Response to Intervention RtI Questions and Answers: Understanding RtI and the Implications for Schoo

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Response to Intervention (RtI) Questions and
AnswersUnderstanding RtI and the Implications
for Schools

• Larry Hartzell, RtI Specialist
• Special Education Services
• State Department of Education
• Gary Duhon Ph.D., Associate Professor
• Oklahoma State University

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The Impetus for Change

• NCLB
• Increased accountability.
• Use of scientifically valid instruction.
• Early Intervention Reading First.
• Increased emphasis on assessment.
• IDEA
• Students with disabilities will be included to
  the maximum extent possible.
• Early Intervention Services?
• Prereferral Intervention?
• Alternative method for identification of Specific
  Learning Disability (SLD).

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So What is RtI?

• RtI is
• A systematic approach to instruction with two
  main goals prevent academic problems and
  identify students with SLD.
• Simply stated with RtI
• Student is provided effective instruction in the
  classroom.
• Progress is monitored
• Nonresponders get something else/more.
• Progress is monitored
• Nonresponders qualify for either
• Special education
• Special education evaluation

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Assumptions of RtI

• There are 2 main reasons for low academic
  achievement
• Poor instruction
• Disability
• Good instruction in the form of an intervention
  will improve the academic performance of
  nondisabled students.
• The discrepancy between pre- and postintervention
  performance is considered a response to
  intervention.
• However, a lack of discrepancy (i.e., resistance)
  may indicate the presence of a SLD.

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Critical Components of RtI

• Method for identifying at-risk students
• To determine who needs intervention
• A structure
• To guide the intervention process
• Decision rules or guidelines
• To evaluate data for decision making and SLD
  eligibility determination

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Method for identifying at-risk students

• Screen All Children Throughout the Year
• (Universal Screener)
• Reading, Math, Writing, and Behavior
• Identify those performing below expected levels
• These are your at-risk students
• These are the students in need of intervention
  and
• At this point we are not asking if they are
  disabled, we just want to improve educational
  outcomes.

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Universal Screener

• Universal screeners can derive from
• Current curriculum
• Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA)
• Some commercially available devices
• Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
  (DIBELS)
• AIMS web
• System to Enhance Educational Performance (STEEP)
• Designed to assist in determining
• Who is at-risk.
• Content areas of concern.

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A Structure
Tertiary Prevention Specialized
Individualized Systems for Students with
Intensive Needs
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Secondary Prevention Specialized Group Systems
for Students with At-Risk Behavior
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• Tiered model
• Most widely described within RtI.
• Allows for multiple attempts at remediation of
  academic concern.
• Designed to guide both what is done and where it
  is done.

Primary Prevention School-/Classroom- Wide
Systems for All Students, Staff, Settings
80 of Students
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Interventions at the 3 Tiers

• Tier 1
• Low intensity, supplemental educational
  opportunities in the general area of concern
• Group oriented and
• Monitored in the general education classroom.
• Tier 2
• Medium intensity, more specific programmed
  instruction
• Small group or individually oriented and
• Monitored weekly in the general education
  classroom.
• Tier 3
• High intensity, specific, targeting the
  individuals concern within the Learning Disabled
  (LD) categorizations
• Individually oriented and
• Monitored daily possibly by special education
  personnel.

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State Department of Education Initiatives

• State RtI Advisory Committee
• Established participation from Oklahoma State
  Department of Education (OSDE) offices
• Curriculum
• High School Reform
• Reading First
• Title I Reading
• Early Childhood and
• Special Education Services.
• In addition to representatives from higher
  education and the Mid-Continent Comprehensive
  Center (MC3).

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State Department of Education Initiatives

• Collaboration with the National Center on
  Response to Intervention
• Funded project supported by the U.S. Department
  of Educations, Office of Special Education
  Programs (OSEP).
• Oklahoma is one of only eight states selected to
  receive intensive support through guidance,
  resources, and feedback.
• The long-term goal is to help state education
  agencies (SEAs) build capacity to assist local
  education agencies (LEAs) in implementing RtI.
• Currently assisting in the development of an RtI
  technical assistance guide for our State.

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Other Resources from the National Center on RtI

• Offers information on a variety of RtI related
  topics including
• Implementation blueprints for districts
• Practice guides on the tiered approach to
  instruction
• Information on different models of RtI
• Glossary of RtI terms and
• Screening and progress monitoring tools.

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Future Plans for RtI in Oklahoma

• Continue collaboration with the National Center.
• Complete and disseminate technical assistance
  guide statewide.
• Provide information and training opportunities
  for schools across the state on RtI
  implementation including
• ? Summer RtI workshop
• ? Training modules online
• ? Regional trainings and in-services
• ? RtI web site and
• ? RtI Blog.

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Web sites for RtI Information and Reading
Resources

• ltwww.rti4success.orggt (National Center site)
• ltwww.rtinetwork.orggt
• ltwww.nasde.orggt
• ltwww.jimwrightonline.comgt
• lthttp//schwablearning.orggt
• lthttp//www.iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edugt
• ltwww.fcrr.orggt
• ltwww.freereading.netgt
• lthttp//ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwcgt (What Works
  Clearinghouse)

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What does it take to Implement RtI Qualified
Personnel!

• Who currently assesses for SLD?
• Are these individuals qualified to conduct RtI
  assessments?
• Do you contract for assessment services? If so,
  how will these contracted professionals conduct
  RtI assessments?

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RtI and the LEAStaff Skills and Needed Training
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Things to Keep in MindWhat is scientifically
valid?

• Scientifically Valid Intervention
• Where to find intervention ideas?
• ltwww.interventioncentral.comgt
• Need a mechanism for evaluating the claims of
  vendors.
• lthttp//whatworks.ed.gov/ gt(funded by DOE)
• ltFlorida Reading Resource Centergt
• lthttp//oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu/ gt
• Remember, services do not count as interventions.
  Must document what is actually being done.

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Things to keep in mindRtI and the LEA

• Initial Expectations Lessons Learned
• The bigger the change the longer the transition.
  Expect 3-5 years of bumps and bruises.
• Tier I Core Curriculum - may be less effective
  then you think.
• Personal philosophies and beliefs may not be
  scientifically valid.
• Commercially packaged intervention materials may
  be deceptive about effectiveness and/or
  appropriateness.
• A shift from problem admiration to problem
  solving is not easy.

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Recent survey of Oklahoma School Psychologists

• Reported that school staff were just beginning
  to learn about RtI, Team-Based Problem Solving,
  Selecting Valid Interventions, and how to
  Evaluate Intervention Effectiveness.
• Most significant barrier
• 78 teacher resistance.

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How to Contact Us

• Oklahoma State Department of Education
• Special Education Services
• 2500 North Lincoln Blvd., Suite 412
• [phone]
• ltwww.sde.state.ok.usgt
• Mr. Larry Hartzell [phone]
• ltLarry_Hartzell_at_sde.state.ok.usgt