An Investigation of the Factors That Impact Effective Response to Intervention (RTI) Practices in Urban Charter Schools

• In Event: Charter School Challenges: Serving Diverse Students Through Appropriate Intervention

Abstract

Charter schools have become the fastest growing school reform option for many inner-city and minority parents, who often lack access to even average performing traditional public schools. However, missing altogether from the sparse amount of studies are data that examine the patters of referral, intervention and identification of students with special learning needs, under the evidenced based practice known as Response to Intervention (RTI) in urban charter schools. This paper attempts to examine the barriers urban charter schools confront when attempting to implement RTI to evaluate and screen students throughout the pre-referral process for a learning disability (IDEA, 1997; 2004). This qualitative analysis identifies alternative strategies to support charter school educators to adopt that can enhance their use of RTI.

Author

• York Williams, West Chester University of Pennsylvania