Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention, or MTSS, is the practice of meeting the academic and behavioral needs of all students through a problem-solving process with three key elements:

• High-quality instruction and research-based tiered interventions aligned with individual student need
• Frequent monitoring of student progress to enable results-based academic and/or behavioral decisions
• Use of student response data in making important educational decisions (such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies)

The instructional approaches within the general education setting should result in academic and/or behavioral progress for the majority of the students (80%). The primary focus of RtI/MTSS is early intervention to prevent long term academic failure. Struggling students are identified using data-based progress monitoring and are provided intensive instruction. The use of a scientifically validated curriculum, as well as instructional methods expected in an RtI/MTSS model, leads to school improvement. Support services require collaboration among campus personnel such as counselors, interventionists, special education teachers, and dyslexia teachers.

The Major Components of RtI/MTSS

Data-based decision making—Critical educational decisions are based on assessment results. Data are carefully analyzed to determine why academic or behavioral problems exist.

Universal screening—Universal screenings are assessments administered to all students to determine as early as possible which students are at risk of not meeting academic benchmarks. These screenings are administered three times per year in order to meet early intervention needs of all students.

Tiered model of delivery—The RtI/MTSS process incorporates a tiered model of delivery of instruction. The tiers reflect increasing intensification of interventions to meet the individual needs of students.

Progress monitoring—The monitoring of student progress is a research-based practice that produces data about student growth over time. Progress monitoring is used to determine the effectiveness of instruction and/or interventions.

Fidelity of implementation—Fidelity of implementation is achieved when the delivery of instruction, assessments, and progress monitoring is carried out as it was designed to be implemented.