What is RTI for mathematics?

Page 8: Fidelity of Implementation

Throughout the RTI process, it’s important that schools and districts collect and analyze data to determine how effectively staff are implementing RTI. Specifically, schools must monitor the fidelity of implementation for RTI’s main components: universal screening, high-quality instruction, progress monitoring, and data-based decision making. Although school personnel might be implementing one or more of these components correctly, they might well be implementing others without fidelity. This monitoring should take place at each level of support.

For a number of reasons, monitoring fidelity in middle and high schools is often more difficult than in elementary schools. This is often due to a lack of appropriate fidelity tools and materials, the need for assessors to be knowledgeable across multiple domains (e.g., geometry, algebra), and the complexity of implementation given the realities of staffing and scheduling.

To maximize teachers’ fidelity of implementation, schools can use RTI manuals to document their established procedures. Click the links below to view sample RTI manuals.

Fidelity Variables

Any changes to the established implementation procedures could negatively affect the effectiveness of a school’s RTI efforts. By conducting fidelity checks regularly (e.g., three times per year), administrators or RTI coordinators can identify whether staff have altered or strayed from the established procedures. As is outlined in the table below, fidelity checks consist of three variables:

• The data collection method
• The frequency of data collection
• The support system to maintain and improve the implementation of the intervention

Fidelity Variables
Method	Direct assessment occurs when a qualified individual (e.g., RTI coach, principal) observes a staff member and records his or her behavior (instructional, assessment-related, or decision-making) on a standard checklist. Indirect assessment can take place through a variety of means, including self-reports, interviews, student work samples, and an interpretation of existing data (e.g., universal screening results).
Standard Checklist Example Teacher Observation Checklist Instructions: For each item, circle the number to indicate how often you observed the teacher engaging in the behavior or practice. Teaches mathematics instruction for 50 minutes 1 2 3 4 5 Uses a high-quality mathematics program 1 2 3 4 5 Prepares daily lesson plans 1 2 3 4 5 Uses differentiated instruction 1 2 3 4 5 Uses small-group instruction 1 2 3 4 5 Uses peer tutoring 1 2 3 4 5 Conducts progress monitoring weekly 1 2 3 4 5 Follows administration instructions correctly when administering progress monitoring probes 1 2 3 4 5 Enters and graphs data within the week 1 2 3 4 5 Uses data to make instruction-related decisions 1 2 3 4 5 Uses a classroom behavior management plan 1 2 3 4 5 (Close this panel)
Frequency	The fidelity of implementation needs to be checked regularly, at a minimum three times per year. The frequency of data collection will depend on factors such as: Teachers’ experience levels Teachers’ requests for help or instruction Outcomes of previous fidelity checks
Support systems	Support systems in schools need to serve two purposes: Providing ongoing professional development and support Allocating resources that enable teachers to implement RTI Supports can result from both proactive and reactive responses: Proactive – Assess teachers’ needs at the start of the RTI implementation, and provide training and resources accordingly. Reactive – Provide additional professional development, in the form of coaching or mentoring, if the fidelity data indicate that a teacher is not implementing the RTI procedures correctly.

(Johnson, Mellard, Fuchs, & McKnight, 2006)

For more information about how to implement RTI with fidelity, please visit the IRIS Module:

• Evidence-Based Practices (Part 2): Implementing a Practice or Program with Fidelity

David Chard talks about two components of RTI, which in his experience are often not implemented with fidelity (time: 0:46).

School personnel should conduct fidelity observations and evaluations of teachers in a supportive, non-blaming manner that emphasizes problem solving. When a coach, principal, or fellow teacher observes instruction, he or she should not provide critical feedback. Rather, he or she should be supportive and provide feedback that informs the teacher about the observed lesson or instructional technique. To better illustrate the variables associated with fidelity, the examples below describe fidelity issues that could arise.

	Issue: progress monitoring procedures Ms. Wilkes administers progress monitoring computation probes on a weekly basis as mandated by her school. The manual states that the students have three minutes to complete the probe.
Method	Teacher observation; conversation with teacher; teacher self-report
Findings	Ms. Wilkes is not following the correct procedures for administrating progress monitoring probes. She usually gives her students five to six minutes to complete them. When the observer asks her why she gives her students extra time, Ms. Wilkes states that she feels that a number of her students experience anxiety when she only gives them three minutes to complete the probes.
Support system	Teacher is retrained in progress monitoring procedures by a mentor teacher. The mentor teacher observes Ms. Wilkes’ administration for the following three weeks and then monthly for the remainder of the school year.

	Issue: graphing progress monitoring data Ms. Sutton has recommended that an inordinate number of her students would benefit from secondary intervention based on their graphed scores.
Method	Review of students’ progress monitoring probes and graphs by the decision-making team; conversation with the teacher about how and by whom the data is graphed
Findings	Ms. Sutton is incorrectly graphing students’ progress monitoring scores.
Support system	Teacher works with coach to identify the reasons for her incorrect graphing and to rectify problem; coach provides needed training. Coach checks Ms. Sutton’s scoring and graphing after each administration of progress monitoring probes until graphing is accurate; follow-up checks are conducted periodically throughout the remainder of the school year.

	Issue: providing high-quality instruction When Mr. Chandler’s school adopted RTI for mathematics, it was decided that the instructional period should last 45 minutes.
Method	Teacher observation by lead teacher and follow-up conversation
Findings	Mr. Chandler only provided 30 minutes of mathematics instruction. He is not providing high-quality instruction for the designated amount of time.
Support system	Teacher works with mentor or coach to help him identify methods for teaching mathematical concepts using a greater variety of proven strategies and thus increasing not only the length of each lesson but also the quality of his instruction. Lead teacher observes twice per week until Mr. Chandler is implementing instruction with fidelity (i.e., for 45 minutes). Follow-up fidelity observations conducted as needed.