December 15, 2009 ACTION UPDATE

Making Decisions About Adequate Progress in Tier 2 How can educators make informed decisions about adequate student progress within Tier 2 of an RTI model? In this article, Mr. Douglas Dexter and Dr. Charles Hughes of Penn State University review different decision-making methods and provide recommendations for measuring response to Tier 2 instruction. Learn more about how you can best determine which students are in the most need of intensive support.     Voices from the Field In this Voices story, Sandi Feldman shares outcome data from the RTI initiative at Public School 380 in Brooklyn, New York, which was successfully expanded to 29 more schools through New York City's RTI Program in Early Literacy. Ms. Feldman, a Senior Innovative Program Specialist, attributes the success of the school's RTI initiative to leadership that prioritizes fidelity of implementation, staff development, and follow-up coaching.   RTI Blog: "Be Sure to Meet the Needs of the Implementers"  In his latest blog, Principal Bob Heimbaugh notes that adopting a scientifically-based intervention, in and of itself, is insufficient if the needs of the teachers are not met. He offers tips to help schools meld programs and people together so that the adoption of scientifically-based research practices results in improved outcomes for students.

QUESTION OF THE MONTH When implementing RTI, is there a recommended ratio of students to teachers at different tiers of intervention? In her response, Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden, emphasizes that intensity is what distinguishes one tier of intervention from another and identifies several features of intervention, including the ratio of students to teachers, that can be altered to increase intervention intensity. Discover how these features interact to create more intensive interventions that have a greater capacity to improve learning.   Read her full response to this question of the month. »      The tiered instruction varies on several dimensions related to the nature and severity of a student's difficulties.

RTI Webinars Choose from a list of archived webinars to develop your skills and increase your knowledge of effective RTI practices. View free recordings of RTI Action Network webinars such as "Integrating Academic and Behavior Supports Within an RTI Framework" and "Screening for Reading Problems in an RTI Framework" or access Web-based training opportunities from other sources.

		NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Early Childhood Resources The Center for RTI in Early Childhood (CRTIEC) has posted materials and resources from its first annual RTI Early Childhood Summit on the CRTIEC Web site.   Screening Tools Chart The National Center on Response to Intervention is pleased to announce the release of the Screening Tools Chart. The chart provides ratings on the technical adequacy of screening tools used within an RTI context. Please note that the Center does not endorse or recommend the tools included in the chart.

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