Introduction to Response to
Intervention: A comprehensive
School Support Perspective
Gary L. Cates
Illinois State University
Today’s Objectives
• Provide a general understanding of RTI
• Provide a rationale for RTI from both legal and
scholarly perspectives
• Present a model of a comprehensive tiered
system of Instructional support for academic
and social behavior
• Address how a continuum of assessment and
instruction can be integrated within a tiered
system of support
Activity 1
• What have you heard about RtI?
• What are your biggest concerns?
Definitional Components of RTI
RTI is an overall integrated system of service
delivery focused on ALL students.
RTI utilizes scientifically based instruction and
interventions.
RTI utilizes data systematically
RTI is a prevention focused educational model
Perspective of RTI
RTI emphasizes the importance of using data to
make decisions
Data-based decision making will be the driving
force in the conceptualization, development,
implementation, and evaluation of the RTI
process.
RTI Purposes are to:
Identify Educational Needs of Students
Match Instructional needs of all students
Minimize academic and social behavior
concerns through a prevention model
Foster the use of effective and efficient
instructional practices to develop positive
academic and social behavior outcomes
RTI Logic:
Use evidence based support to counter
educational difficulties
Intensity of support depends on severity of
the problem
Minimize academic and social behavior
concerns through a prevention model
Legal & Empirical Foundations
Legal Rationale of RTI:
No Child Left Behind
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
State Mandates
Research Rationale of RTI:
Basic research in Learning
Problem-Solving
Curriculum Based Measurement
Positive Behavior Intervention Support
A Comprehensive Tiered System
of Support
Tier 3
Individualized
Instruction
Tier 2
Small Group Standard
Protocol Instruction
Tier 1
Core Universal Curriculum
Response to Intervention Tier Notes
• Tiers are not places
• Tiers are not mutually exclusive from each
other
• Different things can happen with different kids
at the same tier level
• Students may be at a specific tier level for
various amounts of time
• Students may be at one level of tier service for
one area and another for another area
Tier 3
Individualized
Intervention 5%
Tier 2
Standard
Protocol 15%
Tier 1
Universal
Instruction 80%
Example of 3-Tier Level Interventions
Reading
Time
Curricular
Focus
Curricular
Breadth
Frequency of
Progress
Monitoring
Tier I
Tier 2
Tier 3
90
120
180
5 areas
Less than 5
2 or less
Core
Core
+
Supplemental
Core
+
Supplemental
+
Intensive
3X Yearly or
greater
Monthly or
greater
Weekly
Universal
Instruction
(Tier I) During
Fall
Full Standard
Protocol (Tier II)
During winter
Less Intensive
Standard Protocol
(Tier II) in spring
because adequate
progress was being
made.
Full
Individualized
Intervention
(Tier III) Never
utilized
because not
needed
TIER I
Core Instruction and Screening
Tier I Curriculum and Instruction
• Provided to all students
• Is effective for most (e.g. 80%) students
• Effectiveness determined by high stakes test performance
(or other global outcome measure)
• Includes both Academic and Social Behavior
Instruction
Tier I Assessment: Screening
• All students administered a screening for
reading, writing, math and behavior 3 times
per year.
• Allows for identification of students at-risk for
falling behind
• Can help in facilitating preventative
intervention service delivery
Activity II
• How well is your universal curriculum meeting
the needs for all students in the following
areas and…
• What Screening measures to do you currently
have in place?
– Reading
– Writing
– Mathematics
– Behavior
TIER II
Supplemental Instruction and
Diagnostic Assessment
Tier II Assessment:
Broad based Diagnostic Tool
• Administered to students who were identified
as at-risk on the screening tool.
– Requires more time and resources to administer
than the screener.
– Helps identify general area of weakness
• Reduces need to do more lengthy assessment
with every child.
• Helps identify the “right” children
Tier II Curriculum and Instruction
• Provided to students who are at-risk on
screener AND identified with diagnostic tool.
• Is provide to small number of students (e.g. 10%)
• Is provided in addition to Tier I service.
• Is scripted and provided in small group format.
• Is Scientifically based
Activity III
• What standard protocol interventions do you
have in place for each of the following?
• Are they scientifically based?
• How do you know if they are working?
– Reading
– Writing
– Mathematics
– Behavior
TIER III
Individualized Instruction and
Curriculum Based Evaluation
Tier III Assessment:
Curriculum Based Evaluation
• Administered to students who are not making
adequate progress with TIER II intervention
– Requires more time and resources to administer
than the screener and diagnostic tool
– Utilizes individualized evaluation procedures using
students own curriculum to isolate specific
problem areas.
Tier III Curriculum and Instruction
• Provided to students who do not make
adequate progress with TIER II level of support
• Is provide to small number of students (e.g. 5%)
• Is provided to 1 or 2 students at a time.
• Is provided in addition to Tier I & Tier II
• Is evidenced based
Activity IV
• What types of interventions are you putting
into places for students with problems in the
following areas?
• Are they evidenced based?
• How do you know if they are working?
– Reading
– Writing
– Mathematics
– Behavior
The RtI Process
Navigation Map to Data-Based
Decision Making
Universal Core
Curriculum
Universal
Screening
Measures
Identification of
Students At-Risk
Standard
Educational
Diagnostic Tool
Tier II Standard
Protocol
Instruction
Progress
Monitoring
Individualized
Diagnostic
Assessment
Tier III
Individualized
Instruction
Progress
Monitoring
Special Education
Progress
Monitoring
Entitlement
Review Assessment
Universal
Screening
Standard
Educational
Diagnostic
Assessment
Individualized
Diagnostic
Assessment
Review Intervention
Core
Curriculum
Standard
Protocol
Individualized
Thinking Differently and Facilitating Others to Do
the Same
• AYP Applies to ALL Students
• Think Prevention ALWAYS!
– Saves headaches later
• Make Decisions with data ONLY!
– Best practices in assessment and intervention
• TIERS are not places EVER!
– Level of support
• Services are dynamic
– Intensity and type of service can be different for any
student
• Authentic assessment links to and informs
interventions in the most direct way
Questions