Integrating frequency-based mathematics instruction with a multi-level assessment system to enhance response to intervention frameworks.

Abstract

to Intervention (RtI) refers to a recent innovation education utilizing a multitiered service delivery model with two overlapping functions: first, to identify students who are struggling classroom and remediate academic deficits, and second, to distinguish between students who are behind due to a history of poor instructional experiences and those need of special education services for remediation of an actual learning disability. (Jenkins, Hudson, & Johnson, 2007). promotes a new focus on teaching and learning, focusing on how responsive students are to instruction. The term as originally coined, Responsiveness places agency or label of special education on teaching methodologies and measures student responsiveness to those procedures. was derived from provisions outlined Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA, 2004), which states that in determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, a Local Education Agency may use a that determines if child responds to scientific, research-based intervention as part of evaluation process [Section 614 (b)(6)(B)]. As such, offers an alternative to traditional practice of diagnosing learning disabilities based on a pronounced dual discrepancy between intellectual capacity (as determined by intelligence tests) and academic proficiency various subjects (as determined by achievement tests). is not mandated, but IDEA 2004 now prohibits states from requiring this discrepancy model. In many ways, constitutes a profound paradigm shift way that students with educational problems are perceived and taught classroom. According to traditional approach, if a significant dual discrepancy is observed between intelligence test scores and achievement scores, problem is generally considered to exist within student. The student is then labeled with a learning disability and committed to special educational system. If a significant discrepancy is not observed, student returns to general education classroom. Due to strict qualification guidelines related to current provision of special education services, funding to provide additional support to students that are only marginally failing is not generally available. Yet, it's clear that without an effective intervention, deficits are only likely to increase. For this reason, dual discrepancy model is often referred to as wait-to-fail model and has come under increasing widespread criticisms as being an ineffective and inadequate for special education (Francis et al., 2005). In contrast to dual discrepancy approach, emphasizes identifying and supportng all students with pronounced academic deficits. This change perspective of how to provide services has even led to a new term, the enabled learner (Tilly, 2006) and is creating a challenge for our school psychologists to move from use of traditional psychometric tests (i.e. intelligence and achievement tests) to an edumetric problem solving model focused on measuring changes individual performance over time (Canter, 2006). In summary, RtI is a set of scientifically research-validated practices that are deployed schools using scientific method as a decision-making framework (Tilly, 2006 p. 22). Framework When a school-wide approach is adopted, most commonly utilizes what is referred to as Standard Protocol Model (Shores & Chester, 2009). The model was based on research curriculum-based measurement of reading skills conducted by Deno and Mirkin (Deno, 1985, 2003; Deno & Mirkin, 1977). CBM grew out of need for educators to access more frequent performance data academic foundation skills of reading, spelling, writing, and mathematics (Deno, 1985; Shinn 1989). Teachers can use these criterion-referenced assessments to compare student progress to a grade level standard as well as to analyze individual growth compared to previous performance. …