Ms. Lisa Pablic's 2nd Grade Website
A Parent’s Guide to Response to Intervention (RtI)
All parents want to their children to do well in school. They know that children need to be proficient in reading andmath and have good “people skills” to flourish in 21st century jobs. Children learn from their parents and teachers that they are expected to master the curriculum and keep pace with their peers. Not surprisingly, when they don’t meet these expectations, they become demoralized. Response to Intervention (RtI) is a multi-step approach to provide early academic and behavioral supports to struggling students rather than waiting for a child to fail before offering help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Questions To Ask (QTA) about “Response to Intervention” (RtI)
FAQ: What is Response to Intervention (RtI)?
RtI is a three-tier (or three-step) prevention, early identification and intervention strategy provided in general education. The learning of ALL students is assessed early and often. RtI refers to a process that emphasizes how well students respond to changes in instruction. RtI uses standards-aligned and research-based interventions at increasing levels of intensity to support students who struggle with reading and math and to help them reach state standards. RtI depends on a strong, standards-aligned, research-based core curriculum (the “general education curriculum”) and school-wide behavior program. Perhaps the most important benefit of an RtI approach is that it is not a “wait to fail” model because students get help promptly in the general education setting. In Pennsylvania, ALL students have the opportunity to get help when and at the level needed in general education classes, potentially significantly reducing the number of students referred for special education services. In the RtI model, students who continue to struggle in Tier 3 are referred for a special education evaluation and data from the RtI process can be used in the eligibility determination. RtI is not a “pre-referral system, an individual teacher, classroom, special education program, an added period of reading instruction, or a separate stand-alone initiative”. RtI is not preferential seating, shortened assignments, classroom observations, suspension, or retention. Finally, “RtI is not a one shot attempt at remediation”.
FAQ: What are the key features of RtI?
* High quality Standards aligned and research-based instruction and behavioral support in general education (core curriculum). (PA Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening: http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/lib/k12/Reading.pdf)
* Universal screening of academics and behavior: All students are screened early in the school year to determine which students are “at risk” for not meeting grade level academic and behavioral standards and benchmarks.
* Shared ownership of all students: All staff use a collaborative approach and assume an active role in student assessment and instruction.
* Data-based decision-making
▪ Progress monitoring: Continuous progress monitoring of student performance and use of progress monitoring data to determine intervention effectiveness, and drive instructional adjustments, and to identify/measure progress toward instructional and grade level goals. Results of student progress monitoring must be provided to parents.
▪ Benchmark and Outcome assessment: Student progress is assessed periodically throughout the year, and at the end of the year against grade level benchmarks and standards.
* Tiered interventions: Students receive increasingly intense levels of targeted, scientifically research-based interventions based on student needs.
▪ Research-based interventions: Research-based curriculum and interventions have been proven by research to be effective for most students.
(http://www.ncld.org/images/stories/downloads/parent_center/rti_final.pdf)
“The principle of using research-based practices is to guard against wasting time on ineffective practices.” (Dr. Judy Elliott)
(http://www.ncld.org/images/stories/downloads/parent_center/rti_final.pdf).
▪ Flexible grouping: Students move among flexible instructional groups based on need and skill mastery.
* Fidelity of Implementations: Research-based interventions can deliver what is promised in the research only if they are implemented as intended (or with fidelity). Research-based educational programs are like the medicine your physician prescribes. Improvement in a medical condition requires that the medicine be taken as prescribed. Likewise, to provide the intended results, research-based educational programs must be delivered as the publisher specifies.
* Parental Engagement: Parents are informed of their child’s needs, interventions, intervention schedule, progress and their right to request a special education evaluation at any time.
Click this link for more information on Rti. http://www.abcadvocacy.net/ABC%20FAQ%20208.htm
