Response to Response to InterventionIntervention

Revisiting the BasicsDeepening our Understanding

WVDEDecember 10, 2007

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• We are establishing a framework of decision making for instruction and intervention – meeting the needs of each student.

• We are using that framework, at this point, to focus on reading.

• We are grouping assets into a framework – taking advantage of what we have, adjusting as necessary, filling in gaps.

• We are slowly moving across grades collaboratively

• In time instruction will look different because teachers will have sufficient time to develop new instructional habits and build the system.

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Tiered Instruction and Special Education

 

We find these truths to be self evident . . .  Special education is a service not a place.

Tier II and Tier III are not places. Neither Tier II nor Tier III is necessarily or

invariably special education.

Neither IDEA nor Policy 2419 stipulates a range of intellectual functioning for a student to be identified with a specific learning disability.

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The structure of a school organized for tiered instruction and intervention accommodates Needs of non-IEP students who are not at benchmarkall services on an IEPinterventions from, e.g., a counselor supporting a

student with a history of risky behavior instruction for a student learning English as a second

language.documentation for referral and evaluation

Tiered instruction and intervention is about meeting each student where he or she is instructionally or behaviorally – using all staff and all minutes in the school day

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An IEP is an individualized education program that ensures the amount of service needed to make progress.

If we know what it takes for a student to make progress, our responsibility is to provide it.

The question is not,” Where in a tiered model does the special education student fit?”. The question is, “What does the instruction the student receives look like?”

The question is not, “Where do I put the Tier on the IEP?” The question is, “How does the framework for instruction in the school accommodate the services required on the IEP?”

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How do services on an IEP differ from those provided to a student who received Tier III interventions prior to entitlement?What is specially

designed instruction?

The biggest question is . . .

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Tier 1: Core Classroom Instructionfor Reading

Focus All students

Program Core reading program

Grouping Multiple formats: whole group, small group, pairs

Time 90 minutes per day for RELA

Assessment Benchmark assessment three times/year (Sept, Jan, May)

Interventionist General education teacher with assistance from other educators

Setting General education classroom

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What services could a student with an IEP typically receive in Tier I?

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Tier 2: InterventionFocus At-risk students as determined by repeated

benchmark assessments

Program Explicit, systematic, SBRR, targeted essential components of reading

Grouping Homogenous small group

(1:3, 1:4 or 1:5)

Time Tier 1 + 30 min/day (50 sessions)

Assessment Progress monitoring (2x/month) on target skills, diagnostic assessment

Interventionist Title 1 reading specialist, special educator, speech language pathologist, other qualified professionals

Setting Generally pull-outWest Virginia Department of Education

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How do you take advantage of the characteristics of Tier II to provide services to a student with an IEP?

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Tier 3: Intensive Intervention

Focus Students with marked difficulties who have not responded to Tiers 1 and 2

Program Sustained, intensive scientific research-based reading instruction or other interventions

Grouping Small group (1:3)

Time Tier 1 + additional 45-60 min/day – may be accomplished in segments to achieve total additional minutes

Assessment Progress monitoring (2x/month) and diagnostic assessments

Interventionist Educator with specialized reading, or other relevant, skills that address individualized needs

Setting Generally pull-out – before school, after school, summer school – appropriate classroom environment

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Tier 3 may or may not be special education…

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How do you take advantage of the characteristics of Tier III to provide services to a student with an IEP?

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County Special Education Director?• Be active in your county leadership role to explain

that response to intervention is a framework that allows for systematic instruction, intervention and documentation of progress for all students – with a focus on elementary at this time.

• Collaborate in providing teachers and principals with information regarding the RTI process and framework

• Be clear about the components of the referral process that will be necessary for a referral to be pursued beginning July 1, 2009.

• Monitor minutes on a new IEP for a student recently receiving Tier III support

• Transition special education teachers to a role that includes accountability for the progress of each special education student for whom he/she is responsible.

• Continue to ask questions. Use available resources.West Virginia Department of Education 16

A few answers• At this time, a response to

intervention process is not in place in PreK. Students exiting PreK 619 services will be evaluated with the current procedures.

• Students who transfer into WV with IEPs will be served as required by Policy 2419. The RTI framework allows for reconsideration of needs and entitlement to services through progress monitoring at all levels of service.

• A special education teacher can teach students who are not entitled to special education services, providing IEPs of students for whom he/she is responsible are met.

• Students with IEPs can be taught by a teacher other than a special education teacher.

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Frequently Asked Frequently Asked Questions: RTI Meets Questions: RTI Meets

Special EducationSpecial Education

It’s better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

James Thurber

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Blurring the lines of the tiers…

How can there be consistency from one Eligibility Committee to another?

Student performance is influenced most by the quality of the interventions we deliver and how well we deliver them- not preconceived notions about child characteristics

Decisions are best made with data

Our expectations for student performance should be dependent on a student’s response to intervention, not on the basis of a “score” that “predicts” what they are “capable” of doing.

HOW DOES THE ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE DETERMINE SUFFICIENT PROGRESS?

Some Decision-making Examples

Decision Rules: What is a “Good” Response to Intervention?

• Positive Response– Gap is closing– Can extrapolate point at which target

student will “come in range” of peers--even if this is long range

• Questionable Response– Rate at which gap is widening slows

considerably, but gap is still widening– Gap stops widening but closure does not

occur• Poor Response

– Gap continues to widen with no change in rate.

Decision Rules: Linking RTI to Intervention Decisions

Positive, Questionable, Poor Response Intervention Decision Based on RTI (General

Guidelines)Positive

○ Continue intervention until student reaches benchmark (at least).

○ Fade intervention to determine if student has acquired functional independence.

Questionable○ Increase intensity of current intervention for

a short period of time and assess impact. If rate improves, continue. If rate does not improve, return to problem solving.

Poor○ Return to problem solving for new

intervention

Ellen

2nd grade student End of School Year General Education Scores at 62 wcpm in

second grade material Teacher judges (based

on in-class observation/evaluation) comprehension to not be substantially different from ORF – not great, not terrible

Decision Model at Tier 1- General Education Instruction

• Screening• ORF = 62 wcpm, end of second grade

benchmark for at risk is 70 wcpm (see bottom of box)

• Compared to other students, Ellen’s scores around the 12th percentile + or -

• Ellen’s teacher reports that she struggles with multisyllabic words and that she makes many decoding errors when she reads

• Is this student at risk?

No YesMove to Tier 2: Strategic Interventions

This Student is at Risk, General Education Not Working

Ellen

Continue Tier 1 Instruction

Decisions at Tier 2- Supplemental Instruction

• Supplemental, small group instruction will be provided to Ellen

• She will participate in two different supplemental groups, one focused on Decoding (Phonics for Reading) and one focused on fluency building (Read Naturally)

• She will participate in small group instruction 5x per week, 30 minutes each – and she will also continue with her core instruction

• Supplemental instruction implemented by certified teachers in her school (2 different teachers)

• Progress monitoring every 2 weeks

Tier 2- Supplemental Instruction - Revision

• The intervention appeared to be working. What the teachers thought was needed was increased time in supplemental instruction.

• They worked together and found a way to give Ellen 30 minutes of supplemental instruction, on phonics and fluency, 5x per week.

Data-Based Determination of Expectations: Ellen

• Benchmark Level: 100 WCPM• Current Level: 56 WCPM• Difference to June Benchmark (Gap): 44 WCPM• Time to Benchmark: 27 Weeks• Rate of Growth Required:

– 44/27= 1.62 WCPM for Ellen• Peer Group Rate = 1.1 WCPM growth (at

benchmark) 1.2 WCMP (for “some risk” benchmark)

• REALISTIC?

By the Spring of 3rd Grade

Ellen’s reading accuracy had improved significantly. Her average % correct hovers around 95 percent.

She still struggles with multisyllabic words

Normatively, at periodic and annual review time, she is now performing at about the 19th percentile compared to peers. She is catching up!

Ellen is not a student with a disability

Decisions at Tier 1- General Education Instruction• Screening

•ORF = on track for 100 wcpm, end of third grade benchmark for some risk is 110 wcpm (see top of box)

•Compared to other Heartland students, Elsie scores around the 19th percentile + or -

• Is this student at risk?•Still a bit of risk, maintain Tier II

instruction for another benchmark period, if progress continues, move to tier 1

No YesMaintain Tier 2: Strategic Interventions

Ellen

Continue Monitoring or Move Back to Tier 1

Tier 3 Decisions

• Level of learning?

• Rate of progress??

• Independent Functioning?– Fade Intervention to

Supplemental Level– Evaluate Rate

Bart

2nd grade student Beginning of school

year General Education Scores at 20 wcpm in

second grade material Teacher judges (based

on in-class observation/evaluation) comprehension to not be substantially different from Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)

Aimline= 1.50 words/week

Trendline = 0.95 words/week

Decisions at Tier 3- Intensive Intervention & Instruction

• Is student responsive to intervention at Tier 3?• ORF = 31 wcpm, winter benchmark (still 4

weeks away) for some risk = 52 wcpm• Target rate of gain over Tier 2 assessment is

1.5 words/week • Actual attained rate of gain was 0.95

words/week• Below comprehension benchmarks in all

areas• Student NOT on target to attain benchmark

NoYesMove to Sp Ed Eligibility Determination

Bart

Continue monitoring or return to Tier 2

If a parent requests an evaluation for sp ed, what assessments should be administered? Regardless of the evaluation request

source, the evaluation team reviews existing data and determines what further information, if any, is needed

Evaluation components focus on specific features of the student’s academic difficulty

Team selects assessments that will help define the problem and inform instruction

http://www.fcrr.org/assessmentReadingFirstDiagnosticMeasures.htm

Suggested Resource

Do RTI services go on the IEP?

• No – RTI is a general education framework that includes Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports as needed

How is the student’s specially designed instruction documented on the IEP?

Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance include multiple data sources to describe the student’s learning characteristics

Services may look like Tier 3 intervention, but will be required for a longer period of time

IEP team considers appropriate supplementary aids and services for accessing the general curriculum

Related services may be needed

When are parents notified within the RTI process?

ALL parents should be informed of the school’s RTI model at the beginning of each school year – remember, this is a general ed initiative…

When the instruction/intervention team suspects the student may have a disability,Refer to SATInitiate the evaluation process

○ Obtain parental consent○ Notify parents of procedural safeguards

Additional Questions?

www.rti4success.org

New RTI website!