The Response to Intervention Revolution: NCLD calls for RTI Action in House and Senate
On April 4, 2007, NCLD Executive Director James Wendorf, along with NCLD Public Policy Director Laura Kaloi and NCLD Professional Advisory Board members Judy Elliot and Steve Kukic, gathered in Washington D.C. to conduct a briefing on the Response to Intervention (RTI) model to key Senate and House committee staff members.
The goal of this meeting was two-fold: to ensure the staff members' understanding of the RTI model, and to present valuable insight as to why it is essential that the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation (scheduled for review and reauthorization during this year's Congressional session) include specific language reinforcing and supporting the comprehensive implementation of RTI nationwide.
The Objective
NCLD's experts noted that it is their policy priority, along with countless other education professionals to:
infuse 'evidence-based intervention models' throughout NCLB to improve access to early intervention, early identification and improved academic outcomes for all students and ensure all available resources are appropriately targeted to serve all struggling learners as early as possible.
The Proven Practices
NCLD reiterated the importance of findings made by the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD), which identified that the essential building blocks of a successful RTI model implementation include six major components: school-wide screening; research-based progress monitoring; the maintenance of implementation fidelity; data-based decision making; staff development and collaboration; and parental involvement.
Not only have these practices been proven to be critical to system-wide academic and instructional improvement, they also serve as pivotal steps toward eliminating inappropriate and disproportionate identification of learning disabilities.
The Benefits
The numerous student and systematic benefits resulting from the implementation of RTI were shared, including:
- All students (general education and special education) receive high-quality instruction;
- Particular attention is paid to reading instruction in the general education setting, prior to student's placement in special education;
- Screenings are put in place for behavior and academic development, as well as the provision for progress monitoring to pinpoint specific difficulties;
- "At-risk" students will have timely access to additional instructional assistance, including special education if needed;
- The critical instructional needs of the student can be determined and incorporated into effective individualized educational interventions; and,
- Unnecessary testing that has little or no instructional relevance is limited.
The Recommendation: Allow, Include and Require
It is NCLD's recommendation that state incorporation of the RTI process be explicitly encouraged through the provisions of NCLB to:
• Allow coordination of funds between Title I, Title II and Reading First with IDEA Early Intervening Services Sec. 613(f).
• Include a description of "evidence-based intervention model" to ensure that any use of funds for this purpose incorporates the core principles of a multi-tiered model identified as essential through research, which are: high quality instruction, universal screening, progress monitoring, research-based interventions matched to student needs, and educational decision-making using learning rate over time and level of performance.*
*Note: These are critical elements to ensure the rigor and fidelity of an evidence-based intervention model as defined by recent research and in-depth reviews of successfully implemented programs.
• Require Title I schools that fall into ‘needs improvement’ status to implement such a model to incorporate school-wide, comprehensive reform that will better identify and serve all struggling students.
NCLD will continue to provide information about current school district and state RTI model implementation to Congress and Senate staff, as well as contribute to future discussions and recommendations for the upcoming NCLB reauthorization.
For more information about Response to Intervention, please visit the NCLD's RTI page.
Every month in LD News, NCLD highlights the latest news, research and practices in Response to Intervention (RTI). Click here to access the LD News RTI Update Archive.
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