Intervention Prevention Project

Intervention/Prevention is a local initiative designed to support student achievement.  In the Intervention/Prevention process, a student with academic delays is given one or more research-validated interventions. The student's academic progress is monitored frequently to see if those interventions are sufficient to help the student to catch up with his or her peers. This process is also known nationally as Response to Intervention (RtI). According to GCS’s Strategic Plan, an RtI model will be implemented district-wide in 2011.

A critical component of the Intervention/Prevention model in Guilford County Schools is the use of a universal screening assessment for all K-2 students in key areas of basic literacy.  Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), the universal screening instrument used in GCS, focuses on the five key areas for reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel (2005):  phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, oral language/vocabulary development, and comprehension.  Information obtained from this assessment will enable regular classroom teachers to identify students in need of early intervention in order to ensure reading success. Most importantly, it will guide teachers as they provide early literacy instruction that is focused, explicit, and differentiated according to individual student needs. 

Furthermore, the use of a universal screener will help the district meet the mandates of the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA).  By screening all students multiple times a year and providing focused, research-based interventions to any student who is at risk of not developing essential academic skills, it is anticipated that fewer students will need special education services.  No longer will we have to wait for students to fail before providing interventions for them. 

As this project becomes more widespread, it will become more and more integrated with the IST process. Currently, the IST process incorporates many aspects of a Response to Intervention model, such as the use of CBMs like DIBELS, research-based interventions, and progress monitoring.