Intervention (RTI)

A multi-tiered delivery system that uses a data-driven problem-solving model to identify specific student needs and match appropriate instructional strategies.

In Tennessee, the Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) Framework is a component of TNCORE. The TNCORE implementation plan has three legs with student achievement at the center:

• Assessment alignment and transparency
• Instructional materials and curriculum
• Quality training and meaningful support

The RTI² Framework has three tiers. Each tier provides differing levels of support.

• In Tier l, all students receive research-based, high quality, general education instruction that incorporates ongoing universal screening and ongoing assessment to inform instruction.
• In Tier ll, intervention is implemented when assessment indicates that a student is not making adequate gains from Tier I instruction alone. In addition to Tier I instruction, students are provided small group interventions designed to meet their specific needs. These students are progress monitored weekly or every other week using a tool that is sensitive to measuring changes in the student’s individual skills.
• In Tier III, more intensive interventions are provided to students who have not made significant progress in Tier II, who are more than 1.5 grade levels behind, or who are below the 10^th percentile. These students are progress monitored weekly or every other week using a tool that is sensitive to measuring changes in the student’s individual skills.

A key component of RTI² is that all children receive high quality curriculum and instruction in the general education classroom (Tier l).

Another component of RTI² is that the school conducts universal screenings. Universal screenings review the performance and progress of all students through brief assessments. Universal screenings help schools identify students who may need more support or other types of instruction. As a result of universal screenings, students may be identified as needing targeted intervention (Tier ll) in addition to the high quality instruction they are receiving in Tier l. Research based interventions are used to support students in the area(s) in which they are struggling. Research based interventions are teaching strategies or methods that have been proven effective in helping children learn.

Another key component of RTI² is progress monitoring. Progress monitoring is a way for teachers to take a snapshot of how children are doing on a specific skill. It shows how well the intervention is working. It includes formal and informal assessments. Progress monitoring helps determine whether an intervention is successful or needs to be changed. This information is shared with parents on a regular basis.

When progress monitoring indicates that the intervention is no longer needed, the child continues to receive support from the general education curriculum (Tier I). When progress monitoring shows that a child is not responding to the intervention, another approach or intervention may be tried. If a higher level of support is needed, students may be given a more intense intervention that further focuses on the supporting skills they need to be successful learners (Tier lll). Students who do not respond to Tier III interventions may be referred for special education.

If at any time parents become concerned that their child needs special education, they should contact their child’s teacher or administrator. Other forms of evaluation, in addition to information gathered through the RTI² framework, are needed to determine if a student is eligible for special education services. In order for these evaluations to be conducted, a parent’s written consent is required.

In Tier I, all students receive whole group, research-based, high quality instruction in the general education classroom with their classroom teacher.

In Tier II, intervention is implemented when benchmark assessment indicates that a student is not making adequate gains from Tier I instruction alone. In addition to Tier I instruction, students are provided small group intervention, with their classroom teacher, designed to meet their specific needs. These students are progress monitored every other week using a tool that is sensitive to measuring changes in the student’s individual skills.

In Tier III, more intensive interventions are provided to students who have not made significant progress in Tier II, who are more than 1.5 grade levels behind, or who are below the 10^th percentile. This occurs in addition to Tier I instruction. These students are progress monitored every other week using a tool that is sensitive to measuring changes in the student’s individual skills.

Tribe time is the allotted time in the schedule where Tier II and Tier III interventions are provided.

Benchmark assessments are given three times a year—fall, winter, and spring to all students in grades K-8 to determine their reading and math levels. The benchmark assessments are given using a Universal Screening tool that is skills-based and provides national norms.

When additional instruction is being provided (Tier 2 or Tier 3), the effectiveness of the instructional intervention should be monitored to ensure that it is helping the student reach a goal. This is accomplished through frequent administration of probes that have a similar format of the ones used in the universal screening. In other words, progress monitoring is a data-based method of carefully tracking the student’s growth to provide the intervention that will put him or her on a path to success.