RTI Essential Components Integrity Worksheet

RTI Essential Components Integrity Worksheet

EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE EVIDENCE

Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Some interviewees for the district/building should be able to discuss in detail the following evidence:
Screening—The RTI system accurately identifies students at risk of poor learning outcomes or challenging behaviors.
Screening Tools / What tools do you use for screening?
Do you have evidence supporting the reliability of your screening tools?
Do you have evidence supporting the validity of your screening tools?
Do you know whether these screening tools accurately predict students’ risk status? / ·  Technical manuals
·  Data from the publisher of the assessment
·  Information from the National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Screening Tools Chart http://www.rti4success.org/screeningTools
·  In some cases, tools may have evidence of appropriateness for sub-populations (e.g. ELLs). In many cases, they do not.
Universal Screening / Do you conduct screening for all students?
How often is screening conducted?
What procedures do you use to ensure implementation accuracy (i.e. universal, accurate administration, scoring, and accurate use of cut points to identify students)? / ü  Sample administration scripts
ü  Sample data
ü  Description of training and/or procedures for checking or retraining as needed – for administration, scoring and data entry.
Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Multi-Level Prevention/Intervention System—The Framework includes a school-wide, multi-level system for preventing school failure.
Primary Level Prevention/Core Curriculum
Research-Based Curriculum Materials / What curriculum materials do you use in your core program?
How do you know whether these materials are research-based for your population of learners? / ü  Identification of core program materials
ü  Evidence that core materials support state standards
ü  Evidence of appropriateness for sub-populations (e.g. ELLs)
ü  Evidence that instructional components align with research-based recommendations, even if the program has not been evaluated.
ü  Information to support research/evidence base from relevant sources, such as:
§  National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Instructional Intervention Tools Chart http://www.rti4success.org/instructionTools
§  What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
§  IES Practice Guides http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
Fidelity / How do you ensure that your curriculum materials are delivered with fidelity?
What procedures do you use to monitor the fidelity of implementation of your core curriculum? / ü  Fidelity checklists
ü  Observation protocols
ü  Walkthrough protocols
ü  Processes for training/re-training, including new staff and paraeducators.
Articulation of Teaching and Learning / How is instruction/curriculum aligned from one grade to another?
How do you ensure that teaching and learning is aligned within grade levels so that students have similar experiences, regardless of their assigned teacher? / ü  Identification of process for content alignment within grade levels and between grade levels
ü  Curriculum maps
ü  Identification of scope and sequence
ü  Alignment with state standards
ü  Collaboration time (within and across grade levels) that is regularly scheduled
Instruction / What ways do teachers in your building differentiate instruction?
What information do teachers use to determine the needs of students for the purpose of differentiation? / ü  Sources of data used to identify student needs (e.g. screening data, weighted composite score, MSP, benchmarking assessments, progress monitoring data, informal observations)
ü  Differentiation of instruction within core - examples?
ü  Grouping strategies within core instruction
ü  Identification of meeting times
School-Based Professional Development / Please describe the structure for professional development in your school. / ü  Annual school improvement plan
ü  District improvement plan
ü  Information about attendance at professional development (e.g. frequency of PD, percentage of teachers that participate)
ü  Prioritization of PD topics/initiatives so that they are aligned with the school or district’s primary goals
ü  PD topics identified based on data (student success, fidelity, etc)
Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Secondary (Strategic) Prevention
Evidence-Based Intervention / What intervention materials do you use in secondary prevention?
How do you know if these materials are evidence-based? / ü  Clearly articulated set of standard protocol interventions
ü  Student progress monitoring data showing evidence of effectiveness
ü  Information to support evidence base from relevant sources, such as:
§  National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Instructional Intervention Tools Chart http://www.rti4success.org/instructionTools
§  What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
§  IES Practice Guides http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
Complements Core Instruction / In what ways do secondary intervention materials align or support foundational skills relevant to core instruction? / ü  Illustration of how strategic instruction is matched to student needs
ü  Documentation that shows alignment with core instruction
Fidelity / What evidence do you have that secondary interventions are implemented with fidelity (according to the standard protocol)?
What procedures do you use to monitor fidelity? / ü  Fidelity checklists
ü  Observation protocols
ü  Walkthrough protocols
ü  Processes for training/re-training
ü  Regularly scheduled debrief time for reviewing fidelity
Instruction / Who delivers secondary interventions?
How is staff trained to deliver interventions?
What is the typical group size for secondary interventions? / ü  Sample schedules
ü  Group rosters
Determining Responsiveness to Secondary Level Prevention / What data are used to decide whether or not a student is responding to intervention?
What procedures are in place to help support the team in making these decisions accurately and consistently? / ü  Meeting protocols & schedule
ü  Standard decision rules for data meetings
ü  Criteria for movement in and out of groups
ü  Procedural manuals
ü  Progress monitoring tools with evidence of reliability and validity
Addition to Primary / Are the secondary level interventions always implemented as a supplement to the core curriculum?
If no, please explain. / ü  Sample schedule or master schedule for the school
Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Tertiary (Intensive) Prevention
Evidence-Based Intervention / Describe the interventions used at the tertiary level?
What information do you have to indicate that interventions are supported by evidence (i.e. that interventions are either an evidence-based standard treatment protocol, or based on validated progress monitoring methods for individualizing instruction)?
In what way are your tertiary interventions more intensive than secondary interventions? / ü  Clearly articulated set of standard protocol interventions
ü  Problem-solving process protocols for non-responders
ü  Information to support evidence base from relevant sources, such as:
§  National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Instructional Intervention Tools Chart http://www.rti4success.org/instructionTools
§  What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
§  IES Practice Guides http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
ü  Student progress monitoring data showing evidence of effectiveness
Fidelity / What evidence do you have that tertiary interventions are implemented with fidelity (according to the standard protocol)?
What procedures do you use to monitor fidelity? / ü  Fidelity checklists
ü  Observation protocols
ü  Walkthrough protocols
ü  Processes for training/re-training
Instruction / Who delivers tertiary interventions?
How is staff trained to deliver these interventions?
What is the typical group size for tertiary interventions? / ü  Sample schedules
ü  Group rosters
Determining Responsiveness to Tertiary Level Prevention / What data are used to decide whether or not a student is responding to tertiary intervention/prevention?
What procedures are in place to help support the team in making these decisions accurately and consistently? / ü  Meeting protocols
ü  Standard decision rules for data meetings
ü  Criteria for movement in and out of groups
ü  Procedural manuals
ü  Progress monitoring tools that have evidence of reliability and validity
Relationship to Primary / How are decisions regarding student participation in both primary and tertiary levels of prevention determined?
In what ways do tertiary level interventions address the general education curriculum in an appropriate manner for students? / ü  Sample schedule
ü  Decision-making protocols or considerations
Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Progress Monitoring—Ongoing and frequent monitoring of progress that quantifies rates of improvement and informs instructional practice and the development of individualized programs.
Progress Monitoring Tools / What tools do you use to monitor student progress?
Are alternate forms (of equal and controlled difficulty) available? If so, do you know how many?
Are there criteria for minimum acceptable growth?
Are there benchmarks for minimum acceptable end-of-year performance?
Are there reliability data available for performance level? / ü  Technical manual from the publisher, and the ability to interpret this information
ü  Sample probes
ü  Information from the National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Progress Monitoring Tools Chart http://www.rti4success.org/progressMonitoringTools
ü  Information from the National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI) Progress Monitoring Mastery Measures Chart http://www.rti4success.org/progressMonitoringMasteryTools
ü  Evidence of appropriateness for sub-populations (e.g. ELLs), if available
Monitoring Progress / How often are students at the primary level progress monitored?
How often are students at the secondary level progress monitored?
How often are students at the tertiary level progress monitored?
Describe the process used to administer progress monitoring assessments.
How do you ensure that progress monitoring probes are administered using a standard procedure? / ü  Sample administration scripts
ü  Sample data
ü  Description of training and/or procedures for checking or retraining as needed
ü  Criteria for minimum growth and benchmarks, if available (Many publishers do not provide recommended criteria for minimum growth.)
Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Data-Based Decision Making—Data-based decision making processed are used to inform instruction, movement within the multi-level system, and disability identification (in accordance with state law).
Decision-Making Process / What process do you use to make decisions about placement of students in secondary or tertiary intervention/prevention levels?
Who participates in this decision-making process?
Are there procedures in place that include objective decision-making criteria to support teams in making placement or movement determinations? / ü  Meeting protocol(s)
ü  Composition of decision-making team(s)
ü  Sample of reviewed data
ü  Identification of desired cut-points or growth rates for determining movement and/or response to instruction
ü  Entry and exit criteria for interventions
Item / Interview Questions / Possible Evidence
Overarching Factors—Factors that relate to the entire RTI system.
Prevention Focus / Do you believe your staff views the purpose of RTI:
1)  As primarily to prevent students from having academic and/or behavioral problems?
OR
2)  As primarily a means for special education identification? / ü  Description of relevant professional development
ü  Referral data
ü  Data from staff survey (if available)
Leadership / How do leaders/administrators perceive and support RTI at the school level?
How do leaders/administrators perceive and support RTI at the district level? / ü  Annual school improvement plan
ü  District improvement plan
ü  Time for planning
ü  Funds budgeted for training/PD
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive / What efforts are made to ensure that instruction, interventions, and assessment account for issues of diversity (e.g., cultural, linguistic, or socioeconomic factors) present in your school? / ü  Sample materials
ü  Information from school handbook
ü  Description of relevant professional development
ü  Documented evidence of appropriateness for sub-populations for assessments, instruction, and interventions (e.g. ELLs) Availability of this information may vary.
Communication with Parents / Is there information available to parents/guardians describing the school’s (or district’s) essential components of RTI?
How are parents/guardians updated regarding progress if their students are receiving secondary or tertiary interventions?
How do you involve parents in the decision-making process? / ü  Description of the parent communication process
ü  Parent brochures
ü  Sample letters home
ü  Progress reports
ü  Conference information
Other / How are RTI data used in your special education eligibility process?
Is there anything else you would like for us to know? / ü  Meeting protocol(s)
ü  Policies/procedures in place