A Brief Overview of RTI
Warner Enhanced Option ElementaryResponse to Intervention Plan The U. S. Department of Education describes reasons why discrepancy models should be abandoned: – The IQ-discrepancy criterion is potentially harmful to students as it results in delaying intervention until the student’s achievement is sufficiently low that the discrepancy is achieved. For most students, identification as having an SLD occurs at an age when the academic problems are difficult to remediate with the most intense remediation efforts (Torgesen, et. al., 2001)– The “wait to fail” model does not lead to “closing the achievement gap for most students placed in special education. Many students placed in special education as SLD show minimal gains in achievement and few actually leave special education. (Donovon & Cross, 2002). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 states, “when determining whether a child has a specific learning disability ... a local educational agency shall not be required to take into consideration whether a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability" ... a school "may use a process that determines if the child responds to scientific, research-based intervention as part of the evaluation procedures ..." (Section 1414(b) (6)). The U. S. Department of Education “strongly recommends” that schools use a response to intervention model that– …uses a process based on systematic assessment of the student’s response to high quality, research-based general education instruction…that incorporate response to a research-based intervention… Identification models that incorporate response to intervention represent a shift in special education toward the goals of better achievement and behavioral outcomes for students identified with SLD…” Commentary and Explanation of the Proposed Regulations for IDEA 2004 MNPS RTI MNPS RTI framework is on Intervention and Prevention NOT IDENTIFICATION. “Special educational resources are stretched to the limit today, as more and more youngsters are being identified with a special need or learning disability. Many of these children may be experiencing learning difficulties in one or more areas, but do not necessarily possess a biological learning disability beyond the teaching capabilities of the regular classroom instructor. RTI attempts to intervene on behalf of these students before their needs become too severe” (Plumley, 2009). RTI framework will have 3Tiers. The first 3 tiers will allow for up to 9 weeks of intervention.