IRA partners with RTI Action Network

 The International Reading Association is pleased to be a Founding Partner of the RTI Action Network. Offering new hope and promise to students, families, and educators in school districts nationwide, the RTI Action Network unites the public and private sectors with representatives from general education, special education, and family groups to support the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI).

“This unique collaborative offers a rare opportunity for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students are identified early and given the necessary supports to succeed in school,” says Kathleen A. Whitmire, director of the RTI Action Network. “This initiative represents a powerful convergence to guide educators and families at the local level where implementation occurs.”

Notes incoming IRA President Barbara Walker, “Adapting instruction to support learning for all learners within every classroom is a demanding task. Classroom teachers along with reading specialists, special educators, and others can develop and implement classroom adaptations that advance student achievement. Reading specialists and literacy coaches, along with all members of the school team, must be continually collaborating to create instructional opportunities that advance learning. IRA, as a founding partner of this important network, is pleased to expand its ability to work with other professionals to promote our shared goal of providing effective reading instruction for all.”

The cornerstone of the initiative is the RTINetwork.org website, the premier source of research-based information and expert guidance on Response to Intervention. This new website offers informational resources and professional development as well as the opportunity to interact with top researchers and experienced practitioners. Educators and families now have an online meeting place to exchange information through discussion boards, shared stories, and other networking opportunities.

RTI is a multi-tiered approach to help struggling learners. Student progress is closely monitored during instructional interventions to determine the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, special education, or both. RTI approaches are being implemented from preschool through high school, prompting the need for reliable information.

The RTI Action Network is dedicated to the effective implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) in school districts nationwide. Its goal is to guide educators and families in the large-scale implementation of RTI so that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students--including those with learning disabilities--are identified early and receive the necessary supports to be successful. The RTI Action Network is a program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, funded by the Cisco Foundation and in partnership with the nation’s leading education associations and top RTI experts.

RTI Action Network Founding Partners are as follows: America Federation of Teachers, International Reading Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, and National Education Association.