Response to Instruction

Manual

Autauga County Schools

“Every Student a Graduate;

Every Graduate a Success”

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Autauga County Schools

OUR VISION

Every Student a Graduate; Every Graduate a Success

OUR MISSION

The mission of Autauga County Schools is to provide excellent educational experiences for all students to be successful in life.

OUR BELIEFS

All students can and will learn. Excellence is attainable by all. There is value in learning from each other. Successful school communities are grounded in respect and

integrity. Understanding and respecting diversity enriches the individual and

the community. Providing a quality education for Autauga County students is the

greatest investment for our future. Excellence with equity requires shared responsibility among staff,

parents, students, and community as stakeholders. Individuals are most successful in safe, caring, and well-maintained

environments. Every person is unique and possesses individual talents,

experiences, abilities, interests, and learning styles. Commitment to continuous improvement and personal and

organizational accountability is essential to the educational process. Successful learning experiences require positive relationships based

on trust, respect, collegiality, and honest communication throughout the community.

 

What is Response to Instruction?

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“Every Student a Graduate; Every Graduate a Success” is the vision of Autauga County Schools. It is our goal for all students to have the resources and instruction necessary to reach their full potential while receiving a free and appropriate public education.

In compliance with No Child Left Behind, and the Individuals with DisabilitiesEducation Improvement Act, Autauga County Schools is dedicated to meeting the needs and services for all students to receive the best quality education through programming for the individual student. The school system adheres to a policy of non-discrimination in educational programs and activities while striving to provide equal educational opportunity for all students as required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination based on disability.

The school system embraces the Response to Instruction Framework (RtI) model, now part of educational law, as a system of service delivery that uses evidence-based interventions, monitoring, and evaluation for on-going tracking of individual students in making informed decisions about the student’s educational and behavioral programming needs. This framework provides students who do not respond to instruction with increasingly intensive levels of intervention. Each school is dedicated to meeting the requirements of the Response to Instruction Framework Model through the school’s Problem Solving Team oversight of procedures and fidelity of implementation.

RTI is a tiered framework for service delivery that is systematic and data-based for identifying and resolving students’ academic or behavioral difficulties through implementation of scientifically based instructional practices based on the individual learner’s needs. This framework provides:

High-quality instruction and intervention matched to the student’s needs Frequent assessment through progress monitoring to make decisions about

change in instructional strategies and goals Child response data applied to educational decisions including special

education eligibility determination for students suspected of having learning disabilities

Major Components

1. Leadership: Leadership at the state, district, and building level is crucial to the fidelity of RTI implementation. It is important to establish a long-term commitment to resources and time, as well as moving the focus of RTI from philosophical understanding to actual practice. The impact of RTI involves significant systematic changes which will need to be supported throughout implementation at all levels.

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2. Curriculum & Instruction: RTI involves a tiered system of interventions designed to meet the needs of all students. A strong curriculum based on state and national standards and high-quality instruction are essential.

3. School Climate & Culture: A positive school climate provides the foundation on which instruction will occur and all students will be engaged in learning. Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) provide systematic strategies for achieving social and learning outcomes, while preventing problem behavior with all students.

4. Problem-Solving Process: The purpose of the problem-solving process is to provide a decision-making process that will lead to the development of instructional and intervention strategies with a high probability of success. The system must integrate the use of data, both to guide the development of effective interventions and to provide frequent monitoring of progress.

5. Assessment/Progress Monitoring: Using reliable and on-going data to drive the decision-making process, at the individual student, classroom, and school levels, is a major component of any RTI system. There are four types of assessment:a. Screening: Otherwise known as benchmarks, screenings are quick measures of

overall ability and critical skills known to be strong indicators that predict student performance. Screenings are administered to all students, often three times per year.

b. Progress Monitoring: Progress monitoring (PM) are brief measures used to determine whether students are making adequate progress. PM provides information on the effectiveness of instruction and whether to modify the intervention.

c. Diagnostic: Diagnostic assessments provide an in-depth assessment of targeted skills. These are formal instruments that break down individual student strengths and weaknesses in a particular skill area. Diagnostic assessments are administered less frequently and often to those students who struggle the most.

d. Outcome: Outcome measures are given at the end of the year and are group administered. Outcome measures are used for school, district, and/or state accountability purposes. These assessments give information about the overall effectiveness of instructional programs.

6. Community Involvement: When families, schools, and communities work together, children are more successful. Forming collaborative partnerships with families and communities is more than simply working together; it involves working together to achieve mutually desired outcomes.

7. Special Education and RTI: U.S. Department of Education Regulations permit the use of the RTI process to “ensure that underachievement in a child suspected of having a specific learning disability in not due to lack of appropriate instruction.” (34C.F.R.300 7 301, 2006).

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Tier 31-5%

Occurs outside the regular

classroom

Tier 2

5-10%

Occurs in the regular classroom

RTI team creates a plan for the student, with immediate and powerful targeted interventions systematically applied and monitored weekly.

Tier 1

80-90%Occurs in the Regular Classroom

A coherent and viable core curriculum that embeds ongoing monitoring for all students.

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Academic RtI* Behavioral PBS**

Intensive Interventions

Core Program and Universal Interventions All Students

Targeted Interventions

Intensive Interventions

Targeted Interventions

Universal Interventions All StudentsPreventative

and Proactive

**Positive Behavior Supports*Response-to-Instruction/Intervention

Tier 1: Core, or Benchmark, Level

Tier 1includes standards-aligned instruction and school-wide foundational interventions that are provided to all students in the general education core curriculum. Tier 1 is also used to designate students who are making expected grade level progress (benchmark students) in the standards-aligned system and who demonstrate social competence.

Tier 1 includes the curriculum, the core program, and the instruction that goes on in the regular classes; universal screening; and any other supplemental materials that are used with the core program or to support the curriculum. Instruction should be taking place at Tier 1 in such a way that it helps most of the student population to meet grade-level standards. According to research, typically, about 80% of students in a school will respond to a high-quality core curriculum and will make adequate progress throughout the year. In other words, if you review the data sources and see that there are more than 20% of students who seem to need Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions, then changes need to be made to Tier 1.

In Tier 1 instruction, we ensure that all students are provided with a high quality core curriculum. We do this by:

Creating lessons that invite persistent student effort and realize high levels of student engagement;

Having a thorough understanding of content knowledge and child development;

Setting clear learning goals for students focused on content standards and grade level expectations;

Establishing clear, common academic and behavioral expectations for students;

Developing and maintaining rapport with all students; Providing rigorous, research-based instruction and modeling; Integrating technology to support and enhance learning and communication; Creating authentic and relevant learning tasks; Differentiating learning objectives, grouping formats, resources, tasks, teaching

strategies, and time allocations based on assessment information; Offering explicit and timely student feedback; Using assessment information to modify learning goals, tasks, and instruction; Sharing assessment data with students; Reflecting on lesson effectiveness; Collaborating with colleagues in a professional learning community

environment to review student work and common assessment data to identify learner needs linked with a menu of related accommodations and interventions;

Providing ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure strong instructional skills/classroom management skills.

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Tier 2: Supplemental, or Strategic, Level

Tier 2 includes standards-aligned instruction with supplemental, small group instruction, which may include specialized materials. Tier 2 services are generally provided inside the regular classroom. However, in some cases this may not be appropriate. Tier 2 is provided in addition to Tier 1. In other words, students still attend and complete the work from the regular class. The interventions that are selected are provided in addition to the regular class.

Characteristics of Tier 2 may include: Students who do not respond adequately to the core curriculum Smaller group of students – Approximately 15% of the students in a school

considered “at-risk” Supplemental instruction/intervention (in addition to the core curriculum),

which takes place daily and often in small group formats using standard protocol interventions.

Frequency and intensity of interventions are increased to approximately 30-60 additional minutes per week with a teacher/student ratio not to exceed 1:6.

Student progress monitored more frequently: at least once weekly Most students at this level will make sufficient progress given this

supplemental instruction and are “returned” to the Tier I level

We will ensure the above by employing Tier 2 intervention practices, which may include:

Diagnostic assessments; Collaborative planning by the PST and a student’s teachers; Targeted academic and/or behavioral goals; Highly focused supplemental teaching and learning opportunities of a

predetermined duration; Consultation and/or direct service from specialists; Frequent monitoring of student progress using assessments linked to

curriculum based measurements; Analysis of assessment data to determine the need for continued intervention,

additional intervention or a change of intervention.

If a student receiving Tier 2 intervention is not making significant academic or behavioral progress toward the specified goals, the Problem Solving Team will modify the existing Tier 2 plan before considering the next level of support.

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Tier 3: Intensive Level

Tier 3 interventions are designed to provide a greater intensity of support than Tier 2, as characterized by more frequent, focused, individualized learning opportunities for students. These research-based interventions might be for students who have not made sufficient or sufficiently accelerated progress with Tier 2 interventions and are in need of more intensive intervention. (Typically, Tier 3 would represent approximately 5% of a school’s student population.) Tier 3 Intervention is implemented with a smaller student-teacher ratio (1:1-1:3 teacher to student ratio), a longer duration of intervention (approximately 60-90 minutes per week), detailed attention to individual learning styles and the social environment, and more frequent progress monitoring (1 to 2 times per week). As in Tier 2, students who receive Tier 3 interventions remain part of the general education system. Furthermore, students receiving Tier 3 interventions may require the implementation of multiple instructional and behavioral supports from all three tiers in order to accelerate progress by the end of the intervention period.

All students in Tier 3 are provided with more frequent, individualizedinterventions. Parents are notified of their child’s involvement and progress.We will ensure this by employing Tier 3 intervention practices which may include:

Collaboration among the student’s teachers and the building PST to refine the existing intervention plan and address the learning needs of each identified student in Tier 3;

Administering frequent progress monitoring linked to targeted goals; Highly focused, supplemental teaching and learning opportunities of a

predetermined duration; Consultation and/or direct service from specialists; Analysis of assessment data to monitor student progress and determine the

need for continued intervention, additional intervention or a change of intervention.

If a student receiving Tier 3 interventions does not show adequate progress,the school Problem Solving Team will carefully examine why. It is important for the Problem Solving Team to review the effectiveness of previous interventions to determine if a different intervention regime would benefit the learner. Based on these considerations, the Problem Solving Team determines whether a referral to special education is necessary.

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RTI in PracticeThere are three key features of RTI:

Scientific research-based instruction and intervention; Assessment of the effects of instruction (i.e., child response data based on

frequent progress monitoring); and Data-based decision making (i.e., using the child response data as the basis for

decision making).

Each feature is part of an interrelated process which should be applied to every student. Instructional practices are evaluated and adjusted based on results of reliable, valid, and sensitive indicators of important student outcomes. If any piece is missing, the process breaks down.

RTI represents a fundamental shift in how schools will identify and respond to students’ academic difficulties. It is important to understand what RTI is and what it is not. RTI requires educators to change how they view student difficulties and disabilities. RTI procedures turn attention away from identifying deficits within the student and toward evaluating child progress over time on the basis of age-based comparisons and rates of learning. Therefore, students’ academic performance is compared to the performance of other students in their school or district and student learning is evaluated based on how quickly that student acquires instructed material. The effect of this shift is that it forces educators to focus on how much and what types of instruction students need, which increases accountability for student learning.

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Scientific-research based instruction and

intervention

Assessment that is

sensitive to instructional

effects

Data-based decision making

Key ComponentsThere are several aspects of RTI that are important to understand before implementation can be made system-wide.

Problem-Solving Team (PST)Teams are composed of a variety of educational staff, including teachers, specialists, administrators, school psychologists, and consultants. Team members should include individuals who have a diverse set of skills and expertise that can address a variety of behavioral and academic needs.

Universal ScreeningAn essential component of RTI, universal screening of all students enables educators to establish an academic and behavioral baseline and to identify learners who need additional support. Instructional decisions can then be made based on the screening results to improve learner outcomes. Universal screening is the key to a prevention model, helping classroom teachers to differentiate their instruction and/or provide early intervening services so that students can be assisted before they fall too far behind.

Progress MonitoringProgress monitoring is a systematic method for tracking and comparing an individual’s or group’s performance through data collection. A consistent monitoring plan is essential to determine the effectiveness of instructional programs and interventions. Progress toward meeting the student’s goals is measured by comparing expected and actual rates of learning. Based on these measurements, teaching is adjusted as needed. Thus, the student’s progression of achievement is monitored and instructional techniques are adjusted to meet the individual students learning needs.

Progress monitoring assessments must be administered to students receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention to determine the extent to which the chosen intervention and teaching strategies helps a student make progress towards proficiency. Educators administer progress monitoring assessments weekly and record data.

Benchmark AssessmentsBenchmark assessments are administered to all students within a grade level. Their purpose is to determine how much each student is progressing within a given academic year and also to inform instruction. In some cases, the same assessment could be used for universal screening and to benchmark individual student progress over time.

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Problem-Solving ProcessThe importance of assessment and effective instruction for RTI cannot be overstated. However, the problem-solving model serves as the overarching structure which organizes assessment and intervention activities. Therefore, problem solving lies at the heart of RTI. Problem solving means going beyond fulfilling procedural requirements and checklists to doing what it takes to resolve students’ learning problems. The problem-solving model has been organized into a series of cyclical steps.

Data-Based DecisionsThe most important part of progress monitoring is not just collecting data; it is using the data to make sound instructional decisions. Schools must look at the data regularly, implement decision-making rules, and use the data continuously to inform instruction. Within the tiered continuum of service delivery, decision rules are necessary for moving students back and forth across tiers as educators address their needs for intervention delivery and eligibility decisions. These decision rules must rely on relevant student assessment data. At each step of the process, good decision rules ensure effective, equitable, and fair treatment across students. Autauga County has developed these specific guidelines for data-based decisions:

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Problem AnalysisWhy is the problem occurring? Has the student received quality instruction in the target skill? What diagnostics do you have to support hypothesis?

Develop PlanSet goals for students. Ask how much should student grow to close the gap? Define who, when, and how plan should be implemented.

Implement PlanImplement plan with rigor & fidelity; Decide who will do the progress monitoring; how long interventions should be implemented; collect data

Evaluate Results/DataAsk “Did it work?” Determine the next steps: change/modify interventions, return to lower tier, move to higher tier

Define ProblemIs there a discrepancy between current and expected performance?

Cut scores for determining risk status: To identify students who are at risk, we will use local comparative data from student performance on the universal screening data from each grade level. Typically this cut score is those scoring at or below the 20th percentile.

The frequency and duration of progress monitoring: During Tier 2 and Tier 3 service delivery, the frequency and duration of progress monitoring will have an impact on whether sufficient data have been collected to determine a student’s responsiveness to intervention. First, data must be collected with sufficient frequency to detect changes in performance following instruction/intervention. It should be no less frequent than one time per week. Second, the length of the data collection period during intervention must be established. This may be determined by the specific intervention being used. A minimum of four weeks of intervention should be delivered. The length of time should allow for no fewer than four data points during an intervention phase. As with any test, the more data gathered, the more reliable the decision will be about whether a student is responding to an intervention.

Criteria for determining a student’s responsiveness to intervention: Determination of whether students are responding to interventions requires specifying decision rules based on students’ level and rate of progress, both prior to and after the initiation of intervention delivery. This is established through trend line comparisons (or gap analysis), which will be explained later.

Understanding NormsData can be used to compare student performance to the typical student in specific academic or behavioral skills.

Local Norms: Involves sampling the abilities of students at specific grade levels in a school or district.

National Norms: Involves sampling the abilities of students nationally, or based on research collected over time.

Setting Ambitious and Realistic GoalsAs discussed earlier, an important part of a problem-solving process is the setting of goals or expected criteria for the students to obtain. Setting goals that are realistic yet challenging is crucial to making good on-going decisions within a problem-solving model.

Goal setting can be done at both the group level as well as the individual level. For example, in an RTI model, it is expected that the implementation of a high quality, scientific, research-based instructional program implemented with fidelity at Tier 1 should result in successful outcomes with at least 80% of all students. When universal screening data find substantially fewer students successfully meeting benchmark, the

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indication is that changes are needed in the delivery of the core program (within Tier 1) to improve outcomes for all children. This must be done before a determination could be made of the degree to which supplemental instructional programs at Tier 2 are impacting outcome. As such, problem-solving teams may put in place goals that reflect a focus on improving the school-based outcomes of student performance within the core program.

At the individual level, when students are identified through an RTI process as at-risk (and the core program is determined to be solid), it is critical that goals be established for the individual student so that the outcomes of his or her progress can be measured against appropriate expectations. By setting goals and monitoring a student’s progress toward those goals, the impact of instruction can be assessed in an ongoing manner, and adjustments in instruction and goals can be made as the instruction is proceeding. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to close the achievement gap and meet the academic expectations established by Autauga County Schools.

A key element of effective goal setting whether used at the group or individual level is the establishment of benchmarks specifying the minimal expected performance across students. Closing the gap for those students whose starting point is below benchmark would be a critical goal for teams to consider.

Steps for Setting Goals1. Identify starting point (or baseline).2. Identify goal or benchmark (target).3. Subtract current (baseline) level from target.4. Divide by number of weeks left until target.5. This will be your rate of improvement (ROI) to meet goal.6. Compare student’s ROI with a typical, or average, ROI for that student’s grade

level. 7. Ask: Is this goal realistic? (With interventions, is this a goal that’s possible to

attain?)8. Ask: Is this goal ambitious? (With interventions, will this goal allow for the

gap to close or will the student simply not fall any further behind?)9. Adjust goal if necessary.

Goals should be monitored and may be adjusted based on student’s progress.

Instruction & InterventionTo increase the opportunity for success at all levels within the RTI framework, instruction and interventions delivered to students should be supported by evidence of their effectiveness. A clear distinction is made between instructional strategies and interventions. A strategy is a tool, plan, or method used to guide and improve student learning. These strategies are more commonly referred to as differentiated instructional tools and practices.

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A research-based intervention is one that is school-based, prescriptive, and has a clear record of success. RTI requires interventions that have been validated in educational research.

Guidelines for Minimally Acceptable Interventions

1. Interventions are chosen based on classroom factors and reasonableness for the situation and severity of the problem.

2. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the interventions must exist.3. Interventions are chosen based on students’ instructional need (and not merely

based on availability or convenience). This guideline means that there are individual student data to justify the choice of intervention.

4. There should be a pre-specified, structured, and organized plan for each intervention session.

5. Interventions should increase in intensity and frequency in the event that a student does not make adequate progress as determined by the goal level established through the problem solving process (according to the criteria described in the previous section on data-based decision making).

6. There should be a minimum of 4-10 weeks of intervention sessions (and 4-10 data points) before a determination of effectiveness is made, unless the guidelines of the intervention specify otherwise.

7. Intervention sessions should be carried out as prescribed and there should be some evidence that they were carried out as planned. Evidence can include training, permanent products, and direct observation by an independent party.

Although evidence supporting an intervention’s effectiveness is important, the intervention itself is only as good as the accuracy and consistency with which it is implemented. Fidelity refers to the degree to which interventions are implemented as planned. It is essential that safeguards be put into place to determine if those interventions are being carried out as they were intended. A student’s responsiveness to an intervention may eventually be used in special education eligibility decision making. Therefore, school personnel must be confident that the intervention was performed with high levels of fidelity. Regular monitoring of intervention delivery through observations and checklists is integral to ensuring that the interventions continue to be implemented correctly and accurately (i.e., with “fidelity”) and that they continue to benefit those whom they are intended to serve. Fidelity should be directly monitored by an independent observer other than the interventionist.

Instruction and Intervention Factors to Consider at all Tiers• Were the interventions used supported by scientific research?• Were standard treatment protocols followed for the interventions with

students? • Were the interventionists trained in delivering the intervention with fidelity?

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• Were the interventions delivered for a sufficient amount of time?• Was a team used to help design and support the interventions?

Implementation of RTI

The following guide may assist in implementing the RTI model with fidelity and enhancing consistency across the district. Although instructional programs and pyramids of interventions may vary among schools, the key components of the problem-solving process need to be included in each building. (Please reference RTI Flowchart.)

Tier 1 The curriculum should be aligned with core content. Research-based programs should be implemented with fidelity and rigor to

address core instruction. Three times per year, all students are assessed using the district-wide

assessment tool or district learning check. This is considered progress monitoring at Tier 1.

Problem-solving must take place at the core if less than 80% of students are at benchmark, based on district learning checks.

Teachers are responsible for execution of the core program and differentiated instructional practices.

Teachers should be supported by grade-level and school based teams that discuss and analyze data and brainstorm strategies that will address the needs of all learners.

Teachers and families should communicate about student progress in the curriculum.

Tier 2 Once students are identified as being at-risk, or falling below district

benchmark, the problem-solving process is initiated. Teachers gather all relevant pieces of diagnostic and classroom data to

reference during the problem-solving team meeting. The team works through the problem-solving process and determines if the

student will require intervention to meet the next district benchmark If yes, the Autauga County Schools Student Intervention Plan must be

completed. Parents are notified. Special factors to be considered include:o Goalo Intervention

Method of delivery Frequency Intensity Duration

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Any adjustment in schedule? What resources are available or what training may be needed?

o Progress monitoring tool & frequency (at least once per week)o Next review date?

Continue communication with student’s family, informing them of the intervention and progress.

At each review of the progress monitoring data and the Student Intervention Plan, data should be graphed when possible.

A gap analysis must be completed at least monthly to determine if the goal is being met.

o If goal is being met: Raise the goal but continue the intervention? Stop the intervention and move student back to Tier 1? It is perfectly acceptable to continue with Tier 2 services for a

prolonged period of time if that is what the student needs. For most students the team will want to think about how they can get a student ready for Tier 1 without the Tier 2 services over time (scaffold away the support). However, there may be a handful of students who will need Tier 2 for a prolonged period.

o If goal is not being met: Review problem-solving process Change interventions? Increase frequency of intervention? Increase intensity of intervention? If this intervention is the second or third intervention attempted, the

team may consider whether moving the student to Tier 3 is appropriate.

Tier 3 If a student moves to Tier 3, the problem-solving process is executed identical

to Tier 2, although the intervention and progress monitoring may increase in intensity and frequency.

As with Tier 2, it is imperative to review progress monitoring data to make decisions about student progress.

A gap analysis should be completed.o If the goal is being met:

Raise the goal but continue the intervention? Decrease the intervention and move student back to Tier 2 or Tier 1?

o If the goal is not being met: Review problem-solving process Change interventions? Increase frequency of intervention? Increase intensity of intervention?

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If this intervention is the second or third intervention attempted, the team may consider a special education referral for a formal evaluation.

It should be noted that some students may always require Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions to be successful in the core program and meet expected benchmarks. These students are not otherwise identified as receiving special education services, given that special education is reserved for those who have disabilities.

***Students not making reasonable progress in the general education, multi-tiered framework will be referred by the Problem-Soving Team for special education services. Student documentation collected throughout the RTI process will be used by the special education department in determining eligibility.

Special Considerations in RTI

Gifted & TalentedA tiered model of programming is a historical framework for the field of gifted and talented education. Students who are gifted require special provisions because of their strengths and above-grade instructional level or potential. Given that RTI supports setting targets or trend lines for individual students, long term planning and monitoring of student progress allows students to learn and grow toward accelerated expectations.

Students with Individual Education, English Learner, and/or 504 PlansBecause RTI encompasses all students, students with an IEP, 504 or EL plan should always be considered to be part of the three-tiered model. It is imperative to include special instructional staff in the problem-solving process in order to review student eligibility, individual goals and objectives, and modifications on the IEP/504/ELP.

Referral for Individual Evaluation for Special Education ServicesFor students who do not make adequate progress in Tier III, the problem-solving team may consider a referral for an evaluation for special education services. The data collected in the RTI process will become part of the referral process.

Addressing Behavior in the RTI Model18

It is important to begin this section on RTI and behavior by noting the relationship between academic performance and behavior. While most of the discussion here focuses on behavior in isolation, rarely does behavior occur without a relationship to the academic environment. The problematic behavior of many (not all) students is directly related to academic deficits and their desire to escape difficult tasks. Therefore it is essential that academic performance be reviewed and any deficits be addressed in conjunction with providing behavioral interventions. The following information is provided with the assumption that academic performance has been assessed and any identified deficits are being addressed through the RTI process.

The basis for RTI and behavior is the development and implementation of Positive Behavior Supports, including universal school-wide expectations, rules, and procedures which serve as the standards for behavior (Tier 1). o In this preventative approach, the expectations (standards) are then

systematically taught to all students through lessons and demonstration similarly to the way reading or mathematics skills are taught.

o Students achieving the behavior standards are recognized in the same way that grades and honor roll acknowledge students for academic success.

The degree to which behavior reflects the school-wide standards is measured through data collection and analysis. o If the school-wide discipline plan is consistently and effectively being

implemented, 80-90% of the students should respond positively. o If that is not the case, a problem solving approach would be utilized to identify

possible barriers such as poor instruction, inconsistent implementation of the school-wide plan, or lack of fidelity of implementation.

o If none of those barriers are identified, a universal intervention such as modifying the plan would be appropriate.

When 80-90% of students are responding positively to the school-wide plan, schools can begin to identify those students who may need more support. o By collecting and analyzing behavior data, school teams can identify the

students needing intervention and the specific behavior skills to be targeted. o The most common data used for decision making at this level is office

discipline referrals (ODRs). o The data may also indicate specific classrooms or locations where most

discipline referrals are most frequent, indicating a need for more support in those areas.

o This data will enable schools to identify students with externalizing behavior but does not always identify students with internalizing behavior or less severe behavior.

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o Schools may develop a screening measure to identify at-risk students in these categories, and at this time the most common screener used is teacher identification.

Once students have been identified through data analysis or screening, Tier 2 evidence-based interventions are provided. o Targeting skills, providing interventions, and monitoring progress for small

groups of students may include re-teaching and practice of specific behaviors (i.e. waiting for a turn, walking quietly in the halls, riding the bus), development of appropriate social skills (i.e. asking for help, responding to negative comments from others, making friends), or following school procedures (i.e. getting to class on time, following cafeteria rules, using the media center).

o Examples of more interventions may be found at the Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports (PBIS) website at www.pbis.org.

o The progress of students involved in these Tier 2 interventions should be closely monitored and may involve teacher checklists, ODRs, or rating scales.

Tier 3 interventions should include a more in depth analysis of a student’s behavioral problems which would include a thorough review of all previous interventions and may include a functional behavioral assessment. o The Problem Solving Team may also conclude that additional information is

necessary and further assessment may be required (behavior checklists, behavior rating scales, etc.).

o Academic assessments may also be completed as the link between academic deficits and behavior problems cannot be ignored.

The approach to behavioral interventions at Tier 3 mirrors academics and should provide individualized interventions and progress monitoring. o While a student may continue with Tier 2 interventions, a Behavior

Intervention Plan may be developed based on the information gathered through a functional behavior assessment.

o More frequent progress monitoring would occur to enable the Problem Solving Team to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.

How is a universal screening process connected to behavior? Universal screenings are an important part of any school wide discipline plan. Analysis of disciplinary infraction data will yield broad based areas of focus for any school. While a paper and pencil assessment is not appropriate in this type of screening, the use of existing documentation, including student and teacher interviews, will support the development of behavioral expectations and identify targeted areas of improvement.

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS TO BE SCREENED - READING

If pre-school skills are to be screened, the following skills may be considered as predictive of later success in reading: Picture naming Alliteration Rhyming

The following early literacy skills are typically considered to predict reading success and are included in screening in kindergarten: Letter naming fluency Letter sound fluency or initial sound fluency Phonemic segmentation fluency Nonsense word fluency

The following skills are typically considered to predict reading success and are included in screening in first grade: Phonemic segmentation fluency Nonsense word fluency Reading-curriculum based measure (R-CBM) which is sometimes referred to as oral

reading fluency (ORF).o Both the rate score which is reported in words read correctly per minute (WRC) and

the accuracy percentage should be considered. An accuracy score of 90-95% is needed if word-level reading skills support reading comprehension.

Reading comprehensiono Some screening tools utilize a maze procedure and results are reported in number of

correct mazes. (See maze procedure description below).o Some screening tools utilize a retelling procedure and results are reported in number

of words used in retelling the passage.

The following skills are typically considered to predict reading success and are utilized in screening in grades 2-5. Reading-curriculum based measure (R-CBM) which is sometimes referred to as oral

reading fluency (ORF).o Both rate score, which is reported in words correct per minute (WRC), and accuracy

percentage should be used as screening indicators. Reading comprehension

o Some screening tools utilize a maze procedure and results are reported in number of correct mazes.

o Some screening tools utilize a retelling procedure and results are reported in number of words used in retelling the passage.

The following skills are typically considered to predict reading success and are utilized in screening in grades 6-12. Reading-curriculum based measure (R-CBM) which is sometimes referred to as oral

reading fluency (ORF).

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o Both rate score which is reported in words correct per minute (WRC) and accuracy percentage should be considered.

o NOTE: R-CBM MAY BE USEFUL IN PREDICTING WHICH SECONDARY STUDENTS NEED READING INTERVENTION BUT SHOULD NOT BE USED TO MONITOR PROGRESS UNLESS WRC IS VERY LOW (i.e. below 100 WRC).

Reading comprehensiono Some screening tools utilize a maze procedure and results are reported in number of

correct mazes.

Maze Procedure Description. Use a grade level passage with every 7th word omitted and replaced with three words

from which to choose. Student has 3 minutes to read the passage silently while circling correct answers as the

passage is read. Score is the number of correct words circled within the 3 minutes. Can be group administered if desired.

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ESSENTIAL SKILLS TO BE SCREENED - MATH

The following early numeracy skills are typically considered to predict math success and are included in screening in preschool and kindergarten: Missing Number Quantity Discrimination Number Identification Oral Counting

The following skills are typically considered to predict math success and are included in screening in first grade: Missing Number Quantity Discrimination Number Identification Oral Counting Computation

The following skills are typically considered to predict math success and are included in commercially available screening tools for use in grades 2-12: Computation Concepts and Applications

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Glossary of Commonly Used Terms

Assessment – Assessment is a broad term used to describe the collection of information about student performance in a particular area. Assessments can be formative or summative.

At Risk – A term applied to students who have not been adequately served by social service or educational systems and who are at risk of educational failure due to lack of services, negative life events, or physical or mental challenges, among others.

Behavior Intervention Plan- A plan developed for children who are exhibiting behavioral difficulties that include targeted behaviors, intervention strategies, reinforcers and consequences, and a plan for collecting and monitoring data. Behavior Intervention Plans should include positive behavioral support.

Benchmark – A detailed description of a specific level of student performance expected of students at particular ages, grades, or developmental levels. Benchmarks are often represented by samples of student work. A set of benchmarks can be used as "checkpoints" to monitor progress toward meeting performance goals within and across grade levels, (i.e., benchmarks for expected mathematics capabilities at grades three, seven, ten, and graduation.)

Baseline – An initial observation or measurement that serves as a comparison upon which to determine student progress.

Benchmark Assessments – Student assessments used throughout a unit or course to monitor progress toward learning goals and to guide instruction. Effective benchmark assessments check understanding and application of knowledge and skills rather than recall; consequently, effective benchmark assessments include performance tasks. Benchmark assessments may involve pre- and post-assessments.

Benchmarks for Progress Monitoring – Measures that are used to determine student progress and to guide instruction. These measures may assess a specific skill such as correct words read per minute (reading fluency).

Common Assessment – Common assessments are the result of teachers collaborating and coming to consensus about what students should know, understand and be able to do according to the standards. Common assessments assess the standards and provide teachers a means for looking at student work.

Comprehensive Evaluation – In-depth evaluation provided when there is suspect of a disability. It is conducted to determine if a student has a disability and to determine the educational needs of the student.

Content Standards – Content standards are broad statements of what students should know and be able to do in a specific content area. They state the purpose and direction the content is to take and are generally followed by elements.

Curriculum-based Assessment – An informal assessment in which the procedures directly assess student performance in targeted content or basic skills in order to make decisions about how to better address a student's instructional needs.

Curriculum-based Measure – Curriculum-based measurement, or CBM, is a scientifically-based method of monitoring student educational progress through direct assessment of academic skills.

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CBM can be used to measure basic skills in reading, mathematics, spelling, vocabulary, and written expression. It can also be used to monitor readiness skills.

Curriculum Document – A curriculum document contains all standards that should be learned by all students.

Curriculum Map – A curriculum map provides an outline of the course content by units and may provide a suggested time schedule for each unit.

Data-based Instruction – An instructional approach in which student performance data is used to assess the effectiveness of the instruction and to make changes in instruction based on the data.

Data Point – An isolated piece of data on a graph or chart that illustrates a student’s performance/progress.

Differentiation – Differentiation is a broad term referring to the need of educators to tailor the curriculum, teaching environments, and practices to create appropriately different learning experiences for students. To differentiate instruction is to recognize students’ varying interest, readiness levels, and learning profiles and to react responsively. There are four elements of the curriculum that can be differentiated: content, process, products and learning environment.

Eligibility Team – A group of qualified professionals and the parent of the child; members determine whether the child is a child with a disability and they determine the educational needs of the child.

Evaluation – The process of making judgments about the level of student understanding or performance.

Evidence-based interventions – Specific interventions supported by well designed, independent research studies. There is evidence that the interventions improve student outcomes.

Feedback – Descriptive comments provided to or by a student that provides very specific information about what a student is/is not doing in terms of performance needed to meet identified standards/learning goals.

Fidelity – Fidelity refers to the provision or delivery of instruction in the manner in which it was designed or prescribed. Other related terms to fidelity are intervention integrity or treatment integrity which often refers to the same principle.

Flexible Grouping – A type of differentiation in which students are organized into groups based on interests and/or needs. Groups are not static and teachers use data to establish and modify the composition of the student groups.

Fluency – The ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with proper expression and comprehension. The ability to automatically recognize conceptual connections, perform basic calculations, and apply appropriate problem solving strategies.

Formative Assessment – A formative assessment is an evaluation tool used to guide and monitor the progress of student learning during instruction. Its purpose is to provide continuous feedback to both the student and the teacher concerning learning successes and progress toward mastery. Formative assessments diagnose skill and knowledge gaps, measure progress, and evaluate instruction. Teachers use formative assessments to determine what concepts require more teaching and what teaching techniques require modification. Educators use results of these assessments to improve student performance. Formative assessments would not necessarily be used for grading purposes. Examples

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include (but are not limited to): pre/post tests, curriculum based measures (CBM), portfolios, benchmark assessments, quizzes, teacher observations, teacher/student conferencing, and teacher commentary and feedback.

Frameworks – Frameworks are intended to be models for articulating desired results, assessment processes, and teaching-learning activities that can maximize student achievement relative to the performance standards. They may provide enduring understandings, essential questions, tasks/activities, culminating tasks, rubrics, and resources for the units.

Functional Behavior Assessment – A problem-solving process for addressing student behavior that uses techniques to identify what triggers a given behavior(s) and to identify interventions that directly address them.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) – A written document that outlines the special education and related services specifically designed to meet the unique educational needs of a student with a disability. A written statement for a child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with IDEA 2004.

Individualized Education Program Team (IEP Team) – Individuals who are responsible for developing, reviewing, or revising an IEP for a child with a disability.

Interventions – Targeted instruction that is based on student needs. Interventions supplement the general education curriculum. Interventions are a systematic compilation of well researched or evidence-based specific instructional strategies and techniques.

Performance Level Descriptors – A verbal statement describing each performance level in terms of what the student has learned and can do. These statements are available for each state-mandated assessment for each content area and grade level where applicable.

Probe – When using a Curriculum Based Measure (CBM), the instructor gives the student brief, timed samples, or "probes," comprised of academic material taken from the child's school curriculum. These CBM probes are given under standardized conditions. For example, the instructor will read the same directions every time that he or she gives a certain type of CBM probe. CBM probes are timed and may last from 1 to 5 minutes, depending on the skill being measured. The child's performance on a CBM probe is scored for speed, or fluency , and for accuracy of performance. Since CBM probes are quick to administer and simple to score, they can be given repeatedly (for example, twice per week). The results are then charted to offer the instructor a visual record of a targeted child's rate of academic progress.

Problem Solving Team – A team of people, which may include school staff and parents, who use a problem solving approach to address a problem or area of need for a student.

Professional Learning Community – A group of individuals who seek and participate in professional learning on an identified topic.

Progress Monitoring – Progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice that is used to assess students’ academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual students or an entire class.

Response to Intervention – Response to Intervention (RTI) is a practice of academic and behavioral interventions designed to provide early, effective assistance to underperforming students. Research-based interventions are implemented and frequent progress monitoring is conducted to assess student

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response and progress. When students do not make progress, increasingly more intense interventions are introduced.

Research Based Intervention - The methods, content, materials, etc. were developed in guidance from the collective research and scientific community.

Rubrics – Based on a continuum of performance quality and a scale of different possible score points, a rubric identifies the key traits or dimensions to be examined and assessed and provides key features of performance for each level of scoring.

Scaffolding – Scaffolding is the instructional technique of using teacher support to help a student practice a skill at a higher level than he or she would be capable of independently. The opportunity to practice the skill at this level helps students advance to the point where they no longer need the support and can operate at this high level on their own.

Scientifically-based research (SBR) – Research that applies rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to core academic development, instruction, and difficulties; and includes research that: (a) employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment; (b) involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn; (c) relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data across evaluators and observers and across multiple measurements and observations; and (d) has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review.

Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support - ―A broad range of systematic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes while preventing problem behavior with all students. Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is based on a problem-solving model and aims to prevent inappropriate behavior through teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors.

Standard – A standard is something set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value or quality. A standard defines the broad expectations for an area of knowledge in a given domain and may include an expectation of the degree to which a student expresses his or her understanding of that knowledge.

Standards-Based Classroom – A standards-based classroom is a classroom where teachers and students have a clear understanding of the expectations (standards). They know what they are teaching/learning each day, why the day’s learning is important to know or know how to do, as well as how to do it. They also know that they are working toward meeting standards throughout the year and that standards-based learning is a process, not an event.

Strand – A strand is an organizing tool used to group standards by content.

Strategy – A loosely defined collective term that is often used interchangeably with the word ―intervention; however strategies are generally considered effective instructional/behavioral practices rather than a set of prescribed instructional procedures, systematically implemented.

Summative Assessment – A summative assessment is an evaluation tool generally used at the end of an assignment, unit, project, or course. In an educational setting, summative assessments tend to be more formal kinds of assessments (e.g., unit tests, final exams, projects, reports, and state assessments) and are typically used to assign students a course grade or to certify student mastery of intended learning outcomes for the Georgia Performance Standards.

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Tasks – Tasks provide the opportunity for students to demonstrate what they can do, what knowledge they have, what understanding they have that relates to specific standards or elements. This demonstration may occur at any time during the course or at the end of the course.

Tiered Instruction – Levels of instructional intensity within a tiered delivery model.

Trend Line – Line of a graph that connects data points. This is used to compare against aimlines to determine responsiveness to interventions. The trend line is what the student has actually achieved vs. the aimline which is the desired performance score.

Universal Screening – A process of reviewing student performance through formal and/or informal assessment measures to determine progress in relation to student benchmarks; related directly to student learning standards.

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