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Responsiveness-to-Intervention Symposium

December 4-5, 2003 * Kansas City, Missouri

The National Research Center on Learning Disabilities sponsored this two-day symposium focusing on responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) issues. The speakers, discussants, and participants assembled represented the wide diversity of individuals with a vested interest in LD determination issues. Advocates, instructional staff, researchers, and state-level education officials brought their collective and considerable expertise to the discussions.

W. David Tilly III of Heartland Area Education Agency in Johnston, Iowa, presented this invited paper during the symposium. For links to other papers and materials, visit the main Symposium 2003 page.

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How Many Tiers Are Needed for Successful Prevention and Early Intervention?:
Heartland Area Education Agency's Evolution From Four To Three Tiers

W David Tilly III
Heartland Area Education Agency
Johnston, Iowa

Prepared for the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities Response To Intervention Symposium
December 5, 2003

Please direct inquiries about this paper to David Tilly at dtilly@aea11.k12.ia.us. Phone number is (515) 270-9030.

Table of Contents

How Many Tiers Are Needed for Successful Prevention and Early Intervention?: Heartland Area Education Agency's Evolution From Four To Three Tiers

• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• From Typological to Functional Assumptions
  • Table 1: Redefinition of Assumptions
  • Figure 1: Resource Allocation Logic in Heartland's Problem Solving Model
• Reengineering Resource Deployment
• Importing the Scientific Method and Research-Based Practices
• From Four to Three Tiers
• Summary

Results of a Three Tiered Model Implementation: The Heartland Early Literacy Project (HELP)

• Method
  • Table 2: DIBELS Measures Used in Heartland's HELP Implementation
• Results: Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF) Raw Score Gains
  • Figure 2: Project-Level Data (121 Schools)
• Results: Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) Raw Score Gains
  • Figure 3: Nonsense Word Fluency Raw Score Gains for Kindergarten Students
• Results: Oral Reading Fluency Raw Score Gains for First Grade Students
  • Figure 4: Oral Reading Fluency Raw Score Gains for First Grade Students
  • Figure 5: Oral Reading Fluency Raw Score Gains for Second Grade Students
  • Figure 6: Oral Reading Fluency Raw Score Gains for Third Grade students
• Results: Phonemic Segmentation and Oral Reading Fluency Gains Expressed as Z-Scores
  • Table 3: Growth in Kindergarten Phonemic Segmentation Fluency
  • Table 4: Growth in First Grade Oral Reading Fluency
  • Figure 7: Frequency Distribution of End of Kindergarten PSF Effect Sizes for HELP Project Schools from First to Third Year Implementation
  • Figure 8: Frequency Distribution of End of First Grade ORRF Effect Sizes for HELP Project Schools from First to Third Year Implementation
• Results: Reduction in New Special Education Identification Rates in 36 Pilot Buildings
  • Figure 9: New Kindergarten Special Education Placements Pre and Post HELP Implementation
  • Figure 10: New First Grade Special Education Placements Pre and Post HELP Implementation
  • Figure 11: New Second Grade Special Education Placements Pre and Post HELP Implementation
  • Figure 12: New Third Grade Special Education Placements Pre and Post HELP Implementation
• Closing
• References

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The symposium was made possible by the support of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs. Renee Bradley, Project Officer. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Education.