Dr. Denise P. Gibbs, Director Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation Learning Centers PST RtI STUDENT SUCCESS Christine R. Spear, Education Administrator Alabama.

Dr. Denise P. Gibbs, DirectorAlabama Scottish Rite Foundation Learning

Centers

PSTRtISTUDENTSUCCESS

Christine R. Spear, Education AdministratorAlabama Department of Education

Implementing Alabama's RtI Framework: Problem Solving Teams Overview

The portion of this presentation provided by Dr. Gibbs is being provided

today at no cost by the Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation. The

philanthropy of the Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation began in the 1950’s in

Alabama and continues today. The mission of the Alabama Scottish Rite

Foundation is to provide help to Alabama Schools as they work with students who struggle in reading -

particularly those students with dyslexia.

Everybody works together! Problem solving process

Problem Solving Process To bring the problem solving process

“to life”, schools may need to:Replace their current BBSST process

with a Problem Solving Team (PST) process

There will be marked differences in the “new” PST process and the “old” BBSST process

These differences are necessary to meet current, Federal and State requirements.

Two important distinctions between

BBSST and PST processes

1.Interventions NOT Accommodations

2.Do NOT start the process over each year – continuous assistance

Interventions NOT Accommodations

The accommodations which have been recommended by the BBSST in the past will NOT meet the scientific, research-based intervention requirements included in current Federal and State laws and regulations.

The PST must recommend interventions and must not recommend accommodations!

Continuous Intervention Services

When students begin the intervention process (Tier II or Tier III), they will continue in that process until they have attained grade-level standards and skills or until they are referred to the next tier or level.

The work of the Problem Solving Team with a student may continue from one grade to the next based upon data analysis and intervention outcomes.

Problem Solving Team Details

Problem Solving Team Purpose

The PST will ensure that: (1) students receive interventions

matched to their identified needs (2) appropriate progress monitoring

tools are utilized to provide evidence of students’ response to intervention

(3) progress monitoring data are used to make timely instructional decisions which maximize student outcomes.

Number of Problem Solving Teams needed per school?

To be locally determined Important considerations

The number of PSTs needed per school will be determined by the number of students receiving interventions.

No PST should be expected to manage more students than can be responsibly and effectively reviewed and monitored.

Problem Solving Team Structure?

To be locally determined Some suggestions

Grade-level PSTsAcross grade level PSTs (K-2, 3-5, etc)Teacher team PSTsDepartmental PSTsOther

Good to involve as many school personnel as possible on teams.

Frequency and duration of Problem Solving Team meetings?

To be locally determined Important considerations

Each student’s data should be reviewed at least monthly

Progress reports to parents should be sent regularly

Generally, duration should not exceed one hour.

It may work well to meet weekly and to review ¼ of the students each week.

Possible Problem Solving Team Members?

Classroom teachers. Intervention teachers (Title teachers,

SPED, Paraprofessionals, etc). Instructional Coaches (Reading,

Literacy, Math, Graduation, etc). Special Education teachers. School Counselor Administrator (principal or assistant

principal).

Problem Solving Team Member Roles? Chairperson

Which students will be discussed and in what order

Notify members Secretary

Note decisions made and generate parent letters

Timekeeper Keep discussions on track and timely

Data personPresent and explain graphs

Problem Solving Team’s Work and Responsibilities

Ten important things PSTs need to ensure

1. Utilization of screening data

2. Provision of research-based tiers of instruction and intervention

3. Consistent decision making

4. Specific intervention selection

5. Intervention plan and goal setting

6. Progress monitoring tool selection

7. Progress monitoring schedule

8. Progress monitoring data review

9. Progress reports to parents

10. Transitions out of interventions

Screening Data

1. The PST ensures that academic and behavior screening data are gathered and utilized, as well as other important information to determine student needs for interventions and to verify the effectiveness of the school's Tier I instruction.

Screening to determine IF intervention is needed

For elementary students, ALL students should be screened at the beginning of school (also referred to as benchmark testing).

For secondary students, schools could:Screen all students (as in

elementary schools)screen all entering studentscomplete a records review and then

“screen” students below a designated level

Screening Tools A few of the peer-reviewed screening

tools AIMSWEB (reading, math, spelling,

written expression – behavior coming soon! pre K-12 * )

DIBELS (reading K-6)STEEP (reading and math K-12 *)STAR (early literacy, math, reading)

Independent, peer-review of screening and progress monitoring toolswww.rti4success.org

Instruction and Intervention Consistency

2. The PST ensures that tiers of scientific, research-based instruction and intervention are provided with fidelity.

Outcomes - 80%, 15%, 5% Principal’s walkthroughs grades K-3 Principal’s walkthrough grades 4-12

Decision Rules

3. The PST ensures that decisions to move students through the tiers are made with consistency based on the school system's established criteria.

Examples – Intervention will be considered if students achieve screening scores:

Below “arbitrary” percentile scores (25th, 10th, etc)

Which do not predict success on “high stakes tests”

Selecting appropriate interventions

4. The PST ensures that screening data and additional assessment data as needed are used in selecting specific interventions to meet individual student intervention needs.

One size does NOT fit all! Intervention Plan for each student needing

intervention

Appropriate progress monitoring tools

6. The PST will ensure that appropriate progress monitoring tools are selected to measure the student's response to the intervention.

Progress monitoring schedule

7. The PST ensures that student progress monitoring is conducted on a schedule specified by the school or school system (generally, progress should be monitored weekly).

Review of data

8. The PST reviews each student's accumulated progress monitoring data on a specified schedule (generally, each student should be reviewed monthly).

Sample progress graphs Student Intervention Documentation

Progress reports to parents

9. The PST ensures that parents of students receiving intervention are provided with regular data-based intervention progress reports.

Sample parent report

Success!

10. The PST ensures that, as students transition out of interventions as a result of academic or behavior gains, their progress continues to be monitored for a reasonable period (generally 12 weeks) to ensure a smooth transition into tiers of reduced instructional or behavioral support.

Administration and Supervision

PROBLEM SOLVING TEAM'S ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION

The principal has the responsibility to ensure and document that all PST procedures are implemented with fidelity.

The principal has the responsibility to ensure that all tiers of instruction and intervention are provided with fidelity. Maintaining all records of walkthroughs

and observations is one of the methods which should be utilized by the principal in documenting the fidelity of instruction and intervention implementation.

SYSTEM-LEVEL COORDINATION

LEA Problem Solving Team Facilitator

Ensure the fidelity of the PST process. Ensure consistent documentation of

the work of all PSTs across the LEA.

THANK YOU!

[email protected]@alsde.edu