Response to Instruction and
Intervention (RTI²)
Family Guide
Farmington Elementary
School
2085 Cordes Rd.
Germantown, TN 38139
(901) 756-2320
GMSD is committed to helping all children succeed. We have many
ways to help children who are struggling to learn and who need additional
supports to be successful. Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) is
one form of support.
What is RTI²?
A multi-tiered delivery system that
uses a data-driven problem-solving model to identify specific student need and
match appropriate instructional strategies.
In Tennessee, the Response to
Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) Framework is a component
of TNCORE. The TNCORE implementation plan has three legs with student
achievement at the center:
- Assessment alignment and transparency
- Instructional materials and curriculum
- Quality training and meaningful support
What does the RTI² Framework look like?
The RTI² Framework has three tiers. Each tier provides
differing levels of support.
- In
Tier l, all students receive research-based, high quality, general
education instruction that incorporates ongoing universal screening and
ongoing assessment to inform instruction.
- In
Tier ll, intervention is implemented when assessment indicates that a
student is not making adequate gains from Tier I instruction alone. In
addition to Tier I instruction, students are provided small group
interventions designed to meet their specific needs. These students are
progress monitored weekly or every other week using a tool that is
sensitive to measuring changes in the student’s individual skills.
- In
Tier III, more intensive interventions are provided to students who have
not made significant progress in Tier II, who are more than 1.5 grade
levels behind, or who are below the 10th percentile. These
students are progress monitored weekly or every other week using a tool
that is sensitive to measuring changes in the student’s individual skills.
What are the key components of the RTI² Framework?
A key component of RTI² is
that all children receive high quality curriculum and instruction in the
general education classroom (Tier l).
Another component of RTI²
is that the school conducts universal screenings. Universal screenings review
the performance and progress of all students through brief assessments.
Universal screenings help schools identify students who may need more support
or other types of instruction.
As a result of universal screenings,
students may be identified as needing targeted intervention (Tier ll) in
addition to the high quality instruction they are receiving in Tier l. Research
based interventions are used to support students in the area(s) in which they
are struggling. Research based interventions are teaching strategies or methods
that have been proven effective in helping children learn.
Another key component of
RTI² is progress monitoring. Progress monitoring is a way for teachers to take
a snapshot of how children are doing on a specific skill. It shows how well the
intervention is working. It includes formal and informal assessments. Progress
monitoring helps determine whether an intervention is successful or needs to be
changed. This information is shared with parents on a regular basis.
When progress monitoring
indicates that the intervention is no longer needed, the child continues to
receive support from the general education curriculum (Tier I). When progress
monitoring shows that a child is not responding to the intervention, another approach
or intervention may be tried. If a higher level of support is needed, students
may be given more intense intervention that further focuses on the supporting
skills they need to be successful learners (Tier lll). Students who do not
respond to Tier III interventions may be referred for special education.
What if I think my child needs special
education?
If at any time parents become concerned that their child needs special
education, they should contact their child’s teacher or administrator. Other
forms of evaluation, in addition to information gathered through the RTI²
framework, are needed to determine if a student is eligible for special
education services. In order for these evaluations to be conducted, a parent’s
written consent is required.
Here are a few ways parents can support
what their child is doing in school:
- Make
reading an everyday habit a home
- Communicate
with your child’s teacher
- Monitor
and assist with homework assignments
- Review
progress monitoring data
- Share
your child’s successes
- Learn
more about the curricula and interventions being used in your child’s
school
- Attend
parent/teacher conferences and other school meeting about your child
Talk to your child’s teacher or principal for more
information about how RTI² is being implemented in your child’s school.
For
more information, please contact:
Megan
Gaschler, RTI Coach
[email protected]