1. Response to Intervention in Illinois
September 4, 2008
Presented by:
Beth Hanselman and Marica Cullen

2. As of January 1, 2009, all school districts will be required to have a district RtI plan.
This presentation is intended to assist school districts to fully understand the background and guiding principles of the state plan.

3. Section Overview Defining Response to Intervention The Illinois Model
Legislation, Rules and State Plans
State Response to Intervention (RtI) Plan
District RtI Plan

4. Defining Response to Intervention (RtI)

5. Response to Instruction = RtI
Approach for redesigning and establishing teaching and learning environments that are effective, efficient, relevant and durable for all students, families and educators
NOT a program, curriculum, strategy, intervention
NOT limited to special education
NOT new

6. Essential Components
Response to Intervention (RtI) consists of Three Essential Components:
High quality, research-based instruction/intervention matched to student needs
Frequent use of data to determine learning rate and student performance level
Educational decisions based upon the student’s response to instruction/intervention

7. Benefits of RtI
RtI enables educators to target instructional interventions in response to children’s specific areas of need as soon as those needs become apparent
Before, the education system waited for a student to fail before attempting more intensive instructional interventions

8. Other RtI Benefits
RtI fosters collaboration between teachers, school support personnel, administrators and parents in order to educate all students
RtI focuses the entire system on success for all learners
RtI requires data-driven decision-making

9. Other RtI Benefits
Research supported by IDEA and NCLB states that implementing an RtI process through
Scientifically based early reading programs
Positive behavioral interventions and supports and
Early intervening services
reduces the need to label children with learning and behavioral needs.

10. Core Principles of RtI Educators will: Intervene early
Use a multi-tier model of instruction
Use a problem-solving method
Use scientific, research-based interventions/instruction
Monitor student progress to inform instruction
Use assessments for screening, diagnostics and progress monitoring
Use data to make decisions
Effectively teach all children

11. RtI is the Foundation of Instructional Improvement

12. Meeting the Needs of ALL Students
One Educational System
Educational Reform
Education Initiatives
Response to Intervention
RtI IS School Improvement
An EVERY EDUCATION Initiative
Three Tier Model of School Supports
Problem Solving Method of Decision-Making
Integrated Data Collection that Informs Instruction

13. The Illinois Model

14. Multi-Tier Model Academic Systems Behavioral Systems Tier 3
Individual Students/Very Small Group
Assessment-based
High Intensity
Individual Students/ Very Small Group
Intense, durable procedures
Tier 2
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
Tier 1
All students
Preventive, proactive
All settings, all students
Preventive, proactive

15. *Percentages will vary by district/school
Defining the Tiers
Tier 1: Core curriculum meets the needs of 80%* or more of the students
Tier 2: 20%* of the students may be identified as at-risk and require supplemental instruction/intervention in addition to the core curriculum
Tier 3: 5%* of those students may be identified as needing more intensive, small group or individual interventions to supplement the core curriculum
*Percentages will vary by district/school

16. Tier 1 Characteristics All Students Receive:
District curriculum that is scientifically, research-based and aligned to Illinois Learning Standards
Curriculum-based measures and assessments for screening, diagnostic and continuous progress monitoring
Differentiated instruction designed to meet the broad range of their needs

17. Tier 2 Characteristics
In addition to core instruction some students receive:
Supplemental interventions in the small group inside the general education classroom or outside of the general education classroom
Interventions targeted to remediate a specific skill
Interventions implemented with integrity (e.g., number of minutes/day and per week, materials used, progress monitoring and implementer) tied to student needs

18. Tier 3 Characteristics
In addition to core instruction very few students receive:
Integrated instruction from all three tiers to strengthen the accumulated impact of the interventions and instruction
Interventions delivered to very small groups of 2-3 students or individual students
Interventions focused on narrowly defined skill areas identified from the results of frequent progress monitoring
Interventions implemented with integrity (e.g., number of minutes/day and per week, materials used, progress monitoring and implementer) tied to student needs

19. Legislation, Rules and State Plans

20. IDEA 2004 Regulations: 34 CFR 300.309(b)
To ensure that underachievement in a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is not due to a lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math, the group must consider—
Data that demonstrates that prior to, or as part of, the referral process the child receive appropriate instruction in general education settings from qualified personnel; and
Data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction, which was provided to the child’s parents.

21. Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
Revised State Special
Education Regulation
23 IAC
Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
Response to Scientific, Research-Based
Intervention (RtI)

22. The Heart of the RtI Language
23 IAC (b):
Provided that the requirement of this subsection (b) are met, each district shall, no later than the beginning of the school year, implement the use of a process that determines how the child responds to scientific, research-based interventions as part of the evaluation procedure described in 34 CFR
When a district implements the use of a process of this type, the district shall not use any child’s participation in the process as the basis for denying a parent’s request for an evaluation.

23. The Prerequisites to Mandatory RtI
January 1, 2008, Illinois State RtI Plan prepared in collaboration with stakeholder groups
January 1, 2009, local school districts must develop a plan for transitioning to the use of an RtI process
Note: Nothing prohibits districts from implementing RtI now, though it is not yet mandatory. Remember, though, the requirements at 34 CFR (b) do apply now.

24. State RtI Plan

25. Participating Stakeholder Groups
Illinois Education Association
Illinois Federation of Teachers
Illinois State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities
Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education
Illinois Association of School Administrators
Regional Offices of Education
Parent Initiative Centers
Higher Education
Illinois State Board of Education (Bilingual, Professional Certification, Accountability, Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, Federal Grants and Programs)

26. State RtI Plan Components
Introduction/Belief Statements for RtI
Definition of RtI and Problem Solving
Link between RtI and SLD Eligibility Determination
Process for Implementation
Implementation Timelines
Funding Considerations
ISBE Evaluation Plan
Supporting Resources

27. District RtI Plan

28. District Self-Assessment Template
Purpose is to identify district and state needs
The template asks districts to review seven areas of implementation

29. Self-Assessment Implementation Areas
Consensus Building and Collaboration
Standards-Based Curriculum and Research-Based Instruction
Research-Based Assessment Practices
Student Intervention/Problem Solving Team Process
Intervention Strategy Identification
Resources Allocation
Ongoing Professional Development for Effective RtI

30. Start the Planning Process
Learn what RtI is and what it isn’t
Read the State Response to Intervention Plan posted on the ISBE website
Read the FAQ document produced by ISBE
Complete the Self-Assessment
Determine stakeholder representatives for the District Plan Writing Team

31. Internet Resources Illinois State Board of Education website