Response to Intervention

The law requires that regular education Tier I-III interventions be implemented in an effort to improve academic, speech/language, ADHD, and/or behavioral problems. Student progress during interventions must be monitored and documented prior to referral for special education services. Interventions must be research-based and include pre-test/baseline, post-test, and progress monitoring. Interventions must be implemented with fidelity.

 

The Response to Intervention (RTI) process is a three-tiered approach to providing services and interventions to struggling learners and/or students with challenging behaviors at increasing levels of intensity. Essential components of the process include three tiers of instruction and intervention, use of standard protocols and/or problem-solving methods, and an integrated data collection/assessment system to inform decisions at each tier of instruction/intervention. The process incorporates increasing intensities of instruction and/or intervention that are provided to students in direct proportion to their individual needs. Embedded in each tier is a set of unique support structures or activities that help teachers implement, with fidelity, research-based curricula, instructional practices, and interventions designed to improve student achievement. RTI is designed for use when making decisions in both general and special education, creating a well-integrated system of instruction and intervention guided by student outcome data. (From LA Bulletin 1508 that can be found on the Special Education page)