Focusing on Improved Academic
Achievement for ALL Students
Amy Dilworth Gabel, Ph.D, NCSP
Misty Sprague, M.A., Ed.S
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Toolbox Contents
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The Basics
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The 3-essential “legs” of RTI
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RTI: What is it, why are we doing it, and how it
works
Multiple tiers of intervention service delivery
1. Core interventions (all students)
2. Targeted group interventions (students at risk)
3. Intensive individual interventions
A problem-solving method; and
An integrated data collection/ assessment system
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2
Response to Intervention…
Why?
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3
IDEA Reforms
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Educational programs should emphasize results.
The model for special education should be one of
prevention.
Children with disabilities are general education
students first. All students (birth to 21 years old) are
part of 1 educational system, rather than the
standard of separation into general or special
education.
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Why Problem-Solving and
RTI?
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AYP and disaggregated
data (NCLB) move
focus of attention to
student progress
Building principals and
superintendents want
to know if students are
achieving benchmarks,
regardless of the
students “type”

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Adapted from Curtis and
Batsche, March 2005
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Key Characteristics of RtI
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Universal Screening of academics and behavior
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Multiple tiers of increasingly intense interventions
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Differentiated curriculum-tiered intervention strategy
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Use of scientifically research-based interventions
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Continuous monitoring of student performance

Benchmark/Outcome assessment
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Is This Really Something
New?
Previous versions of IDEA have required:
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Prereferral intervention;
Teams to rule out the lack of instruction in reading
or math or limited English proficiency as causes
for underachievement;
Gathering relevant functional and developmental
information and information related to the child’s
ability to access and progress in the general
curriculum.
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The RTI/
Problem Solving Model is
effective because it…
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Focuses on Results
Embraces Prevention
Considers the needs of all children without assigning a
label
Is good for students and families
Is supported by research that shows multi-tiered
models are effective educational practices for schools
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Level 3:
Intensive
Interventions
For Low Performing
Students; Alter curriculum,
Add time, Support, resources…
Comprehensive Individual Assessment
Level 2:
Strategic
InterventionsInterventions
Strategic and
Targeted
For
Students for
At–Risk for Failure
Students at Risk of Academic Failure
Strategic Instruction, Increased Time and
Opportunity to Learn
Level 1:
Benchmark Assessment and School Wide Interventions
(Universal Screening)
for Students on Grade-level (benchmark) and
All Students (Effective Instructional Practices provided within the General Education Curriculum)
(Adapted From PA Training and Technical Assistance Network, 2005)
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What RTI Is and What It Is Not

RTI is…
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A method to unify
general and special
education in order to
benefit students through
greater continuity of
services
Focused primarily on
effective instruction to
enhance student growth

RTI Is NOT…

A method for just
increasing or decreasing
special education
numbers

Focused primarily on
disability determination
and documented through
a checklist
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Level 1:
Benchmark/Schoolwide
Universal Prevention, Screening, Monitoring
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High quality instructional and behavioral supports are provided
for all students in general education
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School personnel conduct universal screening of literacy skills,
academics, and behavior.
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Teachers implement a variety of scientifically research-based
teaching strategies and approaches
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Students receive differentiated instruction based on data from
ongoing assessments.
Adapted from: Kovaleski (2005). Special Education Decision Making [ppt.]
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Problem Solving
Teams
RTI
PST
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The RTI/Problem-Solving Process
Analyze and
Interpret Data
GATHER AND REVIEW
DATA
Identify SPECIFIC
Strengths,
Concerns, and
Outcomes
Evaluate Response to
Intervention (RTI)
Assign, Implement, and
Monitor a Research-Based,
Prescriptive Intervention
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13
Sample Elementary Model #1
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Steps in the Problem-Solving
Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
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PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
• Identify replacement behavior
• Data- current level of performance
• Data- benchmark level(s)
• Data- peer performance
• Data- GAP analysis
PROBLEM ANALYSIS
• Develop hypotheses( brainstorming)
• Develop predictions/assessment
INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT
• Develop interventions in those areas for which data are available and
hypotheses verified
• Implementation support
Response to Intervention (RtI)
• Frequently collected data
• Type of Response- good, questionable, poor
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WHO? Possible Players…
A collaborative team which includes general and special
educators partnering with parents
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Chair (Administrator, Mental Health, Counselor,
General or Special Educator)
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Intervention Facilitator (Case Manager,
Counselor, Someone Who “Owns Student”)
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Recorder (Someone Writes On Chart Paper,
Computer, Handwritten)

Timekeeper (Someone with a Watch and the
Agenda)
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RTI Problem-Solving Process:
TIPS!
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Use the PST Record as an Agenda
Think Out of the Box
Partner General and Special Educator
Co-Chairs
Use Technology When You Can
“Resource Map” Building – Know Who Is Doing
What and Make Available to Teams
Know Existing “Standard” Interventions
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The Logic of RTI: Data-based
Problem Solving
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Problem Identification
 “Is there a discrepancy between current and expected
performance?”
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Problem Analysis
 “Where is the instructional mismatch?”
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Goal Setting
 “By how much should the student grow over the next 8 weeks?”
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Plan Implementation
 “What will be done to resolve the problem?”

Plan Evaluation
 “Did it work? What do we do next?”
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Research-Based
Interventions
RTI
PST
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What is a Research-based
Intervention?
Research-based means that the curriculum and
instructional approaches have a high probability of
success for the majority of students. By using
research-based practices schools efficiently use time
and resources and protect students from ineffective
instructional and evaluative practices.
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Is It All About Reading…..
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52% of IDEA $$ go to LD Programs
70% +/- of special education “activities” (e.g.,
evaluations, staffings, IEPs) related to LD cases
94% of students in LD because of
reading/language arts
46% of IDEA $$ go to improve reading
Changes in LD Rules will affect the vast majority
of special education “activities”
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Progress Monitoring
RTI
PST
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Level 2 – Targeted Intervention
and Strategic Monitoring
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Apply more specific curriculum modifications and
monitor progress and for students unsuccessful at
Level 1.
 Provides intervention team with the necessary
information for:
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examining and documenting a student’s progress relative
to the goal
for informed decisions about what the student needs to
achieve optimal outcomes
Continual feedback loop.
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Intervention Strategies
and Progress Monitoring
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According to research, frequent assessment and
evaluation of student progress is linked to
improved student outcomes (D. Fuchs & Fuchs,
1986)
Teachers are more aware of how and why
students students succeed or fail and can use this
information to inform instructional decisions
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Suggested Progress Monitoring
Interval Guidelines
Risk Level
Score Profile
Progress Monitoring Frequency/Type
Above Benchmark
Very Low to No risk
(Universal)
>65th Percentile
2-3 x/year
Benchmark Measurement
Near Benchmark
Low Risk
(Universal)
25-65th Percentile
4-6 x/year
Benchmark Measurement
Below Benchmark
Some risk
(Targeted)
5th-25th Percentile
2 x/month
Progress Measurement
Far Below Benchmark
At-Risk
(Intensive)
Below 5 th Percentile
At least weekly
Progress Measurement
Adapted from D. Marston, 2005
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Best Progress Monitoring
Tools for Math
• Use a Curriculum-Based Measure (CBM):
–Robust indicator (e.g., using basic facts to monitor
overall math proficiency across elementary grades)
Cloze Math
Basic Facts
Missing Number
–Curriculum sampling
–(e.g., important skills in year-long curriculum are
represented on each measure)
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Progress Monitoring Tools
for Behavior
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Attendance
Office Referrals
Work Completion
Time on Task
Hand-Raising
Homework Completion
Class Participation
Behavior Contracts
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Level 3 – Comprehensive
Individualized Evaluation
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Reserved for those students who have not
responded to the assessments,
interventions, and monitoring that has taken
place in Levels 1 and 2.
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allows for the fact that a small percentage of
students, despite interventions, will not keep
pace with age-mates in physical, emotional,
academic, and/or cognitive domains.
WHY hasn’t a student responded?
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Special Education Evaluation

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An RTI process does not
replace the need for a
comprehensive evaluation.
LEAs must use a variety of
data gathering tools and
strategies even if an RTI
process is used. The results of
an RTI process may be one
component of the information
reviewed as part of the
evaluation procedures required
under §§300.304 and 300.305.
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IDEIA Requirements
Any evaluation of a child suspected of having a
disability must
(1) be conducted using a variety of assessment tools
and strategies to gather relevant functional,
developmental, and academic information about the
child;
(2) not use any single measure or assessment as
the sole criterion; and
(3) use technically sound instruments that may assess
the relative contribution of cognitive and behavioral
factors, in addition to physical or developmental factors.
(34 C.F.R. § 300.304(b)).
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For RTI-Identified Disabilities the
Special Education Eligibility Process NOW…
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…is used to inform instruction and intervention
…occurs over time
…uses multiple methods and sources in creating a
body of evidence
…is driven by “working hypotheses”
…includes students, parents, and teachers as part
of the process
…provides a specific understanding of the
disability to all key stakeholders
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How Long Will It Take to
Implement this Effectively?
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3-6 years
Take it one step (e.g., skill) at a time.
Start with young students (Kdgn/1st))
Consider Tier 1 issues
Create Tier 2 options with existing staff and resources
 Develop a 5 year PDP for staff
Ease their job with social support and technology
Use networks-avoid “reinventing” the wheel.
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Effective Multi-Level Processes
Require Resource Mapping
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Schools must identify the:
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Resources they have
Resources they need
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Must redeploy resources appropriately and work
with community to address needs
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See materials from Tom Kratochwill, Ph.D. from the
University of Wisconsin
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Determining if a system is ready
for RTI-
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Is there support for the collaboration of general,
remedial and special education as a first step?
Do you have in place scientifically research-based
core curricula?
Do you have a comprehensive professional
development plan?
Do you do universal screening of all students?
Do you provide flexible groupings for those not
proficient in Level 1 assessment?
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RTI Is Most Effective
When:
• It is supported by the principal, and chaired
by an administrator.
• Buildings utilize school-wide data to develop
universal instruction that is responsive to the
needs of their student population.
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RTI Is Most Effective
When:

General educators play a significant role in the problem solving
process, collaborating with building level specialists to meet the
needs of individual students.
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Teachers first utilize universal team (content, grade level, house,
etc.) expertise to address student needs.

General educators, special educators, mental health,
counselors, nurses, parents and administrators collaborate to
support student achievement.
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Stages of Implementing
Problem-Solving/RtI
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Consensus
 Belief is shared
 Vision is agreed upon
 Implementation requirements understood
Infrastructure Development
 Training
 Tier I and II intervention systems
 E.g., K-3 Academic Support Plan
 Technology support
 Decision-making criteria established
Implementation
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Questions?
Amy Dilworth Gabel, Ph.D
[email protected]
or
Misty Sprague, M.A., Ed.S
[email protected]
Customer Service
1-800-211-8378 (USA)
1-866-335-8418 (Canada)
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