Response to Intervention

Texas Education Agency Response to Intervention (RtI)

Response to Intervention (RtI)

RtI is the practice of meeting the academic and behavioral needs of all students through a variety of services containing the following key elements:

High-quality instruction and scientific research-based tiered interventions aligned with individual student need

Frequent monitoring of student progress to make results-based academic and/or behavioral decisions

Application of student response data to important educational decisions (such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies)

The instructional approaches used within the general education setting should result in academic and/or behavioral progress for the majority of the students. Struggling students are identified using data-based student progress monitoring and provided intensive instruction. The use of scientifically validated curricula and teaching methods expected in an RtI model leads to data-based school improvement.

Benefits of RtI

RtI holds the promise of ensuring that all children have access to high quality instruction and that struggling learners, including those with learning disabilities (LD), are identified, supported, and served early and effectively. Driven and documented by reliable data, the implementation of RtI in Texas schools can result in

more effective instruction;

increased student achievement;

more appropriate LD identification;

increased professional collaboration; and

overall school improvement.

Multi-tiered model

To ensure that appropriate instruction directly addresses students' academic and behavioral difficulties in the general education setting, a multi-tiered service delivery model is used. Included are layers of increasingly intense intervention responding to student-specific needs.

Tier 1: Teachers use high-quality core class instruction aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in which about 80% or more of the students are successful. This tier is the crucial foundation of the RtI instructional model.

Tier 2: Students are identified for individual or small group intervention in addition to core class instruction. This level includes scientific research-based programs, strategies, and procedures designed and employed to supplement, enhance, and support Tier 1 activities. District-established standard protocol matches appropriate intervention strategies to specific student needs. Tier 2 addresses the needs of approximately 10-15% of the students.

Tier 3: Students who have not responded adequately to Tiers 1 and 2 receive specific, custom-designed individual or small group instruction (designed using a problem-solving model) beyond the instruction in Tier 1. This level of intervention is aimed at those students who have identified difficulties academically or behaviorally. Tier 3 addresses the needs of approximately 5-10% of the students.

TIER 1:

CORE CLASS CURRICULUM

TIER 2:

SMALL GROUP INTERVENTION

TIER 3:

INTENSIVE INTERVENTION

Focus

All students

Identified students with marked difficulties who have not responded to Tier 1 efforts

Identified students with marked difficulties who have not responded to Tier 1 and Tier 2 efforts

Program

Scientific research-based curriculum and instruction

Specialized scientific research-based intervention

Individualized and responsive intervention

Grouping

As needed

Homogeneous small group instruction (1:5-10)

Homogeneous small group instruction (1:3)

Time

*90 minutes per day or more

*20 - 30 minutes per day in small group in addition to 90 minutes of core instruction

*50 minutes per day in individual or small group instruction in addition to 90 minutes of core instruction

Assessment

Universal Screening

at beginning, middle, and end of the academic year (or more often, if appropriate)

Weekly progress monitoring on target skill(s) to ensure adequate progress and learning

Weekly progress monitoring on target skill(s) to ensure adequate progress and learning

Interventionist

General education teacher

Determined by the school (may be classroom teacher, specialized teacher, external interventionist, paraprofessional, etc.)

Determined by the school (may be classroom teacher, specialized teacher, external interventionist, paraprofessional, etc.)

Setting

General education classroom

Appropriate setting in the classroom or outside the classroom designated by the school

Appropriate setting outside the classroom designated by the school