PROBLEM SOLVING WITHIN THE MTSS

FRAMEWORK

Melissa Long Janet Stephenson

Goals of Presentation

1. Understand the Problem Solving

process within a multi-tiered system of support

2. Be able to use the Problem Solving process at all three tiers

3. Use the Problem Solving process when analyzing data

WHAT IS MTSS? ONE SYSTEM SUPPORTING IT ALL

WHAT HAPPENED TO RTI?

Big Picture

+

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FIRST – A QUICK REVIEW

OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT

MTSS/RTI.

MTSS: 3 Priorities

1. Prevention: Identify students at-risk for

literacy failure BEFORE they actually fail.– Screening, intervention and progress

monitoring is key.– Identify ALL at-risk students by

November.– This strategy prevents the GAP.– Managing GAPs is more expensive and

less likely to be successful.6

MTSS: 3 Priorities

2. Early Intervention– Purpose here is the manage the GAP.– Students who are more that 2 years

behind have a 10% chance, or less, or catching up.

– Benchmark, progress monitoring data, district-wide assessments are used to identify students that have a gap of 2 years or less.

– Students bumping up against the 2 year level receive the most intensive services.

– This more costly and requires more specialized instruction/personnel 7

MTSS: 3 Priorities

3. Intensive Intervention– Reserved for those students who have a

GAP of more than 2 years and the rate of growth to close the GAP is unrealistic. Too much growth—too little time remaining.

– Problem-solving is used to develop instructional priorities.

– This is truly a case of “you cannot do something different the same way.”

– This is the most costly, staff intensive and least likely to result in goal attainment

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3 Cornerstones of MTSS

Tiered System of

Intervention

Systematic Problem Solving

Data Monitorin

g and Analysis

Turn and Talk - Summarize

• Partner A says the 4 priorities• Partner B says the 3 cornerstones

• Partner A and B share which of the conerstones their school is implementing the best.

MTSS: Key Concepts

• Academic Engaged Time (AET) is the best predictor of student achievement– 330 minutes in a day, 1650 in a week and 56,700

in a year– This is the “currency” of instruction/intervention– Its what we have to spend on students– How we use it determines student outcomes.

• MOST students who are behind will respond positively to additional CORE instruction. – Schools have more staff qualified to deliver core

instruction than specialized instruction.– Issue is how to schedule in such a way as to

provide more exposure to core.

MTSS: Key Concepts

• Managing the GAP between student current level of performance and expectation (benchmark, standards, goal) is what RtI/MTSS is all about.

• The two critical pieces of information we need about students are:– How BIG is the GAP?

• AND

– How much time do we have to close it?

• The answers to these 2 questions defines our instructional mission.

NEXT – WHAT IS

PROBLEM SOLVING?

What is Problem Solving?

Define the ProblemWhat Do We Want Students to KNOW and Be Able to

DO?

Problem AnalysisWhy Can’t They DO It?

Implement PlanWhat Are WE Going To DO About

It?

EvaluateDid It WORK?

(Response to Intervention –RtI)

DATA

The Problem Solving approach is supported by

student progress monitoring data that supports data-based

decision making throughout the tiers in the RtI process.

How do we Identify the Problem?

• By looking at the data of…–Screening Assessments–Diagnostic Assessments–Progress Monitoring Assessments–Summative Assessments–Formative Assessments

• Interventions are generated directly from assessment data which is collected in a direct and objective fashion.

• Help distinguish between student learning/behavior problems and core instructional problems

• Utilizes a multi-tiered model of service delivery to ensure efficient allocation of these limited resources.

• Intensity of instruction and intervention is in direct proportion to student level of need.

PS/RtI Model

Where is the problem?

Is this an individual student problem, or a larger, systemic problem?

WHAT DOES PROBLEM SOLVING

LOOK LIKE AT TIER 1?

Traditional Instruction vs.

Standards-Based Instruction

Traditional Classroom Standards-Based Classroom

• Whole class instruction dominates

• Student differences are acted upon when problematic

• Mastery of facts is focus of learning

• Coverage of texts and curriculum drives instruction

• Lesson topic is selected from curriculum and/or text

• Single option assignments are the norm

• Assessment is most common at the end of learning to see “who got it”

• A single form of assessment is often used

• Teachers administers tests then moves on to curriculum

• Many instructional strategies are used

• Students differences are studied as a basis for planning

• Use of essential skills to make sense of and understand key concepts & big ideas are the focus of learning

• Student readiness, interest, and learning profile shape instruction

• Lesson topic is selected based on state standards

• Multi-option assignments are frequently used

• Assessment is ongoing to understand how to make instruction more responsive to learner

• Students are assessed in multiple ways

• Teachers assess and reteach based on student mastery level

INSTRUCTION

ASSESSMENT

INSTRUCTION

ASSESSMENT

Examine Health of Tier One

DifferentiatedInstruction

Formative Assessments with ReTeach

Practice, Practice,

Practice & Feedback

Opportunities to Apply skills to new content

area

I Do, We Do, You Do

Scaffolded Instruction

What is the Focus of Tier 1 ? Academic

• High quality instruction and classroom management

• Universal Screening to determine each student’s level of proficiency

• Differentiated instruction is used and student’s progress monitored

• Differentiation occurs in small, teacher-led flexible groups during the 90 min block

What is the Focus of Tier 1?Behavior

• High quality classroom management• Effective school-wide discipline plan and/or positive behavior support • Questions to ask?

– Do 80-90% of students in the school respond positively to the school-wide discipline plan?

– Does the behavior level of the target student differ significantly from that of the peer group?

How Can Tier One be Improved?

Student Performance ReportIs the Core Healthy?

Looking at Tier 1 Data - Grade 3 Math InventoryDefine the Problem

Student Name

Items

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25Student 1 72 A/1 B/1 A/0 D/1 C/1 A/0 C/0 A/0 A/1 D/1 C/1 B/0 C/0 A/1 B/1 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 C/0 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1Student 2 72 C/0 B/1 C/1 D/1 B/0 C/1 B/0 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 D/0 A/1 A/0 A/1 C/0 D/0 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1Student 3 88 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 A/0 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 A/1 A/1 A/0 B/0 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1Student 4 72 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 D/0 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 A/0 C/0 A/1 B/1 A/1 C/0 B/1 D/1 C/1 C/0 A/0 B/1 A/1 A/0Student 5 84 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 A/1 A/1 A/0 B/0 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 C/0 D/0 D/1Student 6 40 B/0 B/1 A/0 D/1 B/0 A/0 C/0 D/0 A/1 D/1 D/0 A/0 C/0 A/1 C/0 B/0 C/0 B/1 D/1 A/0 A/1 B/0 B/1 A/1 A/0

Student 7 100 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 A/1 A/1 B/1 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1Student 8 64 A/1 B/1 D/0 D/1 B/0 D/0 B/0 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 B/0 A/1 D/0 C/0 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 C/0 A/0 B/1 A/1 D/1Student 9 96 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 A/1 A/1 B/1 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 B/0

Student 10 80 A/1 B/1 B/0 D/1 C/1 A/0 D/1 A/0 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 C/0 A/1 D/0 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1

Student 11 68 A/1 B/1 A/0 D/1 C/1 C/1 C/0 A/0 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 B/0 A/1 B/1 B/0 A/0 B/1 D/1 C/1 D/0 D/1 B/1 D/0 D/1

Student 12 88 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 C/0 A/1 B/1 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 D/0 D/0 D/1

Student 13 88 A/1 B/1 A/0 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 C/0 A/1 D/0 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1

Student 14 88 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 A/0 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 A/1 A/1 D/0 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 C/0 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1

Student 15 72 A/1 B/1 A/0 D/1 C/1 A/0 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 D/0 A/1 B/1 A/1 B/1 B/1 B/0 B/0 A/1 A/0 C/0 A/1 D/1

Student 16 92 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 B/0 A/1 A/0 A/1 B/1 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1

Student 17 56 A/1 B/1 B/0 A/0 B/0 C/1 A/0 B/1 A/1 D/1 A/0 D/1 D/0 A/1 A/0 A/1 C/0 B/1 D/1 A/0 C/0 B/0 B/1 A/1 D/1

Student 18 80 A/1 B/1 C/1 D/1 C/1 C/1 D/1 B/1 A/1 D/1 C/1 D/1 B/0 A/1 D/0 A/1 C/0 B/1 D/1 C/1 A/1 D/1 A/0 A/1 C/0Correct Responses 16 18 10 17 14 10 12 14 18 18 16 15 5 18 7 13 12 17 17 15 12 13 14 15 14Incorrect Responses 2 0 8 1 4 8 6 4 0 0 2 3 13 0 11 5 6 1 1 3 6 5 4 3 4

Correct Response Percentage 89%

100% 56% 94% 78% 56% 67% 78%

100%

100% 89% 83% 28%

100% 39% 72% 67% 94% 94% 83% 67% 72% 78% 83% 78%

A 89% 28% 6% 33% 6% 17%100% 6% 11% 28%

100% 28% 72% 6% 11% 67% 17% 6% 83% 11%

B 6%100% 11% 22% 11% 78% 6% 22% 39% 22% 67% 94% 6% 6% 11% 78% 6%

C 6% 56% 78% 56% 17% 89% 33% 6% 6% 28% 83% 28% 11% 6%

D 6% 94% 11% 67% 6% 100% 6% 83% 17% 28% 6% 94% 6% 72% 6% 17% 78%

1. What are some areas

of concern?

2. How would your instructional action plan be impacted by this assessment?

3. What skills would an

instructor address in the Universal, Core Instruction(Tier 1) ?

4. How would an instructor group students using this data?

• Are 75-80% of the students meeting proficiency based on the screening data or the common assessment data?

• Is the core curriculum meeting the needs of most (75-80%) of my class? The grade level?

• Are the core instructional methods meeting the needs of most (75-80%) of the class? The grade level?

• Is the classroom environment effective so that 75-80% of students respond to the classroom rules, procedures, and routines?

• If not, what can we do about these?

Teacher Data Team Discussion Questions for Tier 1 Data

THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF INTERVENTION THAT CAN

SUBSTITUTE QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

Turn and Talk - Summarize

• What are some ways you monitor and problem solve Tier 1 at your school?

Tier 3 is “MOST”

• (Most) Time (Core Program + to Greatest Degree Possible)

• (Most) Explicit Teacher-Led Instruction• (Most) Scaffolded Instruction• (Most) Opportunities to Respond with

Corrective Feedback• (Most) Language Support, Especially

Vocabulary• (Most) Intensive Motivational

Strategies• (Most) Frequent Progress Monitoring

WHAT DOES PROBLEM SOLVING

LOOK LIKE AT TIER 2?

Tier 2 is “MORE”

• (More) Time (Core Program +)• (More) Explicit Teacher-Led

Instruction• (More) Scaffolded Instruction• (More) Opportunities to

Respond with Corrective Feedback

• (More) Language Support, Especially Vocabulary

• (More) Intensive Motivational Strategies

• (More) Frequent Progress Monitoring

Staff Skills

• Problem Solving Process (e.g., problem identification and validation

• Knowledge of Curriculum• Intervention (Design,

implementation, integrity) • Progress monitoring, graphing• Data analysis, decision points

Components of Problem Analysis

• Clear understanding of the cause/functions of the problem

• Determine if the problem is a skill or performance deficit

• Develop hypothesis as to why the problem is occurring

• Determine if the problem is Instructional (I), Curricular (C), Environmental (E), or Learner (L) related

• Identify relevant obstacles• Develop observable and measurable goals

to address the problem

• Are about 70% of the students in the intervention making progress based on the ongoing progress monitoring data points?

• Is the intervention curriculum addressing the needs of most (70%) of the intervention group class?

• Are the intervention instructional methods meeting the needs of most (70%) of the students in the intervention group?

• If not, what can we do about this? Curriculum? Instruction? Environment?

• Do we need more diagnostic information?• Do we need to look at different supplemental material to

meet the needs of our students in the core program?

Teacher Data Team Discussion Questionsto Guide Tier 2 Data Discussions

How Data is Used for Selecting Interventions

• Look at students with similar data profiles, indicating very specific instructional needs:– Link those data with that group of students –

both differentiating that within the general classroom and providing supplemental or “tier time.”

• Tier time: extra time during the school day when students who are behind can actually get intensive interventions to accelerate learning so they can catch up.

Screening and Progress Monitoring -

Not Always Enough• Screening assessments sometimes

do not go far enough in answering the question:– We will need to “DIG DEEPER!”

• Quick phonics screener, Error Analysis, Curriculum-based evaluation procedures, etc.

Digging Deeper

• How deep you dig depends on the intensity of the problem.

OR

Diagnostic Assessments

•PSI•PASI•Running Records•DAR•Math Fluency checks

Match the Intervention to the Skill Deficit/Student Need

• What is the root cause of the problem? – Lack of Phonological Awareness– Phonics/Decoding/Text Processing– Fluency– Comprehension

• Performance deficit or skill deficit?

• Without a match, student will be practicing skills that are good, but not directly related to what they need to make progress

Data Documentation: Tier 2

• Baseline data; determination of baseline data.

• Aim Line or Goal • Intervention selected – IPST Form 7• Progress monitoring data• Comparison with national norms• Interventions/Fidelity• Observations

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PROBLEM ANALYSIS:

GETTING FAMILIAR WITH ICEL

Activity: Generate your own ICEL Chart

InstructionCurriculum

EnvironmentLearner

**Review Pink ICEL pages****Review IPST FORM 6**

B.E.S.T. Instruction

• Students placed with appropriate level of resources/materials• Clarity of instructions• Systematic and explicit instruction• Frequency of interaction/reinforcement• Clear academic and behavioral expectations • Sequencing of lessons designs to promote

success• Variety of practice activities (behavioral and

academic)

Curriculum

• Curriculum map – long term goals• Instructional materials• Sequence of the content/instruction• Pacing• Formative assessments drive

teach/reteach

Environment

• peer interaction, expectations,

reinforcement, support• physical arrangement of the room• furniture/equipment• clear classroom expectations• management plans• schedule• task pressure• home/family supports

Learner

• Skills• Motivation• Health• Prior knowledge

Why is the Problem Occurring?

• Form 6A

MTSS Decision MatrixTier 1 ↑ Tier 1 ↓

Tier 2 ↑ Tier 1 ↑Tier 2 ↑

Life is good! Keep going!Eventually eliminate Tier 2 when gap is closed.

Tier 1↓Tier 2 ↑

Weak evidence of ability of Tier 2 interventions impact on Tier 1 instruction.

Narrow Focus of intervention OR Individual Problem solve and create Tier 3 Intervention OR

Continue Intervention for longer period of time.

Tier 2 ↓ Tier 1 ↑Tier 2 ↓

Change intervention delivery or problem solve to determine an alternate area of focus for intervention.

Tier 1 ↓Tier 2 ↓

Change intervention delivery or problem solve to determine an alternate area of focus for intervention.

Tier 1 = Assessments that all students get including, but not limited to FAIR, DRLA, Math Core Assessments.Tier 2 =Assessments that groups of students get including, but not limited to PASI, PSI, ORF, OPM on FAIR etc.

↑= indicates an increase in performance data ↓= indicates a decrease in performance data

Individual Students: What to Change

• Are there individual students in intervention groups not making adequate progress? If so, what changes will be made?a)Examine existing data and determine if additional data are

needed, including:i) Progress monitoring data, diagnostic data, daily lesson data,

curriculum assessments, observational data during intervention and core instruction, teacher and parent input, etc.

b)If a change is needed, consider the following options:(1)Does the student need a different, more appropriately matched intervention?(2)Does the student need a more intensive intervention with same instructional

focus?(3)Can you modify the current intervention to accommodate the student?

(a)Consider adjusting group size, amount of intervention time, frequency of intervention, or other alterable variables

WHAT DOESPROBLEM SOLVING AT

TIER 3 LOOK LIKE?

Problem Solving through the IPST Forms

Define the ProblemWhat Do We Want Students to KNOW and Be Able to

DO?

Problem AnalysisWhy Can’t They DO It?

Implement PlanWhat Are WE Going To DO About

It?

EvaluateDid It WORK?

(Response to Intervention –RtI)

Forms 1 - 6

Form 7Use

repeatedly until you

finds what works!

Form 8

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 1 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST)

History and Cumulative Review

Problem AnalysisWhy is the Problem

Occurring?

First step in Problem Solving is to gather and review information about the “L” in ICEL. If the teacher has a concern about the “Learner”, historical information must be documented.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 2 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST)

Parent/Guardian Contact and Staff Consultations

Problem AnalysisWhy is the Problem

Occurring?

Parents play an integral part in informing and helping school personnel know how to support the student more effectively.

Seeking staff consultations helps the classroom teacher address the student’s area of difficulty.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 3 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST) Student’s teacher as observer

Classroom Observation

Problem AnalysisWhy is the Problem

Occurring?

Gathering additional information in the general classroom setting addressing ICEL which focuses on the Instruction, Curriculum, Environment, and the Learner.

This information helps

the team to determine what factors enable the student to learn.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 4 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST) Third Party Observation

Classroom Observation

Problem AnalysisWhy is the Problem

Occurring?

Successful problem analysis requires the team to look at multiple sources of data.

ICEL factors are documented as well as the relationship between the student’s classroom behavior and academic performance.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 5 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST)

Academic Data Collection

Problem Analysis and Identification

Why is the Problem Occurring?

Reviewing student performance data and comparing to peer groups will determine the magnitude of the academic concern.

This specific data assists the team to identify or eliminate concerns in Instruction and Curriculum (ICEL).

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 6 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST) ACADEMIC

Academic Problem Identification / Analysis / Hypothesis

Problem Identification/Analysis

Why is the Problem Occurring?

The intent of the ICEL table on this form is to review of all the ICEL factors. It’s almost a check and balance system to ensure the focus is on the ICEL factors and not just the learner.

Keep in mind, when creating a hypothesis, it is important to determine if it is a skill deficit or motivation deficit?

Determining the point at which the target student will come in range of the expected rate of progress.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 6 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST) BEHAVIOR

Problem Behavior Identification / Analysis / Hypothesis

Problem Identification/Analysis

Why is the Problem Occurring?

Same format at IPST Form 6 Academics but focuses on the Behavior component.

The intent of this form is to guide the IPST to design effective interventions.

Implementation PlanWhat are We Going to do

About It?

Spending time designing a quality intervention plan will be most beneficial to the student.

The alignment between the area of concern to the goal statement, intervention plan and ongoing progress monitoring tool is crucial.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 7 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST)

Intervention Design and Ongoing Progress Monitoring (OPM) Intervention #: ______ Page ____ of ____

EVALUATEDid it WORK?

The IPST will utilize the rate of progress data and post intervention analysis to make informed decisions regarding the educational needs of the student.

BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FLORIDA IPST FORM 8 Individual Problem Solving Team (IPST)

Analysis of Interventions and Recommendations

TO SUMMARIZE….

PROBLEM SOLVING

64

• When Progress Monitoring shows intervention is not effective enough– Change intervention strategies– Add time to intervention strategies– Reduce size of intervention group– Change intervention instructor

Changing Up Interventions

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THE END