Nottingham West Elementary School

Systematic Interventions that Ensure Students Receive Additional Time and Support for Learning

Essential Question: How do we respond in our school when students don’t learn?

Recent consensus reports concur in suggesting major changes in the Federal regulatory approach to the identification of learning disabilities (LD). These reports recommend abandoning the IQ-discrepancy model and the use of IQ tests for identification, and also recommend incorporation of responsiveness to intervention (RTI) as one of the identification criteria. In order to ensure adequate instruction for students with LD, it is essential that identification practices focus on assessments that are directly related to instruction, that any services for students who are struggling prioritize intervention over eligibility, and that special education be permitted to focus more on results and outcomes, and less on eligibility and process. Identification models that incorporate RTI represent a shift in special education towards the goals of better achievement and behavioral outcomes for students identified with LD as well as those students at risk for LD.

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