Response to Intervention

Mary DoschSchool Psychologist, Ed. S.

Wisdom of kids

You can listen to thunder after lightning, and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don’t hear it, you got hit,

so never mind.

The 5 “W” Questions?

Who started RTI? What is RTI? When did RTI begin? Where is RTI occurring? Why RTI?

What is RTI?

Response to InstructionOR

Response to Intervention

**Either way RTI is defined as evidenced-based instruction/intervention using data to make educational decisions

Who started RTI? Several groups started researching

special education failures: National Institute for Child Health and

Development National Reading Panel National Research Council Panel on

Minority Overrepresentation National Summit on Learning Disabilities President’s Commission on Excellence in

Education.

Wisdom of kids

Many dead animals of the past

changed to fossils while others preferred to be oil.

When did RTI begin?

Concerns in mid 80s—lack of evidence that Special Education was effective

Carried into the 90s and really got its start after IDEA ’97 came to be

Where is RTI occurring?

Everywhere—but very fragmented Most schools are doing parts; Few

are implementing RTI systemically

Why RTI? Special Education #s were increasing Students that didn’t meet discrepancy criteria

had to wait to get help until they met this criteria (Some never did!!!!)

No early intervention/preventative services “Wait to Fail” model wasn’t working THE WEAKEST LINK---determination of

eligibility and interventions used were unrelated

Increased dropouts DATA! DATA! DATA!

How well do students respond to instruction/interventions?

Intensive Instruction

Strategic Instruction

Initial Instruction

(Benchmark)

5-10%

10-15%

80-85%

How many students need something different?

15-20 % Are we willing to allow this many

students to fail? With previous discrepancy model &

previous Special Education—yes!

***NO LONGER

Wisdom of Kids

If at first you don’t succeed,

get new batteries

Key components of RTI

Belief that by altering our instruction, all kids can learn

We must be proactive and intervene early—No “Wait to Fail”

Multiple Tiers of instruction that match the students needs

Instruction must be evidence based

Key components cont…

Progress must be monitored on a regular basis (frequency depends on intensity of the intervention)

All decisions are outcome-based using a problem-solving model

Wisdom of Kids

Respiration is composedof two things, first

inspiration,and then expectoration

What does this look like?

XxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxx

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxx

XxxxxXxxxx

xx

xxxxxx

xxxx

xxxxxxxxx

Special EducationGeneral Education

General Ed

Tier 1Tier 2

Tier 3(Tier 4)

Special Ed

xxx

Traditionally

With RTI

The Wisdom of Kids

The law of gravity says,

“No jumping up without coming back

down!”

EDUCATION FOR ALL

NOT A SPECIAL EDUCATION ISSUE!!!

“RTI isn’t about identifying kids with specific learning disabilities. RTI is about improving instruction and improving interventions.”

David Tilly

How do we start or continue to move toward system-wide RTI?

Problem Analysis—Use the Problem Solving Model

Collect data and analyze

Plan and implement intervention

ProgressMonitor

Evaluate

Identifythe problem

Starting the process

1. Group Screening-anyone below 40th percentile DIBELS State assessments District-Wide Assessments

2. Individual diagnostic screening-specific skills Curriculum Based Measurement-error

analysis

3. Intensive Instruction—Tiers-varying levels of intensity depending on needs

4. Progress Monitor-Is child making progress? Tweak the intervention?

5. Decision Making-Did interventions close the gap in a reasonable amount of time?*Yes—continue intervention until gap is closed and no more tiers (tears).*No—exhausted interventions—look at entitlement.

Need Efficient System

1. Eliminate Redundancy2. Differentiate Instruction3. Group children with same skills

ELL, Title I, SpEd, At Risk, Migrant, Gifted4. Share funding – continuum of services5. Only assess in areas of concern6. Make exiting as important as entering.7. Only evidence-based programs

Wisdom of kids

Parallel lines nevermeet, unless you bend one or both

of them.

Where are you in the process?

Level 0 no RTI yet in schools

Level 1 a few teachers doing RTI (often times

Special Education teachers)

Level 2 specific person in school heading up RTI

Level 3 team of people doing RTI

Level 4 whole school doing RTI

Level 5 whole district doing RTI

Where is RTI breaking down?

Not enough staff Not enough time No materials Lack of support No data collection

Why RTI

Practical/Logical Preventative/early intervention focus ALL children that need it, get it Emphasis on LRE Emphasis on exit as much as

entrance Evidence-based Data driven

References Heartland AEA 11 – Johnston, IAwww.aea11.k12.ia.us Pasternack, R. H. (March 2002) – NASP

Presentation in Chicago LD Summit 2001 Howell, Ken (2004) Curriculum-Based

Evaluation Tilly, David NASDSE Satellite Conference,

Heartland AEA 11 Tilly, David NASDSE Counterpoint, Winter 2005 Richard Lederer, True Quotes from Kids, St.

Paul’s school.