Tag: OSPI

Response to Intervention (RTI) – Support for Struggling Students

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

Brief overview

  • Students struggle in school for different reasons.
  • RTI is an acceptable way of identifying students with learning disabilities.
  • RTI isn’t a specific program or type of teaching.
  • RTI works on a tier system with three levels of intervention.

Full Article

Students struggle in school for different reasons. Response to Intervention (RTI)  can help by combining high quality, culturally responsive instructions with assessments and interventions that are proven to work by evidence from research.

RTI was originally recognized in the 1970s as a system for helping students with potential learning problems early, instead of waiting until they fail. With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, RTI was noted as an acceptable way to identify students with learning disabilities. RTI can help students who haven’t yet been identified as eligible for special education or those who struggle but don’t qualify for special education services.

At any time during the RTI process, parents or teachers can request an evaluation for special education services.  The evaluation can determine whether a student qualifies for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or accommodations through a Section 504 Plan. RTI does not replace a school’s responsibility to evaluate students who might qualify for special education services. See PAVE’s article on Child Find, a mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

RTI’s goal is for schools to intervene before a student falls too far behind. RTI is not a specific program or type of teaching, but rather a proactive way to check in with a student to see how things are going. Data help school staff decide which types of targeted teaching would work best for the student. If a student’s progress is slow or stagnant, then teachers adjust based on the student’s needs. 

RTI has three levels, or tiers, for intervention:

  • In the general education classroom
  • In a special education classroom, resource room, or small group
  • For an individual student

RTI works best when parents are involved

Parents can monitor their child’s progress and participate in the process. Parents can talk to the school about which instructions or reinforcements are working and boost the benefit by being consistent with the same strategies at home.

As military families move from one location to another, they may notice that each school uses different techniques to implement RTI programs.  Schools will format their programs to best fit the needs of their students by using a variety of tools to improve learning for all students. Keeping up with what’s happening at school might be challenging but can help the student find success.

RTI is part of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework.  MTSS provides a method for intervention in academic and non-academic areas, including Social Emotional Learning or behavior support. MTSS is used to support adult students and professionals as well. In this video, a researcher from the American Institutes for Research, Rebecca Zumeta Edmonds, Ph.D., discusses differences between MTSS and RTI.

PAVE has an article that describes MTSS and how it can provide a larger framework for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), when a child’s behavior becomes a barrier to learning.

For more information on RTI, MTSS, and PBIS:

The Three RTI Tiers

Center on Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RTI)

 What is the Difference Between RTI and MTSS?

MTSS: What You Need to Know

Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) in Schools

What are Procedural Safeguards?

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to provide the parents/guardians of a student who is eligible for or referred for special education with a notice containing a full explanation of the rights available to them.

School districts must provide parents a copy of the Procedural Safeguards:

  • At least once every school year.
  • In the parents native language.
  • When you or others, including the district, request that your student be evaluated to determine eligibility for special education services. This process is called a referral.
  • The first time you file a citizen complaint in a school year.
  • The first time you request a due process hearing in a school year.
  • When a decision is made to remove a student for more than ten school days in a year as part of a disciplinary action, and that removal constitutes a change of placement.
  • Upon request.

This may include information on State or Federal laws regarding the rights of individuals with disabilities. While this is provided to inform or make one aware of these rights, legal definitions, or laws/regulations, it is not providing legal representation or legal advice. The participant understands that this is information to educate them not to provide them with legal representation

The school wants to use Aversive Intervention, what do I do?

Posted on by Nicol Walsh

What is aversive intervention?

Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Section 392-172A-03120 sets out the following:

Aversive interventions means the systematic use of stimuli or other treatment which a student is known to find unpleasant for the purpose of discouraging undesirable behavior on the part of the student. The term does not include the use of reasonable force, restraint, or other treatment to control unpredicted spontaneous behavior which poses one of the following dangers:

(a) A clear and present danger of serious harm to the student or another person.

(b) A clear and present danger of serious harm to property.

(c) A clear and present danger of seriously disrupting the educational process.

This WAC section also states that “aversive interventions, to the extent permitted, shall only be used as a last resort. Positive behavioral supports interventions shall be used by the school district and described in the indivi-dualized education program prior to the determination that the use of aversive intervention is a necessary part of the student’s program.” More simply put, using an aversive intervention plan must be a last resort measure and positive behavioral supports interventions must be used and described in the IEP prior to determining that aversive intervention is a necessary part of the student’s program.

Requirements for Implementing Aversive Interventions

If an IEP team is considering the use of an aversive intervention because positive behavior support interventions have not worked in discouraging undesirable behavior on the part of the student, the team must follow WAC 392-172A-03135.  (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=392-172A-03135)

What do I need to know?

All students with Aversive Plans MUST have Behavior Intervention Plans as part of their IEP that have all of the above elements. Again, “aversive interventions” means the systematic use of stimuli or other treatment which a student is known to find unpleasant for the purpose of discouraging undesirable behavior on the part of the student. As such, Aversive Plans should not be focused on responding to unpredicted spontaneous behavior and should instead be focused on why the team believes an aversive measure is an appropriate tool to use to help a student meet a specific behavior objective and how the tool will be used.

Requirements for Monitoring Aversive Interventions

As set forth above, WAC 392-172A-03135(1)(h) requires that at least every three months when school is in session, the effect of the use of aversive interventions be reviewed. Each case manager insures that data is collected regarding the use of aversive interventions for this periodic review for each student on their caseload on the following schedule:

Preschool and elementary: with trimester progress reporting

Secondary: by 12/1, 2/1, 5/1

If changes need to be made to the current aversive intervention plan, those must be done through an IEP amendment, complete with all required paperwork. If no changes are necessary then the case manager completes a prior written notice documenting this review that is sent to parents and central files for the legal file.

The PAVE Parent Training and Information Program may include information on State or Federal laws regarding the rights of individuals with disabilities. While this is provided to inform or make one aware of these rights, legal definitions, or laws/regulations, it is not providing legal representation or legal advice. The recipient understands that this is information is to educate them not to provide them with legal representation.