Response to Intervention:Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Intervention

Georgia Department of EducationDivision for Special Education Services and Supports1870 Twin Towers EastAtlanta, Georgia 30334

Georgia Department of EducationKathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools

One key question determines when, where, & how to intervene.

Adapted from: Beth Doll, University of Colorado

Is it the Fish or the Water?

80%able

academic & emotionallearners

The Prevention/Intervention Triangle

Primary Prevention(School-wide): Promote academic & mental/emotional wellness for all students through: family involvement, positive school climate, social skills, teacher training, individualized instruction, team consultation, collaborative problem solving

Early Intervention: Provide proven structured and targeted remedial academic & mental/emotional support to students placed at-risk

Intensive Intervention: Evidence-based interventions that are comprehensive, coordinated, interagency supported, culturally competent, family focused, of high quality, and sustain help

15%

5%

Adapted from: Dwyer, K. & Osher, D. (2000) Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide. Washington DC: U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, American Institutes for Research. (page 3)

Evaluate Effects

A New Era in Special Education

GADOE, 20074

Of those with SLD, 80% are there simply because they have not learned how to read. Thus, many children identified for special education- up to 40%- are there because they were not taught to read. Few children placed in special education close the achievement gap to a point where they can read and learn like their peers.

President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education’s Report: A new Era: Revitalizing Special Education for Children and Their Families. (July 1, 2002).

Embracing a More Proactive Model

GADOE, 20075

Problem solving model and prereferral intervention is best practice for children with learning difficulties.

(Hale, Naglieri, Kaufman, & Kavale, 2005)

It represents an opportunity to provide early intervention and/or pre-referral services to

Reduce inappropriate referral and identificationEstablish a prevention model for all students – no

more wait to failReduce the over identification of minority studentsProvide data that are relevant to instructionPromote shared responsibility and collaboration

(NJCLD – June 2005) Represents a method for assessing the “adequate

opportunity for learning” exclusion present in IDEA 2004

RtI in Georgia: Student Achievement Pyramid

of Intervention

GADOE, 20076

What is a Pyramid

of Intervention?

TIER 1 STANDARDS BASED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION/LEARNING

All students participate in instruction that is:-In the general education classroom

-Standards-based -Differentiated

- Evidenced-based •Guided by progress monitoring & balanced assessment

-Planned to address all developmental domains (academic, communication/language, social etc.)

TIER 2: NEEDS BASED INSTRUCTION/LEARNING:STANDARD INTERVENTION PROTOCOLS

Targeted students participate in instruction that:-Is different from Tier 1

-Uses established intervention protocols -Provides enhanced opportunities for extended learning

-Uses flexible, small groups-Includes more frequent progress monitoring

-Addresses needs in all developmental domains (academic,communication/language, social etc.)

TIER 3: SST DRIVEN INSTRUCTION/LEARNINGTargeted students participate in:

-Individual assessment-Tailored interventions to

respond to their needs-Frequent formative assessments

-Consideration for specially designed instruction only when data indicates a need (e.g. gifted or

special education services)

TIER 4SPECIALLY DESIGNED

INSTRUCTION/LEARNINGTargeted students participate in:

-Specialized programs -Adapted content, methodology,

or instructional delivery-GPS access/extension

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT PYRAMID OF INTERVENTIONS

Georgia Department of Education

Offices of Curriculum and Instruction and Teacher/Student Support

Old Way

GADOE, 20078

Student has difficulty we:Refer them to SSTPossibly have three SST meetingsWait for the student To Fail without

providing intense interventionsRefer On To Special Education evaluation

Pyramid of Interventions Way

GADOE, 20079

Being Proactive No More Wait to Fail- intense interventions provided earlier

on to struggling students General Education can Help All Students

No more Gray area- even students that “Don’t Qualify” will have instructional supports available

Making Intervention Really and Truly WorkMost Pre-referral interventions are based on a checklist-

not based on student needs identified through data analysis

Reducing Disproportionality and Over-identificationStudents with intrinsic, lifelong disabilities will be served

by special education placement Looking at Instruction as a factor

Instructional Casualties are Not LD

Georgia’s model: Student Achievement Pyramid of Intervention

GADOE, 200710

Tiers of support for students who are struggling with:AcademicsCommunication/language deficitsAppropriate school behavior/social skills

Provides assistance to any struggling student

What makes the Pyramids possible?These assumptions

and beliefs are only possible when system wide progress monitoring is established

GADOE, 2007 12

What is Progress Monitoring?

GADOE, 200713

Regularly and systematically using multiple indicators to assess and monitor children’s progress

Good assessment is essential to help teachers tailor appropriate instruction to children and to know when and how much intensive instruction on any particular skill or strategy might be needed (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1998)

Progress Monitoring

GADOE, 200714

Conducted frequentlyDesigned to:

Estimate rates improvementIdentify students who are not demonstrating

adequate progressCompare the efficacy of different forms of

instruction Thereby design more effective, individualized

instructional programs for struggling learners(National Center on Student Progress Monitoring, 2004)

What We Look For in CBM

GADOE, 200715

INCREASING SCORES:

Student is becoming a better reader

FLAT SCORES:

Student is not profiting from instruction and requires a change in the instructional program

Sarah’s Progress on Words Read Correctly(National Center on Student Progress Monitoring, 2004)

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GADOE, 2007 16

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GADOE, 200717

Jessica’s Progress on Words Read Correctly

(National Center on Student Progress Monitoring, 2004)

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GADOE, 200718

Progress Monitoring Is Progress Monitoring Is Used To:Used To:

•Identify at-risk students who may Identify at-risk students who may need additional services need additional services

•Help teachers plan more effective Help teachers plan more effective instruction by designing instructional instruction by designing instructional programs for students with diverse programs for students with diverse needsneeds

Progress Monitoring is Relevant to Special Education Eligibility

GADOE, 200719

Progress monitoring includes the data-based documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals, reflecting child progress during instruction. When reviewing progress monitoring data, those students that exhibit a positive response to the research validated instruction being provided by general education cannot be considered as having a disability even though they may show deficits on achievement tests in the specified areas { SBOE Rule 160-4-7-.05 ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION AND CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY }

Special Education Eligibility Determination

GADOE, 200720

Data must be provided documenting that the exclusionary factors are not the primary reason for the student’s weaknessLack of appropriate instruction in reading, to

include the essential components of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension)

Lack of appropriate instruction in math Lack of appropriate instruction in writing

Continuation of Exclusionary Factors-Limited English proficiency-Visual, hearing or motor disability-Intellectual disabilities-Emotional disturbances-Cultural factors-Environmental or economic disadvantage-Atypical educational history

GADOE, 200721

The Role of Progress Monitoring in Documenting Exclusionary Factors

GADOE, 200722

A student’s classroom performance is not correctable without specialized techniques that are fundamentally different from those available in the general education classroom, basic remedial/tutorial approaches, or other compensatory programs. This is clearly documented by the child’s response to instruction as demonstrated by a review of the progress monitoring available in general education and Student Support Team (SST) intervention plans as supported by work samples and classroom observations. The child's need for academic support alone is not sufficient for eligibility. { SBOE Rule 160-4-7-.05 ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION AND CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY }

Why is Progress Monitoring Needed for Eligibility Determination?

GADOE, 200723

We must come to grips with the realities that school districts serve different populations of children, have differing resources to address problem learners, and make eligibility decisions in light of these different circumstances.

Macmillan & Siperstein, 2001

How do we operationalize Tier I and Tier II?Key questions to answer are:

- Do we have scientifically based curricula for all students in Reading, ELA, and math?- Are school wide screenings used to group students for supplementary assistance? - How are formative assessments analyzed to determine student needs?

Georgia Reading First ModelAll children are assessed using the DIBELS

instrument in fall, winter, spring.Those “at risk” or “some risk” are given

additional instruction.Progress monitoring occurs on a regular

basis.

Implementing a Staggered Reading BlockAfter the initial grade level instruction,

students move during the reading block to homogenously grouped classrooms in order to better utilize all of their trained staff. A student would have a designated, highly qualified teacher in the area of reading who could be a general education teacher, a special education teacher, or an ESOL teacher depending on the students needs. The teachers with the high-risk children have smaller groups of children during the reading block.

How is your system implementing Tier I and Tier II?Do you have a screening measure in

place? If so, where is the data maintained?

What is the cut-point to determine those students that may be considered at-risk?

How are students targeted for preventative intervention?

How long are students provided preventative intervention? What determines success?

How has the role of general education teachers, specialists and support staff changed?

What is Tier 3This should be the school’s line of defense

for reducing the number of students who are low performing or perhaps later referred for special education determination. Providing timely and evidence-based instructional strategies to at risk students can be the difference between those at-risk students successfully meeting standards.

What are the components of Tier 3?It consists of general education

instruction PLUS specialized intervention that contains:Small group instructionMastery requirements of content (relative to

cut points identified on criterion screening measures and continued growth)

Frequency of progress monitoringDuration of the intervention ( Nine to 12

weeks recommended)Frequency with which the intervention is

delivered (Three to four intervention session per week with 45-60 minutes per session)

Instructor qualifications

What is this Tier 3 or SST? Current process for SST

Every child that fails or is difficult to teach has collaboratively developed individual plan

ProblemsLimited evidence based interventionsLack of baseline data in deficit area(s)Teams are created without expertise providedLimited accountability for fidelity of implementation

Pyramid of Intervention Tier 3 ProcessMore Prescriptive based on results of on-going

assessmentFewer Choices- Materials Readied—Pre-trainingProgress monitoring embedded

Decision Making Along the Continuum of the Georgia

Student Achievement Pyramid of Intervention

www.georgiastandards.org

Tier 1Universal screening or benchmarking is conducted at

school level.Evidence based curricula and strategies are in place

for all students, and differentiation is documented by general education teachers through the general education environment.

At risk students are identified in an area of instructional delay (language, academics, behavior).

Any student identified as at risk is monitored for at least a grading period with progress monitoring tool or CBM in order to determine instructional effectiveness.

Data is included and analyzed by classroom general education teacher for decision making that indicates if Tier 1 universal interventions should be continued or if there is a need to proceed to the increased intensity of Tier 2 interventions.

www.georgiastandards.org

Tier 2Hearing and vision screenings are completed for each

student requiring Tier 2 interventions.Parents are notified that additional small group

instruction may be needed for their student.The parent is contacted through a conference, phone

call, or letter sent home that includes written documentation of the strategies that will be attempted.

Small group instruction in addition to core curriculum is provided to the student for at least one grading period.

Progress Monitoring is administered at least every 2-3 weeks to determine if a change in delivery or strategy is required.

If data after 3 progress monitoring checks indicates regression or no progress, the problem solving team of general education should meet to determine if more intensity in the delivery time or instruction is required.

www.georgiastandards.org

Tier 3 When the student remains at the lowest 25% of performance in the area(s) of

deficit and additional interventions are deemed necessary by teachers, parents, or others, the SST process is initiated with a referral to SST.

Baseline and progress monitoring data from Tier 2 are analyzed to create specific goal(s) to increase student achievement in the area(s) of delay.

The SST may determine the need for additional information on the student. This may include the use or administration of informal or formal measures to gather individual data on the area(s) of concern.

Members of SST collaborate to identify no more than 2 specific interventions to utilize with the student.

*The plan for implementation includes a timeline detailing how long the intervention will be implemented and dates for progress monitoring.

If the child is making progress using the SST interventions, the interventions are continued for a minimum of 12 weeks. If progress toward the goal is minimal, SST members will revise or change the intervention.

*The intervention plan should be implemented for at least 4 weeks before changes are made.

*If the intervention plan is successful, the SST will create a plan for reducing the level of support needed by the child to the Tier 2 level. This plan should include a realistic timeframe for accomplishing this goal.

The SST may make a referral to special education if the intervention plan and the revisions are not successful in helping the child meet the goals identified by the SST.

www.georgiastandards.org

Tier 3

Progress Monitoring Data-weekly

Tier 4Specialized Instruction,

Monitoring per IEP

Tier 2Progress Monitoring Data-every 2 to 3 weeks

Tier 1Universal or Benchmark Data

monitoring for at least a grading period

Four Weeks, regression/no progress,

revise (repeat if not successful)

Four weeks, progress, continue for

minimum 12 weeks total

Three data checks, regression/no progress,

lowest 25%Three data checks,

progress

At-Risk StudentTeacher analyzes

benchmark data and moves student to Tier 2.

On Target StudentTeacher analyzes

benchmark data and keeps student in Tier 1.

www.georgiastandards.org

Summary

Georgia Department of EducationKathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools

It is not merely what is offered, but we must begin to evaluate how it is offered, who teaches it, and which students receive it.

For additional information, contact:

Georgia Department of EducationDivision for Special Education Services and Supports1870 Twin Towers EastAtlanta, Georgia 30334404-656-3963Website: http://www.gadoe.org/ci_exceptional.aspxKristina Brooks: krbrooks@doe.k12.ga.us

Georgia Department of EducationKathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools