Instructional Decision Making

“A Revisit”

Instructional Decision MakingDefinition

Integrates assessment and instruction within a multi‑level prevention system to maximize student achievement and to reduce behavior problems.

Schools identify students in need of additional supports for learning outcomes, monitor student progress, provide evidence‑based interventions and adjust the intensity and nature of the instruction depending on a student’s responsiveness.

Instructional Decision Making…

Is Not Is

An instructional program A framework to implement effective practices

Intended to encourage placement of students

Matching needs and resources

Possible to implement alone A collaborative effort

The same for every school Uniquely designed for each building

A special education, a general education, a Title 1, a Talented and Gifted initiative

An “Every” Education Initiative

Formula for Learning Traditional School:

Targeted + Time = Learning Instruction

Constant Constant Variable

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

IDM School:

Targeted + Time = Learning Instruction

Variable Variable Constant

The Research Behind IDM

Effective Schools Research Nationally = Response to Intervention (RTI)

Same concepts organized into a systemic approach

Focus on instruction and student outcomes

What is the Rationale for Instructional Decision Making?

We need one process in our schools to make instructional decisions that are: Efficient Proactive Based on early intervention Used to match resources to needs Integrated Focused on student learning

Benefits Of IDM

IDM will help you to: Know immediately, “Is what we are doing

working?” Know which students (high/low performing)

need more/different instruction Know what each student needs Provide structures to deliver what students

need Raise student achievement

Guiding Principles of IDM

ALL students are part of ONE proactive educational system

Belief that ALL students can learn Use ALL available resources to

teach

Proactive approach uses data early to determine student needs and intervene.

Reactive approach intervenes after students have shown a history of failure to meet expectations/or when learning “flat lines” due to lack of challenge.

Guiding Principles of IDM

Use scientific, research-based/evidence-based instruction

Curriculum and instructional approaches must have a high probability of success for most students.

Use instructional time efficiently and effectively.

Guiding Principles of IDMUse instructionally relevant

assessments• Reliable and valid • Multiple purposes Screening- Collecting data for the purpose of

identifying low and high performing students at-risk for not having their needs met

Diagnostic- Gathering information from multiple sources to determine why students are not benefiting from instruction

Formative- Frequent, ongoing collection of information including both formal and informal data to guide instruction

Guiding Principles of IDM

Use a problem-solving method to make decisions based on a continuum of students needs• Provides strong core curriculum, instruction,

assessment (core cycle)• Provides increasing levels of support based

on intensity of student needs.

Guiding Principles of IDM

Data are used to guide instructional decisions.

• To match curriculum and instruction to assessment data

• To allocate resources • To drive professional development

decisions

Guiding Principles of IDM

Quality professional development supports effective instruction for all students.• Provide ongoing training and support to

assimilate new knowledge and skills• Anticipate and be willing to meet the newly

emerging needs based on student performance

Guiding Principles of IDM

Leadership is essential • Strong administrative support to ensure

commitment and resources• Strong teacher support to share in the

common goal of improving instruction• Building leadership team to build internal

capacity and sustainability over time

IDM System Evidenced based core instruction to prevent failure

Universal screening to detect when student is behind and “at risk”.

Evidenced based Supplemental Instruction provided & progress monitored.

Intensive Individual Intervention provided and progress monitored.

Academic Systems Behavioral Systems

1-5% 1-5%

5-10% 5-10%

80-90% 80-90%

Intensive, Individual Interventions•Individual Students•Assessment-based•High Intensity

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

Universal Interventions•All students•Preventive, proactive

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

Designing School-Wide Systems for Student Success

IDM CYCLES: Core, Supplemental, Intensive

IDM Cycles Curriculum Instruction Assessments

Core

Supplemental

Intensive

District Core

District Core The Pre-K - 13+ continuum of

standards and benchmarks intended taught assessed

Grade Level Core Standards and benchmarks

for a given grade level (within District Core) intended taught assessed

Strong enough to ensure that at least 80% of the students meet

proficiency with differentiation

Generally received by all students at grade level: access to general

education curriculum opportunity to

demonstrate mastery of it

Grade LevelCore

Supplemental Cycle: Guidelines for Students who are Less than Proficient

Is in addition to and aligns with the district core cycle

Uses more explicit instruction

Provides more intensity Additional modeling and

guided feedback Immediacy of feedback

Does NOT replace core

Core

Supplemental

Supplemental Cycle: Guidelines for Students who are Highly Proficient

Enriches core instruction/content

Accelerates core instruction/content

Accelerate pace of core Groups within, across

and/or outside the classroom

Provides greater complexity and abstraction

Core

Supplemental

Students who are Highly Proficient

Grade level expectations can create too low a ceiling

An “A” can be a barrier, not a reward

Grade Level Expectations

Intensive Cycle Guidelines Must be designed to

match identified needs

Should always be based on diagnostic student data

Provided in small groups or individually

On-going data determines need to continue, discontinue, or change curriculum, instruction, and/or assessment

Intensive

Intensive Cycle: Students who are Less than Proficient

In addition to and aligns with the district core cycle but may extend beyond grade level core

Uses diagnostic data to more precisely target to student need

Smaller instructional groups More instructional time More detailed modeling and demonstration of skill More extensive opportunities for guided practice More opportunities for error correction and

feedback

Intensive Cycle for Students that are Highly Proficient

Often replaces/out reaches the “grade level” core Falls within “district” core

Advanced levels of curriculum, enrichment/acceleration

Framework Questions1. Is our core cycle sufficient?2. If the core is not sufficient, why not?3. How will needs identified in core be addressed?4. How will the sufficiency and effectiveness of the core

cycle be monitored over time?5. Have improvements to the core been effective?6. For which students is the core cycle sufficient and not

sufficient, and why?7. What specific supplemental and intensive

instruction/curriculum is needed?8. How will specific supplemental and intensive cycles be

implemented?9. How will the effectiveness of supplemental and intensive

cycles be monitored?10. Which students need to move to a different cycle?

IDM System

Result= Instructional needs are based on

assessment data (performance) and the instruction is designed to address the skill deficit.

Because progress is monitored frequently, the instruction is altered when necessary to meet the student’s changing needs.

IDM System

The best way to determine if students can learn normally is to teach them and look at their response to the instruction.

Just a thought…

Microscope—

Student v. Instruction

Formula for LearningFormula for LearningTraditional SchoolTraditional School::

Targeted Targeted ++ TimeTime == LearningLearningI nstructionI nstruction

ConstantConstant ConstantConstant VariableVariable●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

I DM SchoolI DM School::

Targeted Targeted ++ TimeTime == LearningLearningI nstructionI nstruction

Variable Variable VariableVariable ConstantConstant

Myth Busters

IDM is a short term commitment that you will implement once.

False!

IDM is a Framework

IDM process becomes part of the structure of the school.

IDM is about continuous improvement. It becomes “the way we do business”.

Myth Busters

If a student needs to have supplemental instruction you have to go someplace or get someone else to provide it.

FALSE!

Delivery of Instruction

IDM framework: resources are organized, system is in place to provide instruction (at all 3 tiers)

Supplemental instruction can be provided in the general classroom by the general education teacher

IDM addresses the unique needs in every building.

Myth Busters

IDM is just like past practices of tracking or ability grouping.

FALSE!

IDM is About Flexible Grouping

ALL students receive core instruction. Skill-building groups are formed

Based on student achievement data (formative assessment).

Groups change to meet student needs. (flexible grouping).

Myth Busters

Students receiving intensive instruction are staffed into special ed. after collecting 9 data points.

False!

The 9-Data Point Myth

Research-based best practice suggests that 7 to 9 data points are necessary in order to rule out chance.

IDM: Making it happen…

Commitment to the process. Professional development.

Instructional Strategies Data Tools

Support personnel. Resources