The RTI Approach to Evaluating Learning Disabilities

From leading authorities, this indispensable work is now in a revised and expanded second edition, presenting state-of-the-art tools and procedures for practitioners. The book shows how to use response to intervention (RTI) to evaluate K–12 students for specific learning disabilities (SLD). The second edition gives increased attention to optimising the instructional environment in the context of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). Procedures are described for screening at-risk students; using RTI to intensify instruction in reading, writing, and math; identifying SLD; determining eligibility for special education; and planning individualised education programs. Case examples and pointers for practice are woven throughout. In a convenient large-size format, the book includes reproducible tools that can be downloaded and printed for repeated use.

New to This Edition

• Incorporates contemporary perspectives on SLD, upgraded procedures for implementing an MTSS, new approaches to measuring RTI, and enhancements in using classroom observations.
• Chapter on best practices in academic screening, including important dos and don'ts.
• Separate chapters on using RTI for reading, written expression, and mathematics.
• Chapter on RTI and special education law, focusing on what practitioners need to know.

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Table of Contents

1. Historical Background for Response to Intervention
2. The Legal Boundaries for RTI/MTSS
3. The MTSS: Instructional Prerequisites for Using RTI for Eligibility Decision Making sample
4. Determining Student Risk: Contemporary Best Practices in Academic Screening
5. Determining Inadequate Academic Achievement
6. Determining Responsiveness to Intervention
7. Ruling Out Other Conditions and Inadequate Instruction
8. Observing the Student within the Instruction–Intervention Process
9. Synthesizing Data to Determine Eligibility, Write the Evaluation Report, and Build the IEP
10. Using RTI to Evaluate SLD in Reading
11. Using RTI to Evaluate SLD in Written Expression
12. Using RTI to Evaluate SLD in Mathematics

References

Index

"This book accurately captures our evolving understanding of RTI within MTSS and clearly illustrates how to leverage the essential components of MTSS to identify significant learning disabilities. The second edition's additional focus on prevention—through the accurate use of screening data, appropriate instructional intensity, and effective Tier 1 core programming—will support school teams in effectively integrating special education requirements and promoting ambitious growth for students with disabilities. Professional learning providers and faculty will find the numerous case examples featuring commonly available assessments to be useful for modeling RTI decision making and facilitating robust discussions. Practitioners will find the decision-making flowcharts and implementation checklists invaluable for guiding efficient and effective implementation of RTI."
- Tessie Bailey, PhD, Director, Center on Multi-Tiered System of Supports and PROGRESS Center, American Institutes for Research

"It is rare to see a book that is so grounded in research yet so practical, but Kovaleski et al. provide just such a resource. The second edition remains the most comprehensive book available on how to identify SLD in schools, and includes recent information about legal decisions, best practices for screening, and how to meet the classroom observation requirement so that it actually informs decisions. This book is a 'must read' for practitioners who are just beginning to use RTI for SLD identification, or for anyone working to have a more effective, legally defensible practice that improves children's lives. It is also a great text for school psychology training courses."
- Matthew K. Burns, PhD, Herbert W. Schooling Faculty Member and Professor of Special Education, University of Missouri–Columbia

"We referred to the first edition as our 'recipe book' for implementation of RTI-based SLD evaluation practices in North Carolina. The ingredients added to the second edition are spot-on and provide many needed details, including the critical role of the MTSS infrastructure, considerations for effective screening practices, and establishing the data requirements to rule out inadequate instruction as a cause for academic difficulties. I look forward to using the second edition in our statewide effort to scale evaluation and identification practices that begin with a focus on effective instruction for all."
- Lynn Kalinoski Makor, MA, CAGS, Consultant for Psychological Services, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction