Building Consensus:

The First Step in Implementing

PS/RtIJ.C. Smith, M.S.

Susan Forde, M.S.Alana Lopez, M.A.University of South

Florida

Foundations of RtI

• Federal Legislation• Florida’s Response• Overview of Systems Change• Thinking about Consensus• Florida PS/RtI Project Year 1 results• Where do we go from here?

Federal LegislationNCLB

• Accountability– Adequate Yearly Progress– Disaggregated Data

• (Data based decision making)

• Proven Educational Methods– No Child Left Behind puts special emphasis on determining what

educational programs and practices have been proven effective through rigorous scientific research

– Emphasis on Teacher Quality• (Effective General Education Curriculum and Instruction)

Federal LegislationNCLB

• Proposed changes to NCLB and AYP– Currently, AYP is based on percentage of students making

proficiency in academic areas– Proposed change: States and Schools can get credit for

student progress over time (growth model) to meet AYP

Federal LegislationIDEA 2004

• High expectations • Emphasis on general education curriculum• Whole-school approaches• Scientifically based early reading programs• Positive behavioral interventions and supports• Early intervening services specifically addresses disproportionality

Outcomes: Data based decisionsQuality instruction to ALL studentsFormative assessment (Progress Monitoring)Student with disabilities attain the same benchmarks as typical students

Regulatory Support for RtI in Florida

• New Rule (6A-6.0331)– Evidence-based interventions– Interventions in general education environment– Progress Monitoring Plan (PMP)

• New EBD Rule (6A-6.03016)– Evidence-based interventions– Student’s response to intervention determines EBD

Creating Statewide Infrastructure to Implement RtI in Florida

Florida DOE Statewide Response to Instruction/Intervention (RtI) Implementation Plan

http://www.florida-rti.org/

Foreword• “It is the responsibility of every educator, organization, and parent to actively

engage in collaborative efforts to meet Florida’s goals. In the unified effort,

all schools in Florida should ensure evidence-based practices, instructionally

relevant assessments, systematic problem-solving to meet all students’

needs, data-based decision making, effective professional development,

supportive leadership, and meaningful family involvement. These are the

foundation principles of a Response to Instruction/Intervention (RtI) system

which provides us the framework to elevate the efficacy of our statewide

improvement efforts.”Dr. Eric J. Smith

Commissioner of EducationJune 2008

State Infrastructure• State Management Group

Todd Clark, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Instruction and InnovationShan Goff, Executive Director, Office of Early LearningEvan Lefsky, Executive Director, Just Read, Florida!Bambi Lockman, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Exceptional

Education & Student ServicesJay Pfeiffer, Deputy Commissioner, Accountability Research and

Measurement Hue Reynolds, Director of Communications and Public Affairs,

Office of Communications and Public AffairsMary Jane Tappen, Deputy Chancellor for Curriculum,

Instruction, and Student Services, Office of the ChancellorIris Wilson, Deputy Chancellor for Student Achievement, Office

of the ChancellorRepresentatives from State Transformation Team

State Infrastructure• State Transformation Team

Ginger Alberto, Office of Achievement through Language Acquisition, FLDOE

George Batsche, Mike Curtis, Clark Dorman – Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Project, USF

Liz Crawford, Florida Center for Reading Research, FSUHeather Diamond, Bureau of Exceptional Education & Student

Services, FLDOESandy Dilger, Bureau of School Improvement, FLDOEDon Kincaid, Heather George, Karen Childs – PBS Project, USFMary Little, Response to Intervention’s Teaching Learning

Connections, UCFMartha Murray, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student

Services, FLDOE Rob Schoen, Office of Mathematics and Science, FLDOEMelinda Webster, Just Read, Florida!, FLDOE

State Infrastructure• State Advisory Group - representatives from:

Regional Implementation Teams (district contacts, coaches, etc.)

Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR)Florida Center for Research – Science, Technology,

Engineering, Math (FCR-STEM)Early Childhood Association of Florida (ECA) Florida Association of District School Superintendents

(FADSS)Florida Association of School Administrators (FASA) Florida Educators Association (FEA)Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) Family Network for Students with Disabilities (FND)Florida Association of Student Services Administrators

(FASSA)

• Statewide Leadership in PS/RtI

• Statewide Technical Assistance in PS/RtI

• Emphasizes the Need for Districts to Develop District-Wide RtI Plan

• Identifies Resources for PS/RtI Implementation

• Statewide Implementation Plan– Funding Statewide Implementation Projects– Partnerships– Technical Assistance– Professional Development

PS/RtI Integrates Efforts

PS / RtI

Consensus

Infrastructure

Implementation

Change Model

Stages of Implementing Problem-Solving/RtI

• Consensus– Beliefs are shared– Vision is agreed upon– Implementation requirements understood

• Infrastructure Development– Regulations– Training/Technical Assistance– Model (e.g., Standard Protocol)– Tier I and II intervention systems

• E.g., K-3 Academic Support Plan– Data Management– Technology support– Decision-making criteria established

• Implementation

The Process of Systems Change

• Until, and unless, Consensus (understanding the need and trusting in the support) is reached no support will exist to establish the Infrastructure. Until, and unless, the Infrastructure is in place Implementation will not take place.

• A fatal error is to attempt Implementation without Consensus and Infrastructure

• Leadership must come from all levels

Change Across Levels

• Consensus, Infrastructure, Implementation applies to EVERY level at which change occurs:– State– District– School

• Consensus building is similar across levels• Infrastructure and Implementation processes

are different across levels

In the beginning

necessary to participate in a Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Model

None of Beliefs, Skills,

Knowledge

All of Beliefs, Skills,

Knowledge

Over Time

necessary to participate in a Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Model

None of Beliefs, Skills,

Knowledge

All of Beliefs, Skills,

Knowledge

Goal

None of Beliefs, Skills,

Knowledge

All of Beliefs, Skills,

Knowledge

necessary to participate in a Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Model

What changes need to occur?

• Building Consensus– Beliefs are shared– Stakeholders have knowledge to

implement change– Stakeholders have skills to implement

change

Consensus Development: Beliefs

• Level of commitment from school personnel regarding a reform initiative is likely to influence the degree to which implementation occurs– Curtis and Stollar suggest that a commitment from

the majority (80% is often suggested) of stakeholders in a building should be obtained before proceeding with implementation of an innovation

Consensus Development: Beliefs

• “Making the shift to a new paradigm, like PS/RtI, does not simply involve accepting a new set of skills. It also involves giving up certain beliefs in favor of others. “(Ken Howell)

• PS/RtI requires systemic change in the way we educate all students

Foundation Beliefs for PS/RtI

• Every student is everybody’s responsibility

• PSM/RtI is a General Education Initiative-Not Special Education

• Improving the effectiveness of core instruction is basic to this process

• NO Child Left Behind Really Means “NO”

• Assessment (data) should both inform and evaluate the impact of instruction

• Policies must be consistent with beliefs

• Beliefs must be supported by research

• Focus on alterable variables

27

Foundation Beliefs- cont’d

• Maximum benefits to students occur if:• Data are used to guide instructional decisions• Professional development and follow-up

modeling and coaching are provided to ensure effective instruction at all levels

• Leadership is vital All students and their families are part of one proactive and seamless system

Three-Tiered Model of School Supports & the Problem-Solving ProcessACADEMIC SYSTEMS

Tier 3: Comprehensive & Intensive Students who need individualized interventions.

Tier 2: Strategic Interventions Students who

need more support in addition to the core

curriculum.

Tier 1: Core Curriculum All students, including students

who require curricular enhancements for

acceleration.

BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS

Tier 3: Intensive Interventions Students who

need individualized intervention.

Tier 2: Targeted Group Interventions Students who

need more support in addition to school-wide

positive behavior program.

Tier 1: Universal Interventions All students in

all settings.

Changing Beliefs

• Training– Research shows that training is effective for

changing beliefs– http://www.rtinetwork.org

• Resource for Consensus building strategies– NASDSE Book (Research to Practice)

Consensus Building

• Educators will embrace new ideas when two conditions exist:– They understand the NEED for the idea– They perceive that they either have the SKILLS to

implement the idea OR they have the SUPPORT to develop the skills

Consensus Development:Data

• Are you happy with your data?

• Building/Grade Level Student Outcomes– Disaggregated– AYP

Real Elementary: Reading AYP

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07School Year

Perc

ent

Scor

ing

At

or A

bove

Gra

de L

evel

WhiteEconomically DisadvantagedStudents with DisabilitiesExpected

Real Elementary: Math AYP

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07School Year

Perc

ent

Scor

ing

At

or A

bove

Gra

de L

evel

WhiteEconomically DisadvantagedStudents with DisabilitiesExpected

Consensus Development:Knowledge & Skills

• Knowledge– Impact on students– Reduces disproportionality– Equity in education

• Sources of Knowledge– NASDSE Book (Research to Practice)

• www.nasdse.org– Current research (evidence-based practices) that

supports use of RtI

Consensus Development:Skills

• www.nasdse.org– Building and District Implementation Blueprints

• www.rtinetwork.org– Blueprints to support implementation– Monthly RtI Talks– Virtual visits to schools implementing RtI– Webinars– Progress Monitoring Tools to Assess Level of Implementation

• www.floridarti.usf.edu– Online training module (e.g., using data to make decisions)

• http://www.florida-rti.org/– Florida Response to Intervention, Florida Department of Education

Group Discussion

• Where do you think consensus on RtI is in your:

– District?

– Schools?

Sample Description:FL PS/RtI Project

• Two purposes of PS/RtI Project:

– Statewide training in PS/RtI

– Evaluate the impact of PS/RtI on educator, student, and systemic outcomes in pilot sites implementing the model

Scope of the Project

• PreK-12 (Current focus = K-5)• Tiers 1-3 • Reading• Math• Behavior

Training Schedule

• 3 year training curriculum – Problem Solving Process– 3-Tiered RtI Model– Systems Change

• Provided by 3 Regional Coordinators/Trainers• 5 days per year (2 days, 1, 1, 1 schedule)• Technical assistance and support• Data collection

Data Collection and Preliminary Analysis

• Development of Beliefs Survey

• Administration to School Based Leadership Teams– Pilot Project Schools only

• Administration to All Instructional Staff– Statewide– Project– Comparison

Survey Items Matching Core Beliefs

Survey Items Matching Core Beliefs

Survey Items Matching Core Beliefs

Question

Think about 1 building you work in and keep that building in mind. What beliefs are currently present in your building

that you would consider: Strengths/Facilitators to implementation of PS/RtI Barriers to implementation of PS/RtI

Beliefs Comparison (Day 1 vs. Day5)SBLT Pilot Data- All Project Districts

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

7a 7b 8a 8b 11a

11b 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 22 23

Survey Item

Mea

n

Day 1

Day 5

Changed Beliefs- All SBLTs in Project Districts

• Most core beliefs present prior to training.

• Beliefs about students with disabilities attaining grade-level benchmarks not as widely held and less change

• Not as much agreement about the prioritizing resources to students not reaching benchmarks

Beliefs Comparison (Day 1 vs. Day5)SBLT Pilot Data- School A

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.07a 7b 8a 8b 11a

11b 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 22 23

Item

Mea

n

Day 1

Day 5

Beliefs Comparison (Day 1 vs. Day5)All Instructional Staff Pilot Data- All Project Schools

4.29 4.284.1 4.02

3.61

3.86

4.51 4.59

4.35

3.853.75

3.633.75

3.26

3.95

4.49 4.5 4.42 4.4

3.77 3.79

4.53 4.56 4.55 4.55

4.16 4.1

4.38

3.6

4.42

1

2

3

4

5

7a 7b 8a 8b 11a

11b 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 22 23

Survey Item

Mea

n

Day 1

Day 5

“All” Instructional Staff at Pilot Schools

• Closely Mirrors SBLT Data.

Beliefs Comparison (Day 1 vs. Day5)All Instructional Staff Pilot Data- School A

1

2

3

4

5

7a 7b 8a 8b 11a

11b 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 22 23

Survey Item

Mea

n

Day 1

Day 5

• Interpretation of previous graph

Does Beliefs Align with Practices?

• Beliefs Survey examines:• Academics• Behavior

• The School is practicing service delivery right now

• Is there agreement between beliefs/changed beliefs and current practices?

Perceptions of Practices Survey

Perceptions of Practices All Instructional Staff- Project School

Elementary School A

1

2

3

4

5

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 8a 8b 14a 14b 16a 16b 18a 18bItem

Mea

n Sc

ore

How the Data Have Been Used?

• Guiding Questions for Examining Beliefs Survey Data – Did your beliefs change?– How consistent are the overall beliefs of your

building with your building’s perceptions of the practices occurring?

– To what extent do you believe that your building possesses the skills to use school-based data to evaluate Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction?

Responses to Guided Question Activity (Paraphrased)

• A lot of what we do isn’t consistent with our beliefs

• What information do we need to share with staff to start changing practices?

• What skills do our staff members need?

Florida Resources to Support PS/RtI Implementation

• Just Read, Florida! http://www.justreadflorida.com/• Florida Center for Reading Research http://www.fcrr.org/• Florida’s Positive Behavior Support Project

http://flpbs.fmhi.usf.edu/index.asp• RtI: Teaching Learning Connections http://rtitlc.ucf.edu/• Office of Early Learning, Florida Department of Education

http://www.fldoe.org/earlylearning/• Bureau of School Improvement, Florida Department of Education

http://www.flbsi.org/• Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, Florida

Department of Educationhttp://www.fldoe.org/ese/

Thank You

J.C. Smith, M.S.jcsmith6@mail.usf.edu

Susan Forde, M.S.forde@coedu.usf.edu

Questions or Comments?