Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RtI) is multi-tiered approach to the early identification and support of students with academic and/or behavior needs.  The RtI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom.  Struggling learners are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity to increase their rate of learning.  These supplemental services may be provided by a variety of personnel, including general education teachers and/or specialists.  Progress is closely monitored to assess both the rate of learning and level of performance of individual students.  Educational decisions about the intensity and duration of interventions are based on individual student response to instruction.  RtI is designed for use when making decisions in either general education or special education, creating a well-integrated system of instruction and intervention guided by the individual child’s outcome data.

For RtI implementation to work well, the following essential components must be implemented with fidelity and in a rigorous manner:

• High-quality, scientifically based classroom instruction.  All students receive high-quality, research-based instruction in the general education classroom.
• Ongoing student assessment.
• Tiered instruction.  A multi-tiered approach is used to efficiently differentiate instruction for all students.  The model incorporates increasing intensities of instruction offering specific, research-based interventions matched to individual student needs.
• Parent involvement.  Schools implementing RtI provide parents information about their child’s progress, the instruction and interventions used, the staff who are delivering the instruction, and the academic or behavioral goals for their child.

Response to Intervention is generally defined as a three-tier model of school supports that utilizes research-based academic and/or behavioral interventions.