Administrators\u27 and teachers\u27 perceptions of RTI2 processes and practices in Rutherford County middle schools

The purpose of this study was to examine administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of the processes and practices of Response to Intervention and Instruction, or RTI2, in middle schools in Rutherford County Tennessee. This study also investigated the differences among teachers’ perceptions based on their level of education (i.e., degree earned). The participants in this study included 140 administrators and teachers employed by the Rutherford County School district in Middle Tennessee. Data were collected via an online survey comprised of two sections (55 items) and a set of demographic questions. A Mann-Whitney U-Test was used to determine if there were any significant differences in mean rank scores between each of the constructs (processes and practices) based on position (teachers and administrators), and a Kruskal-Wallis H-test was conducted to determine if there were differences in mean rank scores among the constructs (processes and practices) by teachers’ level of education (i.e., Bachelors, Masters, and advanced degrees). Among the major findings included the following: (a) administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of RTI2 are quite similar; (b) differences in perceptions between administrators and teachers exist only within the construct of processes; and, (c) despite educational level of teachers (i.e., degree earned), teachers have similar perceptions of both processes and practices. A statistically significant difference was found for one area: perceptions of the processes of RTI2. Administrators have significantly higher means for the construct of processes, by .31. Recommendations for practitioners include the need for continued Professional Development for teachers and the continued pursuance of administrators gaining buy-in from their teachers to increase efforts of implementation