1. RTI Multi-tier Model 1-5% 1-5% 5-10% 5-10% 80-90% 80-90%
Essential component 1 is implementing a multi-tier model. In the literature, these are usually 3- or 4-tier models. The trend seems to be using a 3-tier models.
In the illustration on this slide, the triangle illustrates ALL students in a school.
The lowest (and biggest) area of the triangle depicts students who will become proficient in a curricular area based on general education (also called universal interventions or core instruction) instruction alone.
The middle area depicts students who will need both core instruction PLUS something supplemental in order to become proficient. (This tier is sometimes called supplemental or strategic instruction)
The small area at the top reflects the small number of students who will need core instruction PLUS something supplemental in order to become proficient. This tier is often called intensive instruction.
The percentages next to the sections of the triangle are not cut in stone. However, these numbers are approximately the parameters that educators should be striving for in order to allow our systems to be as effective as possible.
One advantage of using this model as a standard is that it allows schools to evaluate the effectiveness of their core instruction. That is, they can see how many of their students who receive general education alone are becoming proficient. In cases where too few general education students are becoming proficient based on core instruction alone, a school can work on “robusting up” its core program instead of referring all of these “less than proficient students” for supplemental or intensive programming. This is a great improvement to our historical system where it was difficult to distinguish the difference between students with disabilities from students who were “instructional casualties.”
One misinterpretation to guard against when thinking about this model is that tier 1 is general education, tier 2 is Title 1 and tier 3 is special education. This is a common misunderstanding and could lead to simply keeping the historical system and calling it RtI. General education, Title 1 and special education are resources for providing Universal interventions, supplemental interventions and intensive interventions. There are students, for example, who will need intensive instruction who will not qualify for special education (e.g., some English-language learners, some talented and gifted students, students who have missed out on significant instruction due to illness etc.). The focus of this model is primarily on the NATURE and INTENSITY of instruction that students need. Which funding source can be used to provide these resources is a secondary consideration.
80-90%
80-90%