Response to Intervention

Edward Daly & Todd Glover

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Need for Change

• President’s Commission on Special Education report (2002)– “The Commission could not identify firm

practical or scientific reasons supporting the current classification of disabilities in IDEA.”

– “The IQ discrepancy model provides an arbitrary subdivision of the reading IQ distribution that is fraught with statistical and other interpretive problems.”

The Need for Change

• President’s Commission on Special Education report (2002)– RECOMMENDATION: “Implement models

during the identification and assessment process that are based on response to intervention and progress monitoring. Use data from these processes to assess progress in children who receive special education services.”

IDEA 2004 states,

“In determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a local educational agency may use a process which determines if a child responds to scientific, research-based intervention.”

Is This Really Something New?

• No!• Previous versions of IDEA have required…

– “Prereferral” intervention – The need to rule out lack of instruction in

reading or math or limited English proficiency – Gathering relevant functional and

developmental information and information related to enabling the child to be involved in and progress in the general curriculum…

So, What is New?

• Intervention data can now be used to make eligibility decisions– Includes data-based problem solving– Functional assessments– Curriculum-Based Measurement

What RTI Is and What It Is Not

• RTI is…– An initiative that

supports general education school improvement goals

– Intended to help as many students as possible meet proficiency standards without special education

• RTI Is NOT…– A stand alone

special education initiative!

– A means for just getting more students into special education

Dr. Michael Bossard, Special Education Director, Lincoln Public Schools

What RTI Is and What It Is Not

• RTI is…– A method to unify

general and special education in order to benefit students through greater continuity of services

– Focused primarily on effective instruction to enhance student growth

• RTI Is NOT…– A method for just

increasing or decreasing special education numbers

– Focused primarily on disability determination and documented through a checklist

RTI is also…

• First about effective instruction and interventions and only secondarily about entitlement and eligibility!

• A fundamental shift in how student difficulties and disabilities are viewed!– No longer focusing on presumed within-child

deficits– Grounded in age based comparisons and rate

of learning– Focuses attention on how much and what types

of instruction the learner needs and accountability for child learning

The Logic of RTI: Data-based Problem Solving• Problem Identification

– “Is there a discrepancy between current and expected performance?”

• Problem Analysis– “Where is the instructional mismatch?”

• Goal Setting– “By how much should the student grow over the next 8

weeks?”

• Plan Implementation– “What will be done to resolve the problem?”

• Plan Evaluation– “Did it work? What do we do next?”

What Does It Look Like?

010203040506070

1 2 3

Correct Read Words and Errors Per Minute

Direct Assessments of Academic

Performance in Important Curricular

Outcomes

Time

Identifying a Problem

010203040506070

1 2 3

Correct Read Words and Errors Per Minute

Typical Peer Performance

Target Child

Time

Identifying a Problem

010203040506070

1 2 3

Correct Read Words and Errors Per Minute

A discrepancy between current

and expected performance

exists

Time

The Logic of RTI: Data-based Problem Solving• Problem Identification

– “Is there a discrepancy between current and expected performance?”

• Problem Analysis– “Where is the instructional mismatch?”

• Goal Setting– “By how much should the student grow?”

• Plan Implementation– “What will be done to resolve the problem?”

• Plan Evaluation– “Did it work? What do we do next?”

Data-Based Goal Setting

010203040506070

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19

Correct Read Words and Errors Per Minute

Time

Baseline Goal Line

Aim Line

The Logic of RTI: Data-based Problem Solving• Problem Identification

– “Is there a discrepancy between current and expected performance?”

• Problem Analysis– “Where is the instructional mismatch?”

• Goal Setting– “By how much should the student grow over the next 8

weeks?”

• Plan Implementation– “What will be done to resolve the problem?”

• Plan Evaluation– “Did it work? What do we do next?”

Plan Implementation & Evaluation

010203040506070

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19

Correct Read Words and Errors Per Minute Ongoing

Progress Monitoring

Time

Baseline Planned Intervention

Program Continuity and Accountability: Intensifying Intervention

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1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19

Correct Read Words and Errors Per Minute

Time

Baseline Planned Intervention 1 Intervention 2

Structuring Your RTI Program

• Regular Evaluation– Universal screening– Progress monitoring

• Strategically Selected/Provided Interventions– Scientifically-supported– Based on student’s instructional need– Increase in intensity– Structured in their delivery

• Criteria for Decision Making– Data-based decision rules for intervention/service

delivery– LD eligibility criteria

Model for Evaluation, Decision-Making, & Intervention Provision

General Instruction

Supplementary Intervention

Intensive Intervention

Decision rules

Decision rules

Inte

nsity

of I

nter

vent

ion

RTI Implementation Prerequisites

• Organized professional development• A well-developed infrastructure for

data-based decision making and intervention delivery for at-risk students

• Integrated participation among system stakeholders

LD Categorization

• Need a framework and decision rules• Example for Dual Discrepancy Model (LPS)

– Discrepancy in level • Age based comparison • For example, < 12th %ile after 2 planned intervention

periods of 8 weeks each

– Discrepancy in rate of learning • Individual improvement in response to intensified,

research based instruction examined with progress monitoring

• For example, expected to improve by 16 correct read words per min in 8 weeks

What Can You Do?1. Realize that there is a developmental

progression that schools must go through before full implementation can be achieved.

2. For those with progress monitoring and intervention skills, talk to others in your school(s) about it.

3. Make sure the fundamentals are in place.– Data-based problem solving– Progress monitoring– Scientific support for instruction/interventions

What Can You Do?

4. Make sure the necessary systemic changes are in place.

– A coordinated school wide system for monitoring progress and providing interventions

– A school wide screening system– Resources to deliver interventions

5. Choose a model for evaluation and decision making.

– A system for determining intervention placement/service delivery