Response to Intervention/Kentucky System of Interventions Program

1
Response to Intervention/Kentucky System of
Interventions Program

• South Heights Elementary
• Henderson County Schools
• Laura McGrail, Project Manager

2
School Demographics

• 595 students
• Grades PreK-5
• 80 free and reduced lunch eligibility
• 22 special education
• 24 students received Tier II/III services during
  2008-09 school year

3
CATS Accountability Trend

• 2000 48.2 2001 51.4
• 2002 66.1 2003 73.5
• 2004 79.3 2005 81.4
• 2006 83.1 2007 90.9
• 2008 94.0

4
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Data, Fall
2008, 3rd-5th
Below Grade Level Reading One Grade Level Below Reading Two Grade Levels Below Reading Below Grade Level Math One Grade Level Below Math Two Grade Levels Below Math Totals Reading/Math
3rd Grade 26 13 4 27 10 1 43/38
4th Grade 15 9 2 24 9 1 26/34
5th Grade 15 10 4 15 16 1 29/35
5
Tier I Eligibility/Interventions

• Students who score 69 or below on a Learning
  Check (teacher-made assessments covering
  standards-based content)
• Part-time tutors provide small group tutoring on
  grade-level content covered in most recent
  Learning Check
• Tutor re-gives Learning Check when student seems
  ready. If skill is mastered, tutoring is ended
  for that skill. If not mastered, tutoring ends
  when next Learning Check occurs.

6
Tier II Eligibility

• Students identified by MAP score in reading/math
  20tile or lower (with teacher input) OR
• Language Lab required test (T-PRO) score cut-off
  (3rd stanine or below) OR
• Teacher request/documentation of poor classroom
  performance
• PLUS Aimsweb reading and/or math benchmark
  assessment confirming deficit(s)

7
Tier II Interventions

• K-5 reading small group Lindamood-Bell
  instruction 3xs/week from Reading specialist
  (grant) and Title 1 specialist
• K-3 math small group Number Worlds instruction
  4xs/week from Math specialist (grant)
• 4-5 math small group Number Worlds instruction
  3xs/week from daytime ESS-waiver tutor
• Intensive Cluster K-2 students with delayed
  skills, 3 smaller classes, emphasis on read/math

8
Tier II Progress Monitoring

• Aimsweb CBM probes in reading fluency and math
  fluency administered weekly by interventionists
• Probes given every other week for Intensive
  Cluster students math or reading on a rotating
  basis

9
RTI Team

• Comprised of School Psychologist, Curriculum
  Specialist, Instructional Coordinator, Math and
  Reading Grant Interventionists
• Meet weekly to review student progress monitoring
  data
• Team determines if students continue in Tier II,
  are released to Tier I, or move to Tier III

10
Tier III

• Psychoeducational screening (IQ/ach)
• Documentation of Tier I and Tier II interventions
  and progress data
• Team determination if student needs additional
  interventions
• Team determination if student should be referred
  for special education evaluation

11
Mistakes Learned

• Cut-score too generous McCook/Knox Co TN model
  recommends 10th tile and lower for Tier II.
  However, cut score should connect to schools
  capacity to provide Tier II interventions. We
  set ours at 20th but allowed too many students
  in beyond that cut score and initially
  overwhelmed our capacity. Best to start with
  lower numbers of students!

12
Mistakes Learned

• Progress monitoring Should be in place when
  begin the year. We started Aimsweb in January
  and that was very difficult to do.
• Teacher training in probe administration and
  scoring is vital in order to obtain reliable and
  valid progress monitoring data.
• Time to implement Everything takes twice as
  long as you anticipate! Give yourself time to
  implement RTI should be a multiple-year plan.

13
Things Weve Done Right

• Whole-school buy in We discussed our RTI plan
  and its multiple changes before and during the
  school year with all the teachers. They have to
  support it!
• RTI Team Managing this is too big for one
  person. Must be a team effort and best if team
  members have flexible schedules!

14
Things Weve Done Right

• Differentiated Tier I and Tier II purposes. Tier
  I supports standards but Tier II remediates
  math/reading deficits.
• Used Tier II research-based interventions already
  in place at the school
• Chose a protocol-based system rather than
  individualized system a school with fewer needs
  could possibly succeed with an individualized
  system.

15
Planned Changes for Next Year

• Revise Tier III so students receive small group
  instruction daily (K-5)
• Implement progress monitoring probes twice weekly
  for Tier III
• Enforce cut-score criteria but allow teachers to
  collect CBM data for 4 weeks and request Tier II
  if data shows need. All SHS teachers will
  receive training in revised RTI plan for 2009-10
  and Aimsweb probe administration/scoring on May
  28, 2009.

16
Results

• In comparison to 2007-08, 2008-09
• Total number of students referred for
  screening/evaluation reduced 18
• Number of students who received a special
  education eval reduced 44
• Number of students placed in special education
  reduced 17
• MAP data to be reviewed May 20, 2009

17
Sustainability Plan

• SHS reading and math grants have been re-funded
  for 09-10.
• ESS waiver funding will continue for intermediate
  math tutor and Tier I tutors.
• District has adopted Aimsweb for all schools and
  will cover partial costs for each school.
• All teachers will be trained in Aimsweb so will
  be able to continue progress monitoring if
  funding for interventionists is lost in future
  and teachers must implement interventions and
  monitoring.

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For further information, contact Laura McGrail,
School Psychologist Henderson County
Schools [phone] laura.mcgrail_at_henderson.k
yschools.us