RTI
Response to Intervention
RTI is a three-tiered academic prevention model embedded in IDEA 2004 under 34 CFR §300.307(a)(2) that permits (and in some states requires) the use of a student's response to evidence-based intervention as part of determining Specific Learning Disability eligibility. It comprises universal screening, tiered intervention of increasing intensity, and curriculum-based progress monitoring. RTI has largely been absorbed into the broader MTSS framework.
Regulatory Citation
Example in Practice
A second-grader screens below benchmark on oral reading fluency. After 8 weeks of Tier 2 small-group decoding instruction with weekly WCPM probes, the slope of improvement remains below peers; the team convenes to consider comprehensive evaluation under IDEA.
Key Research Citations
- ·Fuchs & Fuchs (2006, Reading Research Quarterly 41(1):93-99) — Foundational RTI framework
- ·Gersten et al. (2009, IES Practice Guide NCEE 2009-4045) — RTI in elementary mathematics
Full bibliography available on the Research page.
This glossary entry is educational. It is not legal or clinical advice. Consult a qualified attorney or licensed clinician before making decisions that rely on this summary.