The Idaho Results-Based Model: Implementing Response to Intervention Statewide

Abstract

Response to intervention (RTI) is receiving significant national attention. For many schools and districts, and even a few states, RTI has been “in the works” for several years. While empirical evidence regarding RTI continues to be collected and reviewed, its popularity with parents and educators can be viewed as a function of dissatisfaction with the traditional approach (i.e., achievement— ability discrepancy) and a desire for more immediate and meaningful solutions for struggling students. Questions surrounding RTI implementation at the building level are practical in nature. What are the time and resource requirements to carry out effective interventions? What constitutes research-based interventions and practices? What is the relevant definition of “response”? How does RTI impact regular education? And how does RTI impact special education resources within a building? At the district and state levels, RTI raises additional issues, including how it will impact the percentage of students who qualify for special education, how to provide large-scale trainings and support, and how to ensure proper and uniform practice within schools. This chapter provides insights to the questions posed regarding implementation and ongoing practice of RTI, both at the state and local levels. It provides a description of Idaho’s statewide implementation of RTI, also known in Idaho as the Results-Based Model (RBM). This chapter emphasizes the major lessons learned at the local and state levels as a result of experience, program evaluation, and school feedback. Cautionary recommendations along with implications for practice are offered.