Implementing the Problem-Solving/Response to Intervention

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Implementing the Problem-Solving/Response to
Intervention

• Minooka
• School District 201
• Response to Intervention

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If we can really understand the problem, the
answer will come out of it, because the answer is
not separate from the problem. -Krishnamurti
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Contextual Issues Affecting The Problem-Solving
Process in General and Special Education

• IDEA Re-Authorization
• Focus on academic outcomes
• General education as baseline metric
• Labeling as a last resort
• Increasing general education options
• Pooling building-based resources
• Flexible funding patterns
• RtI Introduced as option for LD eligibility
• ESEA Legislation-No Child Left Behind
• National Emphasis on Reading
• Evidence-based Interventions

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Overview

• Defining RTI
• Where did it come from and why do we need it?
• Support for RTI in federal law
• Core principles
• Special education eligibility considerations
• Policy issues
• Professional development issues

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Why Focus on Reading?

• 85 of all curriculum is delivered through the
  written word.
• Reading and math scores are directly linked.
• New standards and assessments for graduation.

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How Big is the Problem?

• According to the most recent NAEP assessments,
  only 31 percent of 4th graders are proficient in
  reading.
• Low-income students did half as well. In fact,
  over half of poor fourth graders failed to show
  even a basic level of knowledge in reading,
  science, or history.

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But

• We KNOW what to do!
• We CAN make a difference!
• The RESEARCH gives us the technical knowledge and
  tools to teach each child to read!

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What is RTI?

• RTI is the practice of (1) providing
  high-quality instruction/intervention matched to
  student needs and (2) using learning rate over
  time and level of performance to (3) make
  important educational decisions to guide
  instruction
• National Association of State Directors of
  Special Education, 2005

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Response to Intervention What are the big ideas?

• High quality instruction/intervention
  Instruction or intervention matched to student
  need that has been demonstrated empirically and
  by practice to demonstrate high learning rates
  for most students
• Learning rate and level of performance Learning
  rate refers to students growth in academic or
  behavioral skills over time in comparison to
  prior levels and peer growth rates. Level of
  performance refers to a students relative
  standing (growth) on some critical dimension of
  academic or behavioral skills compared to
  expected/predicted growth.
• Important educational decisions Student
  intervention outcomes drive decision making at
  every tier. Decisions about intensity and
  duration of interventions are based upon data
  across multiple tiers of intervention.

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What RTI Is and Is Not

• Is
• RTI is an overall integrated system of service
  delivery.
• Is Not
• RTI is not just an eligibility systema way of
  reducing the numbers of students placed into
  special education.

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What RTI Is and Is Not

• Is
• RTI is effective for students who are at risk for
  school failure as well as students in other
  disability categories.
• Is Not
• RTI is not limited to students with learning
  disabilities.

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Why RTI?

• Provides appropriate learning experiences for all
  students
• Uses school-wide progress monitoring to assess
  entire class progress and individual student
  progress
• Promotes early identification of students at risk
  for academic failure
• Involves multiple performance measures rather
  than measurement at a single point in time
• Under RTI, students receive interventions based
  on reliable and valid data earlier than the wait
  to fail scenario

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Why RTI? continued

• RTI identifies specific skill deficits, whereas
  teacher referrals are more frequently general
  statements of need
• Scientifically-based interventions are used more
  frequently and earlier
• Over identification based on race/ethnicity is
  reduced in programs for students with learning
  disabilities and mental retardation
• African-American children are twice as likely as
  white children to be labeled mentally retarded
  and more likely to be label EBD

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Why RTI? continued

• Greater numbers of at-risk students achieve
  benchmarks
• Principals and superintendents want to know if
  students are achieving benchmarks, regardless of
  placement in general education, gifted, or
  special education
• SLD category has grown 300 since 1976-80 there
  because they havent learned how to read 40
  there because they havent been taught to read.

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Problem Solving

• A process that uses the skills of professionals
  from different disciplines to develop and
  evaluate intervention plans that improve
  significantly the school performance of students

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Problem Solving Process
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Research on Problem-Solving/RtI

• Focused on accuracy of referral methods and
  response to proven interventions
• RtI methods (local comparisons and multiple
  measurement) were superior to teacher referral
  for problem accuracy.
• Teachers over-referred male students
• Greater proportion of African American students
  responded successfully to intervention relative
  to similarly at-risk Caucasian students. Reduced
  disproportional placements.
• Early intervention was powerful
• Significant reduction in LD placements
• (VanDerHeyden, Witt, and Naquin)

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Research and PSM/RtI

• Problem identification is more accurate using the
  PSM (Gap Analysis) compared to simply teacher
  referral.
• The number of students requiring services has not
  diminished--the WAY the services are provided has
  changed.
• Universal screening and progress monitoring
  practices ensure that students do not slip
  through the cracks
• In most cases, the percent of students receiving
  LD services has diminished.

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What Have We Learned From Other States?

• Changes in assessment and intervention practices
  can occur--generally it takes a number of years
  to effect the change completely.
• Teacher and parent satisfaction is greater with
  the PSM/RtI model (Illinois Flexible Service
  Delivery Model)
• Student performance is enhanced under the PSM/RtI
  model
• Student/parent rights do not change under this
  model

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Status of Reauthorization

• Title Individuals with Disabilities Education
  Improvement Act
• Passed House in 2003, Senate in 2004
• Signed by President Bush in December.
• IN EFFECT July 1, 2005
• Regulations in Fall

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Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act

• (B) Additional authority._In determining whether
  a child has a specific learning disability, a
  local educational agency may use a process that
  determines if the child responds to scientific,
  research-based intervention.
• Process refers to Problem Solving Process
• Responds refers to Response to Intervention

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(5) SPECIAL RULE FOR ELIBIGILITY DETERMINATION-
In making a determination of eligibility under
paragraph (4)(A), a child shall not be
determined to be a child with a disability if
the determinant factor for such determination
is (A) lack of appropriate instruction in
reading, including in the essential components
of reading instruction (as defined in section
1208(3) of the ESEA of 1965) (B) lack of
instruction in math or (C) limited English
proficiency.
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Proposed Regs

• For a child suspected of having a specific
  learning disability,
• the group must consider, as part of the
  evaluation described in
• 300.304 through 300.306, data that demonstrates
  that--
• (1) Prior to, or as a part of the referral
  process, the child was
• provided appropriate high-quality, research-based
  instruction in
• regular education settings, consistent with
  section 1111(b)(8)(D) and
• (E) of the ESEA, including that the instruction
  was delivered by
• qualified personnel and
• (2) Data-based documentation of repeated
  assessments of achievement
• at reasonable intervals, reflecting formal
  assessment of student
• progress during instruction, was provided to the
  child's parents.

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Proposed Regs

• (c) If the child has not made adequate progress
  after an appropriate
• period of time, during which the conditions in
  paragraphs (b)(1) and
• (2) of this section have been implemented, a
  referral for an
• evaluation to determine if the child needs
  special education and
• related services must be made.

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But

• We KNOW what to do!
• We CAN make a difference!
• The RESEARCH gives us the technical knowledge and
  tools to teach each child to read!

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Response to Intervention Core Principles

• Use all available resources to teach all students
• Use scientific, research-based interventions
• Monitor classroom performance
• Conduct universal screening/benchmarking
• Use multi-tier model of service delivery
• Make data based decisions using a problem
  solving/standard protocol approach
• Monitor progress frequently
• Implementation fidelity

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System-wide Commitment
Three Tiers of Instruction
Comprehension Vocabulary Fluency Phonics Phonemic
Awareness
Intensive Intervention Strategic Instruction Core
Content
Screening
Diagnostics Monitoring
Five Essential Components
Outcome
Assessments
Leadership
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Use all available resources to teach all students

• RTI practices are built on the belief that all
  students can learn and everyone supports all
  students.
• RTI focuses on student intervention need and not
  What is wrong with the student?
• Systems Change Integrated approach
• No one building/district will look the same

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Implications

• 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

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Use all available resources to teach all
students, cont.

• Basic Education
• LAP-Title
• Reading First (NCLB, 2001)
• School Improvement Plan
• Student Learning Plans
• Special Education (IDEA 2004)
• Other resources available to the building or
  district

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Use scientific, research-based interventions

• Curriculum and instruction approaches must have a
  high probability of success for the majority of
  students
• Offer as soon as it is clear the student is
  lagging behind
• Increase intensity of instruction and practice
• Opportunity for explicit and systematic
  instruction/practice and cumulative review
• Provide skillful instruction with good error
  correction, immediate feedback
• Guided by and in response to progress monitoring
  data
• Must provide a supportive atmosphere for learning

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Monitor classroom performance

• General education teacher play a vital role in
  designing and delivering high quality instruction
• General education teachers also monitor student
  progress through CBMs
• Student performance in relationship to state
  standards (GLEs)

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Universal Screening

• School staff conduct universal screening in all
  academic areas and behavior to all students three
  times/year to identify students at risk
• Benchmarks document whether a child is on track
  compared to peer group and/or state standards
• The students data at benchmark testing periods
  can be utilized to validate the effectiveness of
  intervention. Is the gap closing?

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Response to InterventionHow Well Are We Doing?

• 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.
• When the intensity of services exceed
  significantly those available through general
  education, then a student should be considered
  for special education funding.

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Response to InterventionHow Well Are We Doing?

• What do we do when a student has been placed in
  special education but the students rate of
  progress has not changed significantly?
• This has significant implications for special
  education re-evaluations under the RtI model.

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RtIThe Conceptual Model

• Integrate with Core Instructional Programs and
  Activities in the District
• Reading First, Early Intervention, Positive
  Behavior Support
• 3 Tiered Model of Service Delivery and
  Decision-Making
• Universal--What all students get
• Supplemental--additional focus and intensity
• Intensive--modifying instructional strategies
• Problem-Solving
• Can occur at any level
• Increases in intensity across levels

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Features of a Multi-Tiered Model

• Each tier represents increasingly intense level
  of services associated with increasing levels of
  learner needs
• All students, including those with disabilities
  are found in Tiers I, II, and III
• The nature of the academic or behavioral
  intervention changes at each tier, becoming more
  rigorous as the student moves through the tiers
• Students move up and down the tiers depending on
  need

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Three-Tier Model of School Supports
5 of your students should be here
15 of your students should be here
80 of your students should be here
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Use multi-tier model of service delivery Tier I

• Tier I ALL Students
• All students receive high quality scientific
  research based instruction in the core curriculum
  in all areas
• Core curriculum provides the foundation for
  instruction upon which all strategic and
  intensive interventions are formulated
• Serves 80-90 of the student body
• Some Tier 1 interventions may be applied to at
  risk students followed by progress monitoring

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Use multi-tier model of service delivery Tier II

• Tier II Some Students
• Strategic interventions supplements instruction
  to students who are not achieving standards
  through the core curriculum alone
• Consists of 5-10 of the student body
• Occurs in small groups of 3-6 students
• Short-term in duration 9-12 week blocks
• Recommended 3-4 sessions per week at 30-60
  minutes per session
• Students progress is monitored more frequently at
  Tier II, usually every 2 weeks

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Use multi-tier model of service delivery Tier
II, cont.

• Tier II Some Students
• Students may receive more than one block of Tier
  II interventions if progressing but who have not
  yet reached the goal
• Students who reach goal would be reintegrated
  into Tier I
• Students who do not progress in Tier II may
  require more intensive interventions

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Use multi-tier model of service delivery Tier III

• Tier III Few Students
• Intensive interventions are designed to
  accelerate a students rate of learning by
  increasing the frequency and duration of
  individualized interventions based on targeted
  assessment data.
• Students at Tier III are those performing
  significantly below standards and have not
  adequately responded to Tier I or Tier II
  interventions
• Consists of less than 5 of student body
• Occurs in groups of no more than 3 ideally
• May occur longer than 9-12 weeks
• Students progress is monitored on at least a
  weekly basis

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Use multi-tier model of service delivery Tier
III, cont.

• Tier III Few Students
• Consists of less than 5 of student body
• Occurs in groups of no more than 3 ideally
• May occur longer than 9-12 weeks
• Student progress is monitored on at least a
  weekly basis
• Students who are successful at Tier III
  reintegrate to Tier I with Tier II support
• If not successful at Tier III, consider referral
  for special education and/or other long-term
  planning 504 plan, additional Tier III cycle

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Intensive (Tier III) Reading Intervention

• Specifically designed reading instruction that
  extends beyond the time allocated for Tier I and
  Tier II
• High school students may require double dosing
  in a two period block, using a research-validated
  specially designed program to accelerate their
  learning to read

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Data-Based Decision Making

• The purpose of using data based decision making
  is to find the best instructional approach for a
  student with an academic or behavioral problem
• Decisions are made by teams consisting of
  professionals knowledgeable about the student,
  and the parent
• Decisions are made through the problem solving
  process or standard protocol

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Designing Instruction to Meet Student Needs
Standardized Assessments
Benchmarking or Screening

Instructional Problem Solving
Requires taking multiple sources of evidence and
selecting appropriate instructional interventions
based on identified student needs
Progress Monitoring
Performance or Criterion Assessments
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A Problem Solving Process
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Domains of Influence
I.nstruction How we teach
C.urriculum What is being taught
E.nvironment Context where learning is to occur
L.earner Characteristics that directly relate to the area of concern
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R.I.O.T.
Review Work Samples Cumulative Folders Health Records Interview Teachers Parents Student Significant Others
Observe Student-teacher Student-peer Test Curriculum based Norm referenced Criterion referenced Rating Scales
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Evaluation Planning
Relevant KNOWN Relevant UNKNOWN
Instruction (R.I.O.T.)
Curriculum (R.I.O.T.)
Environment (R.I.O.T.)
Learner (R.I.O.T.)
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Standard Treatment Protocol

• Process where student decisions are made using an
  established response to regular occurring
  circumstances e.g., Read Well
• Implementation involves a trial of fixed duration
  e.g., 9-12 weeks
• Emerging research is showing success implementing
  this approach at Tier I and Tier II in the area
  of reading

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Universal Interventions

• Core instructional programs
• Reading curriculum
• Student progression requirements
• Core behavioral programs
• School-based discipline policies
• Core home/community programs
• Attendance program
• Wellness curricula

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Supplemental Interventions

• Increased time and focus in academic instruction
• Classroom-based behavioral interventions
• Building-based interventions for issues such as
  attendance, grief management
• Activate existing peer support programs, mediation

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Intensive Interventions

• Specialized academic interventions
• Intensive acceleration classrooms
• 180 minutes of instruction
• Social skills training, anger control training,
  parent education groups
• Behavior intervention plans
• Alternative education programs

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Example of Tier Level Interventions
Reading
Tier I
Tier 2
Tier 3
90
120
180
Curricular Focus
5 areas
Less than 5
2 or less
Core Supplemental Intensive
Core Supplemental
Core
Frequency of Progress Monitoring
Yearly or greater
Monthly or greater
Weekly
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What is Necessary for RtI to Work for Students
and Districts?

• Early intervention Use DRA, EduTest, Aimsweb and
  similar assessments for this purpose
• Access to and Use of Data Student data is the
  most accurate means of referring students for
  assistance and making judgments about
  intervention effectiveness
• Accurate Tier 1 Decisions Special education
  cannot cure large-scale pedagogical problems
  one student at a time

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What is Necessary for RtI to Work for Students
and Districts?

• Evidence-Based and Available Tier 2 Interventions
  Good example is K-5 Academic Support Plan
• Identifying SUCCESSFUL Tier 3 interventions PRIOR
  to making an eligibility determination
• Staff Professional Development
• Technology Support for Data Management and Access
  to Evidence-Based Tier 2 and 3 Interventions

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Progress Monitoring

• Documents student growth over time to determine
  whether the student is progressing as expected in
  tiers
• CBMs are primarily used as a method for progress
  monitoring because they are brief, easy to
  administer and score, and are good predictors of
  student ability
• Progress monitoring data provide a picture of the
  students performance and rate of growth to
  inform instructional and curricular changes so
  that every student reaches proficiency on
  targeted skills

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Lack of Responsiveness to Interventions

• Defined as rate of improvement, or progress slope
  that is not sufficient for the student to become
  proficient with state standards without more
  interventions
• Decisions to advance students from one tier to
  another is based upon analysis of the progress
  monitoring data to determine if the student is
  responsive e.g. 4-6 data points below the
  aimline after interventions have been altered may
  show a student is non-responsive

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Silver Bullets?

• All interventions require a commitment of time,
  resources, professional development, and systemic
  support
• None of the programs listed will be effective
  without an enthusiastic, well-trained teacher
  able to deliver them with expertise
• All programs will require a shift in the system
  to accommodate student needs

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Targeted Assessment

• Targeted assessment means shifting to evaluations
  that are designed around the specific targeted
  concerns of the student.
• In other words, we select assessments that
  measure the area of concern rather than
  administering an assessment and then trying to
  determine what it means.
• Usually conducted when student enters Tier III,
  but may be conducted earlier

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Fidelity

• Fidelity refers to the degree to which RTI
  components are implemented as designed, intended,
  and planned.
• Fidelity is achieved through sufficient time
  allocation, adequate intervention intensity,
  qualified and trained staff, and sufficient
  materials and resources.
• Fidelity is vital in universal screening,
  instructional delivery and progress monitoring.

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Intervention Plan

• Documents analysis of student data and outlines
  interventions and evaluation of progress
• Also documents implementation of interventions
  with fidelity

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RTI and Child Find

• Anyone, including parents and teachers, can make
  a referral at any time in a RTI system.
• A student cannot be required to go all the way
  through Tier III before being evaluated if
  evidence exists to suspect a disability.

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When should a student be suspected of having a
disability due to a lack of responsiveness?

• Students who are performing significantly less
  than their peers and have been provided two or
  more Tier III interventions that did not
  significantly decrease the gap in achievement
  should be suspected as having SLD and evaluated
  absent other evidence.

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Parent Involvement in RTI

• In a RTI system parents must be provided progress
  monitoring data. 34 CFR Sec. 300.309(b)(2).
• Parents must also be informed of
• State policies regarding the amount and nature of
  student performance data that is collected and
  the general education services that are provided
• The strategies for increasing the students rate
  of learning and
• Their right to request an evaluation.
• 34 CFR Sec. 300.311(a)(7).

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Is consent required before conducting screenings
or CBMs?

• Teachers or specialists do not need to obtain
  consent to evaluate when administering universal
  screening, CBMs, or targeted assessments to a
  student in order to determine appropriate
  instructional strategies for curriculum
  implementation.
• 20 USC Sec. 1414(a)(1)(E).

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Using RTI data to identify SLD

• District procedures set out criteria for using
  RTI data to establish SLD.
• District criteria must incorporate new federal
  regulations on SLD.
• 34 CFR Sections 300.309 through 300.311

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Adopt an established approach for using RTI data
to identify SLD

• Districts are strongly encouraged to use
  established approaches for using RTI data to
  identify SLD.
• Criteria determines if a student is not making
  sufficient progress to meet age or State-approved
  grade-level standards in one or more of the SLD
  areas. 34 CFR Sec. 300.309(a)(2)(i).

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Special Education Eligibility

• To be eligible for special education, the
  evaluation group for students with SLD must find
  an adverse educational impact and the need for
  specially designed instruction (SDI).
• The evaluation report for eligible students
  should include recommendations about the SDI and
  any related services, program modifications,
  accommodations and other supports the student
  needs with enough specificity to develop an IEP.
• In a RTI system, the SDI provided should
  supplement the scientific-based interventions and
  high quality instruction the student was already
  receiving in general education.

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Same players new roles I

• The New Psychologist Role
• Data Manager
• Data Analyzer
• Data Synthesizer
• Detective Extraordinaire
• Progress Monitoring?
• The New Sped Teacher Role
• Data Provider
• Targeted Assessment
• Progress Monitoring
• Intervention opportunities

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Same players new roles II

• The New Parent Role
• Data Provider
• Interventionist
• Progress Monitoring
• The New General Ed.Teacher Role
• Tier 1 Tier 2 interventions
• Progress Monitoring
• Data provider for Learning Env.
• Be ready for intervention

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Same players new roles III

• The New Principal Role
• As goes the principals attitude, so goes the
  team
• Providing for the assessment of intervention
  fidelity
• The New Attitude
• We are not looking at the child as broken
• Focus is on Why isnt the general education
  curriculum working for this child?

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Six critical components to Implementing an RTI
Model

• The first critical component is the development
  and initiation of universal screening
  administered to ALL students three times per
  year. Purpose?
• Identify the problem areas in measurable terms.
  Assessment results should be objective and
  specific, rather than anecdotal or opinion based.
• Establish baseline data. Using CBM allows you to
  identify the performance of each student on a
  specific skill measure. Comparing the individual
  student to the universal screening data allows
  you to identify the needs of the student.

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Six Components cont.

• Develop and write an accountability plan once you
  have identified the measurable problem and the
  team has identified the intervention to be used.
  The plan MUST address a description of the
  specific intervention, the duration, schedule,
  and setting of the implementation of the
  intervention, and who is responsible. The
  accountability plan also must address the
  measurable outcomes, the rubric for intervention
  adjustment, and the description of the skill
  measurement and data keeping responsibilities.
  Schedule for PM is required.

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Six Components, cont.

• It is critical that a schedule for and a design
  of a PM system be established and maintained
  throughout the system. Develop the PM system
  prior to the intervention. This must be done on
  regular intervals.
• Once you have implemented the five critical
  components above, you are now ready to implement
  the comparison of your baseline date to your
  results.

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Four Top Intervention Team Responsibilities

• Define the ProblemDetermine IF a problem
  existsForm a hypothesis based on the definition
  of the problemDetermine why the problem occurs
• Develop a planSpecificityClearly defined goals
• Implement the planWhoWhatWhereWhen
• Evaluateon-going assessment of data is needed to
  determine effectiveness of the planReview goals
  and objectives plot student data Answer the
  following questions

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Questions to Evaluate

• Did the team identify all of the objectives and
  assign meaningful goals?
• Did the student meet/exceed the goals and
  objectives?
• Was the student successful?

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Five Stages of the Intervention Team Process

• Stage I Request for Assistance
• Stage II Consultation
• Stage III Problem Identification and Analysis
• Stage IV Develop and Implement the Intervention
• Stage V Evaluate the Intervention

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A Model for Implementation

• Screening (Responsibility general education with
  support)
• Modification of general education program,
  minimum of 6-8 documented weeks (Responsibility
  general education)
• Monitoring responsiveness to general education
  (Responsibility general education with support)
• Referral to school support team, diagnostic
  intervention minimum 9 weeks (Responsibility
  general education with support)

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Model, cont.

• Monitoring response to diagnostic treatment
  (Responsibility general education with support)
• More intensive diagnostic intervention, minimum
  9-12 weeks
• Monitoring response to diagnostic treatment
  (Responsibility general education with support)
• (Step 1 for special education consideration of
  disability)

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Do We REALLY Want To Do This?

• It Depends
• If we are interested in as many students AS
  POSSIBLE achieving benchmarks AND AYP--its the
  best thing we have
• If we are looking to solve pedagogical management
  problems for diverse populations, then probably
  not.

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How Long Will It Take to Implement this
Effectively?

• 1-3 years
• Take it one step (e.g., skill) at a time.
• Start with young students (Kindergarten)
• Consider Tier 1 issues
• Create Tier 2 options with existing staff and
  resources
• Develop a 3 year plan for staff
• Ease their job with social support and technology
• Use networks-avoid reinventing the wheel.

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Implications for Team Members

• 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
• We must relate student outcomes to service
  delivery