RTI…how it should work

Basically, RTI requires schools to provide high-quality instruction and intervention specific to a student and maintain progress data regarding the student’s performance so that informed educational decisions can be made.

Memorizing times tables

Just thinking of all the IEPs I reviewed with a math goal for a student to learn his/her times tables… For example, a child had the same goal in his/her IEP for years…especially true in elementary school through middle school. Meanwhile, each year the syllabus required him/her to be learning concepts.

Effective goals

I’ve often seen goals written that are not “measurable.” For example, “Student will write a complete sentence by October 31 (end of first quarter marking period); Student will write a paragraph by January 31 (end of second quarter marking period.)” This goal does not include the level of skill expected (50%? 70%?).