Changing Roles in
Changing Roles in an RtI2 Process
Instituting RtI2 means schoolwide changes have to be made. The leadership must be ready to take new roles.
Role of Site Administrators
The school principal’s support of the district initiative to implement RtI2 is essential. At the school site level, collaboration with all staff members (general education, categorical programs, special education, and support staff) is essential. This collaboration will lead to the development of:
• Professional development activities that meet the needs of teachers, specialists and paraprofessionals (beliefs, attitudes and knowledge, and skill)
• Universal screening and frequent progress monitoring of specific skills necessary for student success
• School site teams (within and across grade levels) to address student needs
• A commitment to fidelity of instruction using research-based materials
• A process to allocate staff resources to meet student needs
• Integrity of the tiered process
• Management of and access to the data collection process
Additionally, administrators will have to conduct a systematic assessment of the fidelity and integrity with which instruction and interventions are being conducted. Working with educators, administrators should develop and utilize protocols for the assessment of fidelity and integrity of instruction and programs for individual students. Administrators should take responsibility for supporting ongoing professional development. The school site administrator assumes an active leadership role on the school site teams reviewing individual student progress and determining effective interventions. The administrator should ensure that adequate time is allocated for the planning, implementation, and review of RtI2 process.
Role of General Educators
As the primary providers of core instruction, general educators will:
• Deliver quality standards-based instruction with fidelity to all students.
• Engage in ongoing collaboration to address small-group and individual student needs.
• Collaborate with other school personnel in data collection and analysis.
• Participate in regularly scheduled progress-monitoring meetings.
• Communicate and collaborate with parents by helping them understand the new approach and how it impacts their students.
• Ensure that parent participation is integrated into each tier of intervention and subsequent evaluation.
• Provide Tier I and Tier II intervention for at-risk students at their grade level, effectively utilizing core curriculum components and research-based supplemental materials based on identified student needs.
• Participate on school site teams (within and across grade levels) to analyze data and target instruction.
• Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the principles and strategies of differentiated instruction.
• Utilize instructional strategies to teach content that is pertinent, relevant, and meaningful.
• Compile relevant assessment data through continual progress monitoring and respond appropriately to the findings.
Role of Special Educators
As a provider of supplemental and specialized instruction that supports standards-based instruction, special educators will:
• Deliver quality standards-based instruction with fidelity to students.
• Engage in ongoing collaboration to address small-group and individual student needs.
• Collaborate with other school personnel in data collection and analysis.
• Participate in regularly scheduled progress-monitoring meetings.
• Communicate and collaborate with parents by helping them understand the new approach and how it impacts their students.
• Ensure that parent participation is integrated into each tier of intervention and subsequent evaluation.
• Provide Tier I and Tier II consultation and intervention for at-risk students, effectively utilizing core curriculum components and research-based supplemental materials based on identified student needs if the school has a School-Based Coordination Program with an approved school site plan.
• Participate on school site teams (within and across grade levels) to analyze data and target instruction.
• Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the principles and strategies of differentiated instruction.
• Utilize instructional strategies to teach pertinent, relevant, and meaningful content.
• Compile relevant assessment data through continual progress monitoring and respond appropriately to the findings.
