R. T .I.

N EWSLETTER
Whats Best for Kids

January 7, 2014 Volume 1, Issue 1 Leyden High Schools

Purpose of this Newsletter

RtI stands for Response to Intervention. As RtI is sweeping across schools throughout the nation, occurring. Therefore, the purpose of this many are unaware as to why this phenomenon is newsletter, and future newsletters, is to shed light on a few critical elements related to RtI such as What RtI is a stronger context to understand future actions in we dive into anything specific related to RtI, it is imperative that you have some background Hopefully, this information about RtI, will give you our schools and across the nation. However, before

topic this newsletter will address is, Where did RtI

knowledge of where RtI originated from. The first

come from?

Debunking RtI Myths

Social Emotional Classroom Tips And Much Much More

Best First Instructional Practices

How RtI Affects Teachers

Core Principles of RtI

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Purpose of this Newsletter Where Did RtI Come From? A Look Ahead at the Next Issue Pg. 1 Pg. 1-2 Pg. 2

Where Did RtI Come From?

In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Childrens Act. This law mandated that all

students with a handicap must have equal access to a public education. As a result, two major Special Education Law. themes generated from this first ever Federal These two themes combined are what built the for the next 25-30 years. Consequently, the placement of students and less on student

foundation for what special education was to be system often focused more on identification and

1. States and school districts were required to take action to identify students with education. handicaps who were being denied public

outcomes once they were placed.

Concurrently, when students began to struggle in a that these students be referred for special

2. Procedural safeguards were created as a major element of this identification process. Examples of these safeguards might be (parent consent forms, IEPs, annual reviews, referral forms, etc.).

general education classroom, it was often expected education services. As one may imagine, this education and general education settings.

resulted in profound impacts to both the special

Continued on page 2

R. T .I. N EWSLETTER
Where Did RtI Come From Continued
First, enrollments in special education enrollment included some that may have not had a learning disability but simply according to their needs. didnt receive instruction and interventions began to increase substantially. This shoulders. Rather, RtI ensures a highly of student learning. RtI is a system where regardless of the teacher assigned.

Page 2

student achievement squarely on a students coordinated system of effective instruction,

With RtI, we dont put the responsibility on low

interventions, enrichments and close monitoring students are guaranteed individual opportunities

general education classes began to narrow.

Second, the expectations of students in

If a student still struggles after experiencing all for special education services. (Please note,

these opportunities, that data might show a need

Too often than not, when a student was learning at a rate slower than their peers or was below grade level standards, the general assumption

Federal Special Education Law does not require

schools to use RtI to determine whether a student has a learning disability. Rather, RtI is an option schools may use to help make this determination). RtI is a process schools are implementing to experience according to their individual unique waiting for students to fail before they provide students intervention services or begin the referral process to special education. Rather, schools are taking proactive approaches to address student struggles before and as they needs. Unlike years past, schools are no longer ensure each student receives a learning

that something was wrong with the learning environment this student was in.

was something was wrong with the student not

Eventually, a few professionals began to question better? Since general and special education were general education were referred to special connected, albeit students that struggled in

this process and asked How can we be doing this

education, the shift in thinking moved from special education to the general education things such as: learning environment. This shift focused on

occur. If RtI is done properly, it will help support classroom teachers more as some of the burden shoulders and performed in a more systematic manner. Although many RtI models exist, the and social emotional outcomes of students. of reaching struggling students is taken off their

Frequently monitoring student progress and outcomes Implementing research-validated Creating a proactive approach to student struggles v. the wait-to-fail approach

interventions with fidelity

goal of each model is to improve the academic Therefore, ultimately, RtI is doing Whats Best for

Offering high quality initial instruction

Kids.

as a special education concept. You see, with RtI, students experience success in a general education setting.

RtI emerged as a general education concept not

A LOOK AHEAD AT THE NEXT ISSUE

What RtI is and Debunking RtI Myths Core Principles of RtI Testing Your Knowledge of What an Intervention is
Source: Prasse, David. Why adopt an rti model? Rti Action

multiple layers of supports are created to help all

Network, n.d.