Curriculum Based Decision Making (CBDM)

1
Curriculum Based Decision Making (CBDM)

• With Response to Intervention (RTI)
• By Michelle Fattig

2
Why Curriculum Based Decision Making?

• Access to the general curriculum in the regular
  classroom
• Strengthening the role and responsibility of
  parents
• Coordinating IDEA with NCLB 15 Flex Spending
  opportunities (IDEA)
• Scientifically based instruction
• Providing incentives for whole school approaches,
  scientifically based early reading programs,
  positive behavioral supports and interventions,
  and early intervening services to reduce the need
  to label children as disabled in order to address
  the learning and behavioral needs of such
  children. Allison, R. (2006)

3
Curriculum Based Decision Making Flex Spending

• Focus on early intervention and prevention in
  general education
• May be used at the district, school, grade,
  class, small group and individual level
• The process may or may NOT lead to special
  education referral
• Assessment and data-based decision-making are
  critical components Allison, R. (2006)

4
Curriculum Based Decision Making

• Empirically supported interventions are provided
  at the point of need NOT eligibility
• Interventions MUST be implemented with integrity
  and fidelity
• Collaborative, Systematic, problem-solving model
  Allison, R. (2006)

5
Curriculum Based Decision Making

• An effective way to monitor Adequate Yearly
  Progress (AYP)
• NOT A RUBBER STAMP into Special Education
• May reduce special education referrals
• Eliminates the wait to fail model
• Provides much more information
• Accountability for what is happening in the
  classroom Allison, R. (2006)

6
Curriculum Based Decision Making

• Will require training time for proficiency
• Finding research-based interventions
• Some staff reluctance possible
• 
  Howell, K. (2005)

7
What is Problem Solving Assessment?

• educational assessment seeking to maximize
  resources available
• utilizes scientifically-based interventions
• seeks to empower individuals within schools and
  communities to help provide solutions to the
  educational difficulties of our students
• UNK Special Seminars 1996

8
What is Problem Solving Assessment? Cont.

• Allows for schools to demonstrate greater
  accountability
• Regular and special education are seen as
  partners
• Children with educational difficulty are seen in
  terms of their whole environment not solely
  residing within the child
• Student identification in terms of disability
  labeling become less an issue and more emphasis
  placed on finding solutions for learning
  problems.
• 
  UNK Special
  Seminars 1996

9
CBDM and PSA Should Include

• Curriculum Based Measures and/or DIBELS
• Curriculum Based Assessments
• Active and prevalent problem solving teams
• Thorough assessment of building resources
• Identification of scientifically based
  instruction
• Prescriptive teaching
• Child centered decision making
• Curriculum Based Measurement and/or DIBELS
  UNK Special Seminars 1996

10
CBDM and PSA

• Based on principle of testing students over what
  is actually taught in the classroom
• Doesnt rely solely on national achievement tests
  to measure progress
• Can provide performance data regarding areas of
  curriculum being learned
• Can be more meaningful to teachers and parents
• Easy, quick, effective way to measure student
  progress
• Should be combined with nationally
  normed/standardized testing to maintain
  perspective (big picture)
• 
  UNK Special Seminars 1996

11
Curriculum Based Assessment

• Informal use of the principles of CBM to study an
  individuals performance
• Can be used to measure a students levels of
  achievement to alleviate frustration and promote
  learning
• Can be used to tailor instruction at
  comprehension level
• Can be used to monitor progress regarding teacher
  interventions
• Allison 2006

12
Problem Solving Teams

• An expanded and important role is envisioned
  beyond that of traditional SAT teams
• Emphasis on interventions sooner rather than
  later
• Little or no emphasis on reaching referral
• After careful analysis of building resources,
  teams may consist of regular educators, special
  educators, counselors, school psychologists,
  parents, and others each bringing his or her own
  expertise UNK Special Seminars 1996

13
Ecological Assessment

• Assessments and interventions should include
  multiple sources, multiple settings, and multiple
  methods.
• Is this truly a behavior problem or could it be
  an intolerant adult problem?
• Is this truly a learning problem or could it be a
  teaching style/learning style mismatch?
• Defining the strengths and needs of children and
  applying the knowledge allows for more
  appropriate interventions to be generated.
• 
  UNK
  Special Seminars 1996

14
Prescriptive Teaching

• Assumes that each individual teacher has certain
  teaching strengths or certain modes of teaching
  in which they are most comfortable and each
  individual student has a learning strengths or
  modes in which they best learn.
• The goal of a PSA team is to discover these modes
  and to be flexible in trying to match teaching
  style with student learning style.
• To do this can help students reach their
  potential and reduce the frustration of teachers
  who are doing their very best to help the student
  learn. UNK
  Special Seminars 1996

15
Shifting the Common Sense

• Changing the assumptions and accepted
  interpretations about the world we live
  in,leading to new possibilities for action.
  Robert Dunham

16
Shifting the Common Sense

• Shift in sequence
• Shifting our view of the problem
• Howell 2005

17
Shifting the Common Sense

• Over the years we have evolved a process through
  which we try to find the student entitled for
  funding first, and then we get around to
  developing an appropriate educational program to
  meet her needs.
• This is backwards! Howell 2005

18
Shifting the Common Sense

• Because need is one criteria for entitlement,
  finding a solution to the students learning
  problems has to come first then go looking for
  resources you need to implement the solution.
• We cannot draw conclusions about need from
  evidence of a disability (the second criterion
  for entitlement).
• The central question is not What about the
  learner is causing the performance
  discrepancy? Howell 2005

19
Shifting the Common Sense

• The Central Question Should be What about the
  interaction of the curriculum instruction,
  learner and learning environment should be
  altered so that the child will learn?
• Howell 2005

20
Shift in Sequence

• The emphasis of our inquiry is the target of the
  educational interaction --- learning.
• Learning is illustrated with measures that show
  us how the students behavior is changing in the
  areas (academic, social or task-related) in which
  he or she is being taught.
• Stanovich, P.J. Stanovich, K.E. (2003).

21
Cumulative Effect

• Problem solving effect is cumulative. If a
  teacher goes through the problem solving process
  with one student, when a student with a similar
  problem comes along, the teacher will go ahead
  and try the various interventions before coming
  to the team. UNK Special Seminars 1996

22
Shift in Focus

• Instead we must become immediately interested in
  measures which directly sample the curriculum and
  that are sensitive to instruction. That is
  because the emphasis of our inquiry is the target
  of . . .
• Domains of Influence in Problem Solving
• Instruction How we teach what is being taught
• Curriculum What is being taught
• Environment Context where learning is to occur
• Learner Characteristics intrinsic to the
  individual in relation to the concern
  Howell, 2005

23
Dual Discrepancy

• Performance Discrepancy
• Progress Discrepancy
• Alterable Variable something that can be
  altered through instruction
• Shifting the focus from unalterable to alterable
  variables allows educators to get information
  about things that they can do something about.
  Howell, 2005

24
Unalterable Variables

• IQ
• Physical/medical status
• Lives with a single parent
• Unalterable does not mean unimportant!
• Howell, 2005

25
In preparing to implement CBDM (RTI)

• 1. Realize that there is a developmental
  progression that schools must go through before
  full implementation can be achieved.
• 2. For those with progress monitoring and
  intervention skills, talk to others in your
  schools about it.
• 3. Make sure the fundamentals are in place.
• Data-based problem solving
• Progress monitoring
• Scientific support for instruction/intervention
  s
• 4. Make sure the necessary systemic changes are
  in place.
• A coordinated school wide system for
  monitoring progress and providing interventions
• A school wide screening system
• Resources to deliver interventions
• 5. Choose a model for evaluation and decision
  making.
• A system for determining intervention
  placement/service delivery NASDSE, 2005.

26
Creating a Team

• An Important Initial Step. . . Reflect!
• Identify what is in place that will help support
  your efforts or barriers to overcome, (i.e.
  administrative support (leadership), personnel,
  resources, expertise, present problem solving
  process, change process, time, professional
  development, etc.)
• Teams will vary from school to school.
• Each district will identify and recruit
  knowledgeable, professional, caring, and creative
  staff members to assist with the team process.
  UNK Special Seminar 1996

27
The team will need a framework and decisions

• Example for Dual Discrepancy Model (LPS)
• Discrepancy in level
• Age based comparison
• For example, lt 12thile after 2 planned
  intervention periods of 8 weeks each
• Discrepancy in rate of learning Individual
  improvement in response to intensified, research
  based instruction examined with progress
  monitoring
• For example, expected to improve by 16 correct
  read words per min in 8 weeks
• Fuchs, D., Mock, D., Morgan, P.L., Young, C.L.,
  (2003).

28
CBDM Handbook

• Resources and information about the CBDM (RTI)
  Team planning process and guidelines.
• Beginning with the research and information about
  the team process, the handbook is divided into
  sections that lead the participants through the
  critical problem solving process.
• Suggestion forms which may be modified to best
  meet your districts needs.

29
Available CBDM Supports

• Technical assistance
• Team training
• Facilitation
• For a copy of the handbook or more information
  about CBDM please call or email
• Anniebooks_at_fbwpub.com

30
References

• Allison, R. (2006) Response to Intervention
  Critical Components and Important Consideration.
  PPT presentation cite correctly
• Curwin, R. Mendler, A. N. (1988). Discipline
  with Dignity Resource Handbook. Bureau of
  Education and Research Bellevue, WA.
  http//www.disciplineassociates.com/dwd.htm
• Daly, E. Glover, T. (2006). Response to
  Intervention. Pres cite correctly
• http//www.nde.state.ne.us/SPED/RTI20Video20Con
  ference/Ed20Daly20Todd20Glover20UNL.pdf
• Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., Speece, D.L., (2002).
  Treatment validity as a unifying construct for
  identifying learning disabilities. Learning
  Disabilities Quarterly,25, 33-45.
• Fuchs, D., Mock, D., Morgan, P.L., Young, C.L.,
  (2003). Responsiveness-to-Intervention
  Definitions, evidence, and implications for the
  learning disabilities construct. Learning
  Disabilities Research Practice, 18, 157-171.
• Howell, K. (2005) presentation Kearney, NE ESU 10
• NASDSE, 2005. Response to Intervention Policy
  Considerations and Implementation, Alexandria,
  VA. www.nasdse.org.
• Pre-referral Intervention Teams,
  Multidisciplinary Teams, and Section 504 How
  can we possibly do it all? Workshop of the
  Professional Development Seminar Series sponsored
  by the University of Nebraska _at_ Kearney,
  Department of Counseling and School Psychology.
• Stanovich, P.J. Stanovich, K.E. (2003). Using
  Research and Reason in Education. RMC Research
  Corporation Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
• http//www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publicat
  ions/pdf/Stanovich_Color.pdf
• Tilly, W.D., (2005) ppt.
• http//www.studentimprovementteam.org/Downloads/PM
  20Resource20Book.doc