Hidalgo rti guidance draft 2 1 14

Response to Intervention (RTI) Guidance Document

Hidalgo I.S.D.

“Total Team Effort”

The online version of this guide is official.

Therefore, all printed versions are unofficial copies.

For the official version of this guide go to:

http://www.hidalgo-isd.org/

“Total Team Effort�

Response to Intervention (RTI) & Positive Behavior Intervention Support Team Mr. Martin Pena Interim-Superintendent

Dr. Carmen Pacheco Executive Director of Special Populations

Mrs. Dora Contreras Executive Director of Teaching & Learning

Ms. Rebecca Rodriguez Director of Special Education

Mrs. Alicia Garza Coordinator of CTE/Curriculum/Migrant

Mrs. Judith Dimas Hidalgo Early College High School Principal

Mr. Rafael Tinoco Hidalgo Early College High School Assistant Principal

Mr. Gregorio Solano Hidalgo Academy Principal

Mrs. Brenda De Hoyos Ida Diaz Jr. High School Principal

Mrs. Raquel Reyes-Alvarez Hidalgo Elementary Principal

Ms. Maria Hernandez Ida Diaz Jr. High School Counselor

Mr. Jose L. Esquivel Dr. Alejo Salinas, Jr. Elementary Principal

Mrs. Ana Lee-Mancha J.C. Kelly Elementary Principal

Mr. Jose M. Rangel Hidalgo Park Elementary Principal

“Total Team Effort”

Hidalgo I.S.D. Mission Statement The Hidalgo Early College Independent School District is an exemplary educational community dedicated to the highest standards of quality in order to educate all students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens. To ensure this outcome, we commit to a comprehensive system of support for every student. The district, parents, students and community are committed to providing a rigorous curriculum and a culturally diverse learning environment that empowers our graduates to be college and workforce ready in order to meaningfully and successfully participate in a global society.

Response to Intervention (RTI) Mission Statement Hidalgo I.S.D. believes in providing high quality and data driven research based instructional support and behavioral interventions that focus on the success of all students that will match the needs of the individual students to ensure that all children reach their fullest potential. This is achieved through the collaboration of district and campus level educators who are committed to implementing and sustaining a systemic plan for all students. It is Hidalgo I.S.D. RTI teams’ goal to create a school wide learning community utilizing data, progress monitoring, evaluating outcomes, and directed decision-making that will provide the necessary support to meet all student needs.

“Total Team Effort�

District Profile District Enrollment: 3,289 • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ethnic Distribution: American Indian/Alaska: 0.0% Asian/Pacific Islander: 0.0% African American: 0.1% Hispanic: 99.7% White: 0.2% Economically Disadvantage: 87.8% At Risk: 69.8% Bilingual/ESL: 51.5% Migrant: % Gifted and Talented: 0.3% Special Education: 10.5%

“Total Team Effort”

What is Response to Intervention?

Response to intervention (RtI) integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement and to reduce behavior problems. With RtI, schools 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 (National Center on Response to Intervention, 2010).

“Total Team Effort�

Who can benefit from the RtI process?

RtI benefits all learners (grades PK- 12) who are struggling and those who need enrichment activities. In other words, RtI is for 100% of the students who are enrolled in our district! With RtI efforts, students who need academic or behavioral assistance will receive it immediately before the need becomes too great and the “gap” is widened.

RtI also benefits the teachers by offering them a “system of support” by a process of giving and receiving help to one another in order to provide strategies and approaches that are proven to work with the our students. RtI recognizes that all teachers have strengths and the process relies on these strengths that already exist within our district to support each other and help you to work smarter and not harder.

The community also benefits with RtI because implementation of a cohesive RtI process will decrease the dropout rate, enable more students to graduate high school on time, and be college ready and/or ready to enter the workforce with skills that will make them succeed in life.

RtI has been proven in countless school districts in our nation as a way to create a community of learners including administrators, teachers, students, families and all school stakeholders and enhances the quality of life for all.

“Total Team Effort”

Support Structures Necessary for Systemic Planning and Implementation of RTI Hidalgo I.S.D. will have the necessary systemic supports in place to ensure successful implementation of the RTI framework. The district team is composed of district and campus leaders who are committed in the development of a multi-year action plan to address RTI implementation district wide. To build capacity the RTI district team completed a four-week on-line course focusing on the RTI framework and also participated on a three day comprehensive planning sessions for the purpose of building a systemic RTI framework. The team will continue to build capacity by meeting regularly (once a month or as needed) for on-going development and assessment of RTI plan. The same commitment is expected by new staff replacing RTI team based on attrition or succession. Any new member will take the on-line training and receive the RTI Implementation Guide from person being replaced.

Hidalgo I.S.D. will provide the RTI district training team with sufficient time and resources to plan, develop, adopt and/or adapt RTI professional development for the district. The RTI district team will work collaboratively with the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning to coordinate professional development based on the results of the district/campus needs assessments. A professional staff development calendar will be created based on the recommendations of the RTI district team.

The Hidalgo RTI district team will ensure that resources are delivered, as planned, to support the implementation of RTI. Based on campus needs assessments, campus administrators will develop/amend Campus Improvement Plans to include resources, funding, responsible personnel, and timelines. An approval path for purchase orders will include the campus principals and Executive Director of Special Populations, to validate that resources support RTI initiatives.

“Total Team Effort�

Creating a Shared Vision Hidalgo Independent School District will develop an action plan to identify stakeholders in the district, share information and gain consensus to support RtI. The plan will provide information about RtI practices in the school district. These include educational activities on the following: • • • • • • • •

The definition of RtI; Components of RtI; Research on RtI; Benefits on implementing RtI; Barriers to implementing RtI; Changes to be expected when implementing RtI; Required commitments and resources needed to implement RtI; Examples of exemplars of RtI implementation

Definition of RTI RtI is the practice of meeting the academic and behavioral needs of all students through a variety of services containing the following key elements: •

High-quality instruction and scientific research-based tiered interventions aligned with individual student need

•

Frequent monitoring of student progress to make results-based academic and/or behavioral decisions

•

Application of student response data is used to make educational decisions (such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies)

It is a framework of the general education program that provides ALL students with the instruction they need for learning success.

The GOAL of RTI is to intervene early when students BEGIN to struggle with learning and to prevent them from falling further behind and to keep the “gap” from widening.

The instructional approaches used within the general education setting should result in academic and/or behavioral progress for the majority of the students. Struggling students are identified using data-based student progress monitoring and provided intensive instruction. The use of scientifically validated curricula and teaching methods expected in an RtI model leads to data-based school improvement.

Components of RtI RTI is a FRAMEWORK for providing HIGH QUALITY instruction built on the following components: • All students receive high quality core content area instruction.

“Total Team Effort”

• • • • •

All students are screened (universal screening BOY, MOY and EOY) to identify those who are making adequate grade level progress and those who are falling behind and are at risk for learning difficulties.

At-risk students are provided with immediate, scientific research-based tiered interventions aligned with individual student needs.

Frequent monitoring of student progress to make results-based academic and/or behavioral decisions is provided.

Professional development is provided to educators to enhance the instruction and interventions they provide.

Application of student response data is used to make important educational decisions such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies.

Research on RtI Benefits of RtI RTI holds the promise of ensuring that all children have access to high quality instruction and that struggling learners, including those with learning disabilities (LD), are identified, supported, and served early and effectively. Driven and documented by reliable data, the implementation of RtI in Texas schools can result in: •

more effective instruction;

•

increased student achievement;

•

more appropriate LD identification;

•

increased professional collaboration; and

•

overall school improvement.

This plan will also establish the rationale for district adoption of RtI practices; demonstrate how RtI systematically connects to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other federal and state statutes and regulations; analyze and demonstrate how RtI systemically connects and is interdependent with existing district goals, mission, priorities, and initiatives; and make direct connections to the potential impact on district values and beliefs.

As part of this initiative, Hidalgo ISD recognizes the importance of having internal and external partners who have a vested interest in RtI process. (for Written Agreements see Appendix “__”).

“Total Team Effort”

Internal District Level RtI Team Superintendent Board of Trustees Campus RtI Committees Instructional Staff Professional Support Staff Technology Department Finance Department Parental Liaison Transportation Department Substitutes

External Parents Consultants Local Businesses Region One Service Center DARS Pediatricians JJAEP Truancy Court Police Department Fire Department STC/TSTC/UTRGV City of Hidalgo Chamber of Commerce Media

This plan will identity the current system(s) of accountability and define the leadership structures, roles and responsibilities of district/central office staff and systems of accountability needed to implement RtI; modify the current system as needed. (Roles p. 20-21) The following funding sources may be used to support RtI: Local funds; State Compensatory Education Funds; State Bilingual; Title I Part A (Schoolwide funds); Title I Part C (Migrant funds); Title III Part A (ELL funds); State and Local Compensatory Special Education funds.

Although no state or federal funds are specifically appropriated for RtI implementation, several funding sources may appropriately be accessed by districts to support this initiative, including but not limited to the following: •

Compensatory Education Funds - In addition to serving students at risk of dropping out of school, as defined in Section 29.081(d) of the Texas Education Code, a school district may serve students who meet local eligibility criteria adopted by the board of trustees.

•

High School Allotment - RtI initiatives directed at improving academic success, disciplinary/behavioral issues, and drop out prevention may be appropriately funded for Grades 6 – 12 using the high school allotment.

•

State Bilingual and Special Language Funds - These funds can be used to assist students whose primary language is other than English to master basic English and participate effectively in the state’s/district’s educational program.

•

Title III, Part A Funds – These funds can be used to supplement the instruction of students whose primary language is other than English to master basic English and participate effectively in the state’s/district’s educational program.

“Total Team Effort”

•

Title I, Part A Funds - Title I, Part A funds must be expended for programs/activities/strategies that are scientifically-based on research and meet needs (identified in the campus’s comprehensive needs assessment)

•

Title I, Part C Funds - Title I, Part C funds must be expended to supplement programs/activities/strategies that are scientifically-based on research and meet needs (identified in the campus’s comprehensive needs assessment) of migrant students.

•

State Special Education Funds – These funds can be expended on students eligible to receive special education services.

•

IDEA-B - LEAs may use up to 15% of the entitlement received under IDEA-B to support RtI implementation.

This plan will define the decisions to be made at the district level versus the building level (e.g., resource reallocation, purchasing materials).

“Total Team Effort”

District Infrastructure for RtI Implementation 1. Define the roles of district/central office administrators in implementing RtI We will identify and define the roles that district and central administration will play in implementation of RtI. 2.

Define the role of central office support staff in supporting the implementation of RtI.

We will clearly define the roles of central office support staff in supporting the implementation of RtI that will help articulate the initiative throughout all layers of the organization.

3. Analyze the districts instructional initiatives or frameworks that support universal instruction.

We will develop and complete a district level needs assessment to clearly define the district’s instructional initiatives or frameworks that support universal instruction utilizing instructional strategies for which all students have access to and all teachers and administrators are trained.

4. Analyze the resource and support structures available to support the implementation of RtI. We will develop and complete a district level needs assessment to determine the resources and support structures available to support the implementation of RtI. 5. Conduct a gap analysis and plan to address identified needs.

We will conduct a gap analysis and develop an action plan to address identified needs and use the needs assessment results to examine and reallocate current resources to make RtI a reality given existing fiscal constrains.

6. Discuss and make decisions about universal instruction: What features are expected to be in place in universal instruction?

What does universal instruction look like at the elementary middle school and high school levels? Is there an instructional framework that articulates essential elements of effective instruction for all students?

We will discuss and make decisions about universal instruction where the instructional framework at the elementary, middle, and high school levels that promotes effective instruction for all students.

“Total Team Effort�

7. Discuss and make decision about the assessment system: We will discuss and make decisions about the assessment system that will include screening measures, diagnostic assessments, and progress monitoring assessments in the district.

8. Identify the criteria for each of the three tiers of instruction (universal, strategic, and intensive) based on research and mandates in the targeted content areas and grade levels.

We will review and discuss the current performance of students in relation to universal, strategic and intensive instruction. We will identify the criteria for each of the three tiers of instruction (universal, strategic and intensive) based on research and mandates in the targeted content areas and grade levels.

9. Assess the needs of the district and school sites in the use of technology for gathering and using data for RtI. We will identify an evaluation plan and data collection system that will assess the needs of the district and school sites in the use of technology for gathering and using data for RtI.

10. Develop and deploy an integrated professional development an across personnel (e.g., staff, parents administrators) and across content domains.

We will develop and deploy an integrated professional development action plan across vested stakeholders. We will consider differentiated professional development across content domains based on staff experience, roles and responsibilities.

11. Develop a vehicle for feedback an problem-solving support ( e.g. where to go for information and whom to call with concerns) We will develop an action plan to establish point people for RtI technical assistance and problem solving support.

12. Define, which decision will be made at the district level and those to be made at the building level during implementation of RtI. We will develop an action plan to define and provide guidance and set parameters for decision making at the district and campus levels that will identify which decisions will be made at the district and campus level during the implementation of RtI.

“Total Team Effort�