In an rti model, why is collaboration among personnel involved in the program essential?

What is RTI for mathematics?

Although schools might implement RTI in different ways, there are several main features common to the overall implementation of the approach. These features create a strong framework to support student learning. The table below describes these main features, each of which will be explored in more detail on subsequent pages.

To implement the RTI approach effectively, school personnel must first understand how to incorporate these features systematically and with fidelity. Watch the video below to gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between these features (time: 3:42).

Transcript: RTI Implementation Features

RTI has a number of important implementation features that help create a strong framework to support student learning.

• Universal screening
• High-quality instruction
• Frequent progress monitoring
• Data-based decision making
• Increasingly intense levels of instructional intervention
• Fidelity of implementation

The RTI approach generally consists of three increasingly intensive levels of instructional intervention: core instruction; supplemental or targeted intervention; and intensive, individualized intervention.

The first tier or level of instruction involves providing high-quality core instruction to all students in a general education setting. This entails the combined implementation of a standards-based curriculum and evidence-based practices. It also involves conducting a universal screening one to three times per year to help identify students who might be struggling. Once struggling students have been identified, the teacher uses frequent progress monitoring to track their progress and to determine whether they are responding adequately to core instruction.

A team reviews students’ progress monitoring data and makes data-based instructional decisions about what level of instructional support would most likely benefit each of them. For students who are making adequate progress, this typically means providing only core instruction. However, students who do not respond adequately to core instruction will likely benefit from supplemental intervention. This level of intervention, which is often referred to as Tier 2 intervention, occurs in addition to core instruction and should align with it. This more intensive level of instruction is provided in a small-group setting. During this level of instruction, the teacher provides high-quality instruction. Additionally, the teacher continues to frequently monitor students’ progress to determine whether the students are responding adequately to supplemental intervention.

Once again, the team reviews the students’ progress monitoring data and makes data-based instructional decisions about what level of instructional support would most likely benefit each of them. This might involve discontinuing the supplemental intervention, continuing the supplemental intervention, or providing more intensive intervention.

This more intensive individualized intervention is sometimes referred to as Tier 3 intervention. As before, this level of intervention occurs in addition to core instruction and should align with it. This level of instructional support focuses on students’ individual learning needs. During this more intensive level of instructional intervention, the teacher provides high-quality instruction in a one-on-one or small-group setting. Additionally, the teacher frequently monitors student progress. The data can help determine why a student is not responding to an intervention and what types of changes to the intervention should be considered. It can also be used to make decisions about what level of instructional support would most likely benefit each student. This might involve discontinuing or continuing intensive, individualized intervention.

Throughout the RTI process, school personnel should conduct periodic checks on fidelity of implementation. This entails following the implementation procedures outlined in the school’s RTI guidelines.

(Close this panel)

Elementary versus Middle and High School

Whether in the elementary, middle, or high school setting, teachers should implement the main features of RTI outlined above. The basic description of RTI on the subsequent pages is valid for implementation at all grade levels. However, because the structure of middle and high school differs greatly from that of elementary school, the implementation of RTI in those settings will present additional challenges, for example in terms of scheduling and fidelity. These challenges will likewise be addressed on the following pages.

David Allsopp and Brad Witzel discuss how RTI differs at the elementary level compared to the middle and high school levels, highlighting a few implementation challenges at the upper levels.

David Allsopp, PhD
Assistant Dean for Education and Partnerships
University of South Florida

(time: 2:09)

View Transcript

Transcript: David Allsopp, PhD

Most of the research on RTI mathematics has been conducted at the early grades level, and not much research has been conducted at the middle and high school level. So that does offer us some challenges in terms of having a level of research support regarding what we should be doing at the middle and high school levels compared to the elementary levels. Structurally the delivery of educational services is different between Pre-K, elementary, middle, and high school levels. There’s a distinct transition from a focus on developmental learning in the early grades to more content-focused learning as kids move from early grades to upper elementary to middle to high school. The structure of middle schools and high schools does change the ballgame a bit with respect to RTI, and RTI mathematics specifically.

So, challenges: Number one, we don’t have really good assessments at the secondary level. There are not a lot that are there that can be used for universal screening and for progress monitoring. While there are some measures out there, they may not necessarily correlate with the curriculum of that particular school. These assessments don’t really correlate well with the Common Core. There are eight standards of mathematical practice that we should be engaging our students in and monitoring their ability to engage in those practices. So I think that’s something that we’re missing with what we have currently. Secondly, time to increase intensity and time towards supplemental and more-intensive supports for students is not as easy to find at the high school level and middle school level. And certainly at the high school level, the issues of high school credit come into play and that also creates some barriers there. Those are just some of the challenges that that we face at the secondary level compared to the elementary level.

Transcript: Brad Witzel, PhD

There are several differences between RTI at the elementary and secondary levels. Limited empirically validated interventions, and even research-supported practices for that matter, exist specific to secondary mathematics. There are obvious reasons for this dearth of available interventions, though. One is that the problems are more complex at this level. If a student struggles in math early—say, multiplication facts–then that student’s likely going to trip over content repeatedly throughout their academic career. It would likely impact the computation of multi-digit numbers, fractions, integers, linear equations, systems of equations, factoring, and so on. Therefore, it’s important to, one, determine the specific area of math that’s causing difficulty, two, design an intervention that targets those areas, and then, three, show how these math skills impact what they’re currently learning in the core.

Because it is initially implemented at the elementary school level, many secondary educators believe that RTI does not apply to them. More specifically, they believe that if RTI did not work for students when they were in elementary school, it will not work for them in middle or high school either, and thus these students should be referred for special education services. Some common myths regarding RTI at the middle and high school levels are explored below. Click on each to separate myth from fact.

Importance of Collaboration

The success of the RTI approach depends upon shared responsibility and increased accountability for student learning. This can be achieved through greater collaboration among school leaders, teachers, specialists (e.g., mathematics interventionists, mathematics coach, RTI coordinator, general education teacher, special education teacher, an individual knowledgeable about assessment), and parents. In particular, the success of RTI requires that general educators and interventionists or special educators work together closely to collect and evaluate data, make data-based instructional decisions, and plan and deliver instruction. To accomplish these tasks, educators will need sufficient time to meet as well as to take part in training and ongoing professional development to acquire and maintain necessary skills.

Brad Witzel discusses the importance of collaboration to determine effective intervention practices that should be implemented across teachers. He also elaborates on the four steps below that teachers can implement to help improve their instruction (time: 2:20).

• Observe each other
• As a group, determine what is needed to improve instruction
• Create a list of actions that must be implemented
• Meet frequently and work collaboratively to continue to make improvements

Transcript: Brad Witzel, PhD

As teachers, we tend to work in isolation all too often. I suggest that we work with others to establish what is working in intervention settings and then use that information to drive change in core instruction. Likewise, examine what strategies are working for one classroom in a content- or grade-level team, and then see how is that teacher using that strategy so effectively and how can we make that work across an entire content area. So I’ve got four steps here that may help along these lines. I suggest, one, set time aside to visit each other’s classrooms and collect observational data of each other. Don’t teach in isolation; teach as a community. These observations are not meant to evaluate each other, but more to take information and really try to learn from each other, what is the secret of each teacher’s success. Then, two, come to a consensus on what is needed to improve the entire team. Give a list of steps. What’s our first one we want to attack? Which one do we see more often? Which one do we think is really working? And now that you’ve seen them all, which ones should we focus our attention to?

So three is to set-up a list of non-negotiables that the team will implement. What are the things that we must do in order to make our math classes work? Maybe it’s explicit instruction, visuals, every student speaks every day, more interactions in the classroom. But set up that list of non-negotiables that your team wants to implement and then develop a fidelity checklist to make sure everybody marks themselves off that they have done this. And, in fact, if you have a teacher who may think and don’t know if I’m implementing it correctly, let the teachers again go back and observe each other and cheer each other on with it. Again, not for evaluation, but in a cheerleading, team-building approach. Number four, meet frequently and work collectively to continuously improve not just your school but even your own craft. So, again, I don’t think we do collaboration nearly enough. There might be some amazing teachers who we need to learn from who aren’t math. And let them come and work with us, and at the same rights maybe there are math people who can help others. By opening doors not just within your content but even outside your content, there’s a lot of options you can do to help each other.

Throughout the RTI process, communication with parents or guardians is important. Early in the process, school personnel should offer general information to families about the goals of the RTI approach and how they might be involved in their children’s education. Frequent and personal communication with parents will help schools to be better prepared to meet the educational needs of all children, and will help families stay informed regarding their children’s progress.

Why it is important for the teacher to collaborate with administrators?

Why do people collaborate with other teachers?

Why is collaboration important in education?

What do you need for effective collaboration between special and general educators?