Project Description: To fully implement the Response to Intervention (RtI) Model at Rolling Meadows High School.

What is RtI?

The RTI process is a multi-step approach to providing services and interventions to students who struggle with learning at increasing levels of intensity. The progress students make at each stage of intervention is closely monitored. Results of this monitoring are used to make decisions about the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, in special education, or both. (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2006, p. 1 as cited by Barbara Ehren)

More details are available here.

Like any new educational innovation, there are many myths that develop. The RTI Network does a nice job of dispelling many of these myths.

Why use the RtI Model?

There are numerous justifications for the use of Response to Intervention in Schools. Most notably it addresses the gap of services that exist between regular education programs and Special Education programs. Despite past practice, we all know that there is a gray area between the needs of students who qualify for Special Education and those who do not. Additionally, past practice in Special Education requires that a student face significant failure before becoming eligible for any sort of supportive services. While the child is "waiting" to fail bad enough to get help, they risk falling into such a deep how that they may never be able to get themselves back to success. David Prasse wrote an excellent article for the RTI Network website titled "Why Adopt an RTI Model?" that goes into more detail.

Project Champion:
Dr. Charles Johns, Principal
Email:  charles.johns@d214.org
Phone:  847.718.5600

Initiatives

Resources