Project Forum Maps Next Steps for the Future of Education: RTI and EIS

Project Forum, an initiative of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), has released findings from its recent policy forum, "Response to Intervention (RTI) and Early Intervening Services (EIS) Recommendations." The objective of Project Forum is to identify information necessary to improve the management, administration, delivery and effectiveness of education programs and services. The recommendations in this report are the result of an October 2006 meeting, the goal of which was to facilitate the creation of practitioner-generated policy recommendations that promote continued legislative support for Early Intervention Services; further advocacy for the inclusion of RTI-specific language into policy; as well as to present recommendations for the adoption of RTI models into school systems nationwide.

It is widely held in the education community that the adoption of an RTI model improves achievement outcomes for all students. While there is some variation among RTI models, those considered most effective by the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NCLD) include six components:

1. School-wide Screening
2. Research-based Progress Monitoring
3. Fidelity of Implementation
4. Data-based Decision Making
5. Staff Development and Collaboration
6. Parent Involvement

Effective RTI models require close collaboration between general and special education, and have been shown (in districts that use such models) to create environments where high-quality, research-based instruction thrive, resulting in improved student learning along with the early and accurate identification of students with learning disabilities.

Policy forum participants included education professionals with extensive general and/or special education knowledge and were charged with identifying barriers to the implementation of RTI; generating specific policy recommendations for RTI implementation, and to offer realistic next steps.

RTI Roadblocks and Recommendations
Accepting their charge, participants identified possible roadblocks to successful RTI implementation (consolidated below), with additional attention paid to the impact of parental involvement (or lack thereof); inadequate instruction, and legislative contradictions (primarily within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB)).

Potential Hurdles to RTI Implementation

• Disparate knowledge and skills;
• Lack of clarity about characteristics of high quality instruction;
• Limited fidelity of instruction;
• Gaps in research;
• Gaps in leadership's ability to make change;
• Conflicting beliefs and values;
• Misaligned policies;
• Insufficient funding, and,
• Limited family involvement.

Policy Recommendations

With the barriers identified, the participants established the following policy recommendations:

• Embed RTI language into NCLB reauthorization;
• Provide comprehensive training;
• Focus on implementation of high quality instruction at the classroom level;
• Encourage research, syntheses and the development of implementation tools;
• Develop a national coordinating body to support implementation of RTI;
• Develop a common understanding to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration;
• Develop state and local implementation infrastructures;
• Develop and implement a marketing strategy;
• Develop guidelines to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) capitalize on EIS provisions, and,
• Align RTI implementation with state plans under both NCLB and IDEA.

Participants stressed the need to include "evidence-based instructional strategies" and noted that "failure to implement and sustain effective practices in the classroom has been implicated as a major explanation for poor outcomes for special education and general education students alike. High quality instruction is the foundation of RTI and of obvious importance to the achievement of all students."

Stakeholders agreed on the need for swift and unified action noting, "a coordinated effort at the national level to provide policy and practical implementation support" would be an integral step toward supporting current and upcoming state, local and building level initiatives.

To review "Response to Intervention as it relates to Early Intervening Services" in its entirety, or to review a complete list of barriers, policy recommendations and implementation considerations set forth in the policy forum, visit the Project Forum Web site.

Additional NCLD Resources
Response to Intervention on LD.org 
NCLD has compiled a robust listing of RTI information and support materials housed on the NCLD Web site, as well as other leading organizations.

Reading and Response to Intervention (RTI): How Students Benefit from Multi-Tiered Instruction and Intervention LD Talk transcript 
LD Talk featured experts Drs. Sharon Vaughn and Jeanne Wanzek answer questions about features of evidence-based reading instruction, the delivery of effective supplemental services, the importance of collecting and using data to inform instruction, as well as offering valuable information about the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI).

LD News Response to Intervention Archive 
Every month in LD News, NCLD highlights the latest news, research and practices in Response to Intervention. 

Recognition and Response Web site
The Recognition and Response Web site offers information and resources to help early educators address the needs of young children (3 to 5 year-olds) who show signs that they may not be learning in an expected manner, even before they begin kindergarten.

A Parent's Guide to Response to Intervention
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a new provision that allows states and school districts to use high quality, research-based instruction in general and special education to provide services and interventions to students who struggle with learning and may be at risk, or suspected of having, learning disabilities. This NCLD guide offers an overview of the RTI process, describes how it is implemented in schools, and offer questions that parents can ask their children's schools.

NCLD Education Policy Priorities
Through its public policy program, NCLD advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities and promotes federal policies.