MTSS/Response to Intervention Problem Solving for Student

Success

Destination Knowledge

©Ogonosky Learning, 2014

Agenda

• Define the MTSS Process

• Data Based Decisions

• Walk through the Tiers of support

• Team Philosophy

• Next Steps

Important Points for Success

1. Foundations

1. Laws

2. Process

2. Format

1. District support: Data collection

2. District support: Resources –Ease of Implementation

3. Fidelity

1. Staff Understanding

2. Staff Development

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From NCLB: “…holding schools, local education agencies, and States

accountable for improving the academic achievement of all students…” and “…promoting schoolwide reform and ensuring the access of all children to effective, scientifically-based instructional strategies…” [PL 107-110 §1001(4) and (9)]

From IDEA: “…to improve the academic achievement and functional

performance of children with disabilities including the use of scientifically based instructional practices, to the maximum extent possible.” [20 U.S.C. 1400(c)(5)(E)]

From Florida: Reading First, Florida’s Continuous Improvement Model,

Florida’s Positive Behavior Supports, Problem solving/MTSS

State Pilot Project, and the Early Learning Success Initiative.

From the Student Perspective

The Goal is to create… Academic

Learning,

Mastery, and

Achievement

Independent

Learner

MTSS Foundations for Success

1. Multiple Tiers of Instruction and Assessment

2. Using Data: Balanced Assessments

3. Technology

4. Highly Qualified Staff

Multiple Tiers

Is an organizational system with increasing layers of intensity.

Not a categorical system for labeling students.

Is designed for smooth movement

Not designed to designate Where or with Whom a student receives services.

Does increase intensity of instruction and intervention matches student need determined by data.

Purpose is not a referral system for special education eligibility.

Consensus

MTSS Is not simply implementing a

different type of problem solving. It also

involves giving up certain beliefs in favor of

others. Systems will need to change….

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MTSS: Problem Solving

Assessment

Interventions

Universal Screening Progress

Monitoring

Progress Monitoring Diagnostics

Progress Monitoring Diagnostics

Grade Level

Instruction/ Support

Student Instructional Level

Supplemental Interventions

90 min per week additional

Student Instructional Level

Supplemental Interventions

120 min per week additional

Let’s start at the beginnng….

MTSS Is not simply implementing a

different type of problem solving. It also

involves giving up certain beliefs in favor of

others. Systems will need to change….

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“I was so excited about RtI -I went about enthusiastically building a technically sound guidance document. As I began to work with staff on implementation [from the cultural perspective of shifting the way we think about problem solving] I realized suddenly that to me, RtI had become….

One swirling VORTEX OF TERROR!”

---Dr. Quentin Woods, Pine Tree ISD

The Reality of Striving for the Goal of Change…

RtI

ASSESSMENT

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“Everybody is entitled to their own

opinion but they’re not entitled to their

own facts. The data is the data.”

Dr. Maria Spiropulu, Physicist

New York Times, 30 September 2003

Balancing Assessments

-- Assessment systems

-- Multiple measures

-- Varied types

-- Varied purposes

-- Varied data sets

-- Balanced with needs

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Multiple Data Sources

Criterion Referenced Assessment

Formative

Summative

Screen

Progress Monitor

Norm Referenced Assessment

Diagnostic

Comparative

Progress Monitor

Curriculum Based Measurement

Rate of Improvement

Universal Screen

Progress Monitor

Formative Assessment

Multiple Sources

Irony

• Teachers are being asked to assess

students to drive instruction ….

• However every minute spent on assessments

is a minute lost to instruction

Key Principle

• Assessment and Instruction are inseparable.

• “Assessment is today’s means of understanding how to modify

• tomorrow’s instruction.”

Carol Tomlinson

You must have multiple sources of data to have effective data-driven

instruction.

With that said, assessing students while they are learning yields real

time data to steer teachers towards differentiated practices.

Multiple Sources

Observations

Questioning

Exit/Admit Slips

Graphic Organizers

Individual whiteboards

Think-Pair-Share

Quick Review

Criterion Referenced Tests • Most common type of test used by

teachers.

• Criterion Referenced Tests measure mastery of a subject based on specific preset standards.

• The questions used in the test are meant to show how much a student knows and how that student’s performance compares to expectations.

• Scores often interpreted as percent.

Mastery Measurement

• Determines the sequence of skills in an instructional hierarchy (aligned to Florida Core Standards)

• For each skill, develops a criterion-referenced test/ test item.

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To implement Mastery Measurement, the

teacher

Problems with Mastery Measurement

• Hierarchy of skills is logical, not empirical.

• Performance can be misleading: assessment does not reflect maintenance or generalization.

• Assessment is designed by teachers or sold with textbooks, with unknown reliability and validity.

• Number of objectives mastered does not relate well to performance on high-stakes tests.

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Norm Referenced Tests

• Norm-referenced tests compare a student's score against the scores of a group of student’s who have already taken the same exam, called the "norm group."

• Score are often interpreted using percentiles. • Comparative in nature, aligned to researched

based developmental and cognitive levels.

Curriculum Based Measurement

• Describes academic competence at a single point in time

• Quantifies the rate at which students develop academic competence over time

• Used to align and analyze effective instruction and intervention to increase student achievement

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Types of Curriculum Based Measurement

• Universal Screening data on all students

provides an indication of individual student performance and progress compared to the peer group’s performance and progress. • Universal Screening data form the

basis for examining trends (or patterns) on specific academic or behavior skills.

Types of Curriculum Based Measurement

Progress monitoring documents student growth over time to determine whether the

student is progressing as expected in the designated level of instructional intervention. Generally this is often presented in graph form.

Tier 1: Core Instruction /Universal Interventions

ACADEMIC

Quality core instruction and strategies

Differentiated Instruction

Embedded Interventions

Universal Screening: Academic Continuous progress monitoring of grade level success

“The highest predictor of academic achievement is the proficiency of teachers in effective instructional practice.”

Donna Walker Tileston

Why Culture Counts

Clarifying

Accommodations are supports or services provided to help a student access the general curriculum provided.

Adaptations are changes made to the content and performance expectations for students

Interventions require direct instruction and data collection for the area of concern

Interventions

Researched Based Reading, Math Writing strategies and techniques

Teaching student how to initiate peer interaction

Instructing in following directions

Teaching strategies for sentence writing

Teaching strategies for test taking

Providing positive reinforcement for corrective behavior

Focused Tutorials (instructional level of student)

Possible Reasons for Teachers’ Lack of Success on Behalf of their

Students

Effective Instruction and Intervention ( Teacher Needs)

Teacher Professional Development in identified

area(s) of need

Coaching: “Push in” model for instructional

support by specialist

Peer Support

Support/ training for effective PLC/Data team

meetings

Provide constructive feedback through use of

observational data

Address student/ classroom variables

Possible Reasons for Instructional

Lack of Success

Effective Instruction and Intervention

Strategies (Tier 1)

Instructional Planning:

1. Start with standards: The purpose of standards is not to

articulate specific skills that can be taught in one lesson

but to outline an overarching concept that encompasses

multiple skills.

A. Use the standards to determine learning goals

B. Group learning goals into units

C. Logically order the units and plot them on the

school calendars

D. Develop differentiated delivery of instruction and

activities based upon data

2. Create formative and summative assessments aligned to

standards. Evaluate progress towards goal(s).

Effective Instruction and Intervention Strategies (Tier 1)

Instructional Delivery:

Frame the lesson

Work in the “Power Zone”

Use frequent small

group, purposeful talk

about learning

Recognize and Reinforce

Write critically

Relevant Practice

Use data to determine flexible grouping

Build on student “knowns”

Use learning style information to differentiate student content-product-process

Common Reasons Why Students Struggle Academically (Student

Needs)

Effective Instruction and Intervention Practices (Tier 1)

• Use multiple modalities of learning to increase automaticity.

• Focused independent practice of skill to automaticity (use diagnostic data to align with grade level skill).

• Intentionally taught learning strategies specific to skill area.

Interventions Are NOT

Accommodations Adaptations Interagency referrals Referral to Special education Assessments, evaluations, screenings Classroom observations Advice or consultations Assisting with instructional methods and

materials Places

The Importance of Vocabulary

“At the secondary level, much of the reading that students do is in the content areas; thus, the

research on reading measures at the secondary level is closely tied to the research on content-area learning” (Espin & Tindal, 1995, p. 226).

Activity

How are you defining Tier 1 instruction and strategies? Is there consistency with this

definition throughout your district?

Tier 2: Targeted Interventions

ACADEMIC

Strategic and supplemental

Standard protocol / evidence-based

Small group (5:1)

Rubric for decision making: decision rules, aim-line/goals, guidelines for increasing /decreasing support or changing intervention.

Focused continuous progress monitoring that increases with intensity of instruction and intervention.

Effective Instruction and Intervention Practices (Tiers 2 & 3)

• Peer/Adult Assisted Learning Computer-Assisted Learning

• Programmatic or Curricular Interventions

• Specific or Focused Intervention aligned to data confirmed skill deficit

• Supplemental Interventions Intensive

• Alternative Curriculum or Replacement Interventions

ACTIVITY

Think- Write-Share : Available Resources for Tiered interventions

Example of Using Multiple Sources of Data for Problem Solving ….

Remember…..

Student growth takes time…

It is not a sprint, but rather a marathon!

Tier 1: Classroom Management and School Wide Supports

BEHAVIOR

School-wide PBIS

Expectations clearly communicated

Social skills instruction

Proactive discipline policy

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Universal Screening: Behavior Continuous progress monitoring of grade level success

What types of behavioral data does your district currently use?

Activity: Discuss the types of assessments and data

collection in use for emotional/behavioral issues and

make a list of each.

What might help? What do you need?

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• Supporting social behavior is central to achieving academic gains.

• School-wide PBIS is an evidence-based practice for building a positive social culture that will promote both social and academic success.

Universal Interventions

• Positive behavior supports

• School-wide rules

• School-wide social skills

instruction

• Classroom rules

• Classroom routines

• Positive reinforcement system

• Positive interactions among staff and students

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STRIVE FOR FIVE!

• Strong Positive Behavior Supports: School-wide, classroom, individual

• Highly structured classroom

• 5 positives for every negative encountered

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Tier 2: Targeted Behavior Interventions

BEHAVIOR

Strategic and supplemental

Evidenced Based (SEL)

Social skills instruction

Peer / adult mentoring

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Rubric for decision making: decision rules, aim-line /goals, guidelines for increasing /decreasing support or changing intervention. Focused continuous progress monitoring that increases with intensity of instruction and intervention

SKILL BUILDING

Teach Behavioral Expectations

• Cannot assume students know how to apply rules in each setting…need to teach behaviors in context! (For ADHD students it is also imperative to

teach the when.)

• Teaching allows students to practice appropriate behavior (it also builds automaticity to fluency).

• Allows students to see “non-examples” of expectation.

• Decreases student response “I didn’t know…” 55

Tier 3: Intensive Interventions

ACADEMIC

Increased strategic and supplemental

Group size decreased (3:1)

Rubric for decision making: decision rules, aim-line goals, guidelines for increasing /decreasing support or changing intervention.

Focused continuous progress monitoring that increases with intensity of instruction and intervention.

Pattern of inadequate responses may lead to refer for Section 504 or Special Education.

TEAM PROBLEM SOLVING

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Essential Component of MTSS: Problem-Solving Method

What is the problem?

Why is it

happening?

What should be done about it?

Did it work?

Team Philosophy

• The 1st intervention is always effective classroom instruction and classroom management which yield high rates of academic engagement.

• The team always uses the model of problem solving-consultation- instruction/intervention approach.

It is vitally important that there is an understanding that there is continued discussion and consultation between the teacher, the team,

and the interventionist(s).

MTSS Team Objectives

Developing a Toolkit of Resources

Tiered Assessments

Tiered Supports

Class Scheduling

Credit Challenges

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Educational Decision Points

Administrative Support

Critical Components

• Support for Intervention Integrity

• Documentation of Intervention Implementation

• Intervention and Eligibility decisions and outcomes cannot be supported in an RtI model without these two critical components

Monitor Fidelity

Intervention Well Checks

Observe in Tiers 1 and

2/3

Consult with Teacher

Review data weekly in

PLC/ Planning meetings

Check data collection

Talk to parent

Remember

Focus on the data

Focus on the interventions

But most of all focus on the student . . .

“What is this child’s RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION?”

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aogonosky@msn.com

(832) 656-0398