State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell has outlined a vision of how California should implement Response to Intervention, and ACSA is currently gathering input on how it will impact schools and districts.
In a letter to county and district superintendents and charter school administrators, O’Connell outlined the Department of Education’s definition, philosophy and core components of RtI, which was expanded to RtI2 – Response to Instruction and Intervention. It also describes how RtI2 is aligned with the research conducted by O’Connell’s P-16 Council on closing the achievement gap.
“Research shows that implementation of RtI2 in general education reduces the disproportionate representation of certain groups of students identified as needing special education services,” O’Connell wrote.
The CDE officially defines RtI2 as “a systematic, data-driven approach to instruction that benefits every student…. RtI2 is meant to communicate the full spectrum of instruction, from general core, to supplemental or intensive, to meet the academic and behavioral needs of students. RtI2 integrates resources from general education, categorical programs, and special education through a comprehensive system of core instruction to benefit every student.”
According to the letter, RtI2 promotes the core purpose of the CDE, which is to meet the needs of each student to reach high expectations. Further, it promotes O’Connell’s goal of closing the achievement gap among learning disabled students.
“RtI2 focuses on the individual student and provides a vehicle to strengthen performance for struggling students before educational problems increase in intensity and special education seems the only viable option,” according to the letter.
The CDE outlines several core components to RtI2: High-quality classroom instruction; research-based instruction; universal screening; continuous classroom progress monitoring; research-based interventions; progress monitoring during instruction and interventions; fidelity of program implementation; staff development and collaboration; parent involvement; and specific learning disability determination.
“Together, we can close the achievement gap and open the door to a better future for every student, without exception,” O’Connell wrote.
ACSA will continue to collect input from the field and will keep members abreast of any developments.
Workshop looks at RtI strategies
Education leaders interested in learning more about RtI implementation are encouraged to attend a one-day workshop sponsored by ACSA and the California Association of School Psychologists. “Building Capacity for Response to Intervention: Developing practical strategies for sustained outcomes” will be held Feb. 6 in Visalia.
The workshop is designed for educators and their teams in the first phase of RtI implementation. It highlights successful strategies for building program capacity and sustainability within the context of an RtI philosophy. It helps school leaders answer the following questions: How do we build capacity for RtI? What steps and strategies should we take at our school sites to sustain outcomes? How should RtI work and fit with NCLB, standards-based instruction, developing professional learning communities, and everything else we’re doing?
To register for the RtI workshop, visit www.casponline.org.