1. RtI: Focusing Instruction for Student Success
Reaching lives and making a difference
Andrea Ogonosky, Ph.D.
(832)

2. Bases for RTI in Federal Law
July 2007
Bases for RTI in Federal Law
1975: Initial purpose to provide FAPE in LRE
1980s: Shift from access to schools to access to curriculum and instruction, and to results in learning
Now: Accountability for learning: language in NCLB and IDEA ’04

3. July 2007
From NCLB:
“…holding schools, local education agencies, and States accountable for improving the academic achievement of all students…” and “…promoting schoolwide reform and ensuring the access of all children to effective, scientifically-based instructional strategies…” [PL §1001(4) and (9)]
From IDEA:
“…to improve the academic achievement and functional performance of children with disabilities including the use of scientifically based instructional practices, to the maximum extent possible.” [20 U.S.C. 1400(c)(5)(E)]
(emphasis added)

4. Focus on curriculum rigor: He that teaches us anything which we knew not before is undoubtedly to be reverenced as a master. --Samuel Johnson

5. The teacher’s influence on student achievement scores is twenty times greater than any other variable, including class size and student poverty.” 
Fallon (2003)

6. We believe in success for ALL We Know that ALL children can learn
We believe in success for ALL We Know that ALL children can learn. . . We need to meet them from where they are and then take them to where we want them to be.

7. Response to Intervention
Is a PROCESS for problem solving the delivery of instruction and support in a manner that enables the struggling learner access to the curriculum.
Grounded in ESEA Act of 2000 (No Child Left behind): AYP and Highly Qualified Teachers

8. Commissioner’s Rules (11/07) 89
Commissioner’s Rules (11/07) : Eligibility Criteria (9) Learning Disability
Prior to and as part of the evaluation. . . In order to ensure that underachievement is not due to lack of appropriate instructions in reading or mathematics, the following must be considered:
(i) data that demonstrates. . . appropriate instruction in reading and/or mathematics within general education settings delivered by qualified personnel; and

9. Guidance Document: Appropriate Instruction
A school may determine that appropriate instruction was provided to a student in the general education setting by reviewing curriculum and grade-level student performance
RtI progress monitoring can provide data that demonstrates an individual child has received appropriate instruction by ensuring the majority of students were able to master the objectives.

10. Guidance Document: Data From Repeated Assessments
RtI progress monitoring, in-class tests based on state standards, benchmark assessment, criterion-referenced measures, or other regularly administered tests.
Data from repeated assessments should typically have been administered at evenly-spaced intervals, such as once per week, over a reasonable period of time.
Reasonable period of time = 4-8 weeks, 6 weeks being the average; should follow the requirements of the particular instruction program or assessment process in use.
Conroe case…. Subpoena teacher made tests and asserted they were not reliable and valid Be careful.

11. Guidance Document: Fails to achieve adequately for age or meet state-approved grade level standards
May be determined by measures such as in-class test scores, grade average over time, statewide assessment scores, standardized achievement test scores, criterion-referenced measures, and/or a RtI process.
A students failure to pass TAKS should not automatically result in a LD referral and/or determination.
Determination of LD should include a variety of information sources and measures and should not be based on a single measure.

12. Eligibility Criteria (9) (B) (ii) LD
(l) does not make sufficient progress when provided a process based on the child’s response to scientific, researched-based intervention (as defined in 20 USC, Section 7801 (37)), as indicated by the child’s performance relative to the performance of the child’s peers on repeated, curriculum-based assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting student progress during classroom instruction;

13. Copyright © 2008 Mississippi Department of Education
General Themes
Keep these general themes in mind:
RtI is a process to match the student’s needs with strategies.
RtI is not a unidirectional but bidirectional process.
This is NOT an indication of a need for special education services.
Note: we expect to see movement in the tiers. Students should not be placed in Tier 2 or 3 and stay there for a long period of time.
Copyright © 2008 Mississippi Department of Education 13

14. Response to Intervention
Multi-tiered problem solving process to support all learners.
Increased instruction and interventions based upon student needs.
Supports both academics and social/emotional/behavior
Promotes student success while building teacher knowledge and resources

15. Multi-tier Model ACADEMIC BEHAVIOR 5% 15% 80% Problem Solving Problem
Review the recommended percentages of students served within each Tier. Emphasize the belief that approximately 85% of students need nothing more than strong Tier 1 instruction.
80%

16. Tier 1: Core Instruction and Universal Interventions
ACADEMIC
Quality core instruction and strategies
Differentiated Instruction
Embedded Interventions
BEHAVIOR
School-wide PBIS
Expectations clearly communicated
Social skills instruction
Proactive discipline policy
Universal Screening: Academic and Behavior
Continuous progress monitoring of grade level success

17. Tier 1
Process at Tier 1 is to develop teacher skills in differentiation of instruction to meet needs of all students in classroom.

18. Tier 1 Problem Solving Informal process between team and teachers
Case manager meets with teacher to discuss Tier 1
Case manager documents plan and reports to team
Teacher collects data
If student continues to struggle, begin progress monitoring for baseline

19. Effective Instruction
Active engagement of students
High success rates
Increased content coverage
Instruction that addresses the critical forms of knowledge
Instruction in the organizing, storing, & retrieving of info
Strategic instruction &explicit instruction
Instruction that teaches across subjects.
Highest correlation for intervention and active engagement- teacher mobility in the classroom couples with strong classroom management.
Copyright © 2008 Mississippi Department of Education 19

20. Tier 1: Foundations for AYP Success
Shared ownership for all students
High expectations and rigor
Data driven differentiated instruction aligned with student strengths
Common Planning time for collaborative problem solving
Effective classroom management
Strong student teacher relationships
School Wide PBIS

21. Tier 2: Targeted Interventions
ACADEMIC
Strategic and supplemental
Standard protocol / evidence-based
Small group (5:1)
BEHAVIOR
Strategic and supplemental
Evidenced Based (SEL)
Social skills instruction
Peer / adult mentoring
Rubric for decision making: decision rules, aim-line /goals, guidelines for increasing /decreasing support or changing intervention.
Focused continuous progress monitoring that increases with intensity of instruction and intervention

22. Tier 2
Students that have not made progress and met goals using Tier I interventions are given additional support
Students identified for Tier 2 are those who exhibit significant deviation from grade-level peers
Interventions include small group instruction time that is supplemental on student instructional level.
2-3 times per week of additional instruction ( minutes)

23. Strategic Interventions
Does the intervention meet NCLB standards?
Are the interventions linked to the student instructional level?
Does the intervention “link” to the problem definition?
Have the staff been trained?

24. Tier 3: Intensive Interventions
ACADEMIC
Increased strategic and supplemental
Group size decreased (3:1)
BEHAVIOR
Small group counseling
Individualized Behavior Action Plan
Frequent, daily mentoring
Align academic interventions to increase AET
Rubric for decision making: decision rules, aim-line /goals, guidelines for increasing /decreasing support or changing intervention.
Focused continuous progress monitoring that increases with intensity of instruction and intervention
Pattern of inadequate responses may lead to refer for Section 504 or Special Education

25. Tier 3 Increased intensity of intervention
Tier 3 increases the frequency of instruction as well as decreases group size during intervention.
Most intensive phase of RTI
Interventions include two 30-minute sessions per day for a minimum of 4-6 weeks
Implementation of intervention needs to be documented for accountability

26. RtI Team Meetings

27. Problem-Solving Method
July 2007
Problem-Solving Method
What is the problem? Define the problem and directly measure the behavior
Why is it happening? Validate the problem and identify variables that contribute to problem
What should be done about it? Develop a plan and implement as Intended; progress monitor and modify as necessary
Did it work? Evaluate
response to intervention using multiple sources of data

28. Fundamental Questions to Ask
What do we want students to know?
How do we know if the students have learned it?
What do we do when students don’t learn it?
Do we believe that they can learn it?

29. Problem Solving Paradigm
What does it take to have successful outcomes for all students?
Two parameters:
Don’t ask for more staff: typically it is not an issue of more, but how to use exiting staff differently.
Don’t need to purchase interventions -it is helpful, but – the best interventions are free: solid instruction plus strategy building.
Since we have run out of time and money we take those two options off the table and then become creative in what where when and how we will build strong instruction for our struggling learners. Think of using peer tutors (must be trained using a researched based program like PALS – Vanderbilt University. Retired teachers, High school Key club kids, etc.

30. Problem Solving Teams RtI Team
This team may have members who also have a role in other school collaborative teams.
Its membership is varied and broad, including a core membership of teachers and professional staff with roles and expertise to provide critical input to the process.
The focus of this team is the daily work of student achievement and outcomes, rather than special education eligibility.

31. Problem Solving Teams RtI Team
The focus of this team is the daily work of student achievement and outcomes, rather than special education eligibility.
They monitor the process of tiered interventions and review data to make collaborative decisions. They have assigned roles that may vary throughout the year. Team meetings should
include additional participants who have pertinent information about the topic,

32. Problem Solving Teams RtI Team
This team could include a parent, speech and language pathologist, gifted education teacher, ELL, other special education support staff
The team maintains an atmosphere in which a grade level team or referring teacher feels welcomed and supported.

33. RtI Data

34. The National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD, 2006) defines RTI as: “…an assessment and intervention process for systematically monitoring student progress and making decisions about the need for instructional modifications or increasingly intensified services using progress monitoring data.”
It is important to stress that there is an expectation within our rules, regulations, and interest groups that testing will increase as we believe the needs for the student increases.

35. Intensified Progress Monitoring Student with most intensive needs
3 times per week
Instructional level
Interventionist
5-8%
Progress Monitoring
Students with targeted skill needs
1-2 x per week
Instructional level
Interventionist
15%
Universal Screening
Screen all students
3 x per year
Grade level
General education teacher
This is a good representation of the typical RtI progress monitoring data collection schedule. Usually the classroom teacher collects the universal screening data while and interventionist or someone on the RtI team collects the Tier 2 and 3 data.
80 %

36. Balancing Assessments
-- Assessment systems
-- Multiple measures
-- Varied types
-- Varied purposes
-- Varied data sets
-- Balanced with needs
Want to see the broad data picture; use data from assessments to help determine instruction and intervention, not just to respond to mandatory testing requirements but to actually use data within the team meeting and planning.

37. RtI Assessment: Multiple Sources
Includes a continuum of strategies and assessment tools:
daily classroom instruction
periodic checkpoints
annual snapshots
Balance is achieved by:
how you use the data
employing multiple measures
match various assessments to intended purpose.
However, if you leave one of the measurement types out of the data story, you will be missing something. Strive to include multiple measures from multiple types of assessments. 37

38. Show Me the Data!
Remember if it is not documented Then IT DID NOT HAPPEN!

39. Questions?