Parents

are recommended to ask the following questions:

Helpful Resources
WEBSITES
NATIONAL CENTER FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES: A parents guide to response to intervention. http://www.ncld.org/checklists-a-more/parent- advocacy-guides/a-parent-guide-to-rti RTI ACTION NETWORK: Resources for parents and families. http://www.rtinetwork.org/parents-a-families NEW YORK STATE RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION: Numerous resources providing useful information for parents and families regarding RTI. http://www.nysrti.org/page/for-parents/ NATIONAL CENTER ON RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION: The ABCs of RTI- A guide for parents. http://www.rti4success.org/resourcetype /abcs-rti- guide-parents-2 NASP RESOURCES: RTI- A primer for parents. http://www.nasponline.org/resources/factsheets/rtipr imer.aspx WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: Understanding the response to intervention process- A parents guide. http://wvde.state.wv.us/osp/ResponsetoIntervention ParentsGuide.pdf

Does our school use an RTI process or something similar? What types of interventions are being used and are they supported by research? How long is an intervention in place before determining if it is working? How are the interventions being checked to ensure they are being carried out correctly? In what ways do school personnel monitor student progress and effectiveness of the intervention? Will these progress reports be provided to parents, and how often? At what point will the school refer a child for an evaluation due to lack of response of instruction? When are parents informed of their due process rights under IDEA? When is informed parental consent necessary?

BOOKS
Frequently Asked Questions About Response to Intervention by Pierangelo & Giuliani

References
Bruce, S. (2009). A parent's guide to response to intervention (RTI). Retrieved from http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/rti.parent.guide.html Cortiella, C. National Center for Learning Disabilities, (2011). A parent's guide to response to intervention Klotz, M. B., & Canter, A. National Association of School Psychologists, (2006). Response to intervention (RTI): A primer for parents. MD: Bethesda.

A Guide For Parents

RTI

Jade Franklin Instructional Consultation, Spring 2012 University at Albany jfranklin@albany.edu/xjxde@yahoo.com

What is Response to Intervention (RTI)?

RTI is a tiered method that is used to determine if a student is responding to classroom instruction and progressing as expected. It allows for early identification of struggling students and works to provide the appropriate instructional interventions. Tier 1: All students Preventive Proactive Tier 2: Some students (at-risk) High efficiency Rapid response Small group interventions Some individualizing Tier 3: Individual students Assessment-based High intensity

Why RTI?
1. It will help identify struggling children early. 2. It works to ensure that ALL children are provided appropriate and high quality instruction in the regular education classroom. 3. It attempts to prevent the need to refer children into special education.

At the end of 5 weeks, Susans progress-monitoring information showed that her performance was below the cut-point that would show a positive response. So, Susan was considered unresponsive to Tier 1 general education. Susans mother received a written intervention plan and a kit of materials to use every night at home to help develop important reading skills. Susan also received preventative tutoring for 45 minutes, four times each week, in groups with 2 other students and for 8 weeks. Progress monitoring information was collected weekly. D espite both the tutoring and the additional assistance provided by Susans mother, progress monitoring showed that Susan failed to respond to the Tier 2 intervention. Due to Susans lack of response to Tier 2, the school recommended testing that could measure Susans language skills. Information from a classroom observation and a parent interview were also gathered, along with information from the progress monitoring records of Susans performance in Tier 1 and Tier 2. All of this information was used to determine that Susan had a learning disability. She was found eligible for special education. A team of people, including Susans mother, met to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for Susan. Susan entered Tier 3, where a trained special education teacher began a more intensive intervention program. In this program the special education teacher worked with Susan 1-on-1 each day for 1 hour and supplemented the hour each day with another half-hour of small-group tutoring with one other student. The teacher monitored Susans progress twice weekly and the graphs showing that, at last, Susan was making some progress in reading.

What Does RTI Look Like? MEET SUSAN

Susan is a first-grade student at White Oaks Elementary School. At the beginning of the school year, her mother reported that she had shown signs of difficulty with beginning reading skills. On the universal screening at the beginning of first grade, Susans score put her in the group of students who are considered to be at-risk for reading failure. Susan, along with the other students considered at-risk, had her performance monitored for 5 weeks. It was hoped that Susan would progress at an appropriate rate in the strong reading curriculum used by the school.

Universal Screening: All children should be screened early to identify or predict students who may be at risk for poor learning outcomes. Progress Monitoring: Schools should document actual data on all at risk students in order to determine if they are benefiting from instruction. Fidelity of Implementation: Schools must make sure to use instruction and/or materials in the way they are intended to be used. Curriculum-Based Measurement: A quick, brief assessment teachers use to find out how students are progressing in basic academic areas, such as math, reading, writing, and spelling. Data-Based Decision Making: The use of student data to guide design, implementation, and modification of instruction. Scientific, Research-Based Instruction: Curriculum and educational interventions that are backed by research and have been p roven to be effective for most students. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): The federal law that requires all states that accept IDEA federal funds to provide a free appropriate public education to all children with disabilities.

Key Terms Parents Should Be Aware Of: