Using Data to Inform Instruction in a Tiered Support Model
You are a paraprofessional in an elementary school (grades K-5) working with a reading interventionist. The school uses a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework. You have been collecting weekly progress monitoring data for a 3rd-grade student, Lily, who is in Tier 2 for reading fluency. Her goal is to read 90 words correct per minute (wcpm) by the end of the 12-week intervention. After 8 weeks, her data show: 45, 48, 50, 52, 55, 53, 58, 60 wcpm. The interventionist is considering moving her to Tier 3. The classroom teacher reports that Lily is keeping up with grade-level comprehension and is not struggling in class.
1. Analyze Lily's progress monitoring data. What trends do you see, and what factors should the team consider before deciding to move her to Tier 3?
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Lily's data show a steady upward trend from 45 to 60 wcpm over 8 weeks, an average increase of about 2.1 wcpm per week. This is positive progress, but she is still 30 wcpm below the 90 wcpm goal with 4 weeks left. The team should consider: (1) the rate of progress relative to the goal-is it sufficient to close the gap? (2) the classroom teacher's report that Lily is not struggling with comprehension, which suggests her fluency may be improving enough for her to access grade-level text; (3) the possibility that the goal is too ambitious or that the progress monitoring passages are not comparable; (4) the fidelity of Tier 2 implementation. Before moving to Tier 3, the team should review the data graphically, consider the trend line, and possibly adjust the goal or intervention rather than immediately intensifying. The decision should be data-based and collaborative.
2. The interventionist asks you to administer a diagnostic reading assessment to Lily to inform the Tier 3 decision. You have not been trained on this assessment. What should you do?
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I should inform the interventionist that I have not been trained on that assessment and therefore cannot administer it reliably. I could offer to help in other ways, such as scheduling, preparing materials, or continuing progress monitoring with tools I am trained on. Administering an assessment without training could yield invalid data and potentially harm the student. I would ask if training is available or if another trained staff member can administer it. This response ensures ethical practice and data validity.