What Every School Administrators and Board Should Know
With the passage of IDEA 2004, as well as related Illinois enabling
legislation and regulations, school districts have been empowered to
use two methods of evaluating students who have or may have specific
learning disabilities (SLD's) – the traditional “Discrepancy
Criterion”, and the new “Response to Intervention”. All Illinois
schools will be required to use the Response to Intervention method
starting in January of 2010. Below, we review key considerations
as districts determine when and how to make the transition.
I. Key Concepts
A. Discrepancy Criterion
1. Definition
2. Advantages
3. Disadvantages
4. Timeframes
B. Response to Intervention
1. Definition
2. Advantages
3. Disadvantages
II. Three Tier System
A. Tier 1: Primary Prevention –
School/Classroom Wide Systems For all Students, Staff, and Settings.
B. Tier 2: Secondary Prevention – Specialized Group Systems for
Students with At-Risk Behavior
C. Tier 3: Tertiary Prevention – Specialized, Individualized Systems
for Students with High-Risk Behavior
III. Issues to be Considered with RTI Implementation
A. What constitutes a “scientific,
research-based” method of intervention?
B. Should the discrepancy model be used along with the RTI system?
C. How will districts deal with student discipline issues in the
“pre-eligibility” phase of RTI?
D. How will districts address parental concerns that eligibility
determinations are being “delayed”?