RTI: Response to Intervention
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. If RTI is delivered as intended by the IDEIA 2004, it can effectively provide targeted instruction that the student needs in order to make progress. The targeted, ongoing instruction should occur over a set period of time: there should be a definite outcome within a specific timeline. Too often, RTI is not of high quality and not specific to the student’s needs. In this case, there is little or no progress, and the student falls further and further behind. For example, if a child is in grade 2 and is demonstrating skills at a Kindergarten level, a diagnostic reading assessment should be done. Using that data, a reading program should be developed and delivered that is targeted to that child. Data should be collected every week, and the school team responsible for RTI should review that data with the parent no less than quarterly to determine IF the intervention is working Anything less than that results in the child’s continuing to fall farther behind. Often, school districts will continue to provide “RTI” services for years with little or no progress in the targeted skill. Such a practice is disastrous to a child’s progress, which can create a sense of failure, lack of self-esteem, and a dislike of school.
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