CEC | Survey Shows Response to Intervention Use Widespread

Survey Shows Response to Intervention Use Widespread

Strong and rapid support exists for Response to Intervention (RTI), according to a recent survey by CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) and Spectrum K12. The two organizations joined together to determine the RTI adoption rate, the effectiveness of RTI implementation, and the perceived critical implementation factors to provide a roadmap for districts nationwide.

The survey results, culled from 424 respondents, show that 60 percent of K-12 school districts are either piloting RTI, in the process of implementing RTI district-wide, or already using RTI. The survey results also indicate that RTI is being driven by a unified effort of general and special education, although in most cases it was initiated by a leader or team in special education. Lack of teacher training was identified as the biggest obstacle to implementing RTI. The survey also showed that 52 percent of the school districts responding see the highest tier as a combination of special education and other students needing intensive intervention.

“The data that were discovered in the RTI survey are invaluable to districts as they design their RTI strategies,” says Luann Purcell, CASE executive director . “CASE entered into this relationship with Spectrum K12 to provide more state-of-the-art data to districts.”

Key Findings of the RTI Survey

RTI Use

RTI adoption and implementation levels have risen in the past 12 months. In March 2008, 60 percent of districts were piloting, implementing, or using RTI versus 44 percent in March 2007.

How RTI Is Being Implemented

RTI is being used by 71 percent of districts to identify students for specialized services and supports.

In a majority of districts, RTI is being driven by a unified effort of general and special education, through in most cases it was initiated by special education.

RTI is most commonly implemented at the elementary grade levels. Most districts plan to implement RTI in middle and high school.

RTI is being implemented most often for reading, but it is also being used for math and behavior.

Almost half (47 percent) of districts have a defined RTI process; a three-tier process is the most common.

In 52 percent of districts, the most intensive intervention tier provides a combination of special education and students requiring intensive intervention. In the remaining 48 percent of districts, the most intensive intervention tier contains special education students only.

Almost half of respondents reported that their state regulations have been revised to accommodate the RTI provisions.

Collecting Data about Student Performance

Almost half of the surveyed districts use software to track individual performance as well as to manage the RTI process.

Results of RTI Use

Of those districts with enough data to measure, nearly three times as many report improvements in Adequate Yearly Progress achievement. Districts that are fully implementing RTI report better results than those that are piloting RTI.

A majority, 62 percent, of respondents had insufficient data to determine the extent to which RTI reduced the number of referrals to special education.

Obstacles to RTI Use

Lack of teacher training is the biggest obstacle to implementing RTI. Most districts are providing professional development, but a majority of districts have trained fewer than a quarter of their staff.