Research abstract

RTI Expands, Encounters Growing Pains

Have you ever found that RTI, response to intervention, efficient? Twelve years after its introduction, it will be going through evolution. What would you change about the process? By Education Week

Laura Lurns Last updated December 21, 2016 · 1 min read

New federal policy, created in 2004, is not 12 years old. RTI was a model quickly and certainly adopted to both identify children with learning disabilities and to provide intervention to improve school programs in order to help students who were struggling. Universal screening tools have drastically helped students to get back in the groove with their educational goals and have helped educators to monitor this progress. Even so, in school districts across the country, an approach without labels has caused struggle and heartache.

A 2015 federal study of RTI methods used for reading instruction shows that schools are struggling to implement RTI with precision.

The no-child-left-behind act has helped and aided school districts to find a path that may help students to improve in their performances, despite the struggles of learning disabilities. However, this has not been a perfect transition. Countless examples of school implementing the no-child-left-behind act have struggled with the how-should-we-do-this question and continue to make adjustments in order to accommodate students of varying learning disabilities and educational disadvantages. Although things seem to be moving in the right direction, there is still much progress to be made.

Key takeaways

In 2004, the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act first introduced into federal policy the concept of “response to intervention
The promise of multitiered systems of supports like RTI has come up against some hard realities.
Many were giving interventions to students regardless of how well the child could read, diluting any possible benefits

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A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too. That is the only route to those supports.

Laura Lurns · Learning Success expert Writes about the learning brain for parents who want plain answers. Every article is grounded in current neuroscience and classroom practice.

A 2015 federal study of RTI methods used for reading instruction shows that schools are struggling to implement RTI with precision.

Key takeaways

Is your child struggling in school?

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