Education Commons^™

Triumph Through Tragedy, One Student At At Time, Chanel M. Schwenck

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

The EF-4 tornado that struck Mayfield, Kentucky on the evening of December 10, 2021 caused tremendous destruction to the entire community of Mayfield. Two education professors at a neighboring university sought to help students in the Mayfield Independent School District and were able to do so via funding from a KEEP mini-grant. 81 of their college students were trained in Response to Intervention (RtI) practices and provided individual and small group instruction to students in Mayfield for 2 hours a week for 17 weeks during the 2022-2023 school year. Altogether, struggling students in Mayfield received 1,377 hours of RtI instruction …

Policy Brief: Exploring Response To Intervention’S Effectiveness With Students Of Color, Camille S. Talbert

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

This policy analysis explores the effectiveness of Response to Intervention (RTI) at diminishing racial disproportionalities in special education. It includes a brief review of the legislative context of RTI. It also examines one contributing factor to the effectiveness of RTI—educator ideologies. The analysis concludes with implications and future policy directions.

Is There A Disproportionate Representation Of African American Males In Special Education? A Causal-Comparative Investigation, Kiena S. Hughley, Karen H. Larwin

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

African American male students are disproportionately represented in special education. The purpose of the current study is to examine the disproportionality of African American male students who are referred to special education programs and are identified special education services, specifically in the areas of Emotional Disturbance (ED), Specific Learning Disability (SLD), and other low incidence disabilities (OTH), which includes Speech & Language Instruction, Other Health Impaired, Autism, and Traumatic Brain Injury, in Northeast Ohio’s suburban school district for the 2017-2020 school year. The sample was drawn from a suburban school district in Northeast Ohio which consisted of six schools. Findings …

Impact Of Tier 2 Intervention Program On Student Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Barbara L. Georges

Dissertations

To address the challenges of drop-out rate and achievement gap, high schools have begun to implement intervention programs. Schools bear responsibility in addressing factors such as poor academic performance, lack of course credit, and low motivation to encourage post-secondary success. Intervention programs show promise in mitigating these factors despite variation due to lack of state or federal requirements. The most common frameworks used to address the skill gaps and deficiencies that prevent graduation are Response to Intervention (RtI) or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of academic interventions on student achievement …

Efficacy Of Response To Intervention For Students Struggling With Reading, Emily J. Warburton

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Response to intervention (RTI) has increased in popularity in schools recently as a means of helping students according to their responsiveness to 3 different tiers of intervention: general classroom instruction, small group instruction, and individual instruction. Using a PsychInfo search, we examined articles to determine the how well the current RTI model fulfills its intended purpose in providing remedial reading instruction to struggling children, teacher perceptions of the system, and what changes could improve the model in coming years. For elementary aged students, we found that RTI has helped students achieve grade-level benchmarks. For secondary school students, there is much …

Identifying The Best Practices For The Twice Exceptional Learner, Edison Boelter

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis is to find the best research-based practices available for the twice exceptional learner. Twice exceptional learners are a growing percentage of the population in the academic community, and yet educators are greatly unprepared to work with these students. Through literary reviewed studies and research, it became possible to identify useful information as to how to educate and prepare teachers to work with twice exceptional learners. These literature reviewed studies and research demonstrated that twice exceptional students need a person-centered approach that is also able to meet their unique social and emotional needs. These literature reviewed …

A Matter Of Time: English Language Learners And The Rti Process, Eric J. López, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

The Response to Intervention (RTI) process is being used to assist all students, including English Language Learners (ELLs), who are experiencing academic difficulties and potentially qualifying for special education services. This article discusses suggestions for improving the RTI process by incorporating congruent time frames within the model and aligning it with timing necessary for language acquisition in ELLs. In addition, practical recommendations for expanding the expertise of current and future educators are presented to assist in providing effective services to ELLs students in the RTI process.

Innovative Teaching Practices To Accelerate Student Learning In The Areas Of Literacy And Science, Michelle Simmons, Paris Bouchard

Dissertations

The researchers of this joint dissertation aspired to create and implement innovative instructional practices that would accelerate student learning. Both researchers believed in the importance of experimenting with structures and processes that lead to instructional impact. They were both passionate about developing an instructional model that would accelerate student learning by focusing on student transfer of skills. They sought to answer the question, Can learning be accelerated when teachers are supported and encouraged to create and implement instructional practices grounded in research? One researcher studied a practice that would potentially increase students’ ability to think critically and problem solve using …

Preparation Of School Counselors And Response To Intervention: A Profession At The Crossroads, Melissa S. Ockerman, Eva Patrikakou, Amy Feiker Hollenbeck

Eva N. Patrikakou

As a result of the Response to Intervention (RTI) mandate in schools across many states, school counselors are uniquely positioned to a take a leadership role within its implementation. This research study examines how school counselors in one such state perceive their training and knowledge of RTI and thus their confidence in implementing it. Implications for training, supervision, professional development and future research are discussed.

Predictive Validity Of I-Ready Diagnostic Scores For High-Stakes Test Outcomes With Middle School Students : A Program Evaluation, Rachel Eva Aguilar

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Assessment is a powerful tool that can be utilized to enhance teaching and learning. Within a response-to-intervention (RtI) framework, data collected via assessment are used to measure student proficiency, track progress, and subsequently align instruction with student learning needs. The purpose of this program evaluation was to explore the use of a computer-adaptive testing (CAT) measure, i-Ready Diagnostic, as part of a rural middle school’s assessment process, within an RtI model. This program evaluation sought to gather evidence regarding the ability of different i-Ready reading and math measures, administered in the fall, winter, and spring, to predict student performance on …

The Impact Of Alternative Education: A Summative Evaluation Of The Achieve Program, Cathleen Bendicsen

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The consequences of dropping out of high school greatly impact both the individual student and society as a whole. Alternative education programs are designed to meet the needs of students who have struggled in the traditional setting and help prevent them from dropping out. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of one alternative program housed within a large Midwestern suburban comprehensive high school and to contribute to the limited research on alternative education program effectiveness using student outcome data. The researcher conducted a quantitative quasi-experimental study to compare the differences in student outcome data (GPA, attendance, office discipline referrals, …

The Use Of Response To Intervention With English Learners, Anna Burnley

RTIs assist teachers in adjusting instruction to support ELs in acquiring English and content-area knowledge and learning behaviors. The use of RTIs with ELs can supplement support for ELs as an integrated concept of the sheltered instruction (SI) commonly provided for this student population.

Response To Intervention Program Implementation In A Suburban Elementary School Setting, Danielle M. Kovach

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Response to Intervention (RTI) programs are designed to support students at risk of failing in school due to academic or behavioral problems. When RTI programs are applied inconsistently due to teachers' resources or knowledge, students may be wrongly identified for special education services. The purpose of this qualitative bounded descriptive case study was to explore K-4 general education teachers' experiences with RTI program implementation and the extent teachers used the RTI program in their classrooms. This study was guided by Gagné's conditions of learning theory. A purposeful sampling of 10 K-4 general education teachers, who taught an RTI program, volunteered …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Response To Intervention Framework With English Learners, Donna Stapleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework with students who are acquiring English as a second language.

Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have been disproportionately represented in special education programs for decades (Artiles & Trent, 1994; Donovan & Cross, 2002; Heller, Holtzman, & Messick, 1982). Legislators responsible for the authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act in 2004 (IDEIA 2004) allowed state education leaders the option to use RtI as an alternative identification method. RtI was believed to be a framework through …

The Reading Intervention Program Making Connections Intervention And Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Scores In One East Tennessee School District, Jami H. Corwin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the reading intervention program Making Connections Intervention (MCI) and pre-intervention and post- intervention Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) reading scaled scores in one East Tennessee school district. Participants included 99 Tennessee students in grade levels six through nine who received reading intervention instruction through MCI and were frequently monitored following the requirements stipulated in the Tennessee Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) Framework. This study assessed pre- and post-intervention data specific to gender, special education classification, Title I classification, and instructor classification through a series of t-tests. Findings …

Inclusive Settings: Rti In The General Education Classroom, Brittany Graves

Honors Projects

The premise of this study was derived upon seeing a severe need for professional development in my current field work experience. I set out to determine a possible solution to the lack of cohesion among general and special educators evident in my local school district. This small town rural school is looking to expand RTI, and intervention technique, to decrease gaps in education for at risk students. With issues of cohesion and professional development evident, I collected and analyzed data in order to determine a way the school district can still incorporate and expand their Response to Intervention (RTI) practices. …

Student Achievement In Response To Intervention Groups, Allison L. Gardenhour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify components of Response to Intervention (RTI) groups associated with increased student growth on progress monitoring tests. The relationship between student growth scores and fidelity of implementation scores, types of groups, types of interventionists, group setting, group time, and various demographic groups were examined. Seven hundred fifteen students enrolled in reading and math groups in an RTI program at 8 schools in an Upper East Tennessee school system participated in this study. Ten research questions and null hypotheses were analyzed using Pearson correlations, independent t tests, and one-way Analyses of Variance. Results indicated …

Integration Of Social, Behavioral, And Academic Initiatives: Part I, Hank Bohanon, Meng-Jia Wu

Hank Bohanon

Many schools are working towards improving their overall social and behavioral climate. This endeavor is undertaken for its own sake, and in the anticipation it will improve academic performance for students. School climate has been related to a lack of connection and commitment on the part of students towards the school, discipline problems, and dropping out (Zins & Elias, 2007). There appear to be at least three predominant schoolwide initiatives to frame improving school climate: Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS), Response to Intervention (RtI), and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).

Integration Of Social, Behavioral, And Academic Initiatives: Part Ii, Hank Bohanon, Meng-Jia Wu

Hank Bohanon

In part one of this series we discussed the connections among Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Response to Intervention (RtI). Specifically, we compared the processes and fidelity components of these approaches. We attempted to highlight the similarities in systems, practices, and data for each approach, with the understanding that nuances could found within the practices of each. The following section provides specific examples of the overlap in these approaches; the integration of systems, practices, and data; and factors related to core instruction.

Preparation Of School Counselors And Response To Intervention: A Profession At The Crossroads, Melissa S. Ockerman, Eva Patrikakou, Amy Feiker Hollenbeck

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

As a result of the Response to Intervention (RTI) mandate in schools across many states, school counselors are uniquely positioned to a take a leadership role within its implementation. This research study examines how school counselors in one such state perceive their training and knowledge of RTI and thus their confidence in implementing it. Implications for training, supervision, professional development and future research are discussed.

Addressing Barriers To Effective Rti Through School Counselor Consultation: A Social Justice Approach, Jeffrey M. Warren, Gretchen Robinson

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a culturally responsive framework developed to provide targeted, evidence-based instruction to all students in regular education settings. A goal of RTI is to reduce the disproportionate number of students of color referred for special education services. However, numerous barriers often prevent teachers from effectively engaging in the RTI process and serve to impede the delivery of instruction. School counselors can provide rational emotive-social behavior (RE-SB) consultation for teachers to address psychosocial barriers and promote social justice. This article outlines RTI, barriers to implementation, and how school counselors can advocate for all students through RE-SB consultation.

Response To Intervention Training Programs At The Secondary Level, Deborah H. Strickland Mrs.

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

Abstract

There is a lack of training for secondary teachers on the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI). Literature shows that high school principals and assistant principals, as well as special education directos, from around the country agree that the implementation of RTI at the secondary level is not working as well as it should due to time constraints, inconsistencies in programs and lack of training. A teacher without any prior RTI training and a student with an RTI Tier 2 goal are used to research the progress of the student toward his RTI goal before and after the teacher …

Using Shared Reading And Close Reading To Bridge Intervention And The Common Core, Karen C. Waters

Education Faculty Publications

While classroom teachers are grappling with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and its implications for instruction in the core curriculum, designing effective intervention to meet the needs of diverse struggling readers poses another challenge, especially because Response to Intervention (RTI) as an instructional framework frequently emphasizes the teaching of discrete skills. Experts have concluded that intervention focusing primarily on foundational skills without instruction in comprehension is not only contrary to literacy research, but also antithetical to the shift to contextualized literacy instruction, resulting in fragmented instruction for those most in need. At the same time, inherent within both CCSS …

Integrating Universal Design And Response To Intervention In Methods Courses For General Education Mathematics Teachers, Kelley E. Buchheister, Christa Jackson, Cynthia Taylor

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Traditionally, teacher education programs have placed little emphasis on preparing mathematics teachers to work with students who struggle in mathematics. Therefore, it is crucial that mathematics teacher educators explicitly prepare prospective teachers to instruct students who struggle with mathematics by providing strategies and practices that specifically address their needs. In this study, we describe the principles of Universal Design for Learning and Response to Intervention. More specifically, we discuss how one Mathematics Teacher Educator uses these frame works in her mathematics methods course to help prospective teachers become cognizant of early interventions and effective strategies that can be implemented to …

Identification Of Specific Learning Disabilities: Georgia School Psychologists' Perceptions, Marie T. Underwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An on-line survey was conducted to investigate the assessment practices and perceptions of 366 practicing school psychologist in the state of Georgia concerning various operational components, and the use of RTI when determining SLD eligibility. Results were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression to determine if psychologists’ perceptions could be predicted based on various explanatory variables. Results revealed that a little over half of the respondents preferred assessment of cognitive processing deficits evidenced through patterns of strengths and weaknesses for establishing SLD classification; while well over two-thirds continue to also value analysis of cognitive ability (IQ) scores. Psychologists’ assessment practices were …

Early Identification And Improvement Of Variables Related To Course Success, Carolyn Anne Blondin

Doctoral Dissertations

The process of identifying and improving factors related to early exam success or failure in an undergraduate setting (Ed Psych 210) was divided into 2 separate studies. The first study was a retrospective analysis of 2 years’ of data that compared high and low performers on the first course exam with respect to their subsequent success in the course. Mean comparison between initially high (N = 158) and low (N = 163) performers revealed significantly higher means for those in the former group across several academic variables (i.e., critical thinking, grade point average, subsequent exams, practice exams, quiz …

Predicting Performance On The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment For Reading For Third Graders Using Reading Curriculum Based Measures, Robert S. Kirkham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite flexibility waivers granted to states by the United States Department of Education from some provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, our nation’s public schools continue to struggle to improve reading proficiency as measured by high stakes assessments. To reach state targets for reading proficiency schools must use data at the earliest point possible to inform instructional strategies and identify students at risk of failure. The response to intervention model holds promise for improving reading outcomes particularly for early elementary students.

The effective use of reading curriculum based measures (R-CBM) to determine if instruction is adequate to produce …

Training Pre-Service Teachers In Response To Intervention: A Survey Of Teacher Candidates, Ann-Michelle Neal

Theses and Dissertations

Addressing training in Response to Intervention at the pre-service level has potential to reach educators during their formative years; preparing them to implement research-based practices upon entering the field and building the capacity to do so with more fidelity and less support. While the knowledge levels and perceptions of pre-service teachers are critical to the future success of RTI implementation, the level of training among pre-service educators is less understood relative to their colleagues in the field. This exploratory study was designed to examine pre-service general and special education teachers' perceptions of RTI, and self-efficacy in implementation. A survey, created …

Can Prevention Programs Work Together? An Example Of School-Based Mental Health With Prevention Initiatives, Hank Bohanon, Meng-Jia Wu

Hank Bohanon

Personnel addressing mental health in schools are required to provide supports in settings that have decreasing resources and multiple initiatives. While competing initiatives in schools can pose problems, integration of prevention systems and data may lead to more efficient supports and effective outcomes. Mental health service providers must consider how the integration of schoolwide initiatives such as positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), response to intervention (RtI), and social and emotional learning (SEL) can improve their work. This article will provide an example showing varying levels of integration of schoolwide models in one state. This example will include (a) the …

Integration Of Social, Behavioral, And Academic Initiatives: Part Ii, Hank Bohanon, Meng-Jia Wu

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

In part one of this series we discussed the connections among Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Response to Intervention (RtI). Specifically, we compared the processes and fidelity components of these approaches. We attempted to highlight the similarities in systems, practices, and data for each approach, with the understanding that nuances could found within the practices of each. The following section provides specific examples of the overlap in these approaches; the integration of systems, practices, and data; and factors related to core instruction.