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RtI: Changing the Role of the IAT

Aimee A. KirschAkron Public Schools

Akron, Ohioakirsch@akron.k12.oh.us

Urban Special Education Leadership CollaborativeNovember 3, 2006

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Introductions

Akron Public SchoolsDemographics (2005-06)

Race Gender Mobility Rate

Attendance Rate

Students on Free/Reduced

Lunch

93.4% 66%Asian/Pacific Islander

1.8% Male 50.76% 40%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0.1% Female 49.24%

Black/African American

48.5%

Hispanic 1.0%

White/Caucasian 44.8%

Multi-Race 3.8%

Number of Students 27,289

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Agenda

• Overview of Pyramid of Learning• Pyramid Coach Role and Function• School Improvement Plan Teams• Intervention Assistance Teams• Challenges• Future Direction

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Ohio Integrated Systems Model (OISM)

Academic Systems Positive Behavior Supports

Adapted from OSEP Effective School-Wide Interventions

5-10% Targeted Group Interventions

5-10% Targeted GroupInterventions

1-5% Intensive Individualized Interventions

1-5% Intensive Individualized Interventions

80-90% High QualityInstruction/School-wide Interventions

80-90% High QualityInstruction/School-wide Interventions

Decisions about tiers of support are data-based

A B

CDE

F

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Core Components

CulturallyResponsivePractices

Explicit Instruction of Academic & Social Skills

Data-Based Decision Making

Collaborative ProblemSolving

Research Validated Practices

Academic & Behavioral Supports for Each and All

B

CD

E

F A

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Delivery System:

Pyramid of Learning

Continuous Improvement

Guiding Principles Outcomes

1-5%Intensive

IndividualizedInterventions

5-10%Targeted

Interventions

80-90%High Quality Instruction/

School-wide Interventions

Akron Public Schools

Academic Positive Behavior Supports

6/06

All Students Achieve to Their Fullest Potential

Our work will be aligned with our common mission, vision, values and goals

We will assure achievement for all students using a system of prevention and intervention

We will not work in isolation, but rather in collaborative teams focused on teaching and learning

We will use data to guide decision making and continuous improvement

We will gain active engagement from family and community

We will build sustainable leadership capacity.

We will communicate to students they are important, they are valued, and we will not let them fail.

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High Quality/School-Wide Interventions

80 to 90%

• The base of the cone is the universal or school-wide interventions/supports.• Represents the core academic and behavioral curriculum• Addresses the needs of 80 to 90% of the students if the school

appropriately implements effective school-wide interventions

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Targeted Interventions

5 to 10%

• The middle of the cone is a targeted intervention or support.• Represents those students at risk for school failure• Provides for a more strategic, specific and targeted intervention

in addition to the core curriculum

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Intensive Interventions

1 to 5%

• The top of the cone is the intensive interventions or supports.• Represents the smallest percentage of students who are the highest risk of

failure• The supports are intensive and most often designed to be individualized• Frequently includes SWD and other children at high risk of failure

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3 to 5 Year PlanReadiness for the Pyramid

• Quest for becoming the first urban EFFECTIVE district in the state

• District goals to close the achievement gap for African American’s R/M; Special Education R/M; and ESL Reading

• Red flagged for Focused Monitoring (FM)• Wanting to answer DuFour’s 3rd question: “How

will we respond when they have not learned it?”• Ready to take the next step to use the data more

efficiently and effectively

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PYRAMID COACHES

• Develop and initiate building-level training for intervention assistance teams in all buildings.

• A Pyramid Coach will be assigned to support each of the targetedbuildings. Supports for each building will include: – Assist principal and building teams to develop and monitor Pyramid of

Learning.– Assist principals and building teams in identifying gaps within their Pyramid

and identifying strategies to close gaps.– Attend IAT meetings to model staffing of groups of students and progress

monitoring.• Create a website of evidence-based interventions for remediation of

skills in math, literacy, and positive behavior supports

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The Marriage of Building Level Teams

• School Improvement Plan (SIP) Teams builds the pyramid

• Intervention Assistance Teams (IAT) implements the pyramid

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SIP Responsibilities

• Establishing a hierarchy of interventions.• Establishing universal screening measures to

assess student needs.• Linking assessment data to intervention

programs.

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IAT Purpose and Mission

The Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) is a school based group of people whose purpose is to provide support to all students who are experiencing difficulties, preventing them from fully benefiting in accessing their education, because they are either performing below or above expectations.

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IAT Responsibilities

• Create a data driven decision-making process that evaluates the effectiveness and fidelity of the interventions

• Maintain the integrity of the interventions through continual progress monitoring and documentation of all students.

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LANG!

100 Book Challenge

Core English - Holt

After school Plato & tutoring

Silent Sustained Reading – 45 mins/week

Double Period

9th & 10th grade advisors

Reading Across Curriculum

Sample High School

Literacy Pyramid

Credit Recovery Plato

CBI: Plato/HoltEstablish criteria to access intervention

Group students based on criteria.

Monitor progress

Make adjustments based on findings

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Distinguishing Features of IAT

• To provide ALL teachers with effective and efficient strategies that will be specific and skill based.

• To ensure implementation and necessary revision of intervention through systematic monitoring.

• To ensure fidelity of interventions• To provide students at risk for failure immediate access

to intervention programs• Consolidate the number of meetings and reduce the

amount of paperwork!

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Distinguishing Features of IAT (CON’T)

• Ensure process is NOT a gateway to Special Education

• Arrive at solutions for academic and behavioral difficulties by using a group approach versus individual students

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Disadvantage of Traditional IAT Models

• Time-consuming and labor intensive• Not systemic: typically focuses on 1 student and

1 teacher at a time• May delay access to interventions• Poor reliability of implementation of key phases

such as problem analysis, data collection, and treatment integrity

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Akron Public SchoolsIAT

• A general education initiative• A process that combines existing efforts presently

available for providing assistance for students• A “checks and balance” system for buildings to review

data, make adjustments in student groupings, and ensure intervention fidelity

• A means to provide all students with immediate support and service

• An integral component of the Pyramid of Learning

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Traditional IAT vs.

New IAT

New IAT

• Group of students• 20-30 students a week• Progress monitoring• Intervention Integrity

Traditional IAT• 1 student• 20-30 students a year• 1 Student

x 5 hours of meetings x 6 IAT members= 30 man hours

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Who is on the team?

• Required members:– Administrator– School Psychologist– School Counselor (if one is assigned to the building)– Intervention Specialist– General Education Teacher

• Additional members to consider:– Speech and Language Therapist– Instructors from major content areas

• 5-7 members • At least one member should serve on both the SIP and IAT

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IAT Member Roles• The Administrator plays a crucial role with respect to the IAT process. The

Administrator is responsible for assuring that all members of the team adhere to the IAT polices and procedures. He/She is the liaison between the SIP Team and the IAT. Additionally the Administrator has the authority to allocate resources and delegate specific IAT responsibilities.

• The School Psychologist is the facilitator of the IAT within each building and is responsible for helping to facilitate the IAT process. School Psychologists are an excellent resource for intervention ideas and progress monitoring techniques, as well as invaluable during the initial diagnosis of a specific problem.

• The Counselor provides information about the whole child. Their expertise isin the area of integrating the student’s academic and social/emotional needs, academic and behavioral intervention strategies, community resources, and scheduling options.

• The Intervention Specialist and Classroom Teacher can provide the team with information regarding approaches that may be used within the school setting. They will likely have a variety of techniques, accommodations, and resources to which other parties may not have access. These individuals are also able to provide feedback on intervention programs that they have utilized.

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Response to InterventionIAT

• Evaluate and describe performance for all students

• Develop and implement instructional approaches that address student need

• Monitor student progress and response to instructional modifications on a frequent basis

• Continue cycle of evaluating student growth until goals and expectations are met

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Service Delivery Manual

Akron Public Schools70 North BroadwayAkron, OH 44308

2006/07

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SIP

Pyramid ofLearning

IAT

Implementation&

FidelityProgress Monitor

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Challenges

• Resistance to Change– Understanding the process– Letting go of Problem Solving Model or Pre-Referral

Model of IAT– Looking at data differently

• Lack of Intervention Materials• Lack of Progress Monitoring Materials• Administrative support at building level

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Future Direction

• Monitor buildings consistently• Implementation at high school level• Establish universal PBS programs• Identify and implement consistent targeted and

intensive math intervention programs across the district

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Questions?