RtI Glossary
Core (Reading) Program:
The primary instructional tool that teachers use to teach students to read or become proficient
in math and to ensure that students reach levels that meet or exceed grade level standards. It
should address the instructional needs of the majority of students in the school or district.
Reviews of research are available at http://reading.uoregon.edu/curricula/index.php. It is the
initial tool to guide high quality instruction in the classroom. (FCRR, 2004)
Differentiated Instruction:
Proactively planning and providing alterations to curriculum, instruction and assessment that
recognize students’ varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning,
and interests. Differentiated instruction is a process to approach teaching and learning for
students of differing abilities in the same class. The intent of differentiating instruction is to
maximize each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or
she is, and assisting in the learning process.
(http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstruc.html)
Discrepant/Discrepancy:
the comparison of an individual’s performance at a point of time to the performance of peers
or other established standards at that same point in time. Given equal or enhanced
opportunities, the student’s current level of performance is significantly different than typical
peers or identified standards.
Effective Instruction:
Research-based effective teaching principles include: active engagement of students, high success
rates, increased content coverage, direct instruction by a teacher, carefully scaffolded
instruction, instruction that addresses the critical forms of knowledge, instruction assisting in
the organizing, storing, and retrieving of information, strategic instruction, explicit instruction,
instruction that teaches sameness across subjects.
Eligibility:
Eligibility means that an individual, who by nature of his/her disability and need, requires special
education and related services in order to receive an appropriate education.
Intervention:
Direct instruction in the area of concern. Interventions are designed to meet the identified
needs of an individual and are monitored on a regular and frequent basis.
Problem-solving Process:
A procedure in which participants use a sequence of actions to address a problem, including:
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Discuss the concern.
Conduct further assessments (if needed).
Identify the problem.
Set a measurable goal.
Identify a research-based strategy that matches the data.
Plan for support in establishing intervention in classroom.
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Monitor progress.
Evaluate success of the strategy.
Rate of Progress:
Rate of progress is objective evidence of performance across time. The rate of skills acquisition
and/or slope of improvement are the rate of progress (Iowa, 2006).
Response to Intervention:
“... The practice of (1) providing high-quality instruction and interventions matched to student
needs and, (2) using learning rate over time and level of performance to (3) make important
educational decisions. These three components of RtI are essential. (Batsche et al., 2005, p.5)”
Scientifically-based Research:
See page 3.
Standard Protocol:
Intensive, short-term (10-15 weeks) instructional interventions that follow a specified script and
have research to support its effectiveness. They are typically conducted with a small group of
targeted students using materials that supplement the general education curriculum (Fuchs,
2003). Standard Protocol Interventions: are research-based, have a high probability of
producing change, are used in a standard manner across students, and can be orchestrated by a
team.
Tier 1: Benchmark/School wide:
Students who are making expected progress in the general education curriculum and who
demonstrate social competence. All students receive Tier 1 instruction.
Tier 2: Strategic/Targeted Interventions:
Academic and behavioral strategies, methodologies and practices designed for students not
making expected progress in the general education curriculum and/or have mild to moderate
difficulties demonstrating social competence. These students are at risk for academic failure.
Tier 3: Intensive Interventions:
Academic and behavioral strategies, methodologies and practices designed for students
significantly lagging behind established grade-level benchmarks in the general education
curriculum or who demonstrate significant difficulties with behavioral and social competence.
Universal Screening:
Brief (1-5 minutes per student) assessment of all students in the district to identify which
students are not proficient relative to specified benchmarks (standard that corresponds with
successful outcomes in the future), indicating that they are at risk for potential difficulties in
language arts, mathematics, behavior, or other domains.
IDEA 2004: Definition of Scientifically Based Research
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement act of 2004 (IDEA) aligns IDEA
closely to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), helping to ensure equity, accountability, and
excellence in education for children with disabilities.
IDEA 2004 addresses scientifically based research in the following context:
In implementing early intervening services, LEAs may carry out activities that include:
 Professional development activities for teachers and other school staff to enable
such personnel to deliver scientifically based academic instructional and
behavioral interventions, including scientifically based literacy instruction, where
appropriate…
 Providing educational and behavioral evaluations, services and supports,
including scientifically based literacy instruction. IDEA 2004 (613(f)(2)(A)(B)
While waiting for the Federal government to provide additional guidance to States within
Federal regulations, specifically addressing special education and scientifically based research,
LEAs may continue to rely on the definition provided in NCLB to evaluate their curricular
programs.
NCLB 2001: Definition of Scientifically Based Research
The No Child Left Behind Act defines the term ‘scientifically based research’ (A) means
research that involves the application of rigorous, systematic and objective procedures to obtain
reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs; and (B) includes
research that:
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Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment
Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypothesis and justify
the general conclusions drawn
Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data
across evaluators and observers, across multiple measurements and observations, and
across studies by the same or different investigators
Is evaluating using experimental or quasi-experimental designs in which individuals,
entities, programs, or activities are assigned to different conditions and with appropriate
controls to evaluate the effects of the condition of interest, with a preference for randomassignment experiments, or other designs to the extent that those designs contain withincondition or across-condition controls
Ensures experimental studies are present in sufficient detail and clarity to allow for
replication or, at a minimum, offer the opportunity to build systematically on their
findings
Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent
experts through a comparatively rigorous, objective and scientific review.”
Reading First: Definition of Scientifically Based Research
Scientifically based reading research is research that applies rigorous, systematic, and
objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading
instruction, and reading difficulties. This includes research that:
 Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;
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Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypothesis and justify
the general conclusions drawn;
Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data across
evaluators and observers and across multiple measurements and observations; and
Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent
experts through a comparably rigorous, objective and scientific review.
Source: PaTTAN Training Module Resource ’06-07