RtI - Response to Interventions!

Response to Intervention

In 2004 the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) was signed into law. This law was written as a special education law, but it really has a large impact on regular education. IDEA was signed into law in an effort to reduce misdiagnosis of students with learning disabilities.

Through this act there have been a series of changes. Now, as we all know nothing ever happens too terribly fast in education. I believe these changes take so long because there are so many different ways of interpreting the changes. RtI is definitely no exception to this rule. RtI has been discussed and cussed at many different levels of education. I believe this year teachers in the classroom and becoming aware of the act. In fact, in our district it is being called a year of recognition. I take that to mean was are to recognize the act, become familiar with the act and get ready to start following the recommendation of the act.

RtI is explained as a problem solving model. Teachers notice students with learning difficulties. The teacher documents these difficulties. They locate research based interventions. Try the interventions, document the results. If the students do not make progress in a given amount of time a different research based intervention is then tried, and documented.