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Summary of the NASDE RTI document

Submitted by Benjamin Ditkowsky on Wed, 2007-12-05 15:02.

The Response to intervention task force met on 11/30. The meeting helped the group to synthesize and integrate our readings with the implications for the district. At this meeting we discussed the RTI document from The National Association of State Directors of Special Education entitled: Response to Intervention: Policy Considerations and Implementation

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
1

Definition of Response to Intervention (RtI)

High Qualify Instruction/Intervention

  • We have to determine what we have

  • Is core instruction effective for 80% of students?
Learning Rate/Level of Performance
  • How are we going to measure that?

  • What will we do?

  • On going decision-making process?

  • What is it? Who delivers it? Where? Shared?

Educational Decisions

Implications:

  • How different will things be with RtI vs. current practices?

  • Entrance/Exit criteria (supplemental/intensive instruction/Sped.)

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
2

RTI Foundations and Policy

Early Origins of RtI

  • Define what it means to be a special education student
Problems in the Traditional Sped. Programs
  • Wait to fail model transitioning to prevention

Programmatic Research and Major Policy reports supporting RtI

  • Screening with Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM)

  • Diagnostics that follow screening for those students for whom we still have questions
Scientifically-based alignment
  • Emergence of Improved Practices that Support RtI

  • We have results - Now what?

  • How can we test as little as possible and get what we need
Implementation Experience Supporting RtI
  • Support of multi-tiers (scheduling, staff allocation)

  • Staff training

  • Support of staff

  • We can use the Blueprint

  • Parents understanding/support

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
3

Support for RtI in Federal Law

Public Law 94:142 focused on Free Appropriate Public Education

The Focus shifted in the 1980s to Effectiveness

IDEA 1997: Change in focus from procedures to student performance. Set in motion the conceptual changes in IDEA 2004

IDEA 2004 carries similar language to NCLB and provides legal authority for implementing RTI. Scientifically – Based Reading Instruction (SBR)
  • Our Task Force is developing the district plan.

  • Discrepancy does not equal potential

  • Are we using SBR?

  • Are we addressing needs or tutoring?

  • Is Special education a place versus services (Progress monitoring)

  • We need to set up a system for transitioning students out of special education.
RTI is Federally allowed but state mandated
  • We can use data to ensure that we identify the right students for service
Early Intervention (15% of money) - No more wait to fail
  • Entrance/Exit criteria

  • Transitioning plans

  • Grade level and Classroom criteria for success
Lack of Instruction is an exclusionary factor (and has been since 94:142)
  • Diagnostic placements?

  • We need a consistent plan to help students catch up

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
4

Core Principles of RtI

Effective Practices

  • Do we have the right resources (materials and staff allocation)

  • Solve small problems vs. wait to fail
Early Intervention
  • Should our focus be at Todd Hall? Where? How much?

Multi-tier models

Problem Solving model

Problem solving vs. standard protocol

  • Recommendation both

Research-based valid instruction

Progress monitoring

Assessment

  • Screening
  • Diagnostics
  • Progress monitoring

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
5

Essential Components of RtI

Three Tiers (Academic and Behavioral)

Tier 1:

  • Everyone receives Tier 1 instruction
  • Effective Tier 1 instruction works for about 80% of students

Tier 2:

  • Some students receive Tier 2 instruction and interventions
  • Tier 2 intervention will be sufficient for about 15%

Tier 3:

  • A few students require Tier 3 intervention
  • It should serve about 3-5% of students.

Nine characteristics of data collection

 


Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
6

Special Education Eligibility Determination in RtI

Components for Eligibility

  • Performance compared to peers, benchmarks
  • Rate of learning when compared to peers
  • Impact and educational needs
  • Other exclusionary factors
  • Rule out sensory impairment or lack of appropriate instruction

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
7

RTI Policy Considerations

Whose job is it anyways?

  • Leadership is local
  • Organizational framework from the state
  • Collecting data
  • Analyze data
  • Leadership
  • Professional Development (IASPIRE)
  • Local plan- timeline
  • Actions initiated by state
  • NCLB
  • Whose job is it anyways? …OURS

  • Burdensome

  • We can do?

Chapter
Big Ideas and Considerations
Implications and Questions
8

RtI Professional Development

Who needs to be trained?

 

  • New teachers

  • Leadership

  • Board of Education

  • Community at large

  • Administration

  • Direct service providers

  • Related Services
Professional Development must include knowledge and skills
  • This is not “one-shot” training

  • Mentorship/Coaching

We will use blue prints for RTI to complete our ultimate project. The Task force will divide into sub committees to complete three major Tasks, one at a time. The three major Tasks for the subcommittee are #1 Consensus Building, #2 District Infrastructure Building, and #3 District Level Implementation

The first task for the Task force will be Consensus Building

  • Develop a shared vision that RtI is a “every education initiative” and that RtI and problem-solving will result in more productive and equitable outcomes for students,
  • Identify the administrative support structures necessary for systemic planning and implementation of RtI,
  • Identify the stakeholders in the district, inform them about RtI, and assure the stakeholders that their input will be considered in the development of the infrastructure, and
  • Develop a common understanding regarding the scope of RTI implementation

On our next meeting we will divide into sub committees to begin our work on Task #1.

  • Sub Committee 1: Develop an action plan to facilitate the sharing of information and the building of district-wide consensus to support RtI
  • Sub Committee 2: Provide information to internal and external stakeholders about RtI
  • Sub Committee 3: Examine and define district structures to support RtI
  • Sub Committee 4: Garner consensus and support from internal and external stakeholders

Next Meeting 2/1/08 12-3:00p.m.

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