Response to Intervention….More Than Six Data Points

Andrea Ogonosky, Ph.D., LSSP, NCSPLicensed Psychologistaogonosky@msn.com

(832)656-0398

Agenda• Technical Adequacy of Process• District Expectations • Multiple Sources of Data• Staff Knowledge• Leadership

Technical AdequacyThe District Guidance Document

RtI: Problem Solving

Assessment

80%

15%

5%

Interventions

Universal ScreeningProgress Monitoring

Progress MonitoringDiagnostics

Progress MonitoringDiagnostics

Grade LevelInstruction/ Support

Student Instructional LevelSupplemental Interventions90 min per week additional

Student Instructional LevelSupplemental Interventions120 min per week additional

“I was so excited about RtI -I went about enthusiastically building a technically sound guidance document. As I began to work with staff on implementation [from the cultural perspective of shifting the way we think about problem solving] I realized suddenly that to me, RtI had become….

One swirling VORTEX OF TERROR!”---Dr. Quentin Woods, Pine Tree ISD

The Reality of Striving for the Goal of Change…

RtI

Pair and Share

• Have you ever felt like this? Why?• What has been your greatest challenge?

On a scale of 1-5 where is your district as far as implementing a true problem solving process centered around Tier 1?

Do you continue to hear staff refer to RtI as a referral process or a documentation journey on the road to special education?

From the Student Perspective The Goal is to create…

Academic Learning,

Mastery, and Achievement

Independent Learner

RtI Foundations for Success1. Multiple Tiers of Instruction and Assessment2. Using Data: Balanced Assessments3. Technology4. Highly Qualified Staff

The strongest processes that show sustained student growth are those that go beyond technical adequacy….

They are ones that promote a cultural responsiveness to the learning needs of all students (think Tier 1- 8-%)and are not dependent on a rote “decision rule” of six points

on a graph.

Let’s start at the beginning….

RtI Is not simply implementing a different type of problem

solving. It also involves giving up certain beliefs in favor of

others. Systems will need to change….

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Response to Intervention

Is an organizational system with increasing layers of intensity.

Not a categorical system for labeling students.

Is designed for smooth movement

Not a service or place.

Increased intensity of instruction -matches student need -determined by data.

Not a referral system for special education eligibility.

LeadershipThe road to student success begins here….

Critical Leadership

in RtI

Strong Leader

Focused on Ongoing RtI

Vision

Well versed in District RtI Philosophy

Uses ongoing evaluation of

needs to drive resource

allocation and professional

development

Ensure fidelity by having meaningful conversations with staff about data.

Create a culture of common values and work together to achieve common goals.

Provide clear staff expectations

Creatively allocate limited resources to ensure personnel have access to necessary supports.

Strong Administrators

Essential Tasks for Leadership Team

Study and plan ongoing RtI development.

Embed data based decisions across all systems

Use hybrid model of problem solving.

Campus Culture

Question

“If an educator keeps using the same strategies over and over and the student keeps failing,who

Who really is the slow learner?”

Michael Rettig

Professor, Emeritus James Madison University

• Resiliency: Over 40% of teachers do not make it to their 5th year of teaching- many leave by year 3.

• Encouragement of Innovation: PD to support advances in technology. Teachers reinforced and encouraged for “thinking outside the box”.

• Quality of Student teacher relationships

Variables affecting Culture

The use of technology makes ongoing data collection, data consumption, and data-based decision making a more plausible proposition, and it can keep these important aspects of RtI

from monopolizing teacher time

“The highest predictor of academic achievement is the

proficiency of teachers in effective instructional

practice.”

Donna Walker Tileston Why Culture Counts

The most important aspect of a strong RtI process is the richness of the conversations that occur because of the layers of multiple

occurring data sources.

It is essential to implement bothProfessional Learning Communities (PLC) and Response to Intervention (RTI) because these complementary processes

are considered research-based best practicesto improve student learning.

Connections• What exactly do we expect all

students to learn?• How will we know if they’ve

learned it?• How will we respond when

some students don’t learn it?• How will we respond when

some students have already learned?

• Core program• Standards• Alignment Documents

Connections• What exactly do we expect all

students to learn?• How will we know if they’ve

learned it?• How will we respond when some

students don’t learn it?• How will we respond when some

students have already learned?

• Progress monitoring• Universal screener• Diagnostic assessments• Formative Assessments

Connections

• What exactly do we expect all students to learn?

• How will we know if they’ve learned it?

• How will we respond when some students don’t learn it?

• How will we respond when some students have already learned?

• Differentiated Strategies• Interventions• Decision rules• Protocol

Connections• What exactly do we expect

all students to learn?• How will we know if they’ve

learned it?• How will we respond when

some students don’t learn it?• How will we respond when

some students have already learned?

• District Expectations• Decision rules• Protocol

• PLC Essential Characteristics

• Focus on learning and collaborative culture

• Focus on results (data driven)

• Action experimentation (is your system able to respond)

• Collective inquiry

RTI Fundamental Elements

• Collective responsibility and teaming

• Universal screening and progress monitoring

• Systematic interventions and decision protocols

• Research based core program and interventions

Underscoring a Problem

“Most teachers just do not possess the skills to collect data, draw meaningful conclusions, focus instruction, and

appropriately follow up to assess results. That is not the set of skills we were hired to do.”

Balancing Assessments

-- Assessment systems-- Multiple measures-- Varied types -- Varied purposes-- Varied data sets-- Balanced with needs

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Align Data Sources

Universal Screening

Progress Monitoring

Diagnostic Assessments

Outcome Assessments

Does the data tell a clear and concise story of the student’s learning?

If there is inconsistency team must investigate why

Review integrity of instruction

Align to student needs

Student variables

You must have multiple sources of data to have

effective data-driven instruction.

With that said, assessing students while they are

learning yields real time data to steer teachers towards differentiated practices.

Assessment and Instruction are inseparable.

“Assessment is today’s means of understanding how to modify tomorrow’s

instruction.” Carol Tomlinson

Question

Do your teams spend more time talking about individual kids or do they spend time more time on the needs of ALL kids?

Team Philosophy

• The 1st intervention is always effective classroom instruction and classroom management which yield high rates of academic engagement.

• The team always uses the model of problem solving-consultation- instruction/intervention approach.

Characteristics of a Strong Data Team

Meeting Norms Process of Collecting Meaningful Data Culture of Collaboration Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum There is a process to measure where students are in

the curriculum. There is a RtI plan in the school district to help

students who are not achieving or who are excelling

Problem Identification

• Review existing information• Determine student’s functional

level• Identify initial concerns • Analyze multiple data sources• Operationally define the problem

Existing Data Review• Determine the Student’s

Current Classroom Status: Academic Progress and Work Samples

• Teacher Describes and quantifies concerns

• Review of Records• Parent Contact(s)• Medical Information• Classroom Observations (ICEL)

Determine Student Functional Levels

• Identify assets and weaknesses• Identify Critical Life Events, Milestones,

Circumstances (Positive and Negative) • Identify medical and/or physiological

sources of concern• Identify academic variables such as

“speed of acquisition” or retention of information

• Identify issues of attendance, transitions, motivation, access to instruction

Identify Initial Concerns

• RtI team is available for any academic, behavioral, teacher or student concern.

• Teacher reports concerns in a data oriented manner.

• Team aligns concerns with data sources

Supplemental Supports• Do your students show movement in the Tiers?

• How long is too long?

• Do you have students who are referred and then DNQ? What happens next?

Do you have teams that are reluctant to move kids out of Tiers because they are successful?

Monitor Fidelity Intervention Well Checks Observe in Tiers 1 and 2/3 Consult with Teacher Review data weekly in PLC/

Planning meetings Check data collection Talk to parent

Tips for Moving Forward

1. Be aware of appeals to mindless precedent.2. Make sure the system of intervention is fluid.3. Systems of intervention work better when they are

supporting teams rather than individual teachers.4. Realize that no support system will compensate for

bad teaching.5. Ensure a common understanding of “system of

interventions.”

aogonosky@msn.com(832) 656-0398

Questions?

I am happy to help you!