RTI for Literacy: Strand ALeigh Rohde, M.Ed.Eileen Leavitt, M.Ed.

February 6, 2009

Support for NH RESPONDSis provided by

the NH Bureau of Special Education,

NH Department of Education under a grant from the US

Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services

Overview of today’s session

• Introduction/Review of RTI– Working Definition– Core Concepts

• NH RESPONDS • RTI for Literacy

– Focus on Universal Tier• Team• Instruction

Guiding Principle: Social Behavior and Achievement are

LinkedTo improve the academic success of

our children, we must also improve their social success.

Academic and social failures are reciprocally and inextricably related.

As a result, systems to support behavior and literacy should be integrated.

RTI…What Is It?

• A systematic framework for improving social, emotional, behavioral & academic outcomes

• A broad set of evidence-based systemic & individualized strategies

• Collaborative teams use effective group processes & data-based decision-making

RTI is based on:

• differentiated instruction • critical features and components at each level

• Data-Based Decision-making

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

The RTI model

– Systematic approach/framework for meeting the needs of all children

– Integrated school improvement model that is standards driven, proactive and incorporates both prevention and intervention

– Effective at ALL levels and disciplines

Source: IRA; NASP; NCLD; NASDSE

Core Concepts of RTI

NH Literacy Action Plan

• All students receive high quality instruction in their general education setting.

• General education instruction is research based.

• General education instructors and staff assume an active role in students’ assessment in that curriculum.

• School staff conduct universal screening of academics and behavior.

Core Concepts of RTI NH Literacy Action Plan

• Continuous progress monitoring of student performance occurs.

• School staff implement specific research-based interventions to address the student’s difficulties.

• School staff use progress-monitoring data to determine interventions’ effectiveness and to make any modifications as needed.

• Systematic assessment is completed of the fidelity or integrity with which instruction and interventions are implemented.

Fidelity of Implementation

“Without knowing whether an intervention was delivered in the way that research has shown it to be most effective, it is impossible to know the reason for the child’s lack of progress.”

Recognition & Response Implementation Guide (2008)

A 3-Tier ApproachLevel 1

• Primary prevention for the whole population – 100% - ALL Students

• Differentiated instruction to reach 80-90% of students

• The purposes of universal strategies are to – maximize achievement, – prevent future difficulty, and – increase positive interactions

(success) with people and learning.

Literacy InstructionUniversal

Approaches

Professional Developmen

t

Classroom-Level

Benchmark Assessment

Progress Monitoring

Content-Area Literacy

Instruction

Universal Team and Processes

Differentiated Instruction in General Ed Classrooms

Evidence-Based Literacy

Curriculum

Materials and Supplies

A 3-Tier ApproachLevel 2

• Increase opportunities for struggling students to succeed by providing additional time, strategies, approaches and tools

• Structured secondary interventions to meet needs of at-risk youth through group interventions and targeted core instruction

• Increased monitoring of targeted skills to measure intervention progress

Literacy InstructionTargeted

ApproachesProfessional Developmen

t

Small Group Instruction

Strategies for

Instruction

Skill-driven Instruction

Targeted Team and Processes

Frequent Progress

MonitoringDiagnostic

Assessment

A 3-Tier ApproachLevel 3

• Targets the 1-5% who are not responding to Tier I and Tier II efforts.

• Intensive strategies or programs delivered in small group or 1:1 in addition to core instruction

• Increased monitoring of targeted skills to measure intervention progress

• Student-centered and adapted to meet individual needs.

Literacy InstructionIntensive

Approaches

System for Special

Education Referral

Progress Monitoring

Strategies for Instruction

Intensive Team

Review of Assessment

and Instruction

RTI Implementation Starts from Where You Are

• It’s a roadmap with a set of guiding principles

• It requires buy-in and commitment from staff, administration and SD leadership

NH RESPONDS

• Use Literacy Curriculum already in place• Use data management/progress

monitoring systems already in place OR• Support to establish one• Identify programs/materials/strategies

that will meet the needs of all the students, across the tiers.

NOT• Discard what’s working• “Pushing” a particular program or

method

Composition of the Universal School Leadership Team by Role• Administrators • Curriculum/Assessment Director• General Education Classroom Teacher • Special Education Teacher• Behavior Specialist/Guidance/Psychologist• Reading/Literacy Specialist and/or Title I

Coordinator• Family Member• Paraeducator

Roles of the Universal School Leadership Team

1. Lead the Universal System of RtI2. Meet regularly3. Identify key issues/concerns4. Conduct a site analysis5. Identify data management

system (SWIS, Performance Pathways, district system)

6. Develop/revise the school-wide RtI program using current data

Roles of the Universal School Leadership Team

7. Actively communicate with staff members and families regarding the activities of the school team

8. Conduct staff meetings to ensure the understanding, implementation and maintenance of the school-wide RtI program

9. Serve as exemplars for staff and families

“Is there a discrepancy between intellectual ability and achievement?”

to “Is the student successful with the current level of support, and if not, what additional support does the student need to be successful?”

Source: McIntosh, Chard, Boland, & Horner, 2007)

School-based teams must consider

a shift from:

Research Based Principles of RTI for Literacy

• Very small groups or tutoring• Match between student and text level• Use of choice, texts interesting to

students• Coordination with the core curriculum• Expert teachers delivering instruction• Time spent reading and writing

(Allington, 2008)

Sample 3-Tier Arrangement K-3 Reading

Tier I: General Education for All Students

– Scientific-based reading instruction and curriculum emphasizing 5 critical elements of beginning reading

– Multiple grouping formats to meet student needs

– Core instruction = 90 minutes per day (or more)

– Benchmark assessment at beginning, middle and end of the academic year

– General education classroom/general education teacher

– Ongoing professional development

Tier II: Supplemental Instruction for Targeted Students

– For students identified with marked reading difficulties and who have not responded to Tier I efforts

– Specialized scientifically based reading program(s) emphasizing the 5 critical components of beginning reading

– Homogeneous small group instruction (1:3-5)

– Minimum of 30 minutes per day in small group in addition to 90 minutes of core reading program

– Progress monitoring (twice) a month on target skills to ensure adequate progress and learning

– Setting designated by school (within or outside of general education class)

– Personnel determined by school (classroom teacher, reading specialist, external interventionist)

Tier III: Intensive Intervention for Students with Individual Needs

– For students identified with marked difficulties in reading or reading disabilities and who have not responded to Tier I and Tier II efforts

– Sustained, intensive, scientifically based reading program(s) emphasizing the 5 critical components of beginning reading

– Homogeneous small group instruction (1:1-3)

– Minimum of two, 30 minute sessions per day in small group or 1:1 in addition to 90 minutes of core reading program

– Progress monitoring (twice) a month on target skills to ensure adequate progress and learning

– Appropriate setting designated by school

– Personnel determined by school (classroom teacher, specialist, external interventionist)

Data Sources for Instructional Tiers

UNIVERSAL ASSESSMENTUNIVERSAL ASSESSMENTAll students are measured 3 times/year on a global measure of

academic or functional performance

NWEA, DIBELS, PALS, CBM (AIMSweb)

TARGETED ASSESSMENTTARGETED ASSESSMENTCriteria is set to identify those “falling behind;” at risk students receive more frequent measurement (e.g. monthly) of progress in

identified academic area CBM, CBA, PM

INTENSIVE ASSESSMENTINTENSIVE ASSESSMENT Comprehensive assessment includes norm referenced tests and

interpretation of progress data from Tier I and II

Personalized Instruction PreK-16

• Assessment-Driven Tiered Model of Instruction and Intervention

• Research Based Effective Practices Across Content Areas

• A Classroom Instructional Model• Extended Learning Opportunities• Well-Defined System of Support for

Struggling Readers and English Language Learners

• Consistent Assessment and EvaluationFrom: NH PreK-16 Literacy Action Plan for the 21st Century

Team Activity

• RESPONDS Collaborative Team Checklist– Complete Checklist with present team– Action Plan/Decision log should reflect

tasks necessary to form Universal Team

• Each team should appoint one person to fill out a summary form to be collected