An Authentic Conversation:
Systems, Data, and Practices to Consider When Meeting the
Requirements of the SLD Rule Through a MLSS
Deb Heiss
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Consultant for Specific Learning Disabilities
Dana McConnell
Wisconsin RtI Center
Coordinator of Instructional Supports for
Students with Disabilities
The Wisconsin RtI Center (CFDA #84.027) acknowledges the support of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in the development
of this presentation and for the continued support of this federally-funded grant program. There are no copyright restrictions on this
document; however, please credit the Wisconsin DPI and support of federal funds when copying all or part of this material.
Agenda
• System
– When do you initiate the specified requirements
identified in the SLD rule?
– What about parent requests for a special
education evaluation?
• Data
– Decision System vs. Data System
– Data Sources
– Exclusionary Factors
• Practices
• Resources
Think About Your Multi-Level
System of Support?
Where within your
MLSS do you begin
implementing the
requirements of the
SLD rule?
SLD:
Raise your hand…
When do you initiate the
specified requirements
identified in the SLD rule?
1. Core/Universal
2. Selected
3. Intensive
Let’s Think About This…
• Fewer than 4% of Wisconsin’s student population
are identified as eligible for Special Education
services under a Specific Learning Disability
– What percentage of students are meeting
expectations with only core/universal instruction?
• Can your system sustain these efforts if SLD rule
requirements are implemented too early in your system?
– Is your system and staff overwhelmed?
– How sustainable are current efforts regarding your
decision rules?
Parent Request
• What if a parent requests a referral for SLD as
soon as they hear their child is not being
successful with core/universal instruction alone?
– Some things to consider:
• Clarify request. Is it just for additional help or really a
request for a special education evaluation?
• If truly a request for a special education evaluation, then we
can NOT delay due to implementing interventions
REMEMBER: When setting up your Multi-Level System
of Support, plan for the majority and not for the
exception to the rule!!!
WHY is Defining Your Culturally
Responsive MLSS Important?
• It will help you organize and articulate:
• Curriculum
• Instruction
• Assessments
• Collaboration practices
This organizational structure helps
us do that.
Have clear and agreed-upon definitions
for common terms – especially those with
multiple meanings
“RtI”
A Multi-Level System of Support Is the
Foundation for Establishing a Fluid
and Efficient Process for SLD Referrals
• A MLSS is designed to be a framework for meeting students’
needs and is NOT just interventions SOLELY for SLD eligibility
• Impact and connection to family engagement
– It is so crucial for parents to truly understand the PURPOSE
or intent of your system (support needs and NOT just SLD
eligibility), process and general understanding of what
MLSS means and looks like in your school
ACTIVITY: Turn and Talk
• Within your MLSS, what are your decision
rules regarding when to start implementing
the requirements of the SLD rule?
• How do you engage with families in…
– Defining your MLSS and its purpose or intent
– Understanding the Process
– General understanding of what a MLSS means and
looks like in your school
Think About Data
Within Your MLSS
• Decision system vs. data system
– Shift your mindset
• What are your decision rules regarding when
to begin implementing the requirements as
stated in the SLD rule?
• Intensive research-based or evidence-based
interventions
• Weekly progress monitoring data collected with probes
• Observations
• Other formal and informal data
Data Sources or Evidence
Brought to the Conversation
• What are the questions you are trying to answer?
• “What data are you looking at?”
– Start with the family and teacher (classroom lens)
– Any specialist data/evidence
– Progress monitoring vs. progress monitoring with
probes
• Continuum of progress monitoring
• Acknowledge and honor the story behind the data
• Discrepancies should enhance conversation to further guide
decisions and next steps
– Achievement test data
– Behavioral/social emotional data
– Any other data? (e.g., ACCESS)
Exclusionary Factors
• Environmental or economic disadvantage, or
cultural factors
• Lack of appropriate instruction in reading,
math or any other areas of SLD being
considered
• Limited English proficiency
• Other impairments
Exclusionary Factors in
Reference to the Data
• Data or evidence that supports the idea of an
exclusionary factor as the primary cause of their
challenges?
– e.g., attendance, family mobility, interviews
• Data or evidence that suggests the exclusionary
factor may NOT be the primary cause of their
challenges?
– It may be a contributing factor but may not be the
PRIMARY cause.
– e.g., attendance, classroom observations during
culturally appropriate instruction
Exclusionary Factors:
More In-Depth
• Student’s personal history
• At least one person on IEP team
knowledgeable about English acquisition and
related achievement
• Student performance when individual positive
support or instruction in social/emotional
behavior is implemented
• Grade-level information
Activity: Turn and Talk
• Does your MLSS have a continuum of progress
monitoring? We hope so!
– How are you using and honoring the data?
– Depending on the purpose of your meeting, what
is your meeting protocol? What data/evidence are
shared?
• Systems level
• Group – grade, class, intervention
• Individual student, etc.
Think About Practices
Within Your MLSS
• ‘What do we need the intervention to do’ NOT
‘Which intervention’
– Then, identify which intervention will meet
that need.
Match the intervention to
the student’s need!
Activity: Turn and Talk
Within your MLSS,
what is your current
process for
determining WHICH
particular intervention
a child will receive?
Resource Tool
Reviewing Your Selected and Intensive
Levels of Support
• How to use this:
– Needs assessment
– Explore the site
– Module Facilitator Guide
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Select a module and scenario(s)
Read the module narrative
Review vocabulary with team
Guiding questions and current status
Read and analyze scenario
Identify desired future
Identify priorities requiring action
Explore resources for priorities
How does this connect?
Handouts 1.3-1.5
Needs Assessment
Selected and Intensive Levels
1
2
3
• Review Levels of Implementation (1.3)
• Review SIR Levels of Implementation for Selected and Intensive
Levels or SIR Alignment Document (1.4)
• Review Module Descriptions to find starting point (1.2)
• Select starting point in process as WORK ON
• Select next module in process as
Resources
• RtI Action Network
– RtI-Based SLD Identification Toolkit
• RIOT
– Review, Interview, Observe, Test
• Intensive Intervention Selection Toolkit
– Support in refining systems processes
• When Students Fail to Learn: Protocols for a
School-Wide Response by Catherine Glaude
• Wisconsin’s SLD Rule: A Technical Guide
THANK YOU!!!
For More Information
Deb Heiss
608.267.9271
[email protected]
Dana McConnell
608.617.0867
[email protected]