The Florida Problem Solving/Response to Intervention Project: Year 1 Evaluation Report

Abstract

This report presents the outcomes of the first year of implementation (Year 1, 2007(Year 1, -2008) ) of the Florida Problem Solving/Response to Intervention (PS/RtI) Project.Data for this evaluation report were collected from 40 pilot schools located in eight (8) demonstration school districts in Florida.The findings are organized around the three focus areas for the Year 1 evaluation: the degree to which school staff supported project implementation (Consensus), the degree to which school structures and staff skills were developed to support implementation (Infrastructure) and the degree to which the school actually implemented the components of response to intervention (Implementation).Findings 1) Increases in staff support for the implementation of the PS/RtI model occurred.School-based Leadership Team (SBLT) members and instructional staff indicated increasing levels of agreement with core beliefs central to implementation of a PS/RtI model.Interviews with Regional Coordinators and PS/RtI Coaches who provided training, technical assistance, and support to the pilot schools resulted in themes consistent with data reported by participating educators.2) Increases in the structures and educator skills necessary to support implementation of a PS/RtI model occurred.SBLT members reported increasing availability of data to make decisions, evidence-based practices, and meetings to evaluate the impact of instruction/intervention.Ongoing professional development efforts appeared to result in educators needing less support than they needed at the beginning of the year to apply PS/RtI practices.Regional Coordinators and PS/RtI Coaches' perspectives were consistent with these findings.3) Increases in use of the PS/RtI model in the pilot schools occurred.SBLT reports and reviews of permanent products (i.e., documentation) generated from meetings at which PS/RtI practices were likely to be implemented indicated higher levels of implementation during Year 1. Regional Coordinators and PS/RtI Coaches' perspectives on implementation supported these findings. Future DirectionsFindings from Year 1 evaluation activities suggest improvements in consensus, infrastructure development, and implementation.In addition to continued assessment of the extent to which Project activities resulted in attainment of the aforementioned goals, future evaluation activities will examine the relationship between PS/RtI implementation and student academic and behavioral outcomes.