Using RTI for School Improvement

Book excerpt: This resource helps administrators and teachers implement RTI as a powerful school improvement process. Response to Intervention (RTI) is currently being adopted throughout the United States as a method for documenting eligibility for a learning disability as permitted in the reauthorization of IDEA 2004. The model most often chosen involves a three- or four-tier pyramid incorporating general education classroom components in the lower tiers and special education as the final tier. Using RTI for School Improvement illustrates how integrating RTI into all aspects of a school can go beyond assessing learning disabilities to make a significant positive impact on schoolwide student achievement. The authors show how educators can successfully implement each tier to provide effective instruction for all learners, develop an intervention approach for students at risk, and provide intensive intervention for non-responding learners.