Getting Started With

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Getting Started With Response to Intervention
A Guide for SchoolsJim Wrightwww.interventionce
ntral.orgJanuary 2006 
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RTI Workshop Goals

• As a result of this workshop, you will
• Better understand the Response to Intervention
  (RTI) model
• Know where to find resources on the Internet to
  start RTI in your school
• Understand the next steps that your school should
  take to implement RTI

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The quality of a school as a learning community
can be measured by how effectively it addresses
the needs of struggling students.--Wright
(2005)
Discussion Read the quote below
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Why?
Source Wright, J. (2005, Summer). Five
interventions that work. NAESP Leadership
Compass, 2(4) pp.1,6.
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What is Response to Intervention (RTI)?

• 'Response to Intervention' is an emerging
  approach to the diagnosis of Learning
  Disabilities that holds considerable promise. In
  the RTI model
• A student with academic delays is given one or
  more research-validated interventions.
• The student's academic progress is monitored
  frequently to see if those interventions are
  sufficient to help the student to catch up with
  his or her peers.
• If the student fails to show significantly
  improved academic skills despite several
  well-designed and implemented interventions, this
  failure to 'respond to intervention' can be
  viewed as evidence of an underlying Learning
  Disability.

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What are advantages of RTI?

• One advantage of RTI in the diagnosis of
  educational disabilities is that it allows
  schools to intervene early to meet the needs of
  struggling learners.
• Another advantage is that RTI maps those specific
  instructional strategies found to benefit a
  particular student. This information can be very
  helpful to both teachers and parents.

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What previous approach to diagnosing Learning
Disabilities does RTI replace?

• Prior to RTI, many states used a Test-Score
  Discrepancy Model to identify Learning
  Disabilities.
• A student with significant academic delays would
  be administered a battery of tests, including
  an intelligence test and academic achievement
  test(s).
• If the student was found to have a substantial
  gap between a higher IQ score and lower
  achievement scores, a formula was used to
  determine if that gap was statistically
  significant and severe.
• If the student had a severe discrepancy gap
  between IQ and achievement, he or she would be
  diagnosed with a Learning Disability.

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Learning Disabilities Test Discrepancy Model

• Traditionally, disability is viewed as a
  deficit that resides within the individual, the
  severity of which might be influenced, but not
  created, by contextual variables. (Vaughn
  Fuchs, 2003)

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Limitations to the test-score discrepancy
model (Gresham, 2001)

• Requires chronic school failure BEFORE
  remedial/special education supports can be
  given.
• Fails to consider that outside factors such as
  poor or inconsistent instruction may contribute
  to a child's learning delay.
• A severe discrepancy between test scores
  provides no useful information about WHY the
  student is doing poorly academically.
• Different states (and even school districts
  within the same state) often used different
  formulas to diagnose LD, resulting in a lack of
  uniformity in identifying children for special
  education support.

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Why is RTI now being adopted by schools?

• Congress passed the revised Individuals With
  Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) in
  2004.
• This Federal legislation provides the guidelines
  that schools must follow when identifying
  children for special education services.
• Based on the changes in IDEIA 2004, the US
  Department of Education (USDE) updated its
  regulations to state education departments. The
  new USDE regulations
• Explicitly ALLOW states to use RTI to identify LD
• FORBID states from forcing schools to use a
  discrepancy model to identify LD

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IDEIA 2004-05 Federal (US Dept of Education)
Regulations What do they say about LD diagnosis?

• 300.307 Specific learning disabilities.
• (a) General. A State must adopt criteria for
  determining whether a child has a specific
  learning disability. the criteria adopted by
  the State
• (2) May not require the use of a severe
  discrepancy between intellectual ability and
  achievement for determining whether a child has a
  specific learning disability as defined in
  300.8 Discrepancy Model
• (3) Must permit the use of a process that
  determines if the child responds to scientific,
  research-based interventionRTI Model
• NOTE bracketed comments added

Source IDEA (2004, 2005). Proposed Regulations
from US Department of Education ( 300.307)
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What does RTI look like when applied to an
individual student?

• A widely accepted method for determining whether
  a student has a Learning Disability under RTI is
  the dual discrepancy model (Fuchs, 2003).
• Discrepancy 1 The student is found to be
  performing academically at a level significantly
  below that of his or her typical peers
  (discrepancy in initial skills or performance).
• Discrepancy 2 Despite the implementation of one
  or more well-designed, well-implemented
  interventions tailored specifically for the
  student, he or she fails to close the gap with
  classmates (discrepancy in rate of learning
  relative to peers).

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Dual-Discrepancy RTI Model of Learning
Disability (Fuchs 2003)
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The steps of RTI for an individual case

• Under RTI, if a student is found to be
  performing well below peers, the school will
• Estimate the academic skill gap between the
  student and typically-performing peers
• Determine the likely reason(s) for the students
  depressed academic performance
• Select a scientifically-based intervention likely
  to improve the student's academic functioning
• Monitor academic progress frequently to evaluate
  the impact of the intervention
• If the student fails to respond to several
  well-implemented interventions, consider a
  referral to Special Education

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Estimate the academic skill gap between the
target student and typically-performing peers

• There are three general methods for estimating
  the typical level of academic performance at a
  grade level
• Local Norms A sample of students at a school is
  screened in an academic skill to create grade
  norms (Shinn, 1989)
• Research Norms Norms for typical growth are
  derived from a research sample, published, and
  applied by schools to their own student
  populations (e.g., Shapiro, 1996)
• Criterion-Referenced Benchmarks A minimum level,
  or threshold, of competence is determined for a
  skill. The benchmark is usually defined as a
  level of proficiency needed for later school
  success (Fuchs, 2003)

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Baylor Elementary School Grade Norms Correctly
Read Words Per Min Sample Size 23 Students
Group Norms Correctly Read Words Per Min Book
4-1 Raw Data
31 34 34 39 41 43 52 55 59 61 68 71
74 75 85 89 102 108 112 115 118 118 131

• LOCAL NORMS EXAMPLE Twenty-three 4th-grade
  students were administered oral reading fluency
  Curriculum-Based Measurement passages at the
  4th-grade level in their school.
• In their current number form, these data are not
  easy to interpret.
• So the school converts them into a visual
  displaya box-plot to show the distribution of
  scores and to convert the scores to percentile
  form.
• When Billy, a struggling reader, is screened in
  CBM reading fluency, he shows a SIGNIFICANT skill
  gap when compare to his grade peers.

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Research Norms Example
Norms for typical growth are derived from a
research sample, published, and applied by
schools to their own student populations
Estimates of Typical Instructional Reading Fluency Level Ranges By Grade Based on a Research Sample (from Shapiro, 1996) Estimates of Typical Instructional Reading Fluency Level Ranges By Grade Based on a Research Sample (from Shapiro, 1996) Estimates of Typical Instructional Reading Fluency Level Ranges By Grade Based on a Research Sample (from Shapiro, 1996)
Grade Correctly Read Words Per Min Reading Errors
1 40-60 Fewer than 5
2 40-60 Fewer than 5
3 70-100 Fewer than 7
4 70-100 Fewer than 7
5 70-100 Fewer than 7
6 70-100 Fewer than 7
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Criterion-Referenced Benchmarks Example

• The benchmark represents a level of proficiency
  needed for later school success. A good example
  of a commonly used set of benchmarks for reading
  are those that were developed for use with the
  DIBELS Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early
  Literacy Skills.
• Using the DIBELS benchmarks, for example,
  3rd-grade students are at low risk for reading
  problems if they reach these reading-fluency
  goals
• Start of School Year 77 Correctly Read Words
  Per Min
• Middle of School Year 92 Correctly Read Words
  Per Min
• End of School Year 110 Correctly Read Words Per
  Min

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Determine the likely reason(s) for the students
depressed academic performance

• There can be several possible underlying reasons
  why a student is doing poorly in an academic
  area. It is crucial to determine the reason(s)
  for poor performance in order to select an
  appropriate intervention
• Skill Deficit The student lacks the necessary
  skills to perform the academic task.
• Fragile Skills The student possesses the
  necessary skills but is not yet fluent and
  automatic in those skills.
• Performance (Motivation) Deficit The student has
  the necessary skills but lacks the motivation to
  complete the academic task.

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Select a scientifically-based intervention likely
to improve the student's academic functioning

• Any intervention idea chosen for the student
  should be backed by scientific research (e.g.,
  research articles in peer-reviewed professional
  journals) demonstrating that the intervention is
  effective in addressing the students underlying
  reason(s) for academic failure.

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Monitor academic progress frequently to evaluate
the impact of the intervention

• Under RTI, interventions are monitored
  frequently (e.g., weekly) using valid and
  reliable measures that are sensitive to
  short-term gains in student performance
• Measures for Basic Academic Skills
  Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) probes are
  short, timed assessments that have been developed
  to measure phonemic awareness, oral reading
  fluency, math computation, writing, and spelling
  skills (Shinn, 1989).
• Measures for Classroom Academic and General
  Behaviors
• Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRCs) These
  customized teacher rating forms allow the
  instructor to evaluate the students behaviors
  each day (Chafouleas et al. 2005).
• Direct Observation An external observer visits
  the classroom to observe the students rates of
  on-task and academically engaged behaviors.
  (Shapiro, 1996)

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If the student fails to respond to a series of
several well-implemented interventions, consider
a referral to Special Education.

• In the RTI model, the student would be referred
  for a special education evaluation if
• A series of research-based interventions have
  been attempted
• There is documentation that the interventions
  were carried out as designed (treatment/interventi
  on integrity)
• Progress-monitoring data shows that the student
  failed to meet the goal set for his or her
  improvement (that is, the student shows a
  discrepancy in rate of learning relative to
  grade-peers).

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How can a school restructure to support RTI?

• The school can organize its intervention efforts
  into 3 levels, or Tiers, that represent a
  continuum of increasing intensity of support.
  (Kovaleski, 2003 Vaughn, 2003). Tier I is the
  lowest level of intervention and Tier III is the
  most intensive intervention level.

Universal intervention Available to all
students Example Additional classroom literacy
instruction
Tier I
Individualized Intervention Students who need
additional support than peers are given
individual intervention plans. Example
Supplemental peer tutoring in reading to increase
reading fluency
Tier II
Intensive Intervention Students whose
intervention needs are greater than general
education can meet may be referred for more
intensive services. Example Special Education
Tier III
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RTI School-Wide Three-Tier Framework
(Kovaleski, 2003 Vaughn, 2003)
Tier III Long-Term Programming for Students Who
Fail to Respond to Tier II Interventions (e.g.,
Special Education)
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Putting The RTI Model into Practice 5
Recommended Next Steps for Schools
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What do schools have to do differently under the
RTI model?

• To implement RTI effectively, schools must
  develop a specialized set of tools and
  competencies, including
• A structured format for problem-solving.
• Knowledge of a range of scientifically based
  interventions that address common reasons for
  school failure.
• The ability to use various methods of assessment
  to monitor student progress in academic and
  behavioral areas.

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Adopt evidence-based intervention strategies.
  Academic interventions will have a higher chance
  of success if they are based on sound empirical
  research.

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Web resources for evidence-based intervention
  strategies
• Big Ideas in Beginning Reading (U of
  Oregon)reading.uoregon.edu
• What Works Clearinghouse (US Dept of Education)
  www.w-w-c.org
• Intervention Central www.interventioncentral.org

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Train staff to collect frequent
  progress-monitoring data. Curriculum-based
  measurement (CBM) can be used to assess a
  students accuracy and speed in basic-skill areas
  such as reading fluency, math computation,
  writing, spelling, and pre-literacy skills.
  Teachers also can measure the behavior of
  struggling learners on a daily basis by using
  classroom Daily Behavior Report Cards simple,
  convenient rating forms to track a childs work
  completion, attention to task, compliance with
  teacher directions, and other behaviors that
  influence learning.

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CBM Reading Fluency Probes Example
Examiner Copy
Student Copy
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CBM Reading Fluency Monitoring Chart Example
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Daily Behavior Report Card Example
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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Web resources for progress-monitoring
• CBM Warehouse www.interventioncentral.org/htmdocs
  /interventions/cbmwarehouse.shtml
• The Behavior Reporter (Behavior Report Card
  Generator) http//www.jimwrightonline.com/php/tb
  rc/tbrc.php

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Develop building-level intervention programs to
  address common academic concerns. When faced with
  large numbers of students with shared academic
  concerns (e.g., reading fluency), schools can
  create a building-level intervention program to
  meet this need. For example, older children could
  tutor younger students by using simple,
  research-based techniques to boost their tutees
  reading fluency (Wright Cleary, 2006).

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Kids as Reading Helpers A Peer Tutor Training
Manual
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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Web resource for a building-level intervention
  program peer-tutoring/reading fluency
• Kids as Reading Helpers Peer Tutoring
  Manualwww.interventioncentral.org/htmdocs/inter
  ventions/rdngfluency/prtutor.shtml

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Establish a building intervention team. Made up
  of teachers and support staff, the intervention
  team can help referring teachers design feasible
  strategies for struggling students.
  Intervention teams also foster a sense of
  collegiality and mutual support among educators,
  promote the use of evidence-based interventions,
  and assist busy teachers in carrying out
  intervention plans.

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School-Based Intervention Teams QuickGuide
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SBIT QuickGuide Other Training Materials/Forms
Available for Free Download
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Sample Intervention Team Model SBIT Consultative
Steps

• Step 1 Assess Teacher Concerns
• Step 2 Inventory Student Strengths and Talents
• Step 3 Review Background/Baseline Data
• Step 4 Select Target Teacher Concerns
• Step 5 Set Academic or Behavioral Goals
• Step 6 Design an Intervention Plan
• Step 7 Select Method for Progress Monitoring
• Step 8 Plan How to Share Information with the
  Students Parent(s)
• Step 9 Review the Intervention and Monitoring
  Plans

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Web resources on building intervention teams
• School-Based Intervention Teams (Syracuse City
  Schools)http//www.interventioncentral.org/htmdo
  cs/interventions/sbit.shtml
• Screening to Enhance Educational Performance
  STEEP (Joe Witt, Ph.D.)http//www.joewitt.org/st
  eep.htm
• Instructional Consultation Teams (Sylvia
  Rosenfield, Ph.D.)http//www.icteams.umd.edu/

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Implementing RTI Next Steps

• Align Current Intervention Assessment Efforts
  With 3-Tier Model. Many schools already have
  intervention assessment initiatives in place.
  Mapping out those initiatives, standardizing
  their content, and tying them to the appropriate
  level of the 3-tier intervention framework can
  help schools to better coordinate intervention
  programming while avoiding duplication of
  services.

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Tier I
Inventory all universal programs in the school
intended to prevent student academic or
behavioral failure
Inventory programs or supports (e.g.,
Intervention Team, cross-age peer tutoring, Math
or Reading Remedial Lab) that can be
individualized and matched to students with
emerging academic or behavioral difficulties
Tier II
Inventory the most intensive programs (e.g.,
Special Education services, Wrap-Around Teams,
Individual Counseling) reserved for students with
severe and chronic academic or behavioral
problems that have not responded to Tier I or
Tier II supports
Tier III
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Participant Activity Take the RTI Readiness
Survey

• Form into pairs or small groups.
• Together, complete the RTI Readiness Survey.
• When finished, discuss your results and address
  these questions
• What areas of strength did you identify?
• What areas did you identify that need work?
• What would be your groups top three priorities
  in starting the RTI model in this school?

RTI Readiness Survey available at
http//www.jimwrightonline.com/pdfdocs/survey_rti_
wright.pdf
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For a comprehensive directory of up-to-date RTI
Resources available for free on the Internet,
visit RTI_Wire athttp//www.jimwrightonline.com
/php/rti/rti_wire.php
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References

• Chafouleas, S.M., McDougal, J.L., Riley-Tillman,
  T.C., Panahon, C.J., Hilt, A.M. (2005).  What
  do Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRCs) measure?
  An initial comparison of DBRCs with direct
  observation for off-task behavior.  Psychology in
  the Schools, 42(6), 669-676.
• Fuchs, L. (2003). Assessing intervention
  responsiveness Conceptual and technical issues.
  Learning Disabilities Research Practice, 18(3),
  172-186.
• Gresham, F. (2001). Responsiveness to
  Intervention an Alternative Approach to the
  Identification of Learning Disabilities.
  Retrieved January 9, 2006, from
  http//www.air.org/ldsummit/download/Gresham
  Final 08-10-01.doc
• Individuals with Disabilities Education
  Improvement Act, P.L. 108-466 (2004, 2005). 34
  C.F.R. 300 (Proposed Regulations). Retrieved
  January 15, 2006, from http//a257.g.akamaitech.ne
  t/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/
  2005/pdf/05-11804.pdf

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References

• Kovaleski, J. F. (2003). The three-tier model of
  identifying learning disabilities Critical
  program features and system issues. Paper
  presented at the National Research Center on
  Learning Disabilities Responsiveness-to-Interventi
  on Symposium, Kansas City, MO.
• Shapiro, E. S. (1996). Academic skills problems
  Direct assessment and intervention (2nd ed.). New
  York Guilford.
• Shinn, M. R. (1989). Identifying and defining
  academic problems CBM screening and eligibility
  procedures. In M. R. Shinn (Ed.), Curriculum
  based measurement Assessing special children
  (pp.90-129). New York The Guilford Press.
• Wright, J. (2005, Summer). Five interventions
  that work. NAESP National Association of
  Elementary School Principals Leadership Compass,
  2(4) pp.1,6.
• Wright, J., Cleary, K. S. (2006). Kids in the
  tutor seat Building schools' capacity to help
  struggling readers through a cross-age
  peer-tutoring program. Psychology in the Schools,
  43(1), 99-107.

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END