1. Understanding Problem-Solving and Response to Intervention: An Overview
FCA Conference
Daytona Beach, 2007
Rich Downs
School Counseling Consultant
Student Support Services Project
Florida Department of Education

2. Today’s Agenda
Review of a Problem-Solving Model to enhance student progress
Response to Intervention (RtI) within a Problem-Solving Model
Counselor skills & needs
Resources

3. Problem-Solving
A process that uses the skills of professionals from different disciplines to develop and evaluate intervention plans that significantly improve the performance of students
Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) and Disaggregated Data (NCLB) move focus of attention to student progress, not student labels
Building principals and superintendents want to know if students are achieving benchmarks, regardless of the students “type”
Accurate “placements” do not guarantee that students will be exposed to interventions that maximize their rate of progress
Effective interventions result from good problem-solving, rather than good “testing”
Progress monitoring is done best with “authentic” assessment that are sensitive to small changes in student academic and social behavior interventions
Interventions must be “evidence based” (IDEA/NCLB)
RtI is the best measure of problem “severity”
Program eligibility (initial and continued) decisions are best made based on RtI
Staff training and support (e.g., coaching) improve intervention skills
“Tiered” implementation improves service efficiency

4. Problem-Solving Process
Implement Plan use evidenced based interventions
Evaluate is where we find Response to Intervention (RtI)

5. P = E - O What is a “Problem?”
A problem is the difference between what is expected and what is observed.
P = E - O

6. Problem-Solving
Can be applied to the student, classroom, building and district levels
Student-academic and/or behavior problem
Classroom- discipline, returning homework
Building- bullying, attendance
District- over-/under-representation

7. Problem-Solving: What It Is
A process designed to maximize student performance
A method focused on outcomes
A method to ensure accountability and intervention evaluation
It is all about student progress, regardless of where or who that student is
Focus on interventions (not test scores)
Assessment linked to interventions (not to diagnoses or categories)
Balance between needs/resources (not strictly to eligibility)
Change process (not a “fix”)
Student outcome-based, not placement-based (What students DO is important, not what students are CALLED)

8. Data-Based Decision Making
A process in which school personnel engage in ongoing analysis of data from multilevel sources to provide a comprehensive picture of strengths and challenges and develop a plan to prioritize and address those challenges.
Tung & Feldman, 2001
Use of data and a problem solving model to determine effective interventions
and further interventions if necessary.
Possible sources of information:
Pupil Progression/retention info
Standardized testing results
Demographic/SES info
Continuous Progress Monitoring
Curriculum-based measurement
Functional behavioral assessment
AIP Support
“Reading First” Initiative

9. Response to Intervention (RtI)
A systematic and data-based method for determining the degree to which a student has responded to intervention.
Determined solely through analyzing data
Services should intensify for a student as the student response to intervention is below expectations.
A process in which school personnel engage in ongoing analysis of data from multilevel sources to provide a comprehensive picture of strengths and challenges and develop a plan to prioritize and address those challenges.
Use of data and a problem solving model to determine effective interventions and further interventions if necessary.
When the intensity of services exceed significantly those available through general education, then a student should be considered for special education funding.
?How Long Will It Take to Implement this Effectively?
3-6 years
Take it one step (e.g., skill) at a time.
Start with young students (Kgn/DIBELS)
Consider Tier 1 issues
Create Tier 2 options with existing staff and resources
Develop a 5 year PDP for staff
Ease their job with social support and technology
Use networks-avoid “reinventing” the wheel.

10. Why RtI ? BIG IDEAS
Accurate “placements” do not guarantee that students will be exposed to interventions that maximize their rate of progress
RtI is the best measure of problem “severity”
Program eligibility (initial and continued) decisions are best made based on RtI
“Tiered” implementation improves service efficiency

11. Three Tiered Model of School Supports
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
1-5%
Tier 3: Intensive, Individual Interventions
Individual Students
Assessment-based
High Intensity of longer duration
Intense, durable procedures
5-10%
Tier 2: Targeted Group Interventions
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
80-90%
Tier 1: Universal Interventions
All students
Preventive, proactive
All settings, all students
Preventive, proactive
Three Tiered Model of School Supports
Students

12. Response to Intervention (RtI)
Based on a 3-Tiered Model of Service Delivery
Universal (Core Curriculum)
Supplemental (Increase intensity/focus of curriculum)
Intensive (Individually developed intensive interventions)
A student’s “response to intervention” is the best indicator of the severity of the problem
Tier One Services (UNIVERSAL INTERVENTIONS):
Exist in an effective general education curriculum
Include assessments that occur at least three times per school year to identify students at risk
Include progress monitoring for all students
Address barriers such as truancy, inadequate instruction, limited English proficiency, limited engagement and/or opportunity
Tier Two 2 (SUPPLEMENTAL INTERVENTIONS):
Address needs of at-risk students who did not respond to tier one services
Improve students rate of performance significantly below that of classroom peers
Target students who have proven unresponsive to the effective instructional environment, even when identified barriers are removed (ie. truancy)
Increase intensity of instruction and frequency of assessments (AIP, BIP)
Tier 3 (INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS):
Individualize instruction and provide for longer duration
Provide multiple specialized approaches and monitor progress more aggressively
…If tier three services do not prove effective in “closing the gap,”
eligibility for special education services is considered and RtI continues in determination to find out what works.

13. Response to Intervention
The “response” is measured by the rate of learning or the slope of the line on a graph
We cannot ascertain whether a student has a “severe” problem unless evidence-based interventions are implemented and we monitor the students response to those interventions

14. RtI Considerations Poor/lack of instruction must be ruled out
Curricular access blocked by any of the following must be addressed
Attendance
Health
Mobility
Sufficient exposure to and focus on the curriculum must occur
Frequent, repeated assessment must be conducted
?What do we mean by “assessment”?

15. Case Studies Two male students, Steven & Bart Identical problems
Poor sight vocabulary
Word attack skills are lacking
Reading comprehension poor
Attendance & mobility are not an issue; both boys appear healthy; parents report no medical issues

16. Aimline= 1.50 words/week
Training Notes
This slide depicts the outcomes of the intensive strategic intervention effort. As seen in the trendline, Steven shows substantial improvement here and reaches a level of gain that is likely to lead to a successful winter benchmark. Again, the question of whether he would continue until the winter benchmark will be raised. Given that this would now be 16 weeks after starting tier 2 intervention, it is likely that the winter benchmark is about to occur so the team would likely leave him in the strategy until the benchmark was taken. Assuming he meets the benchmark, the team may ease him back to tier 2 strategies again to see if a less intense effort will sustain his progress.
Trendline = words/week

17. Aimline= 1.50 words/week
Training Notes:
Bart moves through the same process as Rita and Steven, but with far less success. As one can see, even with intensive tier 3 intervention, Bart’s progress does not reach the level that will likely lead him to meet winter benchmarks. Given that we have moved through tier 2 and tier 3 interventions, and these interventions have been done with integrity, Bart is referred for consideration for special education eligibility.
Trendline = 0.95 words/week

18. Tiers of Problem-Solving
Problem Identification I II
III
Problem Analysis
Response to
Intervention
Intervention Design

19. Underpinning ideas We can teach children.
Whether an intervention or teaching strategy is the “right one” can only be determined by implementing it, then monitoring student progress.

20. We Need A New Logic
Begin with the idea that the purpose of the system is student achievement
Acknowledge that student needs exist on a continuum rather than in typological groupings
Organize resources to make educational resources available in direct proportion to student need
David Tilly 2004

21. Change Model
Consensus
Infrastructure
Implementation

22. J L J L Traditional vs. RtI Traditional Response Intervention
Consider ESE
Traditional
Intervention J L
Consider ESE If
necessary
Response
Regular
Education
Monitor
Progress

23. Implications for School Counselors
Identification of “evidence-based” interventions for high rate student concerns
Identification of Tier 1 interventions
Identification of Tier 2 interventions
Identification of Tier 3 interventions
Methods to assess “response to intervention” in school counseling programs
We must relate student outcomes to service delivery
For “typical “ school counselor focus will be on tier one and two interventions. When need arrises for tier three intervention experts are called.

24. Take Home Messages Problem-Solving/RtI is a paradigm shift
It will take time & training to reach proficiency
Whether an intervention is the “right one” can only be determined by implementing it, then monitoring student progress.

25. (Carolyn Maddy Bernstein, 1995)
When schools fail to clearly define the counselor’s role...
School administrators, parents with special interests, teachers or others may feel their agenda
ought to be the school counseling program’s priority. The results often lead to confusion and criticisms when they are disappointed.
(Carolyn Maddy Bernstein, 1995)
READ SLIDE
This is our problem.
School Counselors can no longer ask the principal on the first day “So, what would you like me to DO?”
Instead, school counselors must be trained and educated to inform the administrator of the contributions they plan to make to the students of the school, based on the data they have reviewed, and seek collaboration and direction regarding priorities of these goals.

26. The mission of school counseling…
is to provide a developmental and systematic comprehensive program that ensures academic, personal, social and career development and achievement for all students. The program is proactive and preventative in its focus and enhances the learning process by assisting students in acquiring critical skills for life-long learning and success.
You will find the Mission Statement printed in the Florida Framework and was adopted by the FSCA Board.

27. By aligning a counseling program with the school’s mission and school improvement plan, professional school counselors:
partner as leaders in systemic change
ensure equity and access
promote academic, career and personal/ social development for every student
READ SLIDE

28. Leadership means….. advocating for every student
promoting student achievement
demonstrating accountability for the contributions of educators to student success

29. ASCA National Model SO this leads up to the ASCA National Model
As you view the graphic, you will notice there are four areas
FOUNDATION
DELIVERY SYSTEM
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
ACCOUNTABILTIY
The visual show that the foundation, a program’s core beliefs, philosophy and mission, dictates both how the program is management and how it is delivered.
These two components go hand in hand:
Delivery system is the ways in which counselors deliver services.
The management system ensures that the delivery system is planned, organized, directed and controlled in a systematic fashion for every student.
Both the delivery and management lead to the Accountability component.
And accountability leads back to the foundation because results of our program lead to program improvement, which begins once again with the foundation.

30. Resources
Response to Intervention: Research for Practice, NASDSE, 2007.
Response to Intervention: Principles and Strategies for Effective Practice, Brown-Chidsey, R & Steege M.W., Guilford, 2005.
FL Problem-Solving Project, FloridaRtI.usf.edu
Center for School Counseling Outcome Research
Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership

31. Project website: sss.usf.edu
Contact me
Rich Downs
Project website: sss.usf.edu