Response to Intervention: Initiating a School's Change

Abstract

Change in schools is ever present. This study looks at change in regard to the implementation of Response to Intervention. Response to Intervention is being implemented in schools around the country. With this implementation come many changes to a school - in the administration, the faculty, and the students. Very little research exists concerning the changes that school administrations and school faculty experience when implementing Response to Intervention. The administration and one faculty member from grades one through five as well as one grade level focus group and one special education teacher agreed to participate in this study.

Research was conducted during the year before implementation of RtI (phase one) and the year of full implementation of RtI (phase two). Data consisted of face-to-face interviews with the participants as well as journal entries, field note observations of the focus group PLC/RtI meetings, observations of interventions given to students, and various documents which included the district RtI manual. All interviews were transcribed and, using line-by-line coding, were analyzed for patterns. The patterns led to over-arching themes between the phases of the research and between the participants.

Findings show that change occurred from the inside, the inside-out, and the outside-in. A paradigm shift was experienced when these changes took place. Teachers began to consider each individual student's needs. Students needing extra support were identified earlier and provided with interventions. Teachers became responsible for all students in their classroom by providing instruction in the core curriculum, providing interventions, and providing grades. Implementation involved professional development and collaboration among colleagues. As with any change, concerns arose about time, resources, support, meeting the needs of the students, and providing appropriate interventions.