A Parent’s Guide to: �Response to Intervention�(RTI)

What is Response to Intervention?

• The RTI process is a multi-step approach to providing services and interventions to students who struggle with learning at increasing levels of intensity.
• The progress students make at each stage of intervention is closely monitored.
• Results of this monitoring are used to make decisions about the need for further intervention.

Why RTI?

• The use of an RTI process helps to ensure that a student receives the appropriate level of instruction and to determine whether a student has a learning disability and needs special education services. The primary goal is student success!

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Important Terms to Know

Intervention

A change in instructing a student in the area of learning or behavioral difficulty to try to improve performance and achieve adequate progress.

Progress Monitoring

A scientifically based practice used to assess students’ academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction.

Important Terms to Know

Scientific

Researched-based Instruction

Curriculum and educational interventions that have been proven to be effective for most students.

Universal Screening

A step taken by school personnel early in the school year to determine which students are “at risk” for not meeting grade level standards.

Benefits of RTI

• Reduces the time a student waits before receiving additional instructional assistance.
• Increase the number of students who succeed within general education.
• Provides critical information about the instructional needs of the student.
• Reduce the overall number of students referred for special education services.

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A Three-Tier Model

• At all stages of the process, RTI should focus on discovering how to make the student more successful rather than focusing on the student’s lack of success.

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Tier 1: �Screening and Group Interventions

• Identified students receive supplemental instruction, or interventions, generally delivered in small groups during the student’s regular school day in the regular classroom.

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Tier 2:�Targeted Interventions

• These services are provided in addition to, the instructions received in the general curriculum. These interventions are provided in small group settings.

Tier 3:�Intensive Interventions and Comprehensive Evaluation

• Students receive individualized, intensive interventions that target the student’s skill deficits.
• Students who do not respond to these targeted interventions are then considered for eligibility for special education services.

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RTI Timelines

• Tier 1 – Approximately 5- 8 weeks.
• Tier 2 – Generally 10 – 20 weeks, 3-4 times per week, for 30-40 minutes per session.
• Tier 3 – When a strong rate of growth has been established in Tier 3 the student exits special education. And will be monitored in Tier 1.

RTI in Action�A case study about Sally�Tier 1

• At the beginning of 1^st grade, on the universal screening, Sally’s score put her at risk for reading failure.
• Sally’s performance was monitored for 5 weeks.
• At the end of 5 weeks, Sally’s progress was considered to be unresponsive to Tier 1 intervention strategies.

RTI in Action�A case study about Sally�Tier 2

• Sally received preventative tutoring for 45 minutes, four times a week, in groups with 2 other students for 8 weeks.
• Progress monitoring information was collected weekly.
• Sally’s scores on her progress monitoring, showed that she was still well below the achievement level needed to indicate a positive response.

RTI in Action�A case study about Sally�Tier 3

• Sally’s lack of response to Tier 2; indicated that she might have a disability that was interfering with her learning.
• Sally was evaluated and was found eligible for special education. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) was developed for Sally.

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RTI in Action�A case study about Sally�Tier 3

• In this program the special education teacher worked with Sally 1-on-1 each day, for 1 hour and supplemented the hour with another half-hour of small-group tutoring with one other student.
• The teacher monitored Sally’s progress twice weekly.

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RTI in Action�A case study about Sally�Tier 3

• Should Sally’s reading level improve sufficiently, Sally’s special education services will be discontinued and she will receive all reading instruction in the general education classroom with continued monitoring.

How does the RTI process include parent involvement?

• The involvement of parents in the education and decision making of your child is critical.
• There is an approach and a commitment to the involvement of parents from the vary start of the process.
• Providing parents with frequent feedback using data and involving them in decisions is critical.

Resources

• www.LD.org
• www.ncld.org
• www.rti4success.org

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