Rhode Island

Katie Tackett

NCRTI TA Provider:
Katie Tackett, Ph.D.
ktackett@air.org

Does the state have a State RTI Framework? Yes.

RTI is a process of determining appropriate support and interventions to
supplement the core curriculum to meet the needs of all learners. This
framework for instruction bases decisions on benchmark and progress
monitoring data to improve achievement. The RTI approach is included in NCLB and IDEA and is part of Rhode Island Personal Literacy Plan guidance (2005) and Learning Disability Guidance (2005). Hauerwas (2006) in her work with the Rhode Island schools identified five components of a Response to Intervention approach:
1. Problem Solving
2. Shared Responsibility
3. Intervention System
4. Progress Monitoring
5. For some, Special Education Process
http://www.ritap.org/rti/about/overview.php

Does the state have RTI Components in its SPP? Yes.

Indicator 10: Disproportionality – specific disability categories by race
http://www.ride.ri.gov/special_populations/state_federal_regulations/rhode_island_spp_feb._1,_2007__per_osep_revisions_.pdf

Does the state have an RTI Related SPDG? Yes.

This project will focus on five goals: (a) redefining the role of secondary special educators and increasing the number of highly qualified secondary special educators who are practicing in Rhode Island schools; (b) creating a professional development system based on Rhode Island Early Learning Standards; (c) decreasing the number of behavioral incidents, suspensions, and expulsions through implementation of a Statewide system of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS); (d) increasing the number of highly qualified leadership personnel; and (e) increasing the number of highly qualified new teachers who begin their careers adequately prepared to provide effective instruction to students with disabilities.
http://www.signetwork.org/Docs/2007Abstracts/2007RhodeIsland.htm

What does the state allow for SLD? IQ Discrepancy & RTI

SLD criteria, adopted by the RI Board of Regents in June 2009, phases in the requirement for local education agencies to utilize a student’s response to intervention as part of the process for the identification of specific learning disabilities and phases out the use of severe discrepancy between aptitude and achievement.
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Special_Populations/Programs_Services/SLD_Guidance%201-2010.pdf

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RITAP Response to Intervention Website: A link off the main website for the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP), this website provides information about: RTI in Action (descriptions of what some Rhode Island schools are doing to develop their school-wide RTI model); Resources (includes links to print documents and websites, as well as presentations categorized into four sections: Overview of RTI, Learning Disability, Assessment, Literacy and Teaming); and Professional Development and Networking (available workshops focusing on different aspects of RTI). This website is maintained by the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project, a project housed at Rhode Island College and supported by the Rhode Island Department of Education Office for Diverse Learners.
Interim Guidance Regarding Service Delivery and Learning Disability Identification (pdf): This report, issued in 2006 by the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, provides guidance regarding service delivery and learning disability (LD) identification post IDEA reauthorization and pending Rhode Island regulation revision. The specific topics covered include: service provision; special education decision-making; special education evaluation; disability determination; and annual reviews and reevaluation. The report also provides recommendations for districts, and lists additional references for further information on LD identification and RTI. This resource is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
Personal Literacy Plan Guidelines: Second Edition (pdf): This resource was developed by the Rhode Island Department of Education in 2005. It provides guidance for districts and schools on developing Personal Literacy Plans for students. A Personal Literary Plan (PLP) provides a problem-solving approach for improved student reading that is cyclical, inclusive (involving teachers, parents, administrators, etc.) and connects to the process of school improvement. The major components of a PLP are intervention and intervention progress monitoring.
This guidance document provides an overview of: the background and definition of PLPs; assessing which students need a PLP; what constitutes systematic and explicit literacy instruction; the life cycle of a PLP; assessment of the effectiveness of a PLP; creating and expanding a systematic support system for students with PLPs, as well as the different roles involved in this system. The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) strongly suggests that all school districts use this document to guide the development of their PLP system and the refinement of their PLPs, reading interventions, and reporting forms. This resource is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
Team Review of Referral and Evaluation Report and Learning Disabilities Documentation Form: This resource contains both the Team Review of Referral and Evaluation Report and the Learning Disabilities Documentation Form. The former is intended for use by local education agencies to document and review the following information pertaining to a specific student: evidence of prior instruction, intervention and progress; suspicion of disability; assessment questions used and evidence gathered; the evaluation meeting (relevant behavior noted during the observation of the child and the relationship of that behavior to the child's academic functioning in the areas of difficulty); and the determination of disability. The Learning Disabilities Documentation Form is then completed to document the basis for the disability determination (i.e., the achievement, learning rate, learning gaps, and relative strengths of the student). This resource is provided by the Rhode Island Department of Education. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
RTI: Questions and Answers: This presentation provides an overview of RTI and presents some considerations for districts and schools beginning implementation. It first describes what RTI is and what the components are of a school-wide system of RTI. It then outlines a possible systems approach to implementing the model in terms of the classroom unit and individual students. It examines the use of data in a data-driven way versus a data informing way, and delineates four organizing principles underlying the RTI model. The presentation concludes with several questions to explore regarding the implementation of RTI, and considerations for capacity building to facilitate the implementation process. This presentation was developed in 2006 by Laura Boynton Hauerwas of Providence College, Kristen Matthes of the Barrington Public School, and Ina S. Woolman of the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Special Populations. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
Response to Intervention: Tools for Improving Achievement District-wide: This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the philosophy and system of RTI. It reviews the key concepts and practices of the model, and provides two case studies to illustrate these elements, including evaluating student progress, targeting interventions, evaluating data, and forming a plan. It also reviews how RTI impacts learning disability determination. The presentation concludes by examining the shifts Rhode Island districts and schools are making due to implementing RTI; it identifies the key components of implementation (progress monitoring, PLCs, the problem-solving process, and interventions) and offers lessons learned from the process thus far. The presentation was developed in 2005 by Laura Boynton Hauerwas of Providence College, and Ina S. Woolman of the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Special Populations. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
Moving Toward a Problem-Solving Approach that Uses Response to Intervention Data: This presentation provides an overview of RTI and the problem-solving process. It reviews the philosophy and tenets of RTI, as well as the steps involved in the problem-solving process. It discusses what interventions are and the use of data (both benchmark and progress monitoring data) to chart RTI. The presentation also emphasizes expanding circles of support and team collaboration in the implementation of RTI. The presentation was developed in 2006 by Laura Boynton Hauerwas of Providence College, and Kristen Matthes of the Barrington Public School. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Problem Solving and Response to Intervention... Don't Be Afraid to Ask!: This presentation provides an in-depth look at RTI and the problem solving process. It uses charts to illustrate the different steps in the problem solving process. It also discusses the three tiers of intervention, how to use data to drive decision making, key questions to consider when choosing data tools, and websites to consult to find out more about data tools. The presentation concludes by looking at how to coordinate the implementation of RTI, and shares various lessons learned about teaming in general. The presentation was developed in 2005 by Laura Boynton Hauerwas of Providence College, and Ina S. Woolman of the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Special Populations. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
Response to Intervention – Linking Statewide Initiatives: This presentation provides an overview of Rhode Island’s statewide initiatives, including: RTI (describes the main features of the model); Personal Literacy Plans (PLP) (delineates the PLP lifecycle within the problem-solving approach); the Reading First Program (discusses what services and resources its funds support); and the scaffolded framework for secondary literacy.
The presentation also examines using the problem-solving approach to determine learning that is occurring beyond grade level, as well as using RTI to make special education decisions. This presentation was developed in 2005 by Todd Flaherty for the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).
The Impact of RTI on Learning Disabilities Identification: This presentation examines the impact of RTI on learning disabilities identification. It first reviews guidance from IDEA 2004 regarding learning disability determination. It then delineates the process of Special Education decision-making wherein first the curriculum, instruction, and environment are evaluated, and then the Special Education process commences with the Evaluation Team’s consideration of referral. The presentation concludes with a description of how the RTI model impacts the determination of learning disabilities. The presentation was developed in 2005 by Ina S. Woolman of the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Special Populations. It is housed on the Response to Intervention website of the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project (RITAP).

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© Copyright 2009
The resources within the State Databases were taken directly from the states. Any policies, models, or programs described within those resources have not been evaluated by and are not endorsed by either the National Center on Response to Intervention or the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, which funds the Center. The resources were meant only to provide examples of work being done in the field.