Using an RTI Framework to Ensure Success MESPA Presentation February 7, 2013.

Using an RTI Framework to Ensure Success

MESPA PresentationFebruary 7, 2013

Agenda

• Share what we learned implementing RtI in a PreK-5 setting.

• Share tools others can use in evaluating their intervention support system.

Presenters

• Johna Anderson, Reading Specialist• Laura Gores, School Psychologist• JoAnne Torp, RtI Specialist and K-5 teacher• Barb Wilson, Licensed principal, Assistant

Professor in Educational Leadership MSU Mankato

BACKGROUND

Viewing leadership as a group activity linked to practice rather than just an individual activity linked to a person helps match the expertise we have in a school with the problems and situations we face.

Thomas Sergiovanni (2005)

The context• New Prague Area Schools

– 3900 students– Rural district– 15% Free and reduced lunch– 5% Students of color– 12% Special services

• Falcon Ridge Elementary– 702 students– 18% Free and reduced lunch– 5% Students of color– 20% Special services

MDE Website, 2012

RTI Core Principles

• We can effectively teach all students• Intervene early• Classroom instruction should meet 80% of

student needs• Provide a flexible response to struggling

learners• Incorporate a multi-tier model of service • Systematic means of intervention

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

5-10% 5-10%

10-15% 10-15%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity•Of longer duration

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•Intense, durable procedures

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

Targeted Group Interventions•Some students (at-risk)•High efficiency•Rapid response

75-85% 75-85%Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

Universal Interventions•All settings, all students•Preventive, proactive

A Smart System Structure

Problem Solving Process

1. Problem IdentificationWhat is the discrepancy betweenwhat is expected and what is

occurring?

2. Problem AnalysisWhy is the problem occurring?

3. Plan DevelopmentWhat is the goal?

What is the intervention?How will we monitor?

4. Plan ImplementationHow will integrity be ensured?

5. Plan EvaluationDid the plan work?

Research

• Organized our work using the NASDE Blueprint for Implementation

(National Association of State Directors of Special Education, 2008)

RTI should be applied to decisions in general, remedial and special education, creating a well-

integrated system of instruction and intervention guided by student outcome data.

(NASDE 2008)

NASDE Research

• The school building is the unit of change in RTI

• There are critical components of RtI implementation that must be addressed:– Consensus building– Infrastructure– Implementation

Three Key Components

• Culture of Collaboration• Systems and Structures to Support Student

Learning• Continuous Improvement

Implementation of RTI

Collaboration around student learning

Systems and structures

Continuous Improvement

Rubrics

• Basics• Elements of teaming• Staff development• Leadership

Organization of Presentation

• Each presenter will discuss the basic understanding of the component.

• You will have an opportunity to think about and discuss your school experience.

• Teaming, Staff Development and Leadership are critical in each area.

Today

WHY The central nature these components hold in school improvement.

HowAreas of intentional focus that we participated in to improve student learning.

What High levels of success for all staff and students in our school.

Simon Sinek, 2010

CULTURE OF COLLABORATION

Effective leaders with moral purpose don’t do it alone. And they don’t do it by hiring and supporting “individuals”. Instead, they develop and employ the collaborative.

Michael Fullan (2010)

Culture of Collaboration

• Why – – We can meet the needs of all learners when we engage

in collaborative problem solving.– As a collaborative group of educators we are charged

with the task of empowering students to realize their own Hopes and Dreams and to fulfill their own future potential.

1,000s of cases of effective schools indicate leadership is not a solo act. It is a team performance.

Kouzes and Posner 2003


Initial Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Basic understanding of RTI

Gather artifacts from current school culture. Identify strengths and weaknesses of current program. Assess focus on student learning.

Organized artifacts.Connect RtI and PLC to create pyramid of intervention. Focus on student learning.

Set up of tools for teacher teams to organize student information (data binder, interventions, PS model)Tiered system for interventions and instruction implemented.

Procedures clearly defined for response to student learning needs. Systematic evaluation of core instruction to reach 80%.

Revise tools as needed by teacher teams. Adoption of curriculum and instructional practices to meet 80% in the core.

How

What – Silos were broken down and students were served based on learning needs not labels.


• Look at rubric and reflect on your school.• Discuss with someone next to you. • Write one action statement you can take to

move your school forward in this component.

SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING

…by focusing on student learning and then creating structures that support learning, successful schools have drastically departed from the traditional organizational patterns of American schools.

Karin Chenoweth (2009)

Systems and Structures to Support Student Learning

• Why – – Ensure a strong core

• We must develop a school where every classroom teacher becomes more expert in teaching children.

Allington (2009)

• Is our core program sufficient?

– Create a collaborative, flexible, systematic approach to respond to all learners’ needs.

• For which students is the core instruction sufficient or not sufficient?

• Use of data is essential.



Basic Understanding of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Curriculum adopted at district level, teachers move through the curriculum, at own pace.Students assessed through teacher tests, data used for grading.

Curriculum mapping and pacing by grade level teams,Students at risk assigned to intervention specialist, progress monitoring on intervention students; school wide screening began; NWEA data

Curriculum adjusted to meet student learning needs, data screening evolved; student data drove decisions about curriculum pacing and intervention decisions, student learning data by classroom presented during collaboration mtgs; instructional strategies discussed

Essential outcomes drive curriculum, student mastery drives pace, grade level benchmarks set for reading and math, common assessments started; CBM used; data from CBM used in collaboration mtgs. To discuss instructional strategies

Curriculum adjusted to reach high levels of student learning, engage parents in conversations about data at; report cards include essential outcome mastery, mid-year NWEA growth data for all learners; interventions at grade levels for all students below growth target.

How

What – reached consensus as a school on a clear definition of student learning outcomes and proficiency targets.


• Look at rubric and reflect on your school.• Discuss with someone next to you. • Write one action statement you can take to


CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

We can’t solve problems by using the same kinds of thinking we used when we created them.

Albert Einstein

Continuous Improvement• Why –

– It is important for principal and leadership teams to make it a point to openly and actively support teachers’ efforts in implementing the core and providing supplemental and intensive interventions. Acknowledge and celebrate.

– Things are not going to be perfect. Gather data and adjust programming as you go.



Basic Understanding of Instructional Models

Self-contained classroom; traditional school models in place; intervention pull out groups

Established Common Preps; Flexible grouping piloted at grade level choice, special ed and intervention silos, pullout remains practice

Common preps used for planning, Flexible grouping implemented at all grade levels for reading and math. Intervention pullout challenged,

Intervention teachers part of flexible grouping, push-in and collaborative planning becomes model, flexible grouping is the norm, some co-teaching begins

All staff, including Sp Ed and intervention/support teachers fully integrated into grade level teams, co-teaching and coaching commonly used models; mixed grade level groups used as needed

How

What – Continuously adjusting instructional models will get better results for all students in your school.


• Look at rubric and reflect on your school.• Discuss with someone next to you. • Write one action statement you can do to


Closing Thoughts

• Take action and keep moving. • Long-term view, we shared a 5 year process

that is continuing to evolve today• Process is key – working collectively to build

shared knowledge and buy-in is what leads to creating tools your school can use.

• Shared leadership is what empowers your staff to want to make a difference and improve.

References

• Allington, What Really Matters in Response to Intervention, 2009

• Allington and Cunningham, Schools that Work, 2007• Brown-Chidsey and Steege, Response to Intervention,

2005• DuFour and Marzano, Leaders of Learning, 2011• NASDE, Response to Intervention, Blueprints for

Implementation, School Building Level, 2008• Wright, RTI Toolkit, 2007

Contact Information

• Johna Anderson – Reading Specialist [email protected]

• JoAnne Torp – RTI Specialist [email protected]

• Laura Gores – School Psychologist [email protected]

• Barb Wilson - Assistant [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




A Parting Word

• Creating schools that work for all children takes time, energy, and leadership.

• No two schools are ever alike, each school must develop its own plan.

• Every school can improve itself, but not every school does.• Honestly and openly examining how change benefits

children is the surest way to create better schools. • Good schools are collections of good teachers, and creating

good schools is a matter of figuring out how to support teachers in their efforts to develop the expertise needed.

Allington and Cunningham (2007)

Using an RTI Framework to Ensure Success MESPA Presentation February 7, 2013.

Documents

Transcript of Using an RTI Framework to Ensure Success MESPA Presentation February 7, 2013.