This document provides an overview of Response to Intervention (RtI) for educators. RtI is a framework that uses data-driven instruction, collaboration between teachers, and increasing levels of support for students who are struggling. It has multiple tiers, with Tier 1 being core instruction for all students, Tier 2 being supplemental interventions for students needing more support, and Tier 3 involving intensive interventions. The goal is to help all students succeed through high-quality teaching, interventions matched to student needs, progress monitoring, and problem-solving collaboration between educators.

1. RtI: An Overview for Educators District 112 RtI Design Team & Steering Committee

2. What is Response to Intervention? A focus on results: RtI is a framework for enhancing instruction for all students through the use of district, local, and state assessment data to provide instructional support for all students.

3. What is Response to Intervention? A focus on collaboration: Teacher teams collaboratively planning instruction for groups of students based on their needs.

4. What is Response to Intervention? A Focus on learning: Adjusting instruction and providing increasing levels of support to students when they are not learning.

5. What is Response to Intervention? A required procedural element for the identification of students with learning disabilities.

6. RtI is a Central Part of District 112’s Strategic Plan Strategy #2 “ We will ensure our educators have the support necessary to utilize effective instructional strategies and interventions to inspire each student to grow to academic excellence.” Plan 1: Educate staff on the purpose, basic components, and essential procedures of Response to Intervention. Plan 2: Establish a system to effectively and consistently implement RtI across all schools.

7. What Does RtI mean? RtI systems are based upon levels of support called “Tiers.” The t i ers build upon one other; each providing a more intensive level of support.

8. What does Tier 1 look like? Tier 1 is . . . High quality General Education CORE instruction. For ALL students. At least 85% of students meet learning targets with just Tier 1 instruction.

9. Tier 1: A Focus on Learning “CORE INSTRUCTION” Research-Based Instruction Frequent Data Collection Well-Managed Classrooms Coordinated Across the Grade/Department Level Instructional Block Times Differentiated and highly engaging instruction

10. Tier 1: A Focus on Results Universal Screenings MAP grades 3-8 AIMSWeb grades K-8 Local Assessments Frequent common formative assessments to inform instruction. Benchmark Assessments How do we know students are learning?

11. Tier 1: A focus on collaboration Grade Level Groupings Student groups by skill level across grade level. Assessment-based. Student group with highest needs is usually the smallest. Differentiation Small groups in class. Strategic homework assignments/extra practice. Preteaching and reteaching. Simple, go-to interventions.

12. Tier 1: A Focus on Collaboration Critical questions before moving to Tier 2: Has this student’s core curriculum been implemented with fidelity ? Does the data indicate that this student is discrepant from his/her peers (universal screening and classroom assessments)? What differentiation and interventions have occurred at Tier One that have been unsuccessful?

13. Tier 2: How do we respond when students do not learn? Tier 2 is additional , supplemental interventions for students who need more support than is available through Tier 1 with adjustments. The CORE plus MORE! About 10% of students may need Tier 1 and 2 to be successful. Occurs in addition to Core. Lasts 8-12 weeks per cycle. Small groups. Systematic instructional programs. Frequent progress monitoring.

14. Tier 2: Structures to Support Learning Planned small groups/systems level support through: Intervention Blocks in Elementary Schools Extension Blocks/Academic Enrichment in Middle Schools.

15. Tier 1 and Tier 2: A Focus on Collaboration Questions before moving to Tier 3: Has this student’s core curriculum and Tier 2 interventions been implemented with fidelity ? Does the data indicate that this student is significantly discrepant from his/her peers? Does the student continue to learn more slowly than expected despite Tier 2 interventions that have been closely monitored and adjusted ?

16. Tier 3: How do we respond when students do not learn? Tier 3 includes intensive interventions. The teaching team implements intensive small-group or one-to-one interventions to meet the needs of students who need more support than they are receiving through Tier 1 and Tier 2 together.

17. Summing up, RtI includes: High quality, research-based instructional and behavior supports in General Education. Teacher team collaboration to provide flexible, differentiated instruction to all students. School-wide screening to determine which students need closer monitoring or additional interventions. Multiple tiers of increasingly intense, research-based interventions matched to the needs of student(s). Use of collaborative problem solving to develop, implement, and monitor interventions.

18. Summing up, RtI includes: Continuous monitoring of student progress to determine if instruction/interventions are effective in meeting the needs of student(s). Follow-up to ensure that the instruction/interventions were implemented as planned. Active parent involvement throughout the process of pursuing solutions that lead to increased success. The RtI process can be used to help determine if a child has a disability while supporting his/her academic and behavior progress.