RtI Module 2: What is Response to
Intervention (RtI)? The Academic and
Behavior Systems.
Poudre School District
Student Success Coaches
2009
Purpose of Training Modules

To support and assist schools in implementing this
process.

To address all components of this process in a step by
step format.

To encourage a shared and consistent framework
across the district

To allow for individualized needs and pacing for
training
After today…

Understand the importance of the
Academic and Behavior systems in
Response to Intervention

Identify the components of the Grade
Level/Content PLC, the Academic and
the Behavior System of RtI

Understand how the systems work
together
RtI is…
a systems approach for establishing the
behavior and academic supports needed
for a school to be an effective learning
environment for all students.
Why Systems?

Effective practices produce effective
outcomes only within effective systems.

We have invested in defining effective
practices but not in defining the systems
needed for these practices to produce
effective outcomes.
RtI Systems
1.
Grade Level/Content Area Professional
Learning Community (PLC)
2.
Academic System
3.
Behavior System
4.
Student Success Team (Problem Solving
Team)
4 RtI Systems:
Professional Learning Communities

The three big ideas of a professional learning
community are:
Learning
Collaboration
Results

Professional Learning Communities make up
the systems of Response to Intervention





Grade level PLC
Academic PLC
Behavioral PLC
Student Success PLC
Others?
What is the PLC Grade
Level/Content Level System?

The Grade level/Content PLC focus on
answering the four questions:
What do we want students to know?
 How will we know if they know it?
 What will we do if they don’t know it?
 What will we do if they already know it?

Who are the members of your grade level/content
area PLC?
Members of the Grade level/Content
PLC

Should be teachers and/or support staff

Will meet on a regular basis

Will focus on universal (tier 1) and targeted
(tier 2) instruction and intervention
What is the work of the Grade
Level/Content Level PLC?

Analyze data to determine effectiveness
of universal academic and behavior
instruction.

Differentiate to address academic and/or
behavioral needs.

Monitor students through common
formative assessments based on
essential learnings.
Grade level/Content level PLCs
continued…
Progress monitor students below
benchmark.
 Utilize research-based academic and/or
behavioral strategies and interventions
 Implement the problem solving process
at the PLC level.
 Engage in collective inquiry
 Use data to drive instruction
 Establish and maintain communication
with parents.

Academic System
Students who fail within our education system face
severe and sobering consequences. Children who are
not reading at grade level by age 9 are 10 times more
likely to drop out of school. Dropouts earn on average
$12, 000 per year. 70% of all prison inmates are
functionally illiterate. This number rises above 80% in
the juvenile system.
What is the Academic System
(PLC)?

A team of dedicated teachers,
administrators, and support staff who
work to create a shared understanding of
Response to Intervention in regards to
academics.

Leading the rest of the staff in the multiyear journey.
Members of the Academic System
It is not necessary to create a new
“team” or work group.
This could be led by your school
Leadership Team, RtI team or, School
Improvement Team
What are the responsibilities of the
Academic System PLC?

Analyze and utilize school-wide data to
create a shared understanding of schoolwide goals (School Improvement Plan).

Design tiered intervention with clear
criteria for entering and exiting the
intervention.

Determine effectiveness of intervention
based on data.
What are the responsibilities of the
Academic System PLC?

Determine system needs including:
professional development, time,
resources, etc.

Develop a process for informing parents
and community on the RtI academic
framework and Student Success
Process with district guidance.

Support staff in their evolving
understanding of the 3 Big Ideas of a
PLC.
Behavior System
Problem behavior continues to be the
primary reason why individuals in our
society are excluded from school, home,
recreation, community, and work.
What is the Behavioral System?

A team of dedicated teachers,
administrators, and support staff who
work to create a shared understanding of
Response to Intervention in regards to
behavior.

Leading the rest of the staff in the multiyear journey.
Members of the Behavior System
It is not necessary to create a new
“team” or work group.
This could be led by your Positive
Behavior Support Team, or staff
knowledgeable in behavior support
What are the Responsibilities of the
Behavioral System?

Lead the school community in establishing
clear, common behavioral expectations.

Analyze and utilize school-wide data to help in
the development of the School Improvement
Plan.

Design tiered intervention with clear criteria for
entering and exiting the intervention.

Determine effectiveness of intervention based
on data.
What are the Responsibilities of the
Behavioral System?

Determine system needs including:
professional development, time,
resources, etc.

Develop a process for informing parents
and community on the RtI behavior
framework and Student Success Process
with district guidance.

Support staff in their evolving
understanding of the 3 Big Ideas of a
PLC.
Don’t forget about…
Developing a process to ensure that all staff monitor
student behavior and respond to problem behavior
consistently.
1. A system to document repeated minor and
all major problem behaviors in all school
settings.
2. A system to teach and reteach and practice
behaviors as needed.
3. A system of classroom interventions for minor
misbehaviors.
4. A system of responses to repeated major problem
behavior.
Cultural Shift
We must also address the culture of our
schools.
 All staff members demonstrate a collective
responsibility to help all student learn.
 Some students need more time and support
to ensure learning.
Targeted Instruction + Time = Learning
Variable
Variable
Constant
Learning CPR
“To successfully help learners at risk, we must apply the
same characteristics of our emergency response
procedures to our instructional intervention program. In
other words, we must provide our student at risk with
“Learning CPR,” which is:






Urgent
Directive
Timely
Targeted
Administered by a trained professional
Systematic
-Buffam, Mattos, & Weber, 2009
Questions to Ponder…
Where is
Think
your school
about
in this
where
process of
you’d like
building
to go…
strong
academic
and
behavior
Solo Reflection:
systems?
What are the strengths of your Academic and Behavior
System?
What are the needs of each system?
Team Effort for Next Steps:
Brainstorm possible next steps and hang in room
12 minutes
Success
 Our
success lies in our unwavering
commitment to the best interest of students’
academic and behavior achievement.
 What
we do in the name of RtI is not about a
model, a brand, or a manual. It is about the
thoughtful construction of effective places to
live, learn, work, and play.
“It is a multiyear journey of
discovery that can shape the
strengths of your school system
into an explosion of student
success!”
(Howell, Patton, and Deiotte, 2008)
Resources
Books:

Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2009). Pyramid response to
intervention.
Bloomington: Solution Tree.

DuFour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek, G. (2004).
Whatever it takes; How professional learning communities
respond when kids don't learn. Bloomington: Solution Tree.

DuFour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2006) Learning by
doing; A handbook for professional learning communities at work.
Bloomington: Solution Tree.
Resources
Websites:
 Colorado Department of Education: Response to intervention
(Resources and Tools)
http://www.cde.state.co.us/rti/ToolsResourcesRtI.htm (State RtI
guide, videos, etc.)

Florida Center for Reading Research:
http://www.fcrr.org/forTeachers.htm (Reading center activities by
grade level and by the 5 components of reading – all templates
and materials can be downloaded)

Florida Center for Reading Research:
www.fcrr.org/fcrrreports/LReports.aspx (analysis of various
universal reading programs, as well as targeted and intensive
intervention programs)

Intervention Central: www.interventioncentral.org (many
academic and behavior intervention strategies)
Resources
Websites continued…

National Center on Student Progress Monitoring:
www.studentprogress.org (info on progress monitoring, plus an
analysis of progress monitoring tools)

National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports, www.pbis.org (info and research on
Positive Behavior Supports)

Oregon Reading First Center:
http://oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu/inst_curr_review_si.html
(analysis of intervention programs)

PSD Blackboard: Literacy Resource Guide (RtI & Literacy tab,
Interventions Tier 1 and Tier 2)
Resources
Websites continued…

RtI Action Network: www.rtinetwork.org (great source of RtI info)

What Works Clearinghouse (US Department of Education):
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/ (analysis on various intervention
programs)
*There is much more information on the websites than
what is listed in the parenthesis.
Contact a coach!
Patti Atkins
Amy Galicia
Tom Tonoli
Evelyn Jacobi
Paula Perrill
Beth Shefcyk
Jenn Sheldon