Response to Intervention

There has been a great deal of "angst" and "anxiety" surrounding the implementation of a Response to Intervention (RTI) program at the high school level. The development of the plan in December of 2008 was a real shot in the dark as everyone scrambled to understand this new requirement. The idea is to provide academic and behavioral interventions to students in an effort to improve achievement for all students. A by-product of successful implementation is also intended to decrease the number of students requiring special education services. All great goals!

The challenge is to create a "systems" approach to your RTI program so that your activities are aligned and working toward common goals.

I had the pleasure of listening to presenters from Rolling Meadows High School in Rolling Meadows, Illinois at the State Superintendents conference in Springfield this week. Listening to their presentation was a great equalizer to the gloom and doom budget presentations we all endured. Rolling Meadows High School has successfully implemented an RTI program that is helping produce measurable results and positive gains in student achievement.

I was encouraged as I reflected on where MCHS is in this process because I recognized elements of our plan inside the presenters model. I was also frustrated because we have a "ton to do" in a short period of time. We need to build the support of our entire learning community to implement and sustain this systems approach- but we can do it!!

I really enjoyed their presentation because it validated my own vision and belief in the intent of RTI- that is- improved student achievement. I think this requirement is really forcing schools to develop systems and structures that promote continuous improvement- a structure that our leadership team believes strongly in!!

I have included the link to Rolling Meadows High School- go check it out- they certainly seem to be on the cutting edge!!
http://rmhs.d214.org/rmhsmodel

All the school improvement plans, Federal grant requirements, RTI requirements, and quest for making data driven decisions seem to be coming together in an aligned systems approach- what could be better??