Rtl/Data-based Problem Solving

When students are not academically and/or behaviorally responding to effective classroom instruction or classroom management, the CTAG process prepares schools and staff to determine why students are not responding and how to develop, deliver, and evaluate more strategic or intensive instruction or intervention as needed.  This is done within the context of a data-based problem solving process that is used progressively by (a) individual classroom teachers, (b) Grade-level School Prevention, Review, and Intervention Teams (SPRINT), and (c) Building-level SPRINT  teams.

The data-based problem solving process is the glue underlying the entire RtI/SPRINT process, whether applied at the teacher, grade, or building level.  This process involves, at the very least, the following fluid and overlapping steps or stages:

• Problem Identification (or definition),
• Problem (or functional) Analysis,
• Intervention Preparation and Implementation, and
• Evaluations of Intervention Effectiveness.

Data-based problem solving occurs throughout the RtI/SPRINT process.  When students do not respond to well-designed lessons, effective instruction, and supportive classroom environments, the data-based problem solving process is used by their primary classroom teachers to identify needed instructional or intervention directions or supports.  If a student still does not respond, the process becomes more formal and focused—typically through the use of the Grade-level SPRINT team.  At the elementary school level, this team is composed of all teachers at a particular student’s grade level, at least one Building-level SPRINT member, and anyone else who might be relevant to the case or situation being discussed.  At the secondary level, this team is composed of all teachers within the student’s instructional team, and again, at least one Building-level SPRINT member and anyone else who might provide additional insight and support.  These teams meet and continue to apply the problem solving process--usually focusing either on more in-depth assessments to determine the source of the challenge, or more strategic instruction or targeted intervention in the classroom.

If a student still is not responding after the additional instructional or intervention strategies or supports generated and implemented through the Grade-level SPRINT process—or when it is evident that a highly significant, complex, or intensive student situation exists—the  multidisciplinary, Building-level SPRINT team gets involved. 

The Building-level SPRINT team should include the best academic and behavioral intervention specialists in or available to the school building, and it provides an even more diverse and intensive forum for data-based problem solving.  Here, more intensive functional assessments of the student situation are available, using the multidisciplinary expertise of team members, and more specialized instructional and intervention supports are possible.  All of this is accomplished using a Problem Solving-Consultation-Intervention process where consultants work directly with the classroom teacher(s) in the setting(s) where the challenges exist to determine why they exist and how to resolve them.  

Throughout the SPRINT process and levels, the primary focus is on the classroom’s Instructional Environment—which consists of the students, teacher/instructional processes, and the academic and behavioral curricula being taught.  The ultimate goal is to facilitate students' academic and social, emotional, and behavioral learning, mastery, proficiency, and success--as they increasingly move toward becoming independent learners and competent in self-management.