News & Issues
	CEC News
	Press Room
	Current Special Ed Topics
		IDEA 2004
		Highly Qualified Teachers
		Identifying Learning Disabilities
		Response to Intervention
		Two Percent Flexibility
		No Child Left Behind
	Teaching & Learning Center

Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-step approach to providing services to struggling students. Teachers provide instruction and interventions to them at increasing levels of intensity. They also monitor the progress students make at each intervention level and use the assessment results to decide whether the students need additional instruction or intervention in general education or referral to special education.

RTI models have several components in common: RTI uses tiers of intervention for struggling students, relies on research based instruction and interventions, uses problem-solving to determine interventions for students, and monitors students regularly to determine if they are progressing as they should academically and/or behaviorally.

Many models are based on three or four tiers. Generally, in Tiers 1 and 2 general education teachers provide instruction and interventions. When students fail to respond to small group and intense individualized interventions, they are referred for special education. Special education teachers may help develop interventions and/or plan assessments for students receiving instruction and interventions in Tiers 1 and 2. They may not provide instruction to students until Tier 3 or 4, when the student could be referred and identified for special education.

IDEA Partnership RTI Collection

A Collaborative Planning Framework for Teachers Implementing Tiered Instruction Restricted

This article describes a collaborative problem-solving framework that assists in planning instruction and monitoring progress within a response to intervention model.

Perspectives: Creating Opportunities for Intensive Intervention for Students With Learning Disabilities Restricted

Pioneering RTI Systems That Work: Social Validity, Collaboration, and Context Restricted

Using collaborative teamwork to build unique response to intervention systems, two Montana schools forged a trail for other schools.

IQ Is Not Strongly Related to Response to Reading Instruction: A Meta-Analytic Interpretation Restricted

A meta-analysis evaluating the relation of IQ and intervention response did not support the hypothesis that IQ is an important predictor of response to intervention.

Planning, Evaluating, and Improving Tiers of Support in Beginning Reading Restricted

The steps of this data-based decision-making process are described in detail and further supported by an example of the process as it being utilized by an elementary school in Oregon.

Free Webinar to Address Use of RTI in Preschool Settings
The RTI Network is hosting a free webinar exploring the essential components of RTI before kindergarten. The webinar will take place Wed., May 20, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

What Works Clearinghouse Releases New Guide on Using RTI for Math
This guide is designed to help teachers, principals, and administrators use Response to Intervention for the early detection, prevention, and support of elementary- and middle-school students struggling with mathematics.

New Report Explores Use of RTI in Pre-K
This publication from the National Center for Learning Disabilities explains how the essential components of RTI — universal screening and progress-monitoring with research-based, tiered interventions — can be applied in preschool settings.

Response to Intervention: A Rural High School’s Attempt to Improve Reading Achievement
With district assistance, one West Virginia high school developed its own three-tiered response to intervention (RTI) project to help its students become more proficient readers. The project leader shares the outcomes and lessons learned while implementing RTI.

RTI . . . Where Can I Get One?
Most educators have heard of RTI but seek additional information about how to implement it. The IRIS Center for Training Enhancements has developed of a series of free, online, interactive training modules about RTI for use by teachers, school leaders, college faculty, and other education professionals.

Online Discussion Series on RTI Learning Strategies Announced
The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality will host an online discussion on RTI later this month. Jean Schumaker, Ph.D., former Associate Director of the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, will facilitate discussion and answer questions Monday, Jan. 19 through Friday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 pm CST. You must register for the TQ Connection Forum to participate.

Response to Early Reading Intervention: A Regression Discontinuity Design Examining Higher Responders and Lower Responders Restricted

This study examines the effects of an intensive, targeted reading intervention on academic outcomes for students who had previously demonstrated a minimal response to less intensive intervention.

RTI for Emotional and Behavior Disorders Shows Promise
With the emphasis on response to intervention (RTI) for learning disabilities, special education is undergoing a fundamental change in the way we do business. That change is extending to our work with students with emotional/behavior disorders.

Similarities and Differences of Students Who Don’t Respond to Research-Based Interventions
To successfully implement Response to Intervention (RTI), schools must employ a continuum of systematic, coordinated, evidence-based practices targeted to student needs. Here are some preliminary findings based on analysis of a group of non-responsive students to discern relevant similarities and differences among them.

Instructional Support Teams Help Sustain Responsive Instruction Frameworks
The Instructional Support Team model, evolving in Virginia, provides structure and training to support the creation of an integrated (protocol and problem solving) approach to Response to Intervention. This systematic problem solving approach uses a consultation Case Manager model.

Survey Shows Response to Intervention Use Widespread
There is strong and rapid support for Response to Intervention (RTI), according to a recent survey by CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) and Spectrum K12.

CEC Briefs Congress on Response to Intervention (RTI)
At a special Congressional briefing, CEC presented its recommendation that RTI be included in NCLB’s reauthorization and CEC’s RTI position statement. CEC also gave an overview of RTI and the role of general and special education.

A Culturally, Linguistic, and Ecological Framework for Response to Intervention With English Language Learners Restricted

The focus of their brief is to provide an initial framework in the use of RTI that considers students’ life experiences, including their fist and second language, as well as the contexts in which they are taught.

English Language Learners and Response to Intervention Restricted

When a school is implementing a response to intervention model (RTI), what are the special consideration for the assessment of and referral for special education services for English language learners (ELLs) with academic difficulties.

Response to Intervention: Investigating the New Role of Special Educators Restricted

This article describes key elements of an RTI model, explains the role of formative assessment, explains the application of RTI with a school-based case example and concludes with a discussion of how the current skills of special educators can support schools beginning to adopt RTI.

RTI Summit Delves into Implementation, Current and Future Issues
Education professionals convened at the Summit on Response to Intervention, developed a plan to implement or improve RTI in their respective states, and attended sessions to learn about RTI implementation. Highlights of the session follow.

Words Can Shape the Destiny of Children in the RTI Process
While there are many positive changes connected with RTI, the language used to describe these changes is not keeping pace. RTI has forced us into new ways of thinking about how we meet children's needs, yet this new way of thinking remains mired down by language that continues to communicate deficits.

Implementation of Response to Intervention at Middle School: Challenges and Potential Benefits Restricted

One model that can help middle school educators provide an effective system of instruction and early intervention is response to intervention (RTI)

RTI After IDEA: A Survey of State Laws Restricted

1 year after the IDEA regulations, approximately half the states have not finalized their laws with regard to the status of RTI in the SLD eligibility process and the vast majority of the states have tended toward a permissive approach, effectively delegating the choice among RTI, severe discrepancy, and research-based option

Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: A “Tier 1” Approach to Promoting English Learners’ Response to Intervention Restricted

This study determined the effectiveness of Kindergarten Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (K-PALS) for English Learners (ELs)

CEC Publishes Position on Response to Intervention
CEC’s position on RTI outlines non-negotiable guarantees for special education and the special educators’ role. CEC insists that RTI be a school-wide initiative and that children who may have a disability be referred promptly for evaluation.

Position on Response to Intervention FINAL

How Much Growth Can We Expect? A Conditional Analysis of R-CBM Growth Rates by Level of Performance Restricted

This study examined the reading growth rates of 7,544 students in grades 2-6, measure over 1 year using Reading-Curriculum-Based Measurement (R-CBM) benchmark assessments.

CEC Tackles Response to Intervention at the 2007 Convention & Expo
While many of the same concerns and issues were brought to the floor at both the RA and the Town Meeting, participants expressed a wide range of views and experience with Response to Intervention.

Response to Intervention

A Model for Implementing Responsiveness to Intervention Restricted

As schools consider implementing RTI, they must make decisions about how to operationalize six components constituting the RTI process.

What Does the Law Say? Restricted

Legal perspectives on response to intervention and identifying children with learning disabilities.

A New Paradigm: Response to Intervention Restricted

This special issue on Response to Intervention (RTI) is both timely and premature.

Children at Risk for Reading Failure: Construction an Early Screening Measure Restricted

The RTI process includes making diagnostic decisions, adapting screening measures as a function of reading development, and continually improving the accuracy of screening decisions.

Dynamic Assessment as Responsiveness to Intervention: A Scripted Protocol to Identify Young At-Risk Readers Restricted

The essence of RTI as a method of disability identification is that instructionbecomes the “test”.

Secondary Interventions in Reading: Providing Additional Instruction for Students At Risk Restricted

This article will focus on secondary prevention within a three-tiered system, where as many as 20% to 30% of students will require supplemental intervention.

Tertiary Intervention: Using Progress Monitoring With Intensive Services Restricted

The third tier, or tertiary intervention, is the main focus of this article. In this model, tier 3 includes the provision a special education services.

Response to Intervention: 1997 to 2007 Restricted

There is a basic framework of RTI emerging in research and practice that is common to the most prevalent models.

Response to Intervention: Examining Classroom Behavior Support in Second Grade Restricted

Teachers in two second-grade classrooms used a multi-tiered approach to improve the behaviors of their students. A “response-to-intervention” logic is considered within a continuum of schoolwide positive behavior support.

Mathematics Screening and Progress Monitoring at First Grade: Implications for Responsiveness to Intervention Restricted

This study provides guidance implementing responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) in math at first grade: how to identify students at risk for math disability and how to monitor response to instruction.

DLD’s Views on Response to Intervention and Learning Disabilities
Though research-based instruction for all children in the general education curriculum is a component of RTI, the Division for Learning Disabilities is concerned about its implementation and use to identify learning disabilities.

Response-to-Intervention—The Promise and the Peril
At first glance, response-to-intervention (RTI) is a method to identify learning disabilities. But, RTI could play a much larger role. It has the ability to transform how we educate students—all students.