Problem Solving
Team Process
Secondary Handbook
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Section 1: Overview of the Problem Solving Team Process
3. Section 2: Problem Solving Team Referral Form
4. Section 3: Request for Parent/Guardian Information Form
5. Section 4: Classroom Teacher Report
6. Section 5: Student Data Form
7. Section 6: Classroom Action Plan Form
Introduction:
Ongoing Problem Solving with Academic and Behavioral Concerns:
Assistance to all Students
Problem Solving is a way of examining all issues with all students, whether the concerns are
behavioral or academic. The focus of Problem Solving should be on developing meaningful,
measurable, and monitorable interventions for all students with needs, which are significantly
discrepant from their average peers.
Problem Solving essentially occurs on three levels. At the first level involves the teacher having a
concern about a student. The focus at the first level is on the teacher gathering data, which would
help define the student’s problem in a measurable, focused manner. This may involve: examining
available information from the school cumulative file, talking to parents, consulting with other
teachers, documenting any other interventions used with the student, under what conditions, and any
results, observing the student, permanent products (along with average peer comparisons), short
observations of the students behaviors as compared to peers, and the student’s performance on
assessments such as District Wide Assessments, end of the chapter/unit tests, DIBELS, Curriculum
Based Measurement reading, math, and written language probes, Individual Reading Inventories (if
available), any measurable products from Title One Reading (if appropriate). These are only a few
examples of measurable data.
Behavioral Data could consist of noting how many times over a given week is the student talking out
of turn, out of seat, using inappropriate language, fighting on the playground, is noncompliant with
teacher directions, etc. Observations over short (20-30) minutes could help provide this information
as well. Another adult such as the school psychologist could do the observations, with parent
consent.
***** It is important to keep in mind at this first level; being able to define the student’s
concern/problem is the key. The teachers need to be able to provide a BASELINE of what the
student is doing that is the main issue to focus on. For example if the student is having difficulties
learning to read, how so? Is the student significantly lower than average peers’ oral reading fluency?
Or, is the student a good oral reader but unable to adequately complete assignments, and performs
lower than peers on classroom and district wide assessments? Two different reading concerns, which
would require different means of examining the available data and defining the problem in a
measurable way.
This is why the data a teacher gathers is so important. Often as educators we all have good
intentions, but these intentions get lost if we cannot figure out as a team what it is we should all be
focusing on with a student. In order to get to this point a teacher needs to bring enough quality data
to a Problem Solving meeting so everyone involved understands the student’s problem/concern. This
level of “enough quality data” is the BASELINE.
It is important educators understand the differences between an Intervention, Accommodations, and
Modifications.
An Intervention involves teaching a new skill or strategy to a student on a short-term basis,
monitoring frequently, with data collected to see if the intervention is successful. For example, if the
student was having difficulty understanding simple math functions as compared to the average peers
in the class, the teacher may, after gathering Baseline data, teach the student Touch Math, and then
monitor the student’s progress over the next several weeks. If the student is not improving after a
couple of weeks the teacher could change the strategy but still keep the focus or goal on increasing
the student’s skills in completing simple addition and subtraction facts. If the student starts out with
a Baseline of 6 addition facts in two minutes, and 2 subtraction facts in two minutes, and peer
averages for the class is 15 addition facts and 12 subtraction facts in two minutes, a goal for an
Intervention Plan could be as simple as “In six weeks, Johnny will solve simple addition problems at
a rate of 10 problems correct in two minutes”.
Accommodations involve making adaptations based on the student’s needs. For example, if the
student is highly distractible and it is difficult for the student to focus during a test or a content area
reading time, a study carrel in the general education setting would be an Accommodation. Reading
tests to students with reading comprehension needs, and allowing a student to dictate written
assignments are other classic examples of Accommodations.
Modifications are simply adjustments in the curriculum, made for individual students based on the
individual’s strengths and weaknesses as a learner as compared to the average of the class.
Modifications allow students to participate in their Least Restrictive Environment. How are
modifications different than Accommodations? For instance, the above example of allowing tests to
be read aloud to a student with reading comprehension needs is an Accommodation because the
student’s ability to read and understand information is within at least the average range of the class if
he/she is given the Accommodation of having the test read to him/her.
A Modification on the otherhand, involves modifying assignments for those students who
demonstrate significant discrepancies (as compared to average classroom peers) in a skill area. For
example, a student with significant skill discrepancies in written language may be allowed to write a
one-sentence response rather than a paragraph, on a daily assignment. If the disability is in reading,
using materials at the student’s Instructional reading level may help the student participate in Science
and Social Studies classes within the General Education setting. Teamwork between both General
and Special education teachers is a must. Students with disabilities have a legal and ethical right to
accommodations and modifications. The main idea is to examine as a team of educators what are the
main concepts the student needs to learn in Social Studies, for example? What are the standards to be
met? Meeting the standards does not necessarily mean the student must use the same textbook, write
the same reports, and complete the assignments as everyone else. If the student has a disability,
which entitles him/her eligible to receive Special Education assistance in the area of need, or if a
student has a disability that falls under Section 504, Accommodations and Modifications in the
General Education setting are guaranteed to these students by law.
Section 1: Overview of the Problem Solving Team Process
Problems Solving Teams:
 Are a function of regular education.
 Use a systematic problem solving approach to assist students who are not progressing at a
satisfactory rate.
 Clarify problems and concerns.
 Develop strategies and organize resources.
 Provide a system for accountability.
Purpose: The problem solving team intervention model attempts to implement interventions before
an initial referral is made to try to modify either the classroom setting or the child’s behaviors, or in
some cases both. It includes setting a performance goal, selecting an intervention, monitoring student
progress, and evaluating outcomes. The problem solving team model also provides educators with
additional information about the child’s learning style, learning environment and classroom behaviors
(Bahr & Kovaleski, 2006).
The purpose of the Problem Solving Team process is to:
 Assist students who are not experiencing success in the classroom.
 Promote divergent thinking and problem-solving.
 Find solutions for children that are least restrictive.
 Provide support to teachers dealing with hard-to-teach students.
The steps in the process are provided on the next page.
PST Process for RtI Implementation
New London Secondary Schools
1. Teacher/counselor/administrator with a concern completes Problem Solving Team Referral Form
documenting area(s) of concern, interventions used within the classroom/school setting and the results
of those interventions, and a desired outcome for the student stated as a measurable goal. This form is
to be completed on students needing a specific intervention plan to address academic or behavior
concerns.
2. Completed referral form is turned into guidance/administration to be processed at the next scheduled
PST meeting. As appropriate, the referring teacher will be invited to join the PST meeting.
3. Prior to the PST meeting:
a. Parent/Guardian will be informed of the referral concerns and the date and method of
communication is documented on the referral form. Parent/Guardian planning information is
collected using the Request for Parent/Guardian Information form which is either sent home
and returned or completed during the phone conversation with the referring individual.
b. A request for additional information on academics/behaviors will be requested from other staff
working with the student using the Classroom Teacher Report.
c. Additional information from the student’s progress and behavioral file is gathered by school
counselor/school psychologist using the Student Data Form.
4. Referral concerns are discussed at the PST meeting and either:
a. An action plan for a specific class is written using the Classroom Action Plan Form; or
b. If there is not sufficient information, additional information is gathered and a separate meeting
is scheduled.
5. Parent/Guardian, student, and staff working with the student are informed of action plan and copies of
the plan are distributed to all involved. Assistance on gathering materials, training on implementation
and progress monitoring, and additional support will be provided by a member of the Problem Solving
Team.
6. Action plan is implemented and progress collected.
7. Performance data/progress is reviewed after 6-8 weeks of implementation by the PST and next steps
are determined.
a. Goal met: return to Tier 1 (general education expectations)
b. Making progress: Continue with the intervention
c. Insufficient progress: Develop a Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention plan, as appropriate.
8. Upon completion all paperwork and data will be housed in the student’s progress file.
Section 2: Problem Solving Team Referral Form
Teacher/counselor/administrator with a concern completes Problem Solving Team Referral Form
documenting area(s) of concern, interventions used within the classroom/school setting and the
results of those interventions, and a desired outcome for the student stated as a measurable goal.
This form is to be completed on students needing a specific intervention plan to address
academic or behavior concerns.
Completed referral form is turned into guidance/administration to be processed at the next
scheduled PST meeting. As appropriate, the referring teacher will be invited to join the PST
meeting.
Problem Solving Team
Referral Form
Date of Birth
Name of Student (last, first, middle)
Race
Grade
School
Female
Male
Name of Parents/Guardians
Person Making Referral
Address (street, city, state, zip)
Date Parent Notified
Telephone No.: Area/#
Method of Notification
Conference
Phone Call
Written Notice
1. Summarize area of concern (academic, non-academic, behavior).
2. Describe student’s strengths and weaknesses.
3. Describe any interventions used within the classroom/school setting to address the student’s needs.
4. Describe the results of interventions (include data).
5. State as a measurable goal your desired outcome for the student.
School counselor or administrator receiving referral:
Date received:
Date discussed at PST meeting:
Section 3: Request for Parent/Guardian Information Form:
Purpose: The Request for Parent/Guardian Information Form is used to gather information from
parents/guardians and involve them in the process. The form can be used as a discussion guide when
parents attend a meeting with you to discuss concerns.
Who completes: The form can be completed (1) by mailing home, (2) over the phone, or (3) in person
with the parent/guardian. It is sent or completed with parent/guardian by the teacher or other school
personnel and then reviewed during the initial collaborative meeting.
Request for Parent/Guardian Information
Problem Solving Team
Parent/Guardian:
Date:
Student:
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Concerns with your child’s academic and/or behavior progress have been noted by
. To address
the academic/behavior needs of our students, our school has a designated Problem Solving Team.
The purpose of the Problem Solving Team is to design effective interventions to help students learn and
develop successfully in school. Since you know your child better than anyone else does, please take some
time to think about what you know about your child and how that information may help the Problem Solving
Team determine what may be done to help him or her. The Problem Solving Team respects confidentiality
and is requesting that you only share information that will contribute to developing an effective Student
Intervention Plan for your child.
Please complete this form and return to
by
.
1. What do you see as your child’s strengths? _______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. In what area(s) could your child use the most improvement? What things does he/she seem to
struggle with most? __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. If we only targeted one area for improvement at a time, what do you see as the priority for your
child? _____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. When you think about things your child needs to improve, what could be possible causes that we
could change in order to make things better? Think about the following areas:
a. Curriculum (Ex: Reading materials are too difficult or too easy to read; homework practice is
inadequate for understanding or is based on material your child already knows.) _____________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
b. Instruction (Ex: Your child doesn’t understand what the teacher is teaching especially during whole
class instruction.) ______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
c. Environment (Ex: Noise distracts your child’s attention. A recent family event has been difficult for
your child.) ___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
d. Learner (Ex: Your child lacks organization or study skills. Your child has not yet mastered behavioral
skills.) _______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. What can be done to address the areas of difficulty for you child? ____________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Additional information you feel is important for school staff to know about your child:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What is the best way to contact you to follow up?
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________
E-mail address: ____________________________________________________________
Times/days to reach you: _____________________________________________________
Times/days you are available to meet: ____________________________________________
Thank you for your input.
If you have questions or would like to meet with someone prior to the scheduled Problem Solving Team
meeting, please contact
at
.
Section 4: Classroom Teacher Report
A request for additional information on academics/behaviors will be requested from other staff
working with the student using the Classroom Teacher Report.
Problem Solving Team
Classroom Teacher Report
Student Name
Grade
Person completing report/position
Check those statements, which best describe the student:
Academic Learning
is slow to learn new concepts
has a short attention span, distractible
is disorganized
writes letters or numbers poorly
daydreams often
has difficulty understanding directions
displays inconsistencies in work
is absent frequently
has difficulty with time orientation
has difficulty completing assignments
seems not to work to his/her ability
has difficulty with written language
other:
Health
has vision or hearing problems (circle)
acts sleepy and tired
complains of many physical ailments
is poor in muscular strength
is poor in muscular control and balance
medications
other health problems. List:
Current grade in class:
Comments on academic achievement:
Comments on classroom behavior:
Narrative of interventions and strategies
used for the student and their results:
Teacher/Date
Date of Birth
Class
Social/Behavioral
seems unhappy or depressed
prefers to be alone
seems to act out for attention
appears lacking in self-confidence
argues often
appears over-anxious and nervous
appears inappropriately fearful
sulks to get his/her own way
has trouble controlling temper
has physical fights with others
has trouble making friends
has a dislike for school
is sensitive to criticism
has difficulty accepting direction and redirection
other:
Communication
Is hard to understand (articulation)
has difficulty with verbal expression
has poor vocabulary
uses immature sentence structure
Section 5: Student Data Form
Purpose: The Student Data Form is used to collect the preexisting data on a student. It includes
background, academic, and behavioral information. It is documentation of what has previously been tried
with a student and the outcome. It also provides a space for desired outcomes, which will assist with
writing appropriate goals and the intervention plan for the student.
Who completes:
Additional information from the student’s progress and behavioral file is gathered by school
counselor/school psychologist using the Student Data Form.
Problem Solving Team
Student Data Form
Student Name
Grade
Date of Birth
Person completing form
Attendance data:
Discipline/Office Referral data:
Current/Past grades:
Credits earned:
Health history/concerns:
Family/environmental factors:
Previous or current services the student receives: (ex. SPED, Section 504 Plan, counseling services, county or
community services)
WKCE 3rd grade
Reading
M
B
Math
M
B
Assessment data:
WKCE:
M=minimal performance
B=basic
P=proficient
A=advanced
Scantron:
B=below interquartile range
W=within interquartile range
A=above interquartile range
WKCE 5th grade
Reading
M
B
Math
M
B
WKCE 8th grade
Reading
M
Math
M
Language
M
Social Studies
M
Science
M
Scantron 6 Reading
Fall
B
W
Winter
B
W
Spring
B
W
Scantron 7 Math
Fall
B
W
Winter
B
W
Spring
B
W
Other:
P
P
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
P
P
A
A
WKCE 4th grade
Reading
Math
Language
Social Studies
Science
M
M
M
M
M
B
B
B
B
B
P
P
P
P
P
WKCE 6th grade
WKCE 7th grade
A
Reading
M
B
P
A
Reading
M
B
P
A
Math
M
B
P
A
Math
M
B
P
WKCE 10th grade
P
A
Reading
M
B
P
A
P
A
Math
M
B
P
A
P
A
Language
M
B
P
A
P
A
Social Studies
M
B
P
A
P
A
Science
M
B
P
A
Scantron 6 Math
Scantron 7 Reading
Fall
B
W
A
Fall
B
W
A
Winter
B
W
A
Winter
B
W
A
Spring
B
W
A
Spring
B
W
A
Scantron 8 Reading
Scantron 8 Math
Fall
B
W
A
Fall
B
W
A
Winter
B
W
A
Winter
B
W
A
Spring
B
W
A
Spring
B
W
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
Section 6: Classroom Action Plan
1. Referral concerns are discussed at the PST meeting and either:
a. An action plan for a specific class is written using the Classroom Action Plan Form; or
b. If there is not sufficient information, additional information is gathered and a separate
meeting is scheduled.
2. Parent/Guardian, student, and staff working with the student are informed of action plan and
copies of the plan are distributed to all involved. Assistance on gathering materials, training on
implementation and progress monitoring, and additional support will be provided by a member
of the Problem Solving Team.
3. The action plan is implemented and progress collected.
4. Performance data/progress is reviewed after 6-8 weeks of implementation by the PST and next
steps are determined.
a. Goal met: return to Tier 1 (general education expectations)
b. Making progress: Continue with the intervention
c. Insufficient progress: Develop a Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention plan, as appropriate.
Problem Solving Team
Classroom Action Plan
Intervention Documentation Form
Student Name(s):
Date:
Teachers:
Primary area of concern:
Academic
Behavioral
Medical
State present status:
State desired outcome:
Identify three action items as “next steps” for reaching the desired outcome for the student(s):
Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:
Decide if each action is:
a. Something you already know how to do and will do
b. Something you need more information about before you can take action
c. Something for which you need training before you can take action
Action 1:
a
b
c
d (other): explain:
Action 2:
a
b
c
d (other): explain:
Action 3:
a
b
c
d (other): explain:
Set a realistic deadline for completion of each action:
Action 1:
Anticipated completion date
Action 2:
Anticipated completion date
Action 3:
Anticipated completion date
Updated 12/09