Simplifying Response to Intervention

In this sequel to the bestselling Pyramid Response to Intervention, authors Buffum, Mattos, and Weber advocate that an effective RTI model begins by asking the right questions. RTI is not a series of implementation steps to cross off a list, the authors suggest, but rather a way of thinking about how educators can ensure that each child receives the time and support needed to succeed in school and in life. When educators base their thinking about RTI on four essential guiding principles, they will find the most effective answers to implementation questions. The four essential principles of pyramid response to intervention explored in the book are:1.Collective responsibility¿A shared belief that the primary responsibility of each member of the organization is to ensure high levels of learning for every child2.Concentrated instruction¿A collaborative process that focuses teacher teams on the skills and knowledge most important to the student and his or her future3.Convergent assessment¿An ongoing process of collecting targeted information to add depth and breadth to the understanding of each student¿s individual needs, obstacles, and points of learning leverage4.Certain access¿A systematic process that guarantees every student will receive the time and support needed to learn at high levelsDrawing from their experiences working with hundreds of schools across North America, the authors explain why bureaucratic, paperwork-heavy, compliance-oriented, test-score-driven approaches fail¿and then show how to create an RTI model that works. They address both academics and behavior in each chapter, and provide considerations for district leadership as well.The authors begin by presenting an inverted version of the RTI pyramid that narrows the focus to each individual child. In their re-envisioned pyramid, the work of RTI is divided between collaborative teacher teams and two schoolwide teams: a leadership team and an intervention team. Together, the whole school assumes collective responsibility for the learning of every student. They build structures of collaboration by creating learning-focused teams, embedding time for collaboration into the school day, and developing forms and processes that support, rather than overwhelm, those who do the work of RTI.To create an effective program of concentrated instruction, collaborative teacher teams define essential learnings that every student must master, establish what proficiency would look like, design common formative assessments, and administer instruction and intervention in Tiers 1 and 2 on universal academic skills such as reading, writing, and number sense. The schoolwide intervention team, composed of members with a variety of expertise and experience, takes responsibility for supporting students who struggle due to issues of motivation, attendance, behavior, and English language proficiency. The schoolwide team also provides support to students with intensive needs at Tier 3.In convergent assessment, teacher teams assess in a sequence of identifying students who need help, determining specific student needs and the appropriate interventions, monitoring the results of interventions, and extending or revising the intervention based on the results of progress monitoring. The authors debunk common myths about universal screening and thoroughly explain the role of common formative assessments in the RTI process. Collaborative teams also build a toolbox of interventions. The authors define the characteristics of effective interventions, explain the difference between Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, and offer a compelling rationale for determining who should deliver an intervention: asking, who on our staff is best qualified to meet this child¿s needs? Ultimately, the point of RTI is to ensure that every child has certain access to the support he or she needs to be successful. The authors describe how to ensure that processes have been established to ensure certain access to interventions and, when necessary, to special education identification.