OSEP UPDATE 2006

Lou DanielsonDirector

Research to Practice DivisionU.S. Office of Special Education Programs

August 2, 2006

Remarks & Updates Today

Response to Intervention Reauthorization Scale Up / Evaluation / Sustainability OSEP and NCSER/IES Collaboration Performance Measures Comprehensive Plan Competition Update

SEELs analysis of the 2% kids 50% LD All had markedly low achievement &

low slope

RTI is not just about children with learning disabilities

What is Responsiveness to Intervention (RTI)?

1. Implementation of a differentiated curriculum with different instructional methods

2. Two or more tiers of increasingly intense scientific, research-based interventions

3. Instructional intensity addressed through duration, frequency and time of interventions, group size, and instructor skill level

4. Individual problem-solving model or standardized intervention protocol for intervention tiers

What is Responsiveness to Intervention (RTI)? (continued)

5. Screening and progress monitoring to assess entire class progress and individual student progress

6. Explicit decision rules for assessing learners’ progress (e.g., level and/or rate)

7. Fidelity measures to assess consistency of instructional methods and curriculum

EIS Provides an Assessment /Intervention Framework within General Education

Early intervening services (EIS) is a process for ensuring students receive “appropriate learning experiences” in general education

The student’s response to EIS is very informative if a disability is considered as an explanation of the child’s difficulties

RTI can be used as a component of SLD determination to assure the child’s difficulties are adequately addressed

Implementing an RTI Approach: 5 Dimensions

1. Number of tiers (2-5; this example uses 3)

2. Nature of preventive intervention Individualized (e.g., problem solving) Standardized scientific research-based protocol

3. How at-risk students are identified Percentile cut on norm-referenced test (screening) Cut-point on curriculum-based measurement (CBM)

with 5 weeks of CBM progress monitoring

Implementing an RTI Approach: 5 Dimensions (continued)

4. How ‘response’ is defined Final status on norm-referenced test or using a

benchmark Improvement from pretest to posttest CBM slope and final status

5. What happens to nonresponders Comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation to

distinguish: specific learning disability (SLD) behavioral disability (BD) mental retardation (MR) speech-language impairment (SLI)

Implications of EIS and RTI for all of the

Part D Program Areas

Lessons Learned from TA&D Investments

Most schools in the U.S. are not implementing the best that we know

When strategic technical assistance support is provided, schools are successful in adopting the evidence based practices

Once schools adopt practices to criterion and see positive impact they are likely to sustain those practices over time

Investing in local demonstration and building local level infrastructures of support are critical components of the research to practice continuum

Scale UpImplementation &

Sustainability

Conference

Important role of special education – Taking the time to make special education special again

Describing what high quality good innovations practices and programs look like and learning from good practice

Continuing to strive for making sure what we know to be best for kids is what is happening in schools every day

Reauthorization

Regulations will be released tomorrow Expectations are high for the important

role each of us in this room will play Rollout Plan Web casts, Regional Meetings, TA

Materials

Reauthorization

Stakes are high – each of you will play an important role – some of you will play critical roles

Critical issues with high accountability will be top priorities at the local level and will likely drive the national focus for the next decade

NCLB Assessment HQT Instruction & Learning Early InterventionRTI with a focused role for special education

Research to Practice ContinuumResearch to Practice Continuum

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

Student Results

Student Student

ResultsResults

TechnologyTechnology State PD GrantsState PD Grants

Studies & EvaluationStudies & Evaluation

Research &Research &

DevelopmentDevelopment

Technical Assistance & Technical Assistance & DisseminationDissemination

Parent Parent InformationInformation

Philosophy of Research to Practice Philosophy of Research to Practice FrameworkFramework

1. Knowledge production and development;2. Knowledge transfer and utilization such as

personnel preparation and technical assistance; and

3. Knowledge implementation evaluation

Performance Measures

New Importance and Urgency PART ratings – results not demonstrated Be aware of Part B & C performance

measures Today’s Program Area Meetings

Discussion with the Contractors from ORC/macro

Information on continuation and final reports Expect letters in January/February Reports due in May

Comprehensive Planning

Updated you on this last year Report is almost cleared for publication in

federal register for comment Encourage you to comment – especially

positive ones – this plan will set the stage for future funding activities

Competitions

2006 - We are behind schedule Panels in mid-August for personnel

preparation and leadership 2007 - We are ahead of schedule Leadership, Personnel Preparation

and Steppingstones should be announced in the next couple of weeks and be paneled before the holidays

Next Year’s Conference Dates:July 16-18, 2007 Three full days Program area meetings

2007 Conference Planning Committee will meet in September 2006