COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS TO ACCELERATE AT-RISK FIRST-GRADE READERS' PERFORMANCE An Essential Mechanism for Effective RTI

The most common approach to implementing Response to Intervention (RTI) is the use of the 3-tier model. Many districts claim to be implementing this approach, but others question the quality and actuality of this in practice. This study examined implementation of multitiered models in 2 school districts that had multiple years of experience. Specifically, we examined the nature of general education instruction, use of screening and progress-monitoring methods, and implementation of supplemental instructional supports. Many differences were identified in instructional delivery (e.g., programs, content, specificity) within and across schools as well as across tiers of support, which may negatively affect learning. In the second year of the project, we examined the effect of coordinating instructional supports across tiers of support for at-risk first graders. Results provide support for coordinating instruction (i.e., programs, delivery, scheduling) across tiers of support to accelerate reading development, which has implications for effective RTI implementation.