Response to Intervention (RTI) is a model that involves layers of instructional efforts provided to students according to their individual needs.  This approach focuses on regular progress monitoring and data review to determine when students are struggling and then through the RTI process provide remediation with strategic evidence-based interventions so students can be successful and progress in their learning.  The process also documents students’ areas of strength in order to ensure they are provided with additional challenges in a variety of ways.   

Georgia has implemented a four-tier Response to Intervention (RTI) model in order to identify and address students' academic and/or behavioral needs.  The Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions graphically illustrates this state adopted process for aligning appropriate assessment with purposeful instruction for all students. 

In Whitfield County Schools, the RTI process is implemented at each individual school.  This process outlines the strategies and evidence-based interventions that each school utilizes to address the specific needs of students.  Each school implements these interventions during the school day (either through scheduled periods/blocks or within the regular classroom), and students are grouped based according to their specific needs.  Interventions are prescriptive and focused in nature, and students may move between the individual tiers based on levels of progress.  District school psychologists work closely with school-based teams in ongoing data analysis, implementation, and monitoring of the RTI/Pyramid of Interventions process along with assisting teams in selecting specific evidence-based interventions based on individual student needs.

Tier 1 includes standards-based classroom instruction, universal screening, and progress monitoring based on State Standards that all students will receive.

Tier 2 includes evidence-based interventions aligned to the needs of at-risk students who will benefit from instruction that is additional and different from instruction that all students will receive.  More frequent progress monitoring occurs in order to determine effectiveness of interventions implemented with fidelity, and ongoing collaboration through student needs/data teams is vital in order to determine effectiveness of interventions and decision making for movement between the tiers.  EIP and ESOL may fall in Tier 2.

Tier 3 includes the Student Support Team (SST) as the structure and RTI as the process.  Students continue to receive evidence-based interventions aligned with their individual needs and these are provided at greater intensity, frequency, and duration and ongoing progress monitoring continues.  The SST (which includes the student’s parents) meet regularly to review individual student progress and make recommendations with regard to interventions and movement between the tiers.  If after a variety of SST/Tier 3 evidence-based interventions are implemented and finally determined not to be adequate and the need for more individualized assistance is documented, the SST will make an appropriate referral for consideration of placement of the student in an appropriate Tier 4 program.

Tier 4 is designed specifically for students who meet the respective eligibility criteria for special program placement.  ALPHA, ESOL, and Special Education services fall under Tier 4.

Response to Intervention - The Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions