Project

Rhode Island Tiered Interventions in Math Education (RI TIME)

$Math teacher and special education student$

In 2021, the Rhode Island Comprehensive Assessment Systems (RICAS) showed that less than 5% of 8th grade students with disabilities were proficient in math, compared with 18.5% of their peers without disabilities. Prior to the pandemic, 59% of students with disabilities taking the Math RICAS showed either typical or high growth; in 2021, that percentage had dropped to 33%. These post-pandemic assessments highlighted significant learning gaps for students with disabilities in mathematics.

To address this need, in 2022, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) funded AIR to launch the Rhode Island Tiered Intervention in Math Education (RI TIME) project, designed to improve math learning outcomes for students with disabilities in grades K-8. RI TIME provides support to RIDE in the implementation of their State Systemic Improvement Plan through technical assistance targeted to state and local education agencies as well as school and district staff.

Our Approach

AIR has supported RIDE in addressing gaps in math learning outcomes for students with disabilities in math since 2016. From 2016 until 2022, AIR was funded to lead the RI Intensive Math Project, with a goal to improve learning outcomes for students with specific learning disabilities in grades 3-5. In 2022, the project scope expanded to focus on improving math outcomes for students with disabilities in grades K-8, measured by growth on the 8th grade math RICAS.

RI TIME Educator Resources
RI TIME provides universal and targeted technical assistance to Rhode Island educators through the development of self-paced modules, factsheets on evidence-based math practices, and an ongoing topic-oriented podcast and book study. Explore the resources.

AIR staff provide a range of technical assistance to RIDE, local education agencies, and Rhode Island educators through professional learning and coaching on the delivery of accessible evidence-based math instruction across tiers of support and within specially designed instruction.

Professional learning activities utilize a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework and the data-based individualization framework (DBI) to improve educator capacity to implement evidence-based math instruction. Our approach targets all levels of the educational system to drive change that is both top-down and bottom-up—building individual educator capacity to change practice while also building the systems necessary to support lasting change and improved outcomes for students with disabilities.

In collaboration with the West Bay Collaborative and the Rhode Island Parent Information Network, the AIR team:

Supports Rhode Island districts in the implementation of MTSS through the development of supportive tools, resources, and self-paced learning modules housed on the BRIDGE-RI professional development platform;
Generates timely and actionable guidance and resources for educators on evidence-based math strategies to support students with disabilities;
Provides support for family engagement through family-friendly infographics, videos, and fact sheets on evidence-based math instruction and specially designed instruction (available in English and Spanish); and
Delivers intensive coaching in multiple districts and school sites across the state to support robust MTSS implementation that leverages the DBI process as a framework for intensifying support for students with disabilities.

Our Impact

Since 2022, the State Identified Measurable Result for math outcomes for students with disabilities has been met and exceeded each year. In addition, grade 8 students with disabilities at our project sites are more likely to show typical or high growth than the statewide average for students with disabilities, pointing to higher growth associated with sites that actively engage with RI TIME targeted coaching supports.

On the 2020-2021 Math assessment for grades 3-8, 11 out of 19 participating schools had a higher percentage of students achieving high growth when compared to the state average; 13 out of 19 participating schools had a higher percentage of students achieving typical growth when compared to the state average.

RI TIME Educator Resources

Self-Paced Learning Modules

In partnership with MTSS-RI, AIR has created multiple self-paced learning modules hosted on the BRIDGE-RI platform. Each course is designed to provide K-8 RI educators with evidence-based strategies that they can implement in their classrooms to improve mathematics learning outcomes for students with disabilities.

Implementation of Specially Designed Instruction (SDI): Math

Audience: K-8 General and Special Educators, Related Service Providers, Paraprofessionals, Administrators
Effective SDI requires collaboration. IEP teams, including educators, families, and administrators, document individualized services in the IEP. Special educators and specialists design SDI adaptations and monitor their effectiveness. Delivery varies by student needs and may involve special educators, paraprofessionals, and other qualified staff. Related service providers ensure services help students benefit from special education, while administrators create conditions for successful implementation. This course supports all staff involved in SDI documentation, design, and delivery.

Early Numeracy at Tier 1: Teaching Math to Young Learners

Audience: K-3 General and Special Educators; Early Learning Providers
Early numeracy serves as the gatekeeper for higher level mathematics. Using evidence-based practices to capitalize on children’s natural interest in math can help build the foundation for future mathematics success. In this course, you will learn about developmental progression of math skills and concepts, evidence-based strategies for teaching math to young children (and how to implement them!), and how to support students with mathematics difficulties.

Core Instruction in the Mathematics Classroom (Part 1: Foundations)

Audience: K-8 General and Special Educators
How can you help all your students succeed in mathematics? Learn about how to integrate the content and practice standards in your instruction to support mathematical rigor and encourage all students to see themselves as math learners.

Core Instruction in the Mathematics Classroom (Part 2: Advanced)

Audience: K-8 Mathematics Educators; K-8 Special Educators; Math Specialists
Like what you learned in Core Instruction in the Mathematics Classroom (Part 1): Foundations, but still ask, “What strategies can I use in my classroom to facilitate deep mathematical understanding?” This three-hour course builds on the elements learned by diving deeply into the topics introduced in Part 1: Foundations. You will learn about specific strategies and reflect on specific actions you can take in your classroom to plan instruction for standards alignment and mathematical rigor.

Supporting All Learners in Math: Universal Design, Differentiation, and Scaffolding

Audience: K-8 General and Special Educators
How can you better support your students with disabilities in the math classroom? Learn about how you can incorporate instructional support to design more inclusive instruction that meets the needs of all of your students.

Supporting Language Development in Mathematics

Audience: K-8 General and Special Educators, ESOL Specialists, Math Specialists
Have you ever wondered why some students require more specific instruction than others in the language of mathematics? Or how educators can support student development of vocabulary around mathematical concepts? This course will provide easy to implement practices you can do tomorrow.

Using Number Talks to Support Students in Mathematics

Audience: K-8 General and Special Educators
In this course, you will learn about a research-based math strategy you can implement in your classroom to boost students’ mental math skills and develop their flexibility, accuracy and efficiency when solving math problems. This course will introduce you to the major components of a number talk and suggest ways of using number talks in your classroom, including as a formative assessment method so you start integrating this powerful strategy in your teaching practice today.

Early Numeracy Interventions (Tier 2)

Audience: Grades 1-2 Educators, Interventionists/Specialists, Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, Administrators
This training provides an overview of how to implement the Early Numeracy Intervention (ENI) with students in grades 1 and 2 who have been identified as in need of tiered support. In this course, you will learn more about the characteristics of students with mathematics difficulties, data-based individualization (DBI) within an MTSS framework, and key skills that address math skills needed for long-term success.

Math Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS): Grades 2-6

Audience: Grades 2-6 Educators, Interventionists/Specialists, Special Educators, Paraprofessionals, Administrators
Math Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS): Methods for Grades 2-6 was designed for use with students in the elementary grades 2-6 and supports students’ development and mastery of key calculation concepts and applications. This course will cover the skills of computation for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in addition to key concepts and applications across grades 2-6, including area and perimeter, fractions, money, and ratios and probability and many more.

One-Pagers on Evidence-Based Practices in Mathematics

Snippet of one-pager showing a compare problem

Math Chat Podcast

As one of the professional development opportunities offered to RI educators, the RI TIME project produces the podcast Math Chat, which can be found on Spotify. Each season follows a different book in the field of math and special education, and episodes often feature expert researchers in the field. Educators across Rhode Island are invited to participate in the twice-yearly book study, which entails reading the selected book and listening to the podcast episodes at their own pace.

Parent and Caregiver Resources

RI TIME provides universal technical assistance to Rhode Island educators, families, and caregivers through the development of flyers, infographics, resources, and fact sheets, available in English and Spanish. In addition, in response to feedback gathered through surveys of families and caregivers, RI TIME created a series of curated playlists on supporting math learning at home, targeted by grade level and content area.

Factsheets and Infographics for Families

Homework: A Helpful Overview
English | Spanish
Understanding Your Child's Math Homework: Concrete-Representational-Abstract
English | Spanish
Helping Your Child with Word Problems – Addition and Subtraction
English | Spanish
Helping Your Child with Word Problems – Multiplication and Division
English | Spanish
Helping Your Child with Word Problems – Schema-Based Instruction Quick Reference
English | Spanish