Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI)

Per the CT State Department of Education's Executive Summary, Using Scientific Research-Based Interventions:  Improving Education for all Students; CT's Framework for Response to Intervention, "Federal laws have issued clear expectations for schools regarding their obligations to educate diverse groups of students well. This legislation includes the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). NCLB aims to ensure the academic growth and achievement of all students regardless of their race, ethnicity, fluency in English, disability or socioeconomic status. IDEA 2004 continues the federal mandate, in effect since 1975, for schools to provide all children with disabilities a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE), and also contains some important revisions with clear implications for general as well as special education. These revisions encourage the implementation of research-based interventions that facilitate success in the general education setting for a broad range of students. In particular, school districts are allowed to use a process known as Response to Intervention (RTI) as part of identification procedures for learning disabilities, by far the largest category under which K-12 students in special education are served, roughly half of all special education students nationwide (see http://www.ideadata.org/)."

The Three-tiered Model

"SRBI should be operationalized as a systemic approach with successive tiers that involve increasingly intensive levels of intervention. The advisory panel decided to recommend a three-tiered model for preK-12 general education in Connecticut schools. "

• Tier I Tier I comprises core general education curriculums and instruction, attention to the quality of the school climate, as well as a comprehensive system of social-emotional learning and behavioral supports for all students. Effective Tier I practices are essential to the entire three-tiered model. Without effective core practices, an unduly high proportion of students may require intervention. Core curriculums should develop the full range of competencies that research has shown to be important to achievement in a particular domain at specific grade levels.
• Tier II interventions provide more intensive instruction or social/behavioral supports than students receive in Tier I, primarily through the use of smaller groups, instruction that is highly focused on specific skills and/or learning strategies, and more frequent monitoring of progress and social development. Interventions are short term (e.g., 8 to 20 weeks) and remain part of the general education system, with supports from specialists.
• Tier III Students continuing to make inadequate progress despite Tier II interventions are considered for Tier Ill. The primary difference between Tier II and Tier Ill interventions involves the intensity and/or individualization of the intervention. Greater intensity of intervention can be achieved with a smaller teacher-student ratio, a longer duration of instruction, detailed attention to the social environment and more frequent progress monitoring.

"Students may be referred for an evaluation for special education at any time and in any tier of instruction.  However, children should never be referred for a special education evaluation if their difficulties are due mainly to inadequate general education practices. Therefore, referral for special education evaluation would not occur until appropriate academic or behavioral interventions have ensured that the student's difficulties are not due to insufficient instruction, unhealthy school climate, inadequate practices in the areas of social-emotional learning or cultural relevance."

(Retrieved from http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/Pressroom/RTI_Executive_Summary.pdf .)