BAKER COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
Response to Intervention/
Student Support Teams
Parent Packet
May 12, 2014
BAKER COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
A PARENT’S GUIDE TO
RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION (RTI)
What is “Response to Intervention” or RtI?
RtI is a federal and state initiative intended to meet a wide range of individual student needs
through regular education services. The regular classroom teacher and other personnel (other
classroom teachers and educational specialists) can help meet the needs of individual students.
The goal of RtI is to provide students with the help they need to be successful as early as
possible in their school career.
RTI can be used in any content area. It is used most often in reading or math. It is also used to
improve student behavior. In schools that use RTI,
1. Classroom teacher provide effective instruction to all students.
2. Teachers assess all students several times a year. This helps make sure students are
working on grade level.
3. Teachers identify at-risk students.
4. Teachers use information about what at-risk students need to learn to plan lessons that
meet students’ needs.
5. At-risk students receive intervention.
6. Teachers check at-risk students’ progress often. Students who catch up no longer need
intervention.
What are the Tiers of Intervention?
The Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions is the process of aligning
appropriate assessment with purposeful instruction for all students. In Georgia, Response to
Intervention is based in the general education classroom where teachers routinely implement a
strong and rigorous standards-based learning environment. The tiered approach to providing
layers of intervention for students needing support requires a school-wide common
understanding of the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS), assessment
practices, and instructional pedagogy.
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Georgia’s RTI process includes several key components:
 A 4-Tier delivery model designed to provide support matched to student needs through
the implementation of standards-based classrooms.
 Evidence-based instruction as the core of classroom pedagogy.
 Evidence-based interventions utilized with increasing levels of intensity based on
progress monitoring.
 The use of a variety of ongoing assessment data to determine which students are not
meeting success academically and/or behaviorally.
 Data teams in each school serve as the driving force for instructional decision making in
the building.
 Purposeful allocation of instructional resources based on student assessment data.
How does RtI work?
All students participate in general education learning. Students requiring interventions to meet
individual learning expectations will receive support through a systematic and purposeful
process. The number of students requiring interventions will decrease as the level of intensity
of the intervention increases.
Data teams identify students who may be in need of intervention or enrichment and place
students in instructional groups or interventions as appropriate to meet each one’s unique
needs. When a child begins to exhibit concerns affecting his/her school progress, the team of
educators will create an intervention plan in the classroom designed to improve the student’s
performance.
Based on current data, including assessment scores and classroom performance, students may
be placed by school personnel in an appropriate tiered intervention. If the child continues to
have difficulty, the teacher will meet with a team of other staff members to discuss the child’s
needs, consider other interventions, and outline a method to carefully monitor the child’s
progress. The child’s progress is measured over time. If he/she makes acceptable progress, the
interventions may be discontinued (if sufficient progress is made) or continued (if the team
feels the interventions are needed to help the student succeed). If the child continues to
struggle, then more intensive interventions may be tried.
Through screening, in-depth assessment, and progress monitoring, data collection becomes an
on-going part of a student’s educational experience, and this data is continuously used to make
educational decisions.
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What is the role of the Parent in RTI?
Parents have an important role throughout the RtI process. Teachers will communicate
concerns regarding their student and invite parent participation in telephone conversations
and/or team meetings regarding their child. Parents provide insight into a child’s learning and
development to understand the problem and why it occurs, plan and implement an
intervention plan, and measure and evaluate the plan’s effectiveness. Parents should contact
their child’s teacher with any concerns regarding academics or behavior.
Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions. We look forward
to working together to help your child succeed.
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Parent Strategies
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Let your children see YOU read and enjoy learning.
Have student read aloud to parent daily.
Provide student with a quiet place to complete homework.
Visit the library with your child.
Watch TV with your child and talk about what you see.
Limit TV watching by cutting down a little at a time; avoid leaving a TV set on all day.
Establish a routine for completing homework, chores, and bedtime.
Make up a story, with parent and child taking turns, one sentence at a time or take turns
beginning and finishing a story.
Read a book aloud with your child for 3 minutes; then move up to 5 minutes; then to 10,
and so on.
Set a time every day, even a few minutes, to talk to your child one-on-one about things
that happened that day.
Check your child’s homework assignment sheet each day.
Have your child keep all school items (e.g., pencils, paper, pencil sharpener) in one
place; this will teach the child how much easier life can be when we are organized and
plan ahead.
Encourage your child to join a group that does community service, sports, scouts, etc.
Give a practice test (e.g., say the spelling words while the child writes them down) and
correct the test together. Begin and give the most emphasis on the ones the child gets
correct. Then without judgment, practice the harder ones together.
Help your child set up a schedule of what he/she needs to do for a longer project or
homework assignment.
Talk to your child about their assignments. Ask your child:
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Do you understand what you’re supposed to do?
What do you need to do to finish the assignment?
Do you need help in understanding how to do your work?
Have you ever done any problems like the ones you’re supposed to do right now?
Do you have everything you need to do the assignment?
Does the answer make sense to you?
 Help your child study new words: LOOK at the word, SAY the word, THINK about the
word; Sounds like? Any related words? Is there a pattern? WRITE the word, and CHECK
the spelling.
 “Wallpaper” your home with words: Every other day identify a word that you find in
your reading or conversation; bring this word to the attention of your child; spell the
word and have them write it on a small sheet of paper; post it in his/her room; casually
refer to the word and expect your child to spell it verbally. START WITH SIMPLE WORDS;
GRADUATE TO HARDER ONES; REVIEW WORDS OFTEN.
 Have your child use their spelling words verbally in sentences and conversations at
home.
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 Ask your child to repeat at least five new words he/she hears on TV. You can help your
child spell the word, look up the definition, and try to use the word in a sentence.
 Ask your child to draw an object or picture of new words.
 Encourage your child to complete simple crossword puzzles. Help them if necessary.
 When you read with your child, ask: Who? Why? How? What if. . .?
 Encourage your child to read the newspaper, magazines, etc. Look for new words.
 Have your child read to you the warning labels on cans, bottles, and boxes in the home,
showing you they understand these warnings that may save their lives.
 Keep a “Home Vocabulary Scrapbook” for the school year; words that are new or
fascinating should be entered by your child in the scrapbook; definitions can be written;
let your child design the cover and decorate the inside.
 Encourage your child to read labels on soup cans, cereal boxes, cookies, bread, and
packages.
 Ask your child to draw an object or picture of new words.
 Tape-record your child reading aloud; play the tape back and pick out words your child
is not sure about or words he or she would like to learn more about.
 Sing with your child; children will memorize words and sing along with you; singing
expands vocabulary and increases word comprehension.
 When grocery shopping, have your child tell you the beginning sounds, number of
syllables, ending sounds, etc. of items that you purchase.
 Play word-rhyme games with your child; think of words that rhyme with certain words:
cat, ball, light, etc.
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BAKER COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
Response to
Intervention/Student Support
Teams
Teacher Packet
May 12, 2014
Checklist for Response to Intervention/Student Support Team
Tier I:
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Begin Tier I Student Intervention Plan from Teacher/Team
Minimum of 4-6 weeks of progress monitoring
Minimum of 4 data points or 4 assessments of academic progress
Progress monitoring chart and data
Either exit Tier I, Remain at Tier I, or progress to Tier II
If going to Tier II:
 Begin Tier II Student Intervention Plan from Teacher/Team
 Grade level team must be involved in the protocol process/data review
 Complete/Review Cumulative Record Review during meeting #1
 Complete/Review Student Intervention Plan at every meeting
 Send home Vision and Hearing Screening Permission form
 Send home Developmental History form for parent/guardian completion (or complete
by interview via phone or in person
 Set up a time to reconvene at least halfway to review progress monitoring and other
information
 Minimum of 4-6 weeks of progress monitoring
 Minimum of 4 data points or 4 assessments of academic progress
 Include progress monitoring chart and data
 Either return to Tier I, remain at Tier II, or progress to Tier III
If going to Tier III:
 Parent invitation to SST meeting sent by homeroom teacher
 Begin Tier III Student Intervention Plan from Teacher/Team
 SST must be involved in the problem-solving process
 Complete/Review Student Intervention Plan at every meeting
 Complete SST Meeting Summary at every meeting
 Determine date/time of next SST meeting at every meeting and record on Summary
form
 Minimum of 4-6 weeks of progress monitoring
 Minimum of 4 data points or 4 assessments of academic progress
 Include progress monitoring chart and data
 Either return to Tier II, remain at Tier III or consideration for evaluation needs to be
made
If consideration to Tier IV:
 SST must convene to review all data from Tiers I-III
 Either remain at Tier III; additional data is needed or
 Progress to Tier IV; complete referral and permission to evaluate forms and parental
rights given
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BAKER COUNTY SCHOOLS
Response to Intervention (RTI)/Student Support Team (SST) Procedures
Response to Intervention/Student Support Teams are required in an effort to support teachers
in developing alternatives to meet the needs of individual students. The Response to
Intervention/Student Support Team is a building-level committee consisting of three or more
persons established to identify and plan alternative instructional strategies for students who
experience learning or behavioral problems in the classroom. The RtI/SST may be comprised of
principals, assistant principals, classroom teachers, special education teachers, school
counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, the student and the student’s parents.
Parents/guardians shall be invited to participate in all SST meetings of their child. The SST is an
interdisciplinary group that uses a systematic process to address learning and/or behavior
problems of students. The principal’s designee, the RTI/SST Coordinator, is responsible for
supervising the RtI/SST process at his/her designated school.
The RtI/SST is a function of regular education, not special education. The goal of the RtI/SST is
to make certain that every effort is made to meet the student’s needs in the regular classroom
before any consideration is given to special education. School personnel and parents/guardians
may determine that there is a reasonable cause to bypass the SST process for an individual
student. Documentation in the student’s record shall clearly justify such immediate action,
including whether the parent or guardian agreed with such a decision. In cases where
immediate referral is sought, the RtI/SST shall still determine what interim strategies,
interventions, and modifications shall be attempted for the student.
It is important that the RTI/SST not be considered as the last alternative of help for a student.
On the contrary, assistance from the RtI/SST should be sought at the onset of a student’s
problem—when he/she begins to have consistent difficulties in the classroom. If a student
begins to have consistent difficulties in the regular classroom, the teacher should follow the
following steps:
1. The teacher should send an e-mail to the building level RtI/SST Coordinator who will in
turn reply stating that the e-mail was received.
2. The teacher should, using the RTI packet, devise a plan using the Student Intervention
Plan form, to address problem area(s).
a. All grade levels should dedicate a portion of their grade level meetings to the
RtI process and review concerns regarding academic, behavioral, social or
motivational progress of students. They should work together to determine
specific area of need and establish needed interventions. They should also
determine progress monitoring schedule and who will be responsible for
conducting probes at Tier II
b. Record all information using the Student Intervention Plan.
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3. A copy of the Student Intervention Plan should be given to the building level RTI/SST
Coordinator.
4. Document interventions on the Student Intervention Plan. Interventions must be
research- based or evidence-based. After the intervention period has taken place, the
teacher should report to grade level tier II peers to discuss the results of progress
monitoring and make further plans based on the results of that tier.
SST SPEECH/LANGUAGE REQUEST: This form is used when students are demonstrating
Speech/Language problems in the classroom.
SPECIAL EDUCATION INFORMATION REQUEST: Prior to the initial RtI meeting, the top
portion of this form should be completed and sent to the Special Education Director. Any
information regarding prior referral to special education, previous testing, etc. will be
completed and returned to the RTI/SST. This information may be helpful in determining
appropriate modifications/interventions for the student.
PARENT CONTACT: Contact with parents at the onset of a student’s problem is an important
component of the RtI/SST process. Whether the parents are informed of their child’s problem
through a parent/teacher conference, telephone call, or letter, documentation of any attempt
to help a student succeed in school is needed. The RtI process can be continued without
parental consent, although vision/hearing screening, further testing, etc. cannot be conducted
without parental consent. If parents do not agree with further testing, the teacher may still
request assistance from the RtI to monitor and make appropriate recommendations concerning
the student’s educational progress. It is a Georgia Board of Education Rule that
parents/guardians must be invited to every SST (Tier III) meeting.
VISION AND HEARING SCREENING: Difficulties with hearing and/or vision may have a
profound impact on a student’s learning. It is often beneficial to complete Vision and Hearing
Screening early in the RTI process; it MUST be completed during Tier II if not before. Parental
Consent is required for any screening. If the RtI requests educational screening, the student
must have passed vision and hearing screening within the previous year.
STUDENT Intervention Plan: This form is utilized to develop and document the actual RTI
plan of Tiers II and III/SST. The team should determine which academic or behavioral goals need
to be targeted by the plan. The team should consider all information available concerning the
student and then provide interventions to specifically address the academic and/or behavior
goal. The plan is a working document that the teacher will use to implement interventions and
document results. It includes a place for the Date(s) Implemented, Person(s) Responsible, and
the Results when a meeting is held. Interventions must be research-based, evidence-based, or
scientifically supported. NOTE: Interventions should be consistently attempted for at least four
weeks in order to determine effectiveness.
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SST Meeting Summary: The purpose of this form is to document the minutes of each SST
meeting. A student’s involvement in the SST may occur intermittently throughout his/her
schooling, with various problems being addressed. The next meeting date is included in the
Meeting Summary.
STUDENT EVALUATION: Before a referral is made for other supplemental or support
services an evaluation and/or assessment shall be conducted. Prior evaluation(s) and/or
assessment(s) of a student for a state or federal program shall be considered as having met this
requirement. See link below:
http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Student-SupportTeams/Documents/SST%20Rule_Eff%2010-5-00.pdf
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Focus on Process
Tier I: The Process
 When a teacher suspects a problem, he or she must obtain an appropriate score on a
general screening measure (typically either reading or math), or administer such a
measure to get a general picture of the child’s academic ability in comparison with other
children.
 When the screening score indicates an academic score in the bottom 20% to 25% of the
population or if the student is well below the class average using benchmark data, a Tier
I intervention must be initiated. Tier I interventions are undertaken in the general
education classroom and are the responsibility of the general education teacher.
 Tier I interventions may be implemented for the entire class or for a subgroup of
students within the class.
 Because Tier I interventions are a function of the general education classroom, these
interventions are available to all students. Tier I is good, differentiated instruction. Tier
I interventions do not require specific notification of parents, although teachers would
typically be expected to communicate with all parents regarding the general progress of
their children.
 Tier I interventions should result in a minimum of four data points or four assessments
of academic progress, which allow the teacher to determine how the student responded
to intervention a minimum of four times over a specified time period of 4 weeks
minimum.
 Keep records of what you are doing with the student using benchmark data as a
baseline and progress monitoring data points.
 Use the progress monitoring data measures of the student’s progress to guide you in
how the student is doing.
Tier II: The Process
 When Tier I interventions are deemed unsuccessful, the teachers should discuss the
student’s problem. Decide what ONE or TWO areas will make the most overall
improvement if remediation is successful and select an intensive remedial/instructional
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program that addresses his/her specific educational problems. Other teachers might be
involved to make a determination as to who should implement this intensive instruction
and how often (a team approach to problem solving is utilized).
 Tier II interventions that are undertaken in the general education classroom are either
the responsibility of the general education teacher or his/her co-teacher or inclusion
teacher.
 Notify parent/guardian that additional interventions are being implemented for the
student due to the student’s need in a particular area or areas. This can be
accomplished at a Parent/Teacher Conference or in a phone, email, or letter. Request
that the parent sign a vision/hearing screening permission form and complete the
developmental history form. Teacher/Team completes the Student Data Form with
information found in cumulative records.
 Tier II intervention(s) must be intensive, researched-based interventions involving a
teacher and a small group of students. Tier II should be provided for a minimum of two
days each week for 20 to 30 minutes in each session. They should be provided in
addition to Tier I instruction.
 During the Tier II instructional lesson, an instructional specialist, school administrator—
someone who is familiar with the program being used – should observe an intervention
session and/or review the intervention data to ensure fidelity and integrity of the
intervention process.
 Documention of student progress should be completed using benchmark data as a
baseline and progress monitoring data points.
 Tier II interventions should result in a minimum of four data points or four assessments
of academic progress over a period of at least 4 weeks that allow the teacher to
determine how the student responded to intervention. The intervention should involve
probes (brief assessments) at least twice a week. Chart the results using ChartDog,
graph paper, or another method.
Tier III/SST: The Process
 Tier III is the most intensive tier in the intervention process. It is also supplemental,
which means that you are expected to continue to educate the child in the core
curriculum with all the interventions that you provide to all your students. Tier II
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interventions may or may not continue, depending on the intervention team’s
determination. In other cases, the Tier III intervention is completely different from the
Tier II intervention. Your efforts to educate and document are not reduced in any
manner.
 Tier III must be provided at least three times per week for a minimum of 4-6 weeks.
Progress monitoring is done once weekly. The interventions must be scientifically-based
or evidence-based interventions.
 The RTI process does allow some flexibility to serve students based on their level of
need in a timely and efficient manner. There are emergency situations when a student
who is experiencing severe behavior and/or severe academic and/or cognitive delays
can be triaged directly into Tier III to receive more intensive assessments and
individualized intervention supports, even if they have not had adequate exposure to
Tier I and II. If the student’s behavior is severe enough to warrant immediate Tier III
services, the teacher will begin collecting baseline data on the problem. If the
student’s delays are severe enough to warrant immediate Tier III services, the teacher
will contact the SST Coordinator and begin collecting baseline data.
 If the child is not successful at Tier III, it does not mean automatic eligibility for special
education. The lack of success only means that at this time, the school suspects a
potential disability issue. At this point, the Student Support/Intervention Team will
convene to review all documentation from Tiers I-III and make a determination if
evaluation for special services is warranted.
 If it is determined that a comprehensive evaluation is necessary, the child then comes
under the protection of the procedural safeguards afforded under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act. The referral for evaluation is made, and the Special Education
procedures are implemented.
 In the event the data is found to lack documentation, efficacy or fidelity in the
implementation of the Tier I-III interventions, then the paperwork is returned back to
general education to remediate/complete the deficit areas. Only when the procedures
for Tiers I-III have been followed will the process proceed. IMPORTANT NOTE: RTI
INTERVENTIONS SHOULD CONTINUE DURING THE REFERRAL/EVALUATION PROCESS.
 Upon evaluation, if the child is not found eligible, then the child would remain the
general education teacher’s responsibility to educate. It will be the decision of the SST
as to what type of interventions should then be implemented and how often. Even if
found eligible for special education, the child’s instruction may be provided within the
general education environment.
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