Evaluation and eligibility using RTI

1. November 2009 Oregon RTI Project Cadre 5 Evaluation and eligibility using RTI

2. Participants will understand both general IDEA evaluation requirements and evaluation requirements for Specific Learning Disabilities Participants will understand characteristics of learning disabilities Participants will practice weighing information about student performance in the context of LD eligibility decisions Objectives

3. Activity Once you’ve been assigned a section: Find your group Take 30 minutes to read your section, and plan a lesson to teach the important content to the larger group (e.g. omit language related to preschool age students) Utilize OrRTI staff to clarify or explain confusing language Each group will have 10 minutes to present their lesson Oregon administrative Rules

4. Activity: Count off by 5 into the following groups: Evaluation and Reevaluation Requirements General Evaluation & Reevaluation Procedures Evaluation Planning Determination of Eligibility/Interpretation of Data Specific Learning Disability Oregon administrative Rules

5. Referral for a special education evaluation Evaluation planning Prior Notice About Evaluation/Consent for Evaluation Evaluation (60 school days) Evaluation Summary Eligibility Determination meeting Steps in the evaluation process

6. Typically made by the RTI team Parents may make a referral at any time If another disability is suspected, proceed to referral while intervening Remember: Referral does not equal evaluation. Once a student is referred, the evaluation planning team (including the parents) convene to determine if an evaluation is appropriate. Before the meeting, parents receive procedural safeguards. At the end of the meeting, parents receive prior notice of the team’s decision. Referral

8. Student intervention Profile

9. Progress Monitoring Data

10. Developmental History

11. When making evaluation decisions, consider: • General Requirements for evaluation • LD Eligibility Statement The team answers the question: What do we still need to know before we can determine if the student is eligible under IDEA? What do we still need to know in order to determine the student’s educational needs? Evaluation Planning

12. Parent Notification in ttsd

13. Eligibility Determination Identifying Learning Disabilities Under an RTI Model

14. BIG Idea! Low achievement and slow progress are the foundation for determining SLD eligibility using RTI.

15. Dual Discrepancy • Low skills • Slow progress despite intensive intervention

16. Determine parameters • Maintain consistency • School to school • Grade to grade • Child to child Does the Student Have Low Skills?

17. Is Progress Slow? • How much is enough? • Progress monitoring growth rates • Yearly RIT gains • Context is key • Typical growth • National norms • District norms • Cohort growth

18. Is the intervention Intensive? • Scientific, research-based (IDEA 2004) • Sufficient frequency and duration • Implemented with fidelity

19. Eligibility Decision Making It comes down to the balance. How does the “weight” of the intervention compare to the “weight” of progress?

20. Required components • Other relevant components • Exclusionary factors • Avoid the “whoops” Keep the End in Mind

21. Lack of appropriate instruction • Existence of another disability • Limited English proficiency • Environmental or Economic Disadvantage Are there other explanations?

22. Susie • 2nd Grader • Fall: ORF 22 • Winter: ORF 55 • Gain: 2.37 words/week • Typical gain: 1.5 words/week • Core program • + SMART volunteer • + Read Naturally 2 times per week • +Phonics for Reading and Read Naturally 5 times per week

23. Ellie • 25thth percentile on ORF • Remains at 25th percentile • “Low average” • Core program • 20 minutes/day additional practice • 40 minutes/day explicit instruction and guided practice

24. Emily • 1st Grader • Gain: 6-10 wpm in 8 weeks • Other students gain 22 wpm in the same period of time • Core program • +45 minutes of decoding and fluency program

25. Johanna • 2nd grader • Reads 45 words per minute (target is 90 wpm) • Core program • Reading Mastery in addition • New to the district • Has been in 4 different school districts • Recently moved in with a relative

26. Jim • 5th grader • Reads 77 words per minute (target is 150 wpm) • Scores below average benchmark on the State-wide assessment • Core reading program • 30 minutes of additional reading program 5x a week • Jim was adopted from Russia 2 years ago • ELL teacher interviews family and finds out he didn’t attend school before he came the U.S.

27. Marisol • 3rd grader • Reads 45 words per minute in Spanish • Reads 5 words per minute in English • Core Spanish reading program • Additional interventions in Spanish 5x a week since 1st grade • Has been in the same school since Kindergarten • The other students in her cohort group read an average of 90wpm in Spanish and English

28. Individually: Quickly read the sample report, highlighting 4 or 5 sentences that provide especially useful information. As a Group: Share what you’ve highlighted. What makes this report useful? Quality Eligibility Reports