Academic Intervention

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Vestal Central School District

Adopted June 11, 2013


Revised October 2014
Updated January 2016
Approved August 23, 2016
Revised 8-29-17
Vestal Central School District
2017-2018

Board of Education
Michon Stuart, President
Jerry Etingoff, Vice President
Richard Bray
Linda Daino
David Hanson
John Hroncich
Mario Nunes
Sylvia Place
Anthony Turnbull

Jeffrey Ahearn
Superintendent

Assistant Superintendent for


Instruction
Dr. Laura Lamash

Coordinators of Instruction Director of Special Education Director of Special Services


Dodie Ainslie Rosalie Sullivan Thomas Comerford III
Patrick Clarke III
Assistant Director of Special Education
Kimberley Matthews

Principals
Bradley Bruce Clayton Avenue Elementary School
Hayley Crimmins, Tioga Hills Elementary School
Ann Loose, Vestal Middle School
Clifford Kasson, Vestal High School
Therese Mastro, Vestal Hills Elementary School
Doreen McSain, Glenwood Elementary School
Meghan Stenta, African Road Elementary School

Assistant Principals
Vestal High School Vestal Middle School
Deborah Caddick Ashley McKenna
Clifford Kasson Melissa Williams

Athletic Director
Michael Rotondi

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Mission Statement

The Vestal Central School District believes each student is unique and can learn.
The District's mission is to provide instruction, programs, strategies and
challenges in a caring, positive learning environment. Each student will become a
critical thinker, a lifelong learner, and a responsible, contributing citizen in a
changing global society. The Board of Education, staff, parents, students and
community share a commitment to this mission.

District Goals

Challenge all Vestal students to meet ever-increasing standards of excellence in preparation for
participation in the global society.
Support students’ efforts to learn and grow by assuring all a positive educational environment.
Foster community pride in the Vestal schools by communicating openly and effectively about
our students and the school program.
Invest fiscal resources responsibly and effectively to accomplish the District’s mission.

International Baccalaureate: Mission Statement


The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and
caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through
intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with
schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging
programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These
programmes encourage students across the world to become active,
compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their
differences, can also be right.

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Vestal Central School District
Advancing All Students: Academic Intervention Services Plan
August 2017

Contents

INTRODUCTION: ADVANCING ALL STUDENTS 6


DISTRICT-LEVEL RTI/DATA INFORMED PRACTICE (DIP) STEERING COMMITTEE 7
RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION/DATA-INFORMED PRACTICE TEAMS 8
NYS COMMISSIONER’S REGULATIONS 9

PART 1: ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SERVICES 10


AIS INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENTS FOR TIER II SUPPORT 10
THREE-TIER CONTINUUM K-12 FOR SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT 11
AIS SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPONENTS FOR TIER II SUPPORT 12
OVERVIEW OF SOURCES OF EVIDENCE FOR IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS FOR AIS/RTI SUPPORT 14
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SERVICES IN GRADES 4-12 15
RANGE OF ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SERVICES 16
MONITORING, ADJUSTING & REPORTING OF ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS AND SERVICES 16

PART II: RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION 17


RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 17
RTI AS A MULTI-TIERED PREVENTION FRAMEWORK 19
TIERS OF INTERVENTION 21
THE RTI FRAMEWORK IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 22
TIER I: BALANCED LITERACY 22
ORAL READING FLUENCY AND READING COMPREHENSION: 22
TIER II: RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION 24
TIER III: SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES 26
ASSESSMENT WITHIN AN RTI FRAMEWORK 27
SCREENING 27
PROGRESS MONITORING 28
ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT 28
DATA-INFORMED PRACTICE (“DIP”) 29
DATA AND THE RTI FRAMEWORK 30
DETERMINING RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION 30
LEARNING DISABILITY DETERMINATION 31
RTI/AIS CONSIDERATIONS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 32
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 34
PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION 35

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PART III: RTI/DIP STEERING SUB-COMMITTEE PLANNING FOR 2016-2017 36

APPENDIX 1: 2017-2018 ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SERVICES 37


APPENDIX 2: SAMPLE AIS PARENT NOTIFICATION LETTER 39
APPENDIX 3: SAMPLE RTI NOTIFICATION LETTER 40
APPENDIX 4: RESEARCH BASE FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD STUDY PROGRAM 41
APPENDIX 5: ENL CHECKLIST 42
APPENDIX 6: EXCERPTS FROM “CONSIDERATIONS WHEN IMPLEMENTING RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION
PROGRAM” 44

GLOSSARY 47

REFERENCES 51

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Introduction: Advancing All Students

Vestal Central School District recognizes all learning begins with rich and engaging instruction in the
general education setting. To this end, the district will pursue a rigorous program of professional and
curriculum development to advance the capacity of our faculty and principals to create learning
environments that meet students at their places of strength. Lively, engaging curriculum presented to
students in ways that captures their creativity, imagination, and interest, is the first step towards ensuring
all students have opportunities to succeed in their core learning. Teachers and principals must be given
the resources and time to promote schools and classrooms where social and academic developments are
integrated. Parents must be assured that their students will experience an education that affirms all
aspects of their students’ self-concept and leads them to be responsible, compassionate members of a
complex global society.

Our district recognizes that students will need additional support to achieve graduation and demonstrate
the strengths of career and college preparedness essential to succeeding in adulthood. To this end, we
will:
• Develop interventions that respond to students’ specific needs.
• Research and consistently review universal screening tools and progress monitoring tools that
assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of interventions.
• Look to models of enrichment to support students at all places on the academic and social-
emotional spectrum.
• Integrate technology and alternative models of learning and instruction to remove barriers to
learning that prevent students from accessing core curriculum.
• Advance and deepen our K-12 model of social-emotional learning and civic engagement to provide
all students with opportunities to serve as leaders among their peers and in the community at
large.

Most importantly, we must ensure that all learning nurtures and protects the special bonds that develop
among teachers, students, principals, and families who work together for the common good of our district.
Students who have a sense of connection to each other, their teachers, their schools and their communities
will be more academically successful. Our district will work to create an environment where those bonds
and relationships flourish.

The information contained within this Academic Intervention Plan is intended to contribute to the
building of these vital relationships and maintain a dynamic, responsive model of instruction and support.

Dr. Laura Lamash


Assistant Superintedent for Instruction
Vestal Central School District
August 2016

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District-Level RTI/Data Informed Practice (DIP) Steering Committee
2016-2017

Dr. Laura Lamash Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Administration


Therese Mastro Principal Vestal Hills Elementary
Doreen McSain Principal Glenwood Elementary
Meghan Stenta Principal African Road Elementary
Rosalie Sullivan Director of Special Education Administration
Kimberly Sullivan Assistant Director of Special Education Administration
Patrick Clarke Coordinator of Instruction Administration
Dodie Ainslie Coordinator of Instruction Administration
Kim Hardy School Psychologist Tioga Hills Elementary
Maria Rizzo School Psychologist African Road/Vestal Hills
Joan Pokorak Math Specialist District/Vestal Hills Elementary
Sarah Evans Literacy Specialist Administration
Tammy Wanck Reading Interventionist Glenwood Elementary
Julia Tyson School Counselor Vestal Hills Elementary
Amber Arrigan Special Education Teacher Clayton Avenue Elementary
Karen Wassell Grade 3 Teacher Vestal Hills Elementary
Jacquelin McLaughlin Grade 2 Teacher Tioga Hills Elementary
Jocelyn Kocak Speech Pathologist Glenwood Elementary

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Response to Intervention/Data-Informed Practice Teams
“Data Informed Practice” is the model promoted by the Vestal Central School District to describe its
approach to the use of data to develop instructional practices based on targeted interventions specific to
students’ needs and strengths. It is the foundation for the district Response to Intervention protocol, and
serves to extend the scope and framework of academic intervention services (AIS). To ensure that RTI/DIP
teams and the RTI model remain dynamic and responsive the district recognizes the need to provide
training for staff in the following areas:

• Review of the District AIS/RTI Plan by each building’s RTI/DIP Team


• Review of the continuum of tiered intervention services by each building’s RTI/DIP Team
• Review of state, regional and district assessments as sources of data and feedback on individual
student achievement. These assessments include NYS ELA and math grades 3-8 Common Core
Assessments, universal screening tools, progress monitoring resources.
• Overview of local formative assessment results and AIS Workshop implications
• RTI Edge computer training for staff responsible for tracking and maintaining student progress
and achievement data
• Review of interventions and models of AIS support
• “Wise Practices” for Quantitative and Qualitative Data-Informed Practice (DIP)

Elementary Teams
Membership on building RTI/DIP Teams will vary based upon individual student and building needs and
availability of services. Typical RTI Team membership may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Elementary level instructional support service provider (i.e., math, reading)
- Counselor
- Nurse
- Psychologist
- Speech therapist
- Special Education teacher
- Administrator
- Person making the referral
- Classroom teacher

Secondary Teams
Membership on RTI teams will vary based upon individual student and building needs, and availability of
services. Typical RTI Team membership may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Secondary level instructional support service specialist (i.e. math, reading, writing, social studies,
science)
- Counselor
- Psychologist
- Special Education teacher
- Administrator
- Person making the referral
- Classroom teacher

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NYS Commissioner’s Regulations

NYS Commissioner’s Regulations on Academic Intervention Services

Academic intervention services means additional instruction which supplements the instruction
provided in the general curriculum and assists students in meeting the State learning standards and/or
student support services which may include guidance, counseling, attendance, and study skills which are
needed to support improved academic performance; provided that such services shall not include services
provided to students with limited English proficiency or special education services and programs as
defined in Education Law, section 4401(1) and (2).

Academic intervention services are intended to assist students who are at risk of not achieving the State
learning standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science, or who are at risk
of not gaining the knowledge and skills needed to meet or exceed designated performance levels on State
assessments.

Academic intervention services shall be made available to students with disabilities on the same basis as
nondisabled students, provided, however, that such services shall be provided to the extent consistent
with the individualized education program developed for such student pursuant to section 4402 of the
Education Law.

NYS Commissioner’s Regulations on Response to Intervention Services

A school district's process to determine if a student responds to scientific, research-based instruction


shall include the following minimum requirements:
i. Appropriate instruction delivered to all students in the general education class by qualified
personnel; appropriate instruction in reading shall mean scientific research-based reading
programs that include explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics,
vocabulary development, reading fluency (including oral reading skills) and reading
comprehensive strategies;
ii. Screenings applied to all students in the class to identify those students who are not making
academic progress at expected rates;
iii. Instruction matched to student need with increasingly intensive levels of targeted intervention
and instruction for students who do not make satisfactory progress in their levels of
performance and/or in their rate of learning to meet age or grade level standards;
iv. Repeated assessments of student achievement which should include curriculum measures to
determine if interventions are resulting in student progress toward age or grade level standards;
The application of information about the student's response to intervention to make educational
decisions about changes in goals, instruction and/or services and the decision to make a referral for
special education programs and

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Part 1: Academic Intervention Services

AIS Instructional Components for Tier II Support

The following is a general outline of existing interventions for academic intervention support.

Counseling • Group or Individual

• Students are enrolled in a course at the secondary


Extended Curriculum level that offers extra time to complete the
curriculum.
• Math support at the elementary level consisting of
Math Support
integrated and small group instruction aligned to
the core curriculum
• Scheduled class at the secondary level consisting
Math Workshop
of small group instruction aligned to the core
curriculum
• Academic monitoring at regular intervals for
students receiving intervention support
Progress Monitoring conducted by RTI Teams (elementary) and
PST/RTI Teams (secondary) using STAR,
diagnostic, or curriculum –based assessments.
• Reading/Writing support at the elementary level
consisting of integrated and small group
ELA Support
instruction aligned to the core curriculum
• Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)
• Scheduled class at the secondary level consisting
Reading Workshop
of small group instruction aligned to the core
curriculum
• Scheduled class at the secondary level consisting
Science Workshop
of small group instruction aligned to the core
curriculum
• Scheduled class at the secondary level consisting
Social Studies Workshop
of small group instruction aligned to the core
curriculum
• Scheduled class at the secondary level consisting
Speech Improvement
of small group instruction aligned to the core
curriculum
• Scheduled class at the secondary level consisting
Writing Workshop
of small group instruction aligned to the core
curriculum

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Three-Tier Continuum K-12 for Social-Emotional Learning, Intervention and Support

Learning is a complex process that requires the integration of social, emotional, and cognitive faculties.
The following is an excerpt from the NYS Guidelines of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) that outlines a
general framework for tiers of need and intervention:

Risk factors that create “barriers to learning" can stem from poverty, racism, exposure to violence or drug
use, absent or infirmed parents, behavioral and cognitive disabilities, involvement with the court or juvenile
justice system, and foster care systems... Successful school districts respond along three tiers:
• Promote healthy development, prevent problems
• Address problems as soon after onset as is feasible
• Have a system for assisting those with chronic and severe problems.

All youngsters and adolescents can benefit from foundational, age appropriate social-emotional development
that prevents problem escalation and equips them with life and workforce skills.

The challenge to schools and communities is the alignment of promotion and prevention, early intervention,
and treatment services in a manner that will address immediate needs as well as prevent or ameliorate the
incidence and magnitude of later problems. 1

1 Guidelines and Resources for Social and Emotional Development and Learning (SEDL) in New York State

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AIS Social-Emotional Components for Tier II Support

The following list is a general outline of existing interventions for academic intervention support.

Counseling
• Individual
• Group
• Family
• Friendship group
• Anger management
• Classroom guidance programs
• Character education components include some or all of the following:
a) Seven Habits of Highly Effective Kids, Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, and Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People, and The Leader in Me training.
b) Olweus Bullying Prevention Program® and/or other building initiatives
c) Digital citizenship lessons
d) Student leadership committees
e) Morning meetings and first Friday student gatherings
f) Responsive Classroom®
g) Kelso’s Choice Conflict Management Skills Program®

School Psychological Services


• Diagnostic testing
• Referral
• Counseling
• Consultation
• RTI Reviews

Attendance Improvement Strategies


• Home visits
• Parent phone calls
• Parent letters
• Parent-teacher conferences
• eSchool Plus Home Access

Referrals
• RTI/DIP Teams
• Committee on Special Education (CSE)
• Free and reduced lunch program, breakfast program
• Community services (CHOW, High Risk Birth Clinic, Catholic Charities, CCSI, SPOA)
• Parent support programs (ie, FAST)
• Mental health agencies
• Private practitioners
• Social Services/financial assistance
• Juvenile justice system
• Homeless Student Interventions
• PINS Preliminary Meetings
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• PINS
• Employment/agencies
• VESID

Mentoring
• Informal (teacher/student)
• Lunch buddies
• Foster grandparent program
• VHS Mentoring Program

Arts-Based Education
• Student musicals
• Music education
• Art education
• Art clubs and service projects

Health Services

Behavior Management Plans

Extra-Curricular Activities

Opportunities for Leadership and Service


• Student awards
• Monthly “Morning Programs”
• Pep rallies
• Community service and fundraising
• Student government
• Committees and clubs

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Overview of Sources of Evidence for Identification of Students for AIS/RTI Support

RTI Grades K-3 AIS Grades 4-8 AIS Grades 9-12


• Lack of reading readiness as • Below state-designated cut • Below state-designated cut
documented by Vestal’s score on grade 3-7 NYS score on grade 8 NYS English
Elementary Literacy Profile English Language Arts (ELA) Language Arts (ELA)
(VELP) assessment assessment

• Performance on STAR • Below state-designated cut • Below state-designated cut


Reading or Math score on grade 3-7 NYS Math score on grade 8 NYS Math
Assessments NYS assessment NYS assessment

• Teacher referral • Performance on STAR • Level 1 or level 2 score on


- Report card/IPR Reading or Math grade 8 Science NYS
- Retention consideration Assessments assessment

• Patterns of attendance • Teacher referral • Social Studies 9-12 grades


- Report card/IPR
• Diagnostic testing by support - Retention consideration • Failure in course(s) and/or
staff in the following areas Regents exam(s) needed to
- Kindergarten • Patterns of attendance graduate
- Math
- Reading • Diagnostic testing by support • Teacher referral
- Speech staff in the following areas - Report card/IPR
- English as a New - Math - Teacher prediction of low
Language - Reading performance on NYS
- Occupational therapy - Speech assessment
- Physical therapy - English as a New - Retention consideration
Language
• Parent referral - Occupational therapy • Patterns of attendance
- Physical therapy
• Psychological testing • Diagnostic testing by support
staff in the following areas
• Teacher- or district-created • Parent referral - Math
local formative assessments - Reading
and data analysis • Psychological testing - Speech
- English as a New
• Teacher- or district-created Language
local formative assessments - Occupational therapy
and data analysis - Physical therapy

• Parent referral

• Psychological testing

• Teacher- or district-created
local formative assessments
and data analysis
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Eligibility Criteria for Academic Intervention Services in Grades 4-12

I. Criteria for Receiving Academic Intervention Services for Grades 4-8


The Academic Intervention Service (AIS) team will conduct a student assessment, reviewing multiple
sources of evidence, to determine student eligibility for services. This assessment may include but is
not limited to the following:

• Below state-designated cut points on NYS assessments in:


- English Language Arts - grades 3-8
- Math - grades 3-8
- Science - grade 4, grade 8
• Course failure(s) based on quarterly grades and/or Interim Progress Report(s)
• New Entrant Screening, including a review of academic records for content deficiencies
• Diagnostic testing, if available
• Results on Math, ELA, Social Studies and Science Local Formative Exams

II. Criteria for Receiving Academic Intervention Services for Grades 9-12
The Academic Intervention Service Team will conduct a student assessment, reviewing multiple
sources of evidence, to determine student eligibility for services. This assessment will include but is
not limited to the following:

• Below state-designated cut points on NYS assessments in:


- English Language Arts - grade 8
- Math - grade 8
- Science - grade 8
• Failure of one or more Regents exams required for graduation (ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science)
• Course failure(s) based on quarterly grades and/or Interim Progress Reports
• New Entrant Screening, including a review of academic records for content deficiencies
• Diagnostic testing, if available
• Results on local formative assessments across content areas

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Range of Academic Intervention Services

Individual student needs will determine the intensity of services. Intensity of services means the provision
of services for students based on the level of their needs as determined through multiple measures and
sources of evidence. Students with the most intense needs would receive more scheduled services for longer
duration, and with more individualization. Other students might receive only progress monitoring.

Services may include but not be limited to:


• Monitoring regular classroom performance
• Supplemental in-class instructional strategies
• Within-class staffing that reduces student-teacher ratios (e.g. co-teaching, team-teaching)
• Supplemental out of class instruction
• Supplemental extended day instruction
• Supplemental extended school year instruction
• Consultation with other service providers

Monitoring, Adjusting & Reporting of Academic Interventions and Services

All students reviewed by the Academic Intervention Assessment team and eligible for support must have an
Academic Intervention Services Plan documented in RTI Edge. This plan is a working document used to
monitor student progress and to generate progress reports to parents on a quarterly basis. This progress
report shall be used as the basis for any adjustments to the services provided to students. Parents shall be
given the opportunity to review this plan at least once each semester.

The purpose of this plan shall be to:


• Identify areas of academic concern
• Identify services to be provided
- Academic support
- Intensity & duration of services
• Inform staff
• Inform parents of the initiation, adjustment or termination of services
• Provide parents with information to foster support and involvement
• Provide periodic monitoring to report progress (required quarterly, but may be more frequently, as
determined by the committee)
• Continue, adjust or terminate services based upon the periodic review(s)

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Part II: Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention: Introduction and Overview

Response to Intervention (RTI) functions as a significant educational strategy or framework designed to


identify students who may be at-risk for substandard academic performance and intervene by providing
supplemental interventions targeted to their learning needs. The overall purpose of RTI in Vestal is to
provide supplemental and enriching learning experiences for students based on anecdotal and screening
data.

Response to Intervention Defined


RTI integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize
student achievement. With RTI, schools can use data to identify students at risk for poor learning
outcomes, monitor student progress, provide evidence-based interventions and adjust the intensity and
nature of those interventions depending on a student’s responsiveness, and identify students with
learning disabilities. (NCRTI, 2010).

Legislative Background
In September of 2007, the NYS Board of Regents approved multiple amendments to 8 NY Code of
Rules and Regulations that requires schools to establish an RTI policy and procedures for students in
grades K -4 in the area of literacy. These amendments established a policy framework for RTI in
regulations relating to school-wide screenings, minimum components of RTI programs, parent
notification, and the use of RTI to identify students with learning disabilities. By adding Section 100.2(ii)
to Part 100 of the Commissioner’s Regulations it set forth minimum requirements for using a RTI process
to determine a student’s response to research-based intervention.

Minimum Requirements. The Regents policy framework for RTI outlines the following:
I. Defines RTI to minimally include:
• Appropriate instruction delivered to all students in the general education class by qualified
personnel. Appropriate instruction in reading means scientific research-based reading programs
that include explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary
development, reading fluency (including oral reading skills) and reading comprehension strategies.
• Screenings applied to all students in the class to identify those students who are not making
academic progress at expected rates.
• Instruction matched to student need with increasingly intensive levels of targeted
intervention and instruction for students who do not make satisfactory progress in their levels of
performance and/or in their rate of learning to meet age or grade level standards.
• Repeated assessments of student achievement which should include curriculum based measures
to determine if interventions are resulting in student progress toward age or grade level
standards.
• The application of information about the student’s response to intervention to make
educational decisions about changes in goals, instruction and/or services and the decision to
make a referral for special education programs and/or services.
• Written notification to the parents when the student requires an intervention beyond that
provided to all students in the general education classroom that provides information about the:
(1) amount and nature of student performance data that will be collected and the general
education services that will be provided; (2) strategies for increasing the student’s rate of learning;
and (3) parents’ right to request an evaluation for special education programs and/or services.
17
II. Requires each school district to establish a plan and policies for implementing school-wide
approaches and pre-referral interventions in order to remediate a student’s performance prior to referral
for special education, which may include the RTI process as part of a district’s school-wide approach. The
school district must select and define the specific structure and components of its RTI program,
including, but not limited to the:
 Criteria for determining the levels of intervention to be provided to students;
 Types of interventions;
 Amount and nature of student performance data to be collected;
 Manner and frequency for progress monitoring.
[8 NYCRR section 100.2(ii)]

III. Requires each school district implementing an RTI program to take appropriate steps to ensure that
staff has the knowledge and skills necessary to implement an RTI program and that such program is
implemented consistent with the specific structure and components of the model.

[8 NYCRR section 100.2(ii)]

IV. Authorizes the use of RTI in the State's criteria to determine learning disabilities (LD) and
requires, effective July 1, 2012, that all school districts have an RTI program in place as part of the
process to determine if a student in grades K-4 is a student with a learning disability in the area of
reading. “Effective on or after July 1, 2012, a school district shall not use the severe discrepancy criteria to
determine that a student in kindergarten through grade four has a learning disability in the area of reading.”

[8 NYCRR section 200.4(j)]


In addition to the above RTI requirements, regulations adopted by the Regents regarding screening of
students with low test scores now requires a review of the students’ instructional programs in reading and
mathematics to ensure that explicit and research validated instruction is being provided in reading and
mathematics.
• Students with low test scores must be monitored periodically through screenings and on-going
assessments of the student’s reading and mathematics abilities and skills.
• If the student is determined to be making substandard progress in such areas of study,
instruction shall be provided that is tailored to meet the student’s individual needs with
increasingly intensive levels of targeted intervention and instruction.
• School districts must provide written notification to parents when a student requires an
intervention beyond that which is provided to the general education classroom. Such notification
shall include: information about the performance data that will be collected and the general
education services that will be provided; strategies for increasing the student’s rate of learning;
and the parents’ right to request an evaluation by the Committee on Special Education to
determine whether the student has a disability.

An RTI process as described above will meet the section 117.3 requirements to ensure a student’s
progress toward meeting the State’s standards.

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RTI as a Multi-Tiered Prevention Framework

RTI serves as a multi-tiered prevention framework/model with increasingly levels or tiers of


instructional support. Within the Vestal Central School District, a three-tiered model is used. The graphic
presented below provides a visual illustration of the district’s RTI model. Descriptions of each tier are
provided.

Tier I: Effective Core Instruction

Tier II: Supplemental Instruction

Tier III: RTI to CSE Process

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Vestal Response to
Intervention Process
RTI is a problem solving process which includes the provision of systematic, research-
based instruction and intervention to struggling students. It is designed to help students
maximize their potential for academic, social, and emotional growth and achievement. At
Vestal the RTI process includes three Tiers. Under these tiers the type, duration, and
intensity of intervention is matched to students’ needs and is appropriately monitored.

Tier 1 Tier 2
Regular high-quality first instruction that is integrated Supplemental, research-based explicit interventions
into the regular classroom and is consistent across targeting identified areas of need.
classrooms and grade levels. • Skill-specific and based on academic content
• Consistent time dedicated to core instruction. standards and/or developmentally based
• Embeds Universal Design for Learning (UDL) behavioral expectations.
principles • Usually identified through multiple measures.
• Differentiated Instruction to meet the needs of • Data tracked from progress monitoring
groups and/or individuals. assessments.
• Data gathered through universal screenings and • Periodic evaluation & decision-making around
curriculum-based formative and summative progress toward goal(s).
assessments. • Usually provided as “push-in,”a “individual,” and/or
“targeted” b support by a specialist.
• Frequency and intensity of intervention and
progress monitoring will vary according to the
student and area of need.
• Includes, but is not limited to, AIS services
delivered to students in grades 4 and beyond
who fall below designated performance levels
on state tests.
Tier 3
Interventions that occur after a student does not show adequate progress, typically after multiple Tier 2
interventions.
• Most frequent and intensive interventions.
• May or may not include Special Education services.
• For students who have been referred to the Committee for Special Education or those who are being
seriously considered for such a referral.
a. • Interventions
Push-In (Integrated) Support: delivered in a very
Push-in (integrated) small
support group
occurs duringor “one-on-one.”
core instruction in the classroom. Support teachers work with classroom teachers
to deliver instruction, assist in guided practice and facilitate cooperative student learning.specific progress monitoring assessments.
• Progress monitored through curriculum-based measures,
b. Targeted Support: Targeted support is defined as supplemental instruction aligned to core ELA or math curriculum. Targeted support is provided to groups
of students with similar needs. It may occur in the classroom or a separate location.

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Tiers of Intervention
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
General Definition Regular high quality first Supplemental, research- Interventions that occur
of Instruction and instruction that occurs in the based explicit intervention after a student does not
Intervention regular classroom and is targeting identified areas of show adequate progress
consistent across classrooms need. after multiple Tier 2
and grade levels. interventions.

Key Attributes • Consistent time • Skill-specific but also • Most frequent and
dedicated to instruction based on academic intense
of core instruction standards and/or • Includes Special
• Universal Design for developmentally based Education
Learning behavioral • Progress monitoring
• Differentiated expectations. occurs more frequently
instruction (Examples • Increasingly frequent than in Tier 2
may include progress monitoring • Either referred to CSE
preferential seating, toward a specific goal or seriously
flexible grouping, • Periodic evaluation and considering a referral
varying frequency decision-making to CSE
/intensity of instruction around progress toward • More specific goals
for groups, reciprocal goal than in Tier 2
teaching, adjusting time • Usually supported by a • Could occur one-on-on
students get or adjusting specialist or in very small
the length of tasks) • The frequency and groups
intensity of intervention
and progress
monitoring will vary
according to the student
and the area of need
Data/Assessment • Universal screenings * • Progress monitoring • Universal screenings
• Curriculum-based assessments that • Curriculum-based
formative and quantify the rate of formative and
summative progress toward summative
assessments* individual student- assessments
specific goals and assist • Progress monitoring
in evaluating the assessments that
effectiveness of a Tier quantify the rate of
2 intervention.* progress toward
individual student-
specific goals and
assist in evaluating the
effectiveness of a Tier
2 intervention
• Individualized, norm-
referenced
standardized testing
*The same assessment may serve multiple purposes. For example, Oral Reading Fluency could function
as both a universal screening and a specific progress monitoring assessment in some cases.

21
The RTI Framework in English Language Arts
Tier I: Balanced Literacy
Tier I is considered the primary level of intervention and always takes place in the general education
classroom. Tier I involves high-quality first instruction in reading, word study, and writing, delivered to all
students in the general education class by qualified personnel. Vestal’s ELA curriculum seeks to maximize
each student’s academic growth by employing pedagogical models that require teachers to differentiate
instruction in order to meet the needs of groups and individuals. The following matrix provides details on
the nature of Tier I in Vestal in terms of core program, interventionist, frequency, duration, and location by
grade level.

Tier I – Balanced Literacy


Grade Core Program Interventionist Frequency Duration Location
Reading Workshop Classroom Daily 45-60 minutes Classroom
Teacher

K-5 Words Their Way® Classroom Daily 10-45 minutes Classroom


Teacher
Lucy Calkins Units of Classroom Daily 45-60 minutes Classroom
Study in Writing Teacher

Balanced literacy is designed to support teachers with materials and instructional strategies for each
child’s reading and writing needs. Grounded in the belief that literacy instruction should be “balanced”
among three linguistic cueing systems (semantic, syntactic, and graphophonic), this approach is designed
to meet each child’s developmental needs. Moreover, balanced literacy incorporates a wide range of
instructional models including reading workshop, words study, and writing workshop. The following
outlines the components of the Vestal balanced literacy program:

Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Word Identification/Word Study


Decoding and “word solving” are essential skills for students to become successful readers and writers. A
student’s success in this area depends on the following skills:
• Using a word’s visual features
• Using the relationship among sounds, letters, and letter clusters
• Using spelling patterns
• Coordinating these skills with attention to meaning and syntax

Words Their Way is a word study program based on a developmental approach that promotes English
language understanding in a predictable and logical manner. The program teaches students to analyze
words to discover letters, vowel patterns, syllable structures, and spelling-meaning connections. This
approach blends phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, and spelling instruction.

Oral Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension:


Within Tier I, all students are instructed and assessed through the following strategies:
• Guided Reading: This approach supports each reader’s developmental growth. Small group
instruction is tailored for students of similar reading ability. Furthermore, the teacher observes
each student’s reading behaviors and can group/regroup based on immediate feedback. Guided

22
reading enables students to use and develop reading strategies independently and leads to
independent reading.
• Independent Reading: This approach empowers students to practice reading skills acquired
through guided reading, shared reading, and word study. During this time, students self-select
texts (with teacher guidance) from the teacher’s leveled library that match their instructional or
independent reading level. This provides valuable time for teachers to conference with students;
teachers gain insight into student reading choices, their self-selected strategies, and their reading
progress.
• Shared Reading: This approach empowers students to collectively read a text and share its
understanding with one another. This promotes class discussion, instruction, and responding. The
teacher selects the text as a teaching tool to introduce, instruction, and discuss:
o Genre
o Theme
o Content area
o Print conventions
o Literary Elements in Fiction
o Components of Informational Texts
o Comprehension
o Author’s Style and Craft
o Illustrator Style
o Vocabulary
o Cueing Systems

• Reading Aloud: This approach empowers students to “hear” effective reading and:
o Builds student’s motivation for becoming lifelong readers
o Increases background knowledge
o Instills in students an understanding of the role of “voice” as a quality of strong writing
o Provides vicarious experience for striving readers
o Develops listening and speaking competencies
o Allow students to access texts beyond their developmental reading level
o Engages students in critical textual analysis
o Provides insight – through explicit modeling – into how specific reading strategies are
successfully applied.

Additional Considerations for Tier I


• Differentiation strategies: At Tier I, differentiation is built into the three major components of
Vestal’s ELA curriculum design. Through ongoing assessment – both by ascertaining reading levels
and observing student reading and writing behaviors – teachers and students are able to select
instructional materials that meet each student’s needs.
• Check for fidelity: All K-5 classroom teachers, special education teachers, and reading specialists
have received district-level professional development in Balanced Literacy, the Fountas & Pinnell
Benchmark Assessment System, and Words Their Way.

23
Tier II: Response to Intervention

Within the Vestal Central School District, Tier II is typically small group, supplemental instruction.
Supplemental instruction is provided in addition to, and not in place of core instruction students receive in
Tier I. Instruction/interventions provided at this level/tier are designed to address the needs or
weaknesses of the student relative to the reading process. The chart below contains some examples of
possible tier II interventions. This list is not meant to be exhaustive.

Tier II Examples of Supplemental Intervention


Intervention
Grade Interventionist Frequency Duration Location Group Size
Strategies
DIBELS Skill – FCRR Reading Teacher 3/6 – 15m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-3
+ teacher made Program Aide
activities

K Sound/Letter Reading Teacher 3/6 – 15m 15 Weeks Pull aside 1


Recognition – ABC Program Aide
Letter Trace (Jan
Richardson)

Sight Word Drill – Reading Teacher 3/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-3
F&P Program Aide

Leveled Literacy Reading Teacher 6/6 – 30m 14-18 Weeks Reading 3-5
Intervention (LLI) Room

DIBELS Skill – FCRR Reading Teacher 3/6 – 15m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-3
+ teacher made Program Aide
activities

Sight Word Drill – Reading Teacher 3/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-3
Edmark Program Aide
F&P
1
Making Sense of Speech Therapist Varies – 36 Weeks Pull out 1-3
Phonics – Isabel 30m
Beck

Leveled Literacy Reading Teacher 6/6 – 30m 14-18 Weeks Reading 3-5
Intervention (LLI) Room

24
Tier II Examples of Supplemental Intervention
Intervention
Grade Interventionist Frequency Duration Location Group Size
Strategies
Word Attack Reading Teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull out 1-4
Hierarchy-
Interventioncentral.
org
Reading Teacher 3/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-3
Sight Word Drill – Program Aide
Edmark
2 F&P
Speech Therapist Varies – 36 Weeks Pull out 1-3
Making Sense of 30m
Phonics – Isabel
Beck Reading Teacher 6/6 – 30m 14-18 Weeks Reading 3-5
Room
Leveled Literacy
Intervention (LLI)
Click or Clunk Reading Teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-5
Comprehension- Special Education
Interventioncentral. Teacher
org
Reading teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-5
Word Attack
3
Hierarchy
Reading Teacher 6/6 – 20m 10 Weeks Pull out 4-5
Reciprocal Teaching

Paired Reading Reading Teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull out 1

Click or Clunk Reading Teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-5
Comprehension- Special Education
Interventioncentral. Teacher
org
Reading teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull aside 1-5
Word Attack
Hierarchy
4/5 Reading Teacher 6/6 – 20m 10 Weeks Pull out 4-5
Reciprocal Teaching

Paired Reading Reading Teacher 6/6 – 10m 10 Weeks Pull out 1

Quester-Answer
Relationships Reading Teacher 6/6 – 20m 10 Weeks Pull out 4-5
(QAR) Special Ed Teacher
LLI = Leveled Literacy Intervention (Fountas & Pinnell)
At Grades 4/5, interventions are determined by previous year’s state test scores in accordance with Academic Intervention Services
regulations (Part 100.2ee).

25
Tier III: Special Education Services

Tier III is designed for those students who have been unresponsive to Tier II intervention or who
demonstrate such significant needs that warrant intensive instruction or intervention. The following
matrix provides examples of some of the Tier III at Vestal. This list is not meant to be exhaustive.
Examples of Tier III Interventions
Program Group
Grade Interventionist Frequency Duration Location
Options Size
Direct Special Education 2-6 Days per 30 – 60 Regular 1:1 or
Consultant Teacher Cycle Minutes classroom small
K-5 Teacher *minimum total = 2 group
hrs/cycle;
maximum total = 6
hrs/cycle
Resource Special Education 2-6 Days per 30 – 60 Resource Room 1:1 or
Room Teacher Cycle Minutes small
K-5 *minimum total = 3 group
hrs/cycle;
maximum total = 6
hrs/cycle
Special Class Special Education 6 days per Full Special 8 max
8:1:1 Teacher cycle school classroom
K-2 day
*integration for specials,
lunch, recess
Special Class Special Education 6 days per Full Special 12 max
12:1:1 Teacher cycle school classroom
K-2 day
*integration for specials,
lunch, recess
Special Class Special Education 6 days per Full Special 8 max
8:1:1 Teacher cycle school classroom
3-5 day
*integration for specials,
lunch, recess
Special Class Special Education 6 days per 60 minute Special 12 max
12:1:1 Teacher cycle ELA block, classroom
60 minute
math
block,
3-5
and/or
full school
day
*integration for specials,
lunch, recess
26
Assessment within an RTI Framework

An RTI framework uses a variety of assessments to support decisions about a student’s at-risk status,
response to instruction or intervention, and the nature of instruction. These include universal screening,
progress monitoring, and diagnostic assessments. Each assessment type is used at different points within
an RTI process for different purposes.

Screening
Screening is an assessment procedure characterized by brief, efficient, repeatable testing of age-
appropriate academic skills (e.g., identifying letters of the alphabet or reading a list of high frequency
words) or behaviors. Screenings are conducted for the purposes of initially identifying students who are
“at-risk” for academic failure and who may require closer monitoring, further assessment, or supplemental
instruction. The table presented below provides descriptive information regarding the universal
screening procedures used at Vestal:

Screening Tool Grades Screened


DIBELS Initial Sound Fluency (ISF) Kindergarten through Grade 1
DIBELS Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) Kindergarten through Grade 1
DIBELS Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) Kindergarten through Grade 1
DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) Kindergarten through Grade 2
DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Grade 1 through Grade 2
Fountas & Pinnell Lower Case Letter Recognition (LCL) Kindergarten
Fountas & Pinnell Upper Case Letter Recognition (UCL) Kindergarten
Fountas & Pinnell Reading Level (RL)
- Accuracy Score (AS) Kindergarten through Grade 5
- Comprehension (CO)
Dolch Sight Word List (SWL) Kindergarten through Grade 1
STAR ELA and Math Assessments Grade 2 through 8
Kindergarten Numeracy Screening Kindergarten

A Screening Assessment Schedule for grades K-3 details the nature of screening assessment at multiple
intervals across the school year.

UNIVERSAL SCREENING SCHEDULE BY GRADE & BENCHMARKING PERIODS


Beginning Middle End
Grade
(Sept-Nov) (Jan-Feb) (May-June)
ISF + LNF + NWF + PSF + LNF + NWF + PSF + F &P
Kindergarten ISF + LNF
F &P RL, LCL, UCL, SWL RL, LCL, UCL, SWL

LNF + NWF + PSF + F&P NWF + PSF + ORF + F&P NWF + PSF + ORF + +
First Grade
RL RL, SWL F&P RL, SWL
NWF (as needed) +
ORF (as needed) + F&P ORF (as needed) + F&P
Second Grade ORF (as needed) + F&P
RL RL
RL
Third-Fifth Grades F&P RL F&P RL F&P RL

27
Progress Monitoring
Progress monitoring is the practice of assessing student performance using assessments on a repeated
basis to determine how well a student is responding to instruction. Data obtained from progress
monitoring can (1) determine a student’s rate of progress; (2) provide information on the effectiveness of
instruction and whether to modify the intervention, and (3) identify the need for further or additional
information. Progress monitoring data is also used to determine a student’s movement through tiers.
The intensity of instruction/intervention will determine the frequency of progress monitoring.
Vestal uses DIBELS and Fountas & Pinnell tools to determine a student’s movement across the
tiers by examining rate of progress and level of performance over time. The table below provides
logistical information regarding progress monitoring procedures within Tiers 1, 2, and 3.

Tier I Tier II Tier III


Frequency of Ongoing 1x/2x Weekly 2x Weekly
Administration:
Classroom Teacher Interventionist Interventionist
Administrator(s):

Classroom Interventionist’s Interventionist’s


Location: Classroom Classroom

Additional Diagnostic Assessment


Screening and progress monitoring tools occasionally provide sufficient information to plan instruction,
but most often they do not since they tend to focus on quick samples of student performance as opposed
to greater in-depth information about a student’s abilities. Assessments that are diagnostic in nature
provide greater detail about individual students’ skills and instructional needs. They provide educators
with information that informs the “what to teach” and the “how to teach.” They are typically administered
to students who fall significantly behind an established benchmark or when such students have not
demonstrated sufficient progress (Center on Teaching and Learning, n.d.).

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Data-Informed Practice (“DIP”)
Vestal prides itself on making decisions based on a global assessment of the “whole child.” That means that
data is used to inform our decisions, but no single data element drives those decisions in isolation. The
district defines “data-informed practice” as an ongoing inquiry process in which qualitative and
quantitative data are interpreted in a holistic context and used to aid in decisions making. These decisions
may encompass any aspect of educational “practice” including but not limited to instruction, enrichment,
intervention, resource allocation, policy development, and disability identification.
Key Elements of Data-Informed Practice
• Inquiry: Data work begins with a research question. Data Analysis Cycle
This question helps provide focus and ensures that data
work will ultimately promote high quality student
learning.
• Ongoing Cycles: Data-informed practice is cyclical and
ongoing. The process begins with a question. Data is
then gathered and analyzed. Finally, practitioners use
this new information to take action. The cycle continues
indefinitely as the one inquiry often generates
additional research questions.
• Triangulation of Multiple Data Sources: Decisions are
rarely based on only
one data source.
Practitioners analyze
data from a wide
variety of sources Upward Spiral of Collaborative Data Analysis
including both
quantitative data (such as demographic information or test scores)
and qualitative data (such as teacher observations, open-ended
survey responses, or samples of student work). Like a pair of scissors with two blades, both types of
data are complementary tools.
• Contextualization: Because it deals with human beings, education is a complex endeavor. Context,
therefore, is incredibly important. In order to make valid data-informed inferences, practitioners
must have a nuanced understanding of the conditions under which data is collected. Staff are
encouraged to synthesize their expertise, intuition, and knowledge of the “whole child” as they
analyze data. In order to implement “wise” educational practices, Vestal understands that
instructional programming should be based on knowledge of empirical research AND a
sophisticated understanding of what works best for students in Vestal’s particular educational
context. Data analysis is a key to understanding the instructional programs and practices that will
work best for our students.

29
• Reflective Collaboration: In order to fully realize
the potential of data-informed practice, staff must
have regular opportunities to collaboratively analyze
data. Because it enables practitioners to perceive
patterns that may not have been readily observable,
data analysis encourages staff to critically reflect on
their own practice. Blythe (2013) argues that
qualitative data analysis is most powerful when
groups sincerely reflect on the implications of their
inquiries and are willing to alter their practices
accordingly. This collaborative meaning-making
process is an essential part of the culture of any
“learning organization.”

Data and the RTI Framework


A key component of an RTI framework is the use of data to inform educational decision-making at the
individual student, classroom, and school levels. Screening assessments and progress monitoring data
inform decisions relative to the level and type of interventions needed to help individual students make
progress.

Within an RTI framework, two major decisions need to be made relative to student learning:
1. Which students may require supplemental and/or enriching instruction to support attainment of
learning goals?
2. How is the student responding to supplemental instruction?
Determining Response to Intervention
In order to determine a student’s response to intervention, Vestal uses data obtained from screening
assessments as well as other qualitative and anecdotal sources. The following table provides information
about the nature of this decision.

Determining Response to Intervention


Primary Data Source: Universal Screening Data (e.g. DIBELS, F&P, STAR)
Secondary Data Standards-based report cards, qualitative analysis of classroom
Source: assessments, anecdotal observations (i.e., miscue analysis, reading
behaviors, etc.)
Purpose: • Identify who needs supplemental or enriching instruction
• Identify the level of intervention or enrichment a student requires
• Provide preliminary information about the effectiveness of core
instruction at Tier I
Who’s Involved: Classroom Teacher; Building Principal; Interventionist(s)
Frequency: Varies; one week after universal screenings, during/after Guided Reading
and Shared Reading instruction.
Decision Options and See Appendix 1 for additional information about the rules and cut scores
Criteria: related to Initial Risk Status.
30
Another key decision made by the RTI/DIP Team is whether or not a student who is receiving
supplemental instruction or intervention is making adequate progress. Vestal makes use of progress
monitoring data and other data sources such as work samples and direct teacher observation to examine
the student’s level of performance and rate of progress over time. By graphing the student’s assessment
scores and examining the trend line, the RTI/DIP Team can make an informed decision about a student’s
response to intervention. The table presented below provides further information regarding the nature of
this decision.

Determining Student Response to Intervention


Primary Data Sources: DIBELS, LLI, AIMSWeb, STAR, Fountas and Pinnell Reading Levels,
Behavioral Data, Student Work Samples,
Secondary Data Source: Anecdotal evidence including practitioner observations & field notes
Purpose: • Determine student’s response to the intervention
• Determine if the student is making progress towards grade level
benchmarks
• Determine the need for a lesser or more intensive intervention
Who’s Involved: Classroom Teacher; Building-Based RTI/DIP Team
Frequency per Tier: Decision-Making Parameters per Instructional Tier
Tier I Tier II Tier III
Varies according to Every 6-8 data Weekly
student need points
Decision Options and See Appendix C for a graphic illustration of decision guidelines (Rate
Criteria: of Progress, Rate of Improvement) related to Determining Student
Response to Intervention

Learning Disability Determination


Effective on and after July 1, 2012, a school district must have an RTI process in place as it may no longer
solely use the severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability to determine that a student
in kindergarten through grade four has a learning disability in the area of reading. In making a
determination of eligibility for special education under the classification of LD, the CSE must determine
that a student’s academic underachievement is not due to the lack of appropriate instruction in reading.
Appendix A and B provide state guidelines on the relationship between RTI and the CSE referral process
(Response to Intervention: Guidance for NYS School Districts, NYSED, October 2010).

31
RTI/AIS Considerations for English Language Learners

Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective October 1, 2014

(j) Support Services for students not demonstrating adequate performance. For each English Language
Learner who makes below specified levels of performance on the annual English language proficiency
assessment, as defined by the Commissioner, the school district shall determine the additional support
services to provide the student, taking into consideration evidence such as:
1) Number of years of instruction in a Bilingual Education or English as a New Language program;
2) English and home language literacy, content area and socio-emotional support needs of Students
with Inconsistent/Interrupted Formal Education;
3) English and home language literacy needs of Long-term ELLs;
4) Results on the annual English language proficiency assessment exam;
5) Bilingual Education or English as a Second language teacher recommendation;
6) Content area teacher recommendation;
7) Parent or other person in parental relation request;
8) Sample of student work in English and, if possible, in their home language; and
9) Bilingual educational evaluation, if the student has or is suspected of having a disability.
The support services provided shall be aligned with any intervention plans (e.g., Academic Intervention
Services) the school district is already providing to all students.

The Vestal Central School district celebrates the rich diversity of language and cultures that English
Language Learners (ELLs) bring to the classroom. It seeks to create a warm, welcoming, and inclusive
environment in which ELLs’ home languages and cultures are valued. As ELLs learn English and integrate
into the social fabric of our schools and community, they also have opportunities to further enrich that
same community as they share their heritage with others.

Vestal takes a strength-based approach to working with English Language Learners. The district views
bilingualism and biliteracy as powerful assets that greatly enhance the lives of students. Therefore
students and their parents are encouraged to maintain their home language(s). Educational research has
clearly demonstrated that ELLs make greater gains in English when they are able to make explicit
connections to their home language(s) (Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Saunders, & Christian, 2006).
Consequently teachers promote this transfer by creating opportunities for ELLs to build on their prior
knowledge of their home language and culture.

Vestal provides appropriate English as a New Language (ENL) services for ELLs. The main purpose of
these supports is twofold: (1) to help students acquire academic English through explicit instruction in the
form and function of the English language; (2) to remove English language proficiency as a barrier to
accessing the remainder of the curriculum. It typically takes ELLs five to seven years to fully acquire
English (Echevarría, Vogt, & Short, 2013). Therefore, the lack of English language proficiency can be a
significant, even if temporary, barrier to learning.

Gersten, Baker, Shanahan, Linan-Thompson, Collins, and Scarcella (2007) identify the following five
recommendations for promoting literacy among ELLs:
1) Screen for reading problems and monitor Progress;
2) Provide intensive small-group reading interventions;
3) Provide extensive and varied vocabulary instruction
32
4) Develop academic English
5) Schedule regular peer-assisted learning opportunities.
Vestal addresses each of these recommendations through the English Language Arts curriculum, English
as a New Language (ENL) services, and the district’s RTI Framework.

Tier One: Like all other students, ELLs are entitled learning that is meaningful and intellectually
challenging. The fact that a student may be learning English does not mean that he or she cannot reason at
a sophisticated level if given the proper scaffolding and support. It is essential that teachers hold high
academic expectations for ELLs while also providing the support necessary for them to meet those
expectations.

Classroom teachers provide ELLs with a variety of Tier One supports. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
principles are embedded in the curricula experienced by all students. For example, the Eureka Math series
makes extensive use of modeling, providing students with multiple means of representation. In other
cases, teachers differentiate instruction in order to accommodate ELLs. For example, the English Language
Arts curriculum includes guided reading, writing workshop, and the “Words their Way” program. All three
of these elements allow teachers to tailor instruction to a student’s level of readiness.

Tier Two: Like all Vestal elementary students, ELLs undergo several universal screening assessments in
ELA and Math each year. Depending on their grade levels, students take the Dynamic Indicators of Basic
Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), STAR Reading, STAR Math, the Fountas & Pinnell Reading Level
assessments. These assessments along with other curriculum-based measures and teacher observations
can be used to identify ELLs who are in need of Tier 2 interventions.

Judging whether or not an ELL is learning at an adequate pace can be a challenge. Firstly, standardized
tests commonly use native English speakers as their norm groups. This can make it difficult to distinguish
between a language acquisition issue and a more specific difficulty in a content area. Secondly, Echevarría,
Vogt, and Short (2013) identify a number of variables which commonly influence a student’s rate of
language acquisition. These include the following:
1) English Knowledge: Prior exposure to English including familiarity with Roman alphabet and
numbers, speaking, reading, and writing, the “distance” between English and the home language,
etc.;
2) Proficiency in the home language: Oral proficiency, literacy, proficiency in writing;
3) Educational Background: The quality and quantity of schooling in their home language;
4) Sociocultural, Emotional, and Economic Factors: Poverty, Mobility, Exposure to Trauma, Violence
or Abuse, Refugee Status, Parents Educational Background;
5) Other Factors: Ex. learning disability

In English Language Arts, teachers can use the New Language Arts Progressions to provide a rough
estimate of what students at particular linguistic levels should be ready to learn. However this information
may not be adequate in cases in which a student is not able to progress through linguistic levels.

Like all students, ELLs should receive interventions if there is reason to believe they are not progressing at
an adequate pace in a content area. At the same time, the district recognizes that interventions can be
counter-productive if they are not well-aligned with content-area instruction or if they cause the student
to miss other valuable learning experiences. Any decision to provide ELLs with Tier 2 interventions that go
beyond what they receive in their regular classroom or through ENL services must take a holistic view of

33
the student’s needs. Wherever possible, RTI Teams should consult with both the student’s classroom
teacher and their ENL teacher in order to design an intervention that best meets their needs.

Part 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective October 1, 2014

(e) school district shall refer [limited English proficient pupils] students who are English Language
Learners and who are suspected of having a disability to the committee on special education in accordance
with Part 200 of this Title and assure that a bilingual multidisciplinary assessment is conducted in
accordance with section 200.4(b) of this Title before the committee identifies [pupils with limited English
proficiency] students with English Language Learners as having a disability.

[…]

(9) If a student is identified as an English Language Learner with a disability pursuant to paragraph (3) of
this subdivision, each school district shall ensure that:
(i) Consistent with the requirements in section 200.3 of this Title, that the Committee on Special Education
for such students include at least one individual, certified pursuant to Part 80 of this Title, to provide
bilingual services or instruction or teach English to Speakers of Other Languages, who is knowledgeable
about the student’s English and home language development needs;
(ii) Placement in a Bilingual Education or English as a New Language program pursuant to this Part is not
refused solely because the student has a disability; and
(iii) assessment procedures that differentiate between language proficiency and disability are
implemented in accordance with sections 200.4(b) and (c) of this Title.

Tier Three: ELLs who have disabilities or other serious learning difficulties should receive more intensive
Tier 3 interventions including, where appropriate, special education services. As in Tier Two, determining
whether or not a student should receive a Tier 3 intervention can be challenging given the difficulty of
finding appropriately normed assessments. In order to ensure that ELLs receive Tier Three interventions
when, and only when, appropriate, the RTI Team and/or the Committee for Special Education should use
appropriately normed alternative language assessments wherever possible. Likewise, bilingual
psychologists and/or interpreters should be used when necessary. Appendix 4 provides a checklist of
questions to consider when deciding whether or not a Tier 3 interventions is appropriate for an ELL.

Professional Development

Part 100.2(ii)(3) requires each school district take “appropriate steps to ensure that staff have the
knowledge and skills necessary to implement a RTI program and that such program is implemented
consistent with…” the specific structure and components of the RTI process selected by the school
district.

Over the last five years, Vestal has provided professional development in the following areas:
• DIBELS administration and data collection
• Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System
34
• RTI Edge for Teachers and Administrators
• Ongoing and continuous balanced literacy training
• Words Their Way Training for Teachers
• RTI/DIP Team Training in Data Collection and Analysis
• Subject-specific professional development that embeds strategies for universal design,
differentiated instruction, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis

Parent/Guardian Notification

Parents and guardians are notified when their child requires an intervention beyond that provided to all
students in the general education classroom. Notification is provided to parents when RTI services begin,
for progress monitoring purposes, and when RTI services end. Please see Appendix D for sample letters.
In accordance with NYS RTI Guidelines, letters outline:

• The nature of the intervention their child will be receiving


o Type of intervention
o Frequency
o Duration
o Interventionist
o Location
• The amount and nature of student performance data that will be collected
o Type of data
o Screening tool
o Review date of progress
• Strategies for improving the student’s rate of learning
• Their right to request an evaluation for special education programs and/or services

35
Part III: RTI/DIP Steering Sub-Committee Planning for 2016-2017

Behavior Sub‐Committee Focus


The sub‐committee will look into setting up behavior as an official intervention area. The group will
discuss what behavioral interventions might look like across all three tiers of intervention. This will range
from proactive/preventative approaches in tier one to more targeted and intensive interventions at tier 3.
The committee will examine behavior in the context of the “whole child,” considering child development,
social & emotional learning, and aspects of curriculum and instruction that may have an impact on
behavior.

Recommendations:
• Pilot one or more Tier 2 approaches/interventions (e.g. Check‐in, Check‐out… Christiansen, 2008).
• Research possible rating scales for behavior (e.g. Student Risk Screening).
• Increased professional development around Oppositional Defiance Disorder, attachment Issues,
anxiety, conflict cycles, ADD/ADHD, etc.
• Continued research of approaches for dealing with less obvious (internalized) emotional issues.

Math Sub-Committee Focus


Develop math interventions protocols, screenings, and record keeping to address the following:
• Configuring RTI Edge to meet our local practices in math support/intervention/diagnostics.
• Exploring assessments that could be used for screening and/or progress monitoring.
• Evaluation of math interventions at each tier.
• Clarification of the relationship between math RTI and AIS.
• Guidelines for establishing integrated (push-in) and targeted (pull-out) interventions.

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Appendix 1: 2017-2018 Academic Intervention Services

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Appendix 2: Sample AIS Parent Notification Letter

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Appendix 3: Sample RTI Notification Letter

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Appendix 4: Research Base for Words Their Way Word Study Program

Developmental word study is built on the understanding that the English language is predictable and
logical. In 1975 Charles Read, a Harvard linguist, discovered that preschool children’s invented
spellings revealed a consistent pre-existing system of development (Read, 1971, 1975). This watershed
discovery led Edmund Hunderson and his colleagues at the University of Virginia to explore student’s
spelling over time, which resulted in a comprehensive model of developmental word knowledge that
progresses across five stages: emergent, letter name, within word pattern, syllables and affixes, and
derivational relations. Within these five stages, Words Their Way builds students’ word knowledge,
including the development of phonics, spelling, word recognition, and vocabulary. This is done through
a variety of research-based practices.

In Words Their Way: Word Study in Action, students will:


 Sort pictures and words, discovering similarities and differences and eventually learning to
recognize, decode, and write spelling patterns. The sorts are based on a structural approach to
word study.
• Students’ spellings reveal systematic, phonetic logic underlying preschoolers’
categorization of English speech sounds (Read, 1971, 1977).
• Fourth-grade students assigned to a word-sort group significantly outperform a control
group on standardized measures of reading and spelling (Weber & Henderson, 1989;
Hayes, 2004).
• Compare-and-contrast approaches within a historical-structural curriculum are effective
with intermediate students (Henry, 1989; Templeton, 2003).
• Word sorting is an effective approach to phonics and spelling instruction across the
elementary school grades (Hall, Cunningham & Cunningham, 1995; Zutell, 1998).
• Word sorting is more effective than traditional spelling approaches (Joseph, 2000;
Abbot, 2004).
 Learn by building on what they know and are trying to negotiate. The word study sorts, and
lessons in Words Their Way provide students with systematic instruction in alphabet, pattern,
and meaning.
• Invented spellings of primary school children reveal similar use of letter-name,
alphabetic logic up to the next period of transition (Henderson, Estes, & Stonecash,
1972; Beers & Henderson, 1977; Gentry, 1980; Henderson, 1981).
• Developmental study of spelling in grades one through six reveals three discernable
phases of orthographic understandings: alphabet, pattern, and meaning (Schlagal, 1992;
Henderson & Templeton, 1986; Henderson, 1990; Invernizzi, Abouzeid, & Gill, 1994).
• Effective word-study instruction reveals the historical structures inherent in English
orthography (Templeton & Morris, 2001; Invernizzi & Hayes, 2004).
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Appendix 5: ENL Checklist

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Source: Audrey Cohan, (2014). “A Checklist for CSE Teams Considering Limited
English Proficiency before Classification of an English Language Learner,”
Language Learning and/or Learning Disability for English Language Learners
Workshop. Syracuse, New York. September 22, 2014.

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Appendix 6: Excerpts from “Considerations when Implementing Response to
Intervention Program”

44
45
-Source: “Considerations when Implementing RtI with Limited
English Proficient/English Language Learners (LEP/ELL),”
New York State Department of Education.
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/RTI/guidance/LEPELL.htm

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Glossary
Academic Intervention Services: additional instruction which supplements the instruction provided in
the general curriculum and assists students in meeting the State learning standards and/or student
support services which may include guidance, counseling, attendance, and study skills which are needed to
support improved academic performance; provided that such services shall not include services provided
to students with limited English proficiency or special education services and programs.
Accommodation: Change made to instruction and/or assessment that does not change the expectations
for performance or change the construct that is being measured. Accommodations provide access to
buildings, curriculum, and assessments.1
Action Research: applied research focused on solving practitioners’ local problems.5
Adaptation: An adjustment to the instructional content or performance expectations of students with
disabilities from what is expected or taught to students in general education. Adaptations can include
decreasing the number of exercises the student is expected to complete, assigning different reading
materials, or allowing use of a calculator. 1
Aim Line: See “Goal Line.”
Authentic Assessment: Tasks that require students to apply knowledge and skills; often such tasks are
connected to real-world situations/challenges; the tool usually used to assess progress is a rubric with
well-articulated descriptions of quality performance/product. 1
Assessment: (1) the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something;
(2) A measurement of student growth or achievement. Assessment tool choice is dependent on the
purpose and use of measurement results. 1
Assessment, Authentic: Tasks that require students to apply knowledge and skills; often such tasks are
connected to real-world situations/challenges; the tool usually used to assess progress is a rubric with
well-articulated descriptions of quality performance/product. 1
Assessment, Criterion-Referenced: An assessment that measures what a student understands, knows, or
can accomplish in relation to specific performance objectives. It is used to identify a student's specific
strengths and weaknesses in relation to skills defined as the goals of the instruction, but it does not
compare students to other students. (Compare to norm-referenced assessment.) 1
Assessment, Diagnostic: A type of assessment which examines what a student knows and can do prior to
a learning program being implemented. Assessment of students' skills and knowledge upon entry to the
program provides a baseline against which to assess progress. It is particularly important in re-
engagement programs due to the complex learning needs and barriers of students in these programs,
which must be taken account of in design and delivery of the individual learning program.4
Assessment, Formative: Classroom/curriculum measures or observations of student progress; monitors
progress made toward achieving learning outcomes; informs instructional decision making. 1
Assessment, Functional Behavioral: Process to identify the problem, determine the function or purpose
of the behavior, and develop interventions to teach acceptable alternatives to the behavior. 1
Assessment, Norm-Referenced: An assessment designed to discover how an individual student's
performance or test result compares to that of an appropriate peer group. (Compare to criterion-
referenced assessment.) 1
Assessment, Ongoing: See Formative Assessment.
Assessment, Performance: See Performance of Understanding.2
Assessment, Progress-Monitoring: A practice used to assess students’ academic performance and
evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual
students or an entire class. Also, the process used to monitor implementation of specific interventions.1
Assessment, Screening: An assessment conducted to identify students who may be at risk for poor
learning outcomes so that early intervention can occur. Screening assessments typically are brief and

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usually are administered with all students at a grade level.3 Most screening assessments are given three
times per year.
Assessment, Summative: Comprehensive in nature, provides accountability, and is used to check the level
of learning at the end of a unit of study.1
Balanced Literacy:
Baseline: An assessment of performance prior to intervention. These initial data are used to monitor
changes or the improvement in an individual performance. 1
Behavior Intervention Plan: A behavior plan based on a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). It is
developed and implemented by a collaborative team, which includes the student and parent. The plan
includes positive behavior supports (PBS), identified skills for school success, and specific strategies for
behavioral instruction. 1
Benchmark: Important student outcomes or goals for a grade within a particular domain (e.g., reading),
that students should be achieving during the course of a school year (e.g., fall, winter, spring) in order to be
on target for end‐of‐grade performance by the end of that school year benchmark assessments:
assessments used to set benchmarks (e.g., according to local norms) and/or to determine whether
students are achieving grade level standard. 1
Case study research: A form of qualitative research that is focused on providing a detailed account of one
or more cases. 5
Confidence interval: a range of numbers inferred from the sample that has a certain probability or chance
of including the population parameter. 5
Coding: marking segments of data with symbols, descriptive words, or category names. 5
Cohort: any group of people with a common classification or characteristic. Ex. All third grade students. 5
Census: a study based on data from the whole population rather than from a sample. 5
Constant: a single value or category of a variable. 5
Control group: the group that does not receive the experimental treatment condition. 5
Core Curriculum: A course of study deemed critical and usually made mandatory for all students of a
school or school system. Core curricula are often instituted at the primary and secondary levels by school
boards, Departments of Education, or other administrative agencies charged with overseeing education.
Core curricula must be scientific and research-based. 1
Correlation coefficient: A numerical index that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship
between two variables.
Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM): Tools for measuring student competency and progress in the
basic skill areas of reading fluency, spelling, mathematics, and written language. 1
Cut point: Cutoff scores on common benchmark assessments; cut points specify the score at or below
which students would be considered for intervention.
Data: Information. Data can be qualitative or quantitative. 1
Data-Informed Practice: an ongoing inquiry process in which qualitative and quantitative data are
interpreted in a holistic context and used to aid in decision making. These decisions may encompass any
aspect of educational “practice” including but not limited to instruction, enrichment, intervention,
allocation of resources, development of policy, movement within a multi-level system, and identification of
disability.
Data Point: Point on a graph that represents student achievement or behavior relative to a specific
assessment at a specific time. 1
Differentiated Instruction: Process of designing lesson plans that meet the needs of the range of
learners; such planning includes learning objectives, grouping practices, teaching methods, varied
assignments, and varied materials chosen based on student skill levels, interest levels, and learning
preferences; differentiated instruction focuses on instructional strategies, instructional groupings, and an
array of materials. 1
Direct Relationship: A relationship in which two variable behave similarly. As one variable increases or
decreases, so does the other one.
Dual Discrepancy: A dual discrepancy occurs when a student’s performance and growth rate are both
substantially below performance and growth rate of typical peers. 1

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Duration: For the purposes of documenting response to intervention, duration refers to the length
(number of minutes) of a session multiplied by the number of sessions per school year. "Sufficient
duration" is dependent on a number of factors including the program or strategy being used, the age of the
student, and the severity of the deficit involved. Some programs offer guidelines or recommendations for
duration and may even limit the number sessions in which a child can participate, believing that a child
who does not make adequate gains after the specified amount of time would likely benefit from an
alternative intervention. 1
Experiment: an environment in which the researcher attempts to objectively observe phenomena that are
made to occur in a strictly controlled situation in which one or more variables are varied and the others
are kept constant. 5
Experimental group: the group that receives the experimental treatment condition. 5
Explicit Instruction: Systematic instructional approach that includes a set of delivery and design
procedures derived from effective schools' research merged with behavior analysis; essential components
of well-designed explicit instruction include a) visible delivery features of group instruction with a high
level of teacher and student interactions and b) the less observable, instructional design principles and
assumptions that make up the content and strategies to be taught. 1
Flexible Grouping: The ability for students to move among different groups based upon their
performance and instructional needs. 1
Focus group: a moderator leads a discussion with a small group of people. 5
Indirect effect: an effect occurring through an intervening variable. 5
Gap Analysis: A tool for measuring the difference between the student's current level of performance and
benchmark expectations.1
Goal Line: The straight line connecting a student’s baseline level of performance with his or her long‐
range goal; the slope of the aim line shows the expected rate of improvement if the student is going to meet
the long‐range goal.1
Guided Reading: An instructional approach to the teacher of reading in which a teacher works with
groups of students on texts selected to teach the development of reading strategies and skills identified
through the process of running records, an individualized reading assessment.
Intervention: The systematic and explicit instruction provided to accelerate growth in an area of
identified need. Interventions are provided by both special and general educators, and are based on
training, not titles. They are designed to improve performance relative to a specific, measurable goal.
Interventions are based on valid information about current performance, realistic implementation, and
include ongoing student progress monitoring.1
Learning Disability: a Learning Disability/Specific Learning Disability in the following manner: The child
does not achieve adequately for the child’s age or o meet State-approved grade-level standards in one or
more of the following areas, when provided with learning experiences and instruction appropriate for the
child’s age or State-approved grade-level standards. Learning disabilities can be in the following areas: oral
expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency skills,
reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, or mathematics problem solving.1
Learning Rate: Average progress over a period of time, e.g., one year’s growth in one year’s time.1
Latitudinal Analysis: (a.k.a. cross-case analysis) A form of statistical analysis that examines many
parameters (e.g. grades, classes, cohorts) collected at a single point in time. Ex. examining the 2014 NYS
ELA exams and disaggregating by grade, class, and sub-group.
Longitudinal Analysis: A form of statistical analysis in which data collected at multiple time points are
compared. Ex. Comparing outcomes of the third grade ELA exam from 2012 to 2015.
Modification: Alteration that change, lower, or reduce learning expectations. Modifications can increase
the gap between the achievement of students with disabilities and expectations for proficiency at a
particular grade level. Consistent use of modifications can negatively impact grade level achievement
outcomes. Modifications in statewide assessments may invalidate the results of the assessment.1
“n” size: The size of the sample used in a given study. Generally speaking, the larger the sample the more
confidence we have in the conclusions we draw from that sample.
Norming group: the specific group for which the test publisher or researcher provides evidence for test
validity and reliability. 5
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Numerical rating scale: a rating scale that includes a set of numbers with anchored endpoints. 5
Parameter: a numerical characteristic of a population. 5
Percentile rank: the percentage of scores in a reference group that fall below a particular raw score. 5
Push-In Support: Push-in support occurs during core instruction in the classroom. Support teachers work
with classroom teachers to deliver instruction, assist in guided practice and facilitate cooperative student
learning.
Reliability: refers to the extent to which assessments are consistent.
Remediation: Instruction intended to remedy a situation; to teach a student something that he or she
should have previously learned or be able to demonstrate; assumes appropriate strategies matched to
student learning have been used previously.1
Response to Intervention: Practice of providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to
student need, monitoring progress frequently to make changes in instruction or goals, and applying child
response data to important educational decisions.1
Sample: a set of elements or cases taken from a larger population.5
Scaffolding: An instructional technique in which the teacher breaks a complex task into smaller tasks,
models the desired learning strategy or task, provides support as students learn to do the task, and then
gradually shifts responsibility to the students. In this manner, a teacher enables students to accomplish as
much of a task as possible without adult assistance.
Targeted Support: Targeted support is defined as supplemental instruction aligned to core ELA or math
curriculum. Targeted support is provided to groups of students with similar needs. It may occur in the
classroom or a separate location.
Tier 1: Regular high quality first instruction that occurs in the regular classroom and is consistent across
classrooms and grade levels.
Tier 2: Supplemental, research-based explicit intervention targeting identified areas of need.
Tier 3: Interventions that occur after a student does not show adequate progress after multiple Tier 2
interventions.
Trend Line: (a.k.a. regression line) Line on a graph that connects data points; compare against goal line to
determine responsiveness to intervention.1
Triangulation: A validation approach based on the convergence of results obtained by using multiple
investigators, methods, data sources, and/or theoretical perspectives. Ex. Using a student’s Fountas &
Pinnell reading level, STAR Reading score, and teacher observations to make a claim about a student’s skill
level in reading. 5
Universal Screening: A quick check of all students’ current levels of performance in a content or skill area.
This is administered three times per year.1
Validity: the accuracy of the inferences, interpretations, or actions made on the basis of test scores.5
Variable: a condition or characteristic that can take on different values or categories. 5
Variable, categorical: a variable that varies by type or kind. Ex. males and females, or students with
disabilities. 5
Variable, confounding: an extraneous variable that was not controlled for and is the reason a particular
“confounded” result is observed; an extraneous variable that systematically varies with the independent
variable and also influences the dependent variable. 5
Variable, dependent: a variable that is presumed to be influenced by one or more independent variables.5
Variable, independent: a variable that is presumed to cause a change in another variable. 5
Variable, intervening: a variable occurring between two other variables in a causal chain (a.k.a.
mediating variable. 5
1 “Glossary,”RTI Action Network. http://www.rtinetwork.org/glossary
2 Blythe,T. (1997). The teaching for understanding guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
3 “RTI Glossary of Terms,” Center on Response to Intervention. http://www.rti4success.org/resources/rti-

glossary-terms#CBA
4 “Diagnostic Assessment,” Victoria State Government: Education and Training.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/participation/Pages/reengagediagnostic.aspx
5 Johnson & Christensen (2014), Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, & Mixed Approaches

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Blythe, T., Allen, D., & Schieffelin, P. (2015). Looking together at student work. Third Edition. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Echevarría, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D.J. (2013). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP
model. Fourth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Genesee, F., Lindholm-Leary, K., Saunders, W. M., & Christian, D. (Eds.). (2006). Educating English language
learners: A synthesis of research evidence. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Gersten, R., Baker, S. K., Shanahan, T., Linan-Thompson, S., Collins, P., & Scarcella, R. (2007). Effective
Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades. IES
Practice Guide. NCEE 2007-4011. What Works Clearinghouse.
Honigsfeld, A. and Cohan, A. (2010). “Piloting a Pre-referral data collection tool: A documentary account.”
Insights on learning disabilities 7(1), 15-28.
Jensen, R. (2006). Enriching the brain: How to maximize every learner’s potential. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.
Johnson, B. & Christensen, L. (2014). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, & mixed approaches.
Boston: Allen & Bacon.

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