Graduate Program

School Psychology

Degree Name

Specialist in School Psychology

Semester of Degree Completion

2009

Thesis Director

Christine McCormick

Thesis Committee Member

Linda Leal

Thesis Committee Member

J. Michael Havey

Abstract

This study provided a descriptive analysis of one school district's approach to Response to Intervention (RTI) for literacy skills in kindergarten which included two screening measures and their accompanying supplemental literacy instruction. Data, collected by the school, were analyzed for the children deemed "at-risk" of reading difficulty during the fall, winter, and spring assessment periods of the 2008-2009 academic school year. The data included performance on two screening measures, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the teacher-developed Kindergarten Inventory of Skills, and book-level assessments as a measure of early reading skill development. Results indicated that by the spring assessment period, 93% of the at-risk children who received DIBELS-only supplementary instruction and 58% percent of the children who received the Kindergarten Inventory of Skills supplementary instruction achieved book levels adequate for first grade reading instruction. The complexities of describing and evaluating this school district's approach to RTI are discussed. Multi-year comparison data as well as clearly delineated decision rules and procedures would allow this district to further evaluate their approach to RTL.

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