A Brief Overview of Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI)

Brief Overview of Scientific Research Based Intervention

SRBI was spurred by federal court action and educational research.  It is both an educational process and a systematic approach for addressing the needs of all learners in all classrooms. As stated in the Executive Summary of Connecticut’s Framework For SRBI:

RTI [SRBI] involves providing scientific, research-based instruction and intervention matched to student needs, with important educational decisions based on students’ levels of performance and learning rates over time. Rather than limiting the provision of instructional and social/behavioral supports for those students classified under a particular label or program, supports are provided to all students based on individual needs. (1)

Its primary purposes are to help all students achieve grade level proficiency and to revise the process by which we identify students with learning disabilities and emotional disturbances. 

A standards-based core curriculum implemented with research-based teaching and learning practices (e.g. pre-assessment, communicating the learning objective, direct instruction, modeling, guided practice, flexible grouping, formative assessment, explicit feedback, choice, etc.) ensures grade level proficiency for most students.  However, other students often struggle with this curriculum when they do not have the prerequisite skills and knowledge expected at a given grade level.

Core Elements 

Core general education curricula that is comprehensive in addressing a range of important competencies in each academic domain, culturally relevant and research-based to the extent that research exists to inform their selection or development.

A school wide or district-wide comprehensive system of social-emotional learning and behavioral supports.

The use of research-based, effective instructional strategies both within and across a variety of academic domains.

Differentiation of instruction for all learners, including students performing above and below grade level expectations and English language learners (ELL).

Universal screening of all students using common assessments that enable teachers to monitor academic and social progress, and identify those who are experiencing difficulty early.

Early intervention for students experiencing academic and/or behavioral difficulties to prevent the development of more serious educational issues later on.

Educational decision making driven by data involving students’ growth and performance relative to peers; data are carefully and collaboratively analyzed by teams of educators (e.g., data teams, early intervention teams), with the results applied not only to inform instruction for individual students, but also to evaluate and improve core general education practices and the overall efficacy of interventions.

A continuum of support that is part of the general education system, with increasing intensity and/or individualization across multiple tiers.

Fidelity of implementation refers to teachers’ use and delivery of curriculums, instructional strategies, strategies to foster a positive school climate, social/behavioral supports and interventions in the manner in which they were designed and intended to be used. 

The use of progress monitoring tools that are research based, reliable, and valid.  

PROCESS 

The SRBI process will be implemented by district-, building-, and PLC-level teams. Each school will implement a building-based version of the process illustrated and explained below. Each school will have an SRBI team responsible for implementing, supporting, and evaluating the efficacy of their process on a regular basis. The school-based SRBI team should include representation of at least one: administrator, PPS member, general education teacher, special education teacher, and specialist; additional members can be added based on student and program needs.

Three Tier Model

Tier I: Universal Instruction

The overarching goal of Tier I is to ensure that all students are achieving grade-level benchmarks based on state frameworks and standards in the domains of literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning. (For additional explanation, see Connecticut’s Framework for RTI, pages 24-33.)

Tier II: Targeted Interventions 

The goal of Tier II is to provide interventions to students who, despite consistent and intentionally implemented differentiated and targeted instruction, are not achieving grade-level benchmarks in the domains of literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning. (For additional explanation, see Connecticut’s Framework for RTI, pages 34-40.)

Tier III: Intensive Interventions

The goal of Tier III is to provide interventions to students who, despite adequate differentiated and targeted instruction and (typically) Tier II intervention, are not achieving grade-level benchmarks in the domains of literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning. (For additional explanation, see Connecticut’s Framework for RTI, pages 41-43.)