“RTI is the practice of providing high-quality instruction and intervention matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about change in instruction or goals and applying child response data to important educational decisions. RTI should be applied to decisions in general, remedial and special education, creating a well-integrated system of instruction/intervention guided by child outcome data.“ (NASDSE, 2005)

Response to Intervention (RTI) in Newberry County is the new standard for helping struggling students succeed. It is for all students who are “at risk” for not meeting grade level standards. Students are identified based on classroom performance and performance on various assessments. Those who are at risk for not meeting grade level standards receive supplemental instruction or interventions. These interventions can occur in the regular classroom, but the most successful interventions are done in a small group. Teachers leading these small groups use scientific, researched based interventions.

Students’ progress is then monitored using a progress monitoring tool. This tool lets the teacher know if the intervention is working. If the student is still struggling, the intervention is adapted. This process is not considered to be a pre-referral for Special Education, but rather an opportunity for students to receive specific interventions to assist in overall success.