RTI Essential Components Integrity Worksheet
EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE EVIDENCE
Item
Interview Questions
Possible Evidence
Some interviewees for the district/building should be
able to discuss in detail the following evidence:
Screening—The RTI system accurately identifies students at risk of poor learning outcomes or challenging behaviors.
Screening Tools
What tools do you use for screening?
Do you have evidence supporting the reliability
of your screening tools?
Do you have evidence supporting the validity
of your screening tools?
Do you know whether these screening tools
accurately predict students’ risk status?
Universal Screening
Do you conduct screening for all students?
How often is screening conducted?
What procedures do you use to ensure
implementation accuracy (i.e. universal,
accurate administration, scoring, and accurate
use of cut points to identify students)?
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Interview Questions
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Technical manuals
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Data from the publisher of the assessment
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Information from the National Center on Response to
Intervention (NCRTI) Screening Tools Chart
http://www.rti4success.org/screeningTools
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In some cases, tools may have evidence of
appropriateness for sub-populations (e.g. ELLs). In
many cases, they do not.
Sample administration scripts
Sample data
Description of training and/or procedures for checking or
retraining as needed – for administration, scoring and data
entry.
Possible Evidence
Multi-Level Prevention/Intervention System—The Framework includes a school-wide, multi-level system for preventing school
failure.
Primary Level Prevention/Core Curriculum
Research-Based Curriculum
Materials
What curriculum materials do you use in your
core program?
How do you know whether these materials are
research-based for your population of
learners?
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Identification of core program materials
Evidence that core materials support state standards
Evidence of appropriateness for sub-populations (e.g. ELLs)
Evidence that instructional components align with researchbased recommendations, even if the program has not been
evaluated.
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Information to support research/evidence base from relevant
sources, such as:
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National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI)
Instructional Intervention Tools Chart
http://www.rti4success.org/instructionTools
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What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
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Fidelity
How do you ensure that your curriculum
materials are delivered with fidelity?
What procedures do you use to monitor the
fidelity of implementation of your core
curriculum?
Articulation of Teaching and
Learning
How is instruction/curriculum aligned from one
grade to another?
How do you ensure that teaching and learning
is aligned within grade levels so that students
have similar experiences, regardless of their
assigned teacher?
IES Practice Guides
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
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Fidelity checklists
Observation protocols
Walkthrough protocols
Processes for training/re-training, including new staff and
paraeducators.
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Identification of process for content alignment within grade
levels and between grade levels
Curriculum maps
Identification of scope and sequence
Alignment with state standards
Collaboration time (within and across grade levels) that is
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regularly scheduled
Instruction
What ways do teachers in your building
differentiate instruction?
What information do teachers use to determine
the needs of students for the purpose of
differentiation?
School-Based Professional
Development
Please describe the structure for professional
development in your school.
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Sources of data used to identify student needs (e.g.
screening data, weighted composite score, MSP,
benchmarking assessments, progress monitoring data,
informal observations)
Differentiation of instruction within core - examples?
Grouping strategies within core instruction
Identification of meeting times
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Annual school improvement plan
District improvement plan
Information about attendance at professional development
(e.g. frequency of PD, percentage of teachers that
participate)
Prioritization of PD topics/initiatives so that they are aligned
with the school or district’s primary goals
PD topics identified based on data (student success, fidelity,
etc)
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Item
Interview Questions
Possible Evidence
Secondary (Strategic) Prevention
Evidence-Based Intervention
What intervention materials do you use in
secondary prevention?
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How do you know if these materials are
evidence-based?
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Clearly articulated set of standard protocol interventions
Student progress monitoring data showing evidence of
effectiveness
Information to support evidence base from relevant sources,
such as:

National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI)
Instructional Intervention Tools Chart
http://www.rti4success.org/instructionTools
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What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
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IES Practice Guides
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
Complements Core Instruction
Fidelity
In what ways do secondary intervention
materials align or support foundational skills
relevant to core instruction?
What evidence do you have that secondary
interventions are implemented with fidelity
(according to the standard protocol)?
What procedures do you use to monitor
fidelity?
Instruction
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Illustration of how strategic instruction is matched to student
needs
Documentation that shows alignment with core instruction
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Fidelity checklists
Observation protocols
Walkthrough protocols
Processes for training/re-training
Regularly scheduled debrief time for reviewing fidelity
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Sample schedules
Group rosters
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Meeting protocols & schedule
Standard decision rules for data meetings
Criteria for movement in and out of groups
Procedural manuals
Progress monitoring tools with evidence of reliability and
validity
Who delivers secondary interventions?
How is staff trained to deliver interventions?
What is the typical group size for secondary
interventions?
Determining Responsiveness
to Secondary Level Prevention
What data are used to decide whether or not a
student is responding to intervention?
What procedures are in place to help support
the team in making these decisions accurately
and consistently?
Addition to Primary
Are the secondary level interventions always
implemented as a supplement to the core
curriculum?
Item
If no, please explain.
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Interview Questions
Possible Evidence
Sample schedule or master schedule for the school
Tertiary (Intensive) Prevention
Evidence-Based Intervention
Describe the interventions used at the tertiary
level?
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What information do you have to indicate that
interventions are supported by evidence (i.e.
that interventions are either an evidencebased standard treatment protocol, or based
on validated progress monitoring methods for
individualizing instruction)?
In what way are your tertiary interventions
more intensive than secondary interventions?
Fidelity
What evidence do you have that tertiary
interventions are implemented with fidelity
(according to the standard protocol)?
What procedures do you use to monitor
fidelity?
Instruction
Who delivers tertiary interventions?
How is staff trained to deliver these
interventions?
Clearly articulated set of standard protocol interventions
Problem-solving process protocols for non-responders
Information to support evidence base from relevant sources,
such as:

National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI)
Instructional Intervention Tools Chart
http://www.rti4success.org/instructionTools
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What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
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IES Practice Guides
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
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Student progress monitoring data showing evidence of
effectiveness
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Fidelity checklists
Observation protocols
Walkthrough protocols
Processes for training/re-training
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Sample schedules
Group rosters
What is the typical group size for tertiary
interventions?
Determining Responsiveness
to Tertiary Level Prevention
What data are used to decide whether or not a
student is responding to tertiary
intervention/prevention?
What procedures are in place to help support
the team in making these decisions accurately
and consistently?
Relationship to Primary
How are decisions regarding student
participation in both primary and tertiary levels
of prevention determined?
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Meeting protocols
Standard decision rules for data meetings
Criteria for movement in and out of groups
Procedural manuals
Progress monitoring tools that have evidence of reliability
and validity
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Sample schedule
Decision-making protocols or considerations
In what ways do tertiary level interventions
address the general education curriculum in an
appropriate manner for students?
Item
Interview Questions
Possible Evidence
Progress Monitoring—Ongoing and frequent monitoring of progress that quantifies rates of improvement and informs
instructional practice and the development of individualized programs.
Progress Monitoring Tools
What tools do you use to monitor student
progress?
Are alternate forms (of equal and controlled
difficulty) available? If so, do you know how
many?
Are there criteria for minimum acceptable
growth?
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Technical manual from the publisher, and the ability to
interpret this information
Sample probes
Information from the National Center on Response to
Intervention (NCRTI) Progress Monitoring Tools Chart
http://www.rti4success.org/progressMonitoringTools
Information from the National Center on Response to
Intervention (NCRTI) Progress Monitoring Mastery
Measures Chart
http://www.rti4success.org/progressMonitoringMasteryTools
Are there benchmarks for minimum acceptable
end-of-year performance?
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Evidence of appropriateness for sub-populations (e.g.
ELLs), if available
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Sample administration scripts
Sample data
Description of training and/or procedures for checking or
retraining as needed
Criteria for minimum growth and benchmarks, if available
(Many publishers do not provide recommended criteria for
minimum growth.)
Are there reliability data available for
performance level?
Monitoring Progress
How often are students at the primary level
progress monitored?
How often are students at the secondary level
progress monitored?
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How often are students at the tertiary level
progress monitored?
Describe the process used to administer
progress monitoring assessments.
How do you ensure that progress monitoring
probes are administered using a standard
procedure?
Item
Interview Questions
Possible Evidence
Data-Based Decision Making—Data-based decision making processed are used to inform instruction, movement within the multi-level
system, and disability identification (in accordance with state law).
Decision-Making Process
What process do you use to make decisions
about placement of students in secondary or
tertiary intervention/prevention levels?
Who participates in this decision-making
process?
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Are there procedures in place that include
objective decision-making criteria to support
teams in making placement or movement
determinations?
Meeting protocol(s)
Composition of decision-making team(s)
Sample of reviewed data
Identification of desired cut-points or growth rates for
determining movement and/or response to instruction
Entry and exit criteria for interventions
Item
Interview Questions
Possible Evidence
Overarching Factors—Factors that relate to the entire RTI system.
Prevention Focus
Do you believe your staff views the purpose of
RTI:
1) As primarily to prevent students from
having academic and/or behavioral
problems?
OR
2)
Leadership
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Description of relevant professional development
Referral data
Data from staff survey (if available)
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Annual school improvement plan
District improvement plan
Time for planning
Funds budgeted for training/PD
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Sample materials
Information from school handbook
Description of relevant professional development
Documented evidence of appropriateness for subpopulations for assessments, instruction, and interventions
(e.g. ELLs) Availability of this information may vary.
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Description of the parent communication process
Parent brochures
Sample letters home
Progress reports
Conference information
As primarily a means for special
education identification?
How do leaders/administrators perceive and
support RTI at the school level?
How do leaders/administrators perceive and
support RTI at the district level?
Culturally and Linguistically
Responsive
What efforts are made to ensure that
instruction, interventions, and assessment
account for issues of diversity (e.g., cultural,
linguistic, or socioeconomic factors) present in
your school?
Communication with Parents
Is there information available to
parents/guardians describing the school’s (or
district’s) essential components of RTI?
How are parents/guardians updated regarding
progress if their students are receiving
secondary or tertiary interventions?
How do you involve parents in the decisionmaking process?
Other
How are RTI data used in your special
education eligibility process?
Is there anything else you would like for us to
know?
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Meeting protocol(s)
Policies/procedures in place