Closing the RTI Gap: Why Poverty and Culture Count

In Closing the RTI Gap: Why Poverty and Culture Count, Donna Walker Tileston not only explains to readers why RTI is so important (defining key terms along the way), but also shows how they can achieve successful implementation in their own schools, particularly in the context of poverty and culture. All children should have equal access to highly qualified teachers, a strong curriculum, and research-based instructional methods. RTI can make that hope a reality. Why should teachers implement a response to intervention (RTI) model? Rather than wait for students to fail, misidentify students with special needs, or disproportionally represent certain ethnic groups, RTI offers schools a chance to ensure that all students achieve high levels of learning. The influence of culture and poverty cannot be overestimated; students facing such hurdles will often experience inequality in education. Response to intervention, when implemented correctly, provides these students the chance they need to succeed. However, RTI is only as strong as the planning and research that go into developing individual school plans.