RI 30 LS 35 RI No LS 16 3 rd 160 Total RI 28 LS RI 27 LS RI 14 LS RI 10 LS

Paradigm Shift Saxon Phonics (whole group) Guided Reading (small group, differentiated instruction) DIBELS (progress monitoring, data-driven instruction)

A Need For RTI Use data to determine student needs Empower teachers to make instructional decisions using data Provide additional support to teachers if classroom instruction is not working Monitor students who were not being pulled for intervention Accountability

The Solution: An Enhanced RTI Process Assistant Principal/ RTI Coordinator:  Created forms to document interventions/ instruction  Scheduled meetings with teachers to discuss instructional strategies and set goals  Set follow up meetings to discuss student progress and next steps

The Solution: An Enhanced RTI Process Classroom Teachers:  Implemented research based interventions  Monitored student progress  Adjusted instruction according to student’s response to intervention

The Solution: An Enhanced RTI Process Reading Intervention Team:  Used DIBELS data to determine what students would receive pull-out intervention  Provided specific, targeted interventions based on student data  Progress monitored students weekly

Kindergarten Data

1 st Grade Data

What We Learned RTI:  Is about instruction;  Supports general education school improvement goals;  Focuses primarily on effective instruction to enhance student growth;  Provides intervention immediately upon student need

What We Learned At the heart of the RTI process in an effective instructional leader who ensures that all students receive high-quality, differentiated instruction that gives all students the opportunity to succeed.

What We Learned RTI is about problem-solving. Problem-solving means going beyond fulfilling procedural requirements and checklists to doing what it takes to resolve students’ learning problems.

What We Learned Guiding Principles of RTI 1. Scientific, research-based instruction and interventions 2. Assessment of the effects of instruction 3. Responsive teaching and differentiation 4. Regular monitoring of instruction and intervention delivery

Using What We Learned by Following the Guiding Principles of RTI 1. Implement scientific, research-based instruction and interventions Florida Center for Reading Research; Reading Mastery; Voyager; Waterford; Success Maker

Using What We Learned by Following the Guiding Principles of RTI 2. Assess the effects of instruction (i.e., child response data based on frequent progress monitoring) DIBELS progress monitoring probes; DRA

Using What We Learned by Following the Guiding Principles of RTI 3. Responsive teaching and differentiation/ Data-based decision making (i.e., using the child response data as the basis for decision making and instructional planning) RTI meetings; RTI notebooks

Using What We Learned by Following the Guiding Principles of RTI 4. Regular monitoring of instruction and intervention delivery Observations and feedback by administrators

Guiding Principles of RTI Each principle is part of an interrelated process which should be applied to every student. Instructional practices are evaluated and adjusted based on results of reliable, valid, and sensitive indicators of important student outcomes. If any piece is missing, the process breaks down.

How To Ensure That The Process Is Working Regular monitoring and accountability through observations and checklists by an independent observer who is well-versed in best teaching practices and the 5 components of reading (i.e., administrators)

Challenges Time/Scheduling Core Instruction (Tier I) Paradigm Shifts Changing Roles Funding Raising Expectations Building Capacity  Teacher Training  Professional Development  Research-based intervention resources

Next Steps 1. Improve Tier I (core instruction) Professional Development Increase observations and feedback 2. More fluidity within Tiers 3. Enhance RTI process for Math

Questions???

Contact Information Kelly Trompler – Curriculum Director Mary Lou Fox – Principal Julie Burnett – Instructional Specialist Karli Fowler – Reading Interventionist

Resources DIBELS Reading Mastery Florida Center for Reading Research Voyager Waterford ing_math_and_science.html Success Maker

Teachers Count! “The impact of the teacher is the single most powerful variable in explaining student reading achievement” (Nye et al., 2004).