1. Response to Intervention
Understanding the Role of Paraprofessionals in RTI Implementation
Hyatt Regency, Washington, DC
April 26, 2008

2. AGENDA Introductions Defining RTI Activity Presentation Q & A
Closing remarks

3. Session Goals By the end of this session participants will:
Have a definition of RTI
Be able to articulate their professional development needs to implement RTI
Identify challenges to RTI implementation
Become aware of common tools of RTI implementation

4. Federal Legislation ESEA / NCLB IDEA 2004 accountability
school improvement
adequate yearly progress (AYP)
IDEA 2004
effective instruction
progress monitoring
early intervening services

5. Definition of Response to Intervention
What is Response to Intervention (RTI)?
Response to Intervention (RTI) is the practice
of providing high quality instruction matched
to students’ needs and the use of rate of
learning over time to make important
educational decisions.
(National Association of State Directors of Special Education, 2005)

6. Implementation of RTI
Effective implementation of RTI includes the following
practices:
A systematic problem-solving process in which data-based decisions are implemented and documented;
Use of on-going assessments that monitor student progress

7. Implementation of RTI cont’d.
Interventions of varying intensity to meet the academic and behavioral needs of all students
Shared responsibility amongst classroom teachers, specialists, administrators, and parents.

8. Core Principles of RTI Unifying Belief: “All kids can learn.”
Problem-Solving and Problem-Analysis
Universal screening of academic, behavioral and social emotional indicators of success
Prevention Focused: academic, behavioral, social emotional

9. Core Principles of RTI cont’d.
Evidence-based interventions with fidelity of implementation
Ongoing and sensitive progress monitoring of student response to interventions
Data-based decision making
Multi-tiered system with increasing levels of intensity

10. What the Research Says About RTI
Prevent academic problems through early identification
Intervene with low performing students
Assist in identifying student with disabilities
Source: Daryl Mellard, National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD). (March 2, 2006) Presentation at the IDEA Partnership Meeting, “ Integrating IDEA Provisions with School Reform: EIS & RTI.”

11. Research Elements of RTI
Two or more tiers of increasingly intense scientific, research-based interventions
Individual problem solving model or standardized intervention protocol for intervention tiers
Explicit decision rules for assessing learners’ progress
Implementation of a scientifically-based, differentiated curriculum with different instructional methods.
Source: Daryl Mellard, National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD). (March 2, 2006) Presentation at the IDEA Partnership Meeting, “ Integrating IDEA Provisions with School Reform: EIS & RTI.”

12. Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
Intensive, Individual Interventions
Individual Students
Assessment-based
High Intensity
Intensive, Individual Interventions
Individual Students
Assessment-based
Intense, durable procedures
1-5%
1-5%
Targeted Group Interventions
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
5-10%
5-10%
Targeted Group Interventions
Some students (at-risk)
High efficiency
Rapid response
Universal Interventions
All students
Preventive, proactive
80-90%
Universal Interventions
All settings, all students
Preventive, proactive
80-90% 12

13. Responsiveness to Intervention Academic + Social Behavior

14. A Continuum of Support for All
Universal
Targeted
Intensive
RTI
A Continuum of Support for All
Few
Some
All

15. Activity Green Cards Yellow Cards Red Cards
Will present 3 facts on RTI
Implementation
Yellow Cards
Will present 3 questions
about RTI implementation
Red Cards
Will identify 3 barriers to
RTI implementation

16. Paraeducators as Interventionists!
Collaboration among all school staff ensures
positive learning experiences and outcomes for
struggling students whose needs are identified
early.

17. Paraeducators as Interventionists!
Small group instruction
Inclusive Settings
IDEA 2004 & NCLB 2000
Instructional paraeducators are often involved in small group instruction.
There are now more inclusion models, paraeducators are providing more support to students with disabilities in educational settings.
IDEA 2004 and NCLB 2000 require instructional paraeducators to work under the direction of a certified teacher.

18. Paraeducators as Interventionists!
Current Roles
Student Safety
Assessment Support
Classroom Support

19. Paraeducators as Interventionists
New or additional roles under RTI:
Data collection
Progress monitor
Behavior interventionists

20. RTI Tools: Curriculum-Based Measurement
Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) is the
best-known method of student progress
monitoring. CBM helps teachers find out how
students are progressing in basic academic
areas such as math, reading, writing,
and spelling.

21. Benefits of CBM
When CBM is used, the student is tested briefly each week. The
tests generally last from 1 to 5 minutes. The teacher counts the
number of correct and incorrect responses made in the
time allotted to find the student's score.
His or her score is recorded on a graph
Graphs can help create a common understanding among parents, teachers, administrators, and other professionals
Graphs can help inform instructional methods
Students (when appropriate) can keep track of their own progress
Why use CBM? CBM is helpful for students, parents, and teachers. Here are some of the benefits:
CBM graphs provide a clear picture of the student's progress toward an academic goal for the school year.
CBM graphs can help create a common understanding among parents, teachers, administrators, and other professionals (such as school psychologists).
CBM graphs can increase productive communication at conferences and IEP meetings. They can also be useful in developing better goals and objectives for the IEP.
CBM graphs can help teachers modify their instructional methods so that they are more effective in improving progress toward the stated goals.
Parents can feel confident that CBM is an accurate indicator of their child's progress for the skills that are being measured. There is sound research backing CBM, as well as years of successful use in public schools.
Because of the visual record that graphs provide, students can keep track of their own progress; in addition, seeing their graph change week by week often motivates students to work harder toward their goals.
His or her score is recorded on a graph and compared to the expected performance on the content for that year. The graph allows the teacher and parents to see quickly how the student's performance compares to expectations.

22. Professional Development
It important to include paraeducators in all
school-wide training, with additional follow-up
just for paraeducators.

23. Framing Questions To best meet the professional development
needs of paraeducators, the following
questions should be asked prior to training:
Describe an example of how you improved a student’s performance – who was the student and what did you do?
Who do you collaborate with for instructional planning?
How are you involved in assessment and data management?
(Source: TECPlus, Who are Interventionists? Guidelines for Paraeducators in RTI, 4(3), January, 2008)

24. PD Linked to RTI Components
Problem solving
Effective instruction
Shared Responsibility of staff
Data to monitor progress

25. PD: Progress Monitoring Assessment
Techniques for making charts and graphs
Learning to use software to download CBM assessments
Administration of various assessment probes and benchmarks
Importance of assessment fidelity

26. PD: Instruction and Intervention
One or two grade level curricula issues
Instructional pedagogy for specific intervention approaches

27. Shared Responsibility
Problem solving process
Collaboration strategies
Communication skills

28. Planning and Scheduling
Strategies for common planning time:
Maximize time when scheduling prep times and lunch breaks
Floating substitute to provide release time for teachers and paraeducators
Late arrival (30 minutes) by paraeducators, allows para to stay thirty minutes after school
After school meeting biweekly for 30 minutes paid for by school district

29. New and Expanded Role for Paraeducators
Paraeducators and support staff can be a
valuable part of RTI teams by:
Assisting classroom teachers and special educators with screening
Assisting teachers with benchmarking and progress monitoring assessments
Recording observations of behavior and learning strategies

30. New and Expanded Role for Paraeducators cont’d.
Entering assessment data into management system
Serving as member of intervention team
Collaborating with teachers to provide support for students
Implementing interventions
Participating in school-wide professional development.

31. Closing Activity Complete the following statements:
I still have about…
I need more on…
I now have more about…

32. Contact Information
Lisa B. Thomas
555 New Jersey Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202/