Response to Intervention (RtI) District Handbook
2011-2012
*Update 2012-2013
2013-2014
Purpose
This handbook is intended to be a district-wide framework or guide for the implementation of Response to Intervention. This handbook is a ‘living’ document and will be revised and improved upon as we learn more about implementation.
This document was developed by one secondary and one elementary district-wide team during the spring of 2010. District leadership also provided feedback and input throughout the development of this handbook. The intent is that it will be revised annually.
District Educational Philosophy as it Relates to Response to Intervention
The Weld Re-4 School District believes in the fundamental concepts of RtI that all students can learn and be challenged to reach their potential.
The following board policy outlines the district’s educational philosophy and beliefs. The beliefs listed directly align with the core beliefs of RtI.
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY/SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION AND MISSION STATEMENT
Our community is dedicated to empowering students to accomplish their aspirations in a safe environment, through excellence in teaching and comprehensive learning opportunities.
VISION
Foundation for Success, Education for Life, Citizens for the Future
BELIEFS
We believe in:
Community engagement.
The uniqueness of the individual.
Building foundations for life -long learning.
Responsible citizenship and character development.
High standards for our learning community.
Safe, healthy and secure learning environments.
Learning as a shared responsibility.
Celebrating accomplishments.
Treating challenges as opportunities.
Wise stewardship of resources.
Adopted: March 1992
November 1993
August 2000
November 2007
Table of Contents
Overview of Response to Intervention4
National Legislation and RtI4
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) RtI Mandate5
Leadership Component6
CDE Summary6
Problem-Solving Component7
CDE Summary 7
District Guidelines10
Curriculum/Instruction Component21
CDE Summary 21
District Guidelines22
Assessment/Monitoring Component26
CDE Summary 26
District Guidelines28
Positive School Climate Component35
CDE Summary 35
Family/Community Component36
CDE Summary 36
Glossary of Terms from CDE37
Appendix A- Research Matrix for Interventions44
Appendix B- Gap Analysis Worksheet52
Appendix C- Benchmark Data Review Sheet53
Appendix D- Weld Re-4 RtI Assessment and Intervention Form59
Appendix E- RtI Flow Chart61
National Legislation and RtI
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
With the passing of NCLB, new language was introduced into law. Similar to RtI, NCLB calls for the examination of achievement data for all students.NCLB focuses on providing evidence based curricula and instruction to all students by highly qualified teachers and staff-RtI shares this focus.
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
(P.L. 108-446)
New language in the law:
“…a local education agency may use a process that determines if the child responds to scientific, research-based intervention as a part of the evaluation procedures…”
Sec. 614(b)6B [emphasis added]
In the special education research literature, the process mentioned in this language is generally considered as referring to RtI.
… almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by providing incentives for whole-school approaches. (601, c, 5, F)
…implementing effective teaching strategies, classroom-based techniques, and interventions to ensure appropriate identification of students who may be eligible for special education services, and to prevent the misidentification, inappropriate over-identification or under-identification of children as having a disability especially minority and limited English proficient children. (662, b, 2, A, iii)
“Make no mistake about it, RTI will revolutionize education. This is not just a whim, but an entire model of teaching based on solid research done by some of the leading educators and researchers in the United States.”
The One-Stop Guide to Implementing RTI by Maryln Applebaum
Colorado Department of Education RtI Mandate
Core Beliefs from CDE RtI Task Force
We believe that . . .
- ALL children can learn and achieve high standards as a result of effective teaching.
- All students must have access to a rigorous, standards-based curriculum and researched-based instruction.
- Intervening at the earliest indication of need is necessary for student success (Pre K-12).
- A comprehensive system of tiered interventions is essential for addressing the full range of student needs.
- Student results improve when ongoing academic and behavioral performance data inform instructional decisions.
- Collaboration among educators, families and community members is the foundation for effective problem-solving and instructional decision making.
- On-going and meaningful involvement of families increases student success.
- All members of the school community must continue to gain knowledge and develop expertise in order to build capacity and sustainability of RtI.
- Effective leadership at all levels is crucial for the implementation of RtI.
RtI Defined
Colorado Definition of RtI: Response to Intervention is a framework that promotes a well-integrated system connecting general, compensatory, gifted, and special education in providing high quality, standards-based instruction and intervention that is matched to students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs.
The greatest benefit of RtI is that teachers across this state feel supported, and they feel like they have a strategy that they can use regardless of the uniqueness of the child that might be in front of them. But the hope is really for the child.
-- Colorado Department of Education Commissioner Dwight Jones
Leadership Component
Why: Leadership at the state, district, and building level is crucial to the fidelity of RtI implementation. RtI is a significant change that affects the entire educational system.
Leadership Across the Tiers: Initially district level administrators must understand and embrace the essential components and supports needed to effectively implement RtI. Administrators must prioritize resource allocation to support the effort, as well as offer professional development to school staffs on the philosophical underpinnings of RtI. Staff development on the RtI philosophy will help establish and promote consistency among districts and schools that is imperative for successful implementation. Additionally, superintendents, curriculum directors, principals, special education administrators, etc. must guide the implementation of RtI by developing leadership roles and expectations for district and building administrators. Because of the broad impact of the RtI Model and its impact on the entire educational system, significant systemic changes will need to occur to execute implementation with fidelity. These changes must be championed and monitored by leaders at all levels. Because professional development promotes change, district and school leadership should participate in trainings that develop a knowledge of curriculum and instruction across the tiers, positive school climate, the problem-solving process, progress monitoring and parent and community involvement. CDE has developed training modules to support professional development across the state and will provide training in all regions. Nonetheless, administrators’ participation in developing the infrastructure for RtI has a direct correlation to the success of the model. Although supporting initial implementation of RtI should be an important focus for districts, establishing a long term commitment of resources and time is equally critical. Schools must devote time to implementation and maintenance of the RtI Model: time for data dialogues, for problem-solving team meetings, and for development of action plans that identify continued training needs. These issues need to be monitored and reviewed by district administration. District administration should work with principals to regularly monitor and review the action plans developed by individual schools. Leadership is critical for effective implementation of RtI. The success of RtI will be determined, to a great extent, by the degree to which district and school leaders are able to move the focus of RtI from philosophical understanding to actual practice. District and school leadership is imperative to the sustainability of the model. (CDE, 2008)
Problem-solving Component
Why: The purpose of the problem-solving process is to assist the classroom teacher and parents in designing and selecting strategies for improving student academic and/or behavioral performance.
Problem Solving Across the Tiers: The purpose of the problem-solving process is to develop academic and behavior intervention strategies that have a high probability of success. It provides a structure for addressing the academic and/or behavioral concerns identified by teachers or parents. A problem-solving process requires full collaboration among a team of professionals along with parents to identify a specific, measurable outcome and to design research-based interventions to address the concerns. The process includes ensuring interventions are implemented with fidelity according to their research base and student progress is monitored to determine the student’s response. Family engagement in the process is vital to ensure all information that might impact success is considered. The purpose of problem solving is to put in place a decision-making process that will lead to the development of instructional and intervention strategies with a high probability of success. The system must integrate the use of data, both to guide the development of effective interventions and to provide frequent monitoring of progress. The RtI in Practice section of this manual outlines the problem-solving process steps to be used by problem-solving teams.
Problem Solving Team:
- Coordinator
- Consultant
- Recorder
- Timekeeper
- Parent
- Persons with expertise in:
- Data
- Interventions (academic & behavioral)
- Parent partnerships
- Community resources (CDE, 2008)
Slide from CDE
1 | Page
Response to Intervention
Step by Step Guide to the Problem Solving Process
1 | Page
Step by Step Narrative for the Problem-Solving Process
This process can begin after or before a Tier 2 intervention has been implemented. Data would be shared from the interventions previously tried, and the process outlined below would begin. Students are not required to go through this process to receive any or all tiers of instruction.
Step 1-If the student’s progress is a concern after providing differentiated instructional strategies and universal interventions, prepare for the Problem-Solving/ Student Intervention Team (SIT) meeting.
• The referring teacher contacts the Student Intervention Team (SIT)/Problem-Solving Team (PST)Facilitator to initiate the process. A Case Manager/Consultant from the SIT/PST is assigned.
• The Case Manager/Consultant meets with the referring teacher to discuss the behavior/skill area of concern, assists with problem identification and provides guidance regarding the process. The case manager also helps the general education teacher document interventions and accommodations/modifications that have already targeted the area of concern prior to the initial meeting, and recommends data gathering techniques to collect baseline data on the specific concern prior to the initial meeting.
• The general education teacher or the person making the referral will document research-based interventions and accommodations/modifications that have been provided for the student and the progress/growth made by the student using the Accommodations tab in Infinite Campus (IC) and/or the Personal Learning Plan in IC.
Documentation will include data and information provided by the student’s parents about strategies used at home in collaboration with the classroom teacher.
• The referring teacher or Case Manager contacts the student’s parents to explain the Problem-Solving process and invites them to attend the meeting.
Portions of the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) are completed prior to the initial meeting so the information is available to all parties involved.
Step 2Begin Problem-Solving Process by collecting, screening and analyzing data
• The referring teacher meets with the SIT/PST members to discuss progress/achievement and possible targeted interventions that may be necessary to support student growth. The student’s parents are participants in the developing of interventions to be utilized at home and at school.
•The SIT/PST participants work toward identifying a root cause of the concern and/or a specific skill deficit. Gap analysis may be used to determine the depth of the deficit.
• The problem-solving process continues by determining the need for additional information to help guide the selection of appropriate academic/behavioral targeted or intensive interventions. Additional focused assessments may be determined to be necessary.
• The SIT/PST assigns action/interventions using the Personal Learning Plan in Infinite Campus. The team will also develop a measureable goal for the student which will be included in this plan.
• If a targeted assessment or intervention which is not offered to all students is indicated, parents give permission for targeted assessments and/or interventions on the Weld Re-4 RtI Assessment and Intervention Form.
Step 3- Implement school-based actions and collect data on Research-based Intervention #1
• Implement the targeted or intensive actions recommended by the Student Intervention Team (SIT)/PST and collect data to evaluate the student’s progress/growth.
• Use Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) probes (AIMSweb, DIBELS, Acuity) or other research-based progress monitoring tools. Interventions previously implemented by the school staff or parents are important historical information and should be used to select appropriate interventions based on current student needs.
• SIT/PST Case Manager/Consultant checks in with general education teacher weekly to support the implementation of the intervention and the gathering of progress monitoring data.
Step 4 Monitor student progress
• After the research-based recommended intervention(s) have been implemented (3-9 weeks, with fidelity), the general education teacher and parents return to the SIT to discuss the data. The length of time before a second meeting is scheduled depends on the specific research behind the intervention and what the research dictates for a typical length of time before student achievement increases. It will also depend on the intensity with which the intervention has been implemented.
• Using student progress data, the team evaluates the effectiveness of the intervention.
• The Student Intervention Team/Problem-Solving Team utilizes the problem-solving process to determine further actions. If the student’s progress demonstrates success, continue to infuse strategies within the classroom to continue to support student achievement.
Step 5A-Student Success!
• SIT/PST members determine the intervention to be successful.
• Print and place the Personal Learning Plan in the student’s CUM file.
•Continue to pay close attention to this student’s next benchmark test to ensure the student is remaining successful.
Step 5B- Research-based interventions #2
Implement targeted actions and collect data.
• Based on progress monitoring data, SIT/PST members determine the student is showing a lack of response to research-based intervention.
• Implement the targeted or intensive actions recommended by the Student Intervention Team/Problem-Solving Team and collect data to evaluate the student’s progress/growth through a revised or 2nd plan.
• If a targeted assessment or prescriptive intervention which is not offered to all peers is indicated, parents give permission for targeted assessments and/or interventions on the Weld Re-4 RtI Assessment and Intervention Form.
• Use CBM probes (AIMSweb, Dibels, Acuity) or other research-based progress monitoring tools.
Repeat Step 2 and Evaluate student’s responsiveness to the 2nd intervention
• Return to the Student Intervention Team/Problem-Solving Team to analyze student progress.
• Determine further actions. If the student’s progress demonstrates success, continue to infuse strategies within the classroom to continue to support student achievement. If the student’s progress indicates a lack of responsiveness to the interventions/actions, continued intervention and assessment may be necessary.
• If special education eligibility is being discussed, a special education representative must be included in the problem solving process.
• At this time, if there is still a lack of response to the intervention and the student appears to be in need of sustained long-term high intensity or Tier 3 interventions, may develop a 3rd Plan or consider the following further steps:
- Determine special education eligibility
• At this point a referral for special education eligibility assessment could be made, the process ceases to be a function of general education and becomes a special education process.
• Informed consent should be obtained by a special education provider. The sixty (60) calendar day timeline begins on the date that written, signed consent is received by the district, not the date it is signed.
• If a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is suspected, the data compiled through the Problem-Solving process will play a critical role in the determination of disability. Therefore, this information should thoroughly reflect the student’s lack of response to evidence-based interventions related to the suspected area of deficit, and must be made available to special education staff prior to the initiation of the referral.
• This determination could generally be made through a review of existing data that has been collected through the problem-solving process. Some additional assessments may be required at this point.
• Parent and school staff reviews data that has been collected at an IEP conference to determine whether the student is eligible as having a disability.
- Continue to monitor student progress
• Service providers continue to document.
• This information should be reviewed with the student’s IEP team, including the student’s parents, on an ongoing basis to gauge the effectiveness of academic/behavioral instruction.
Simplified Flow Chart for Problem-solving Process
Flow Chart for Meeting Agenda