Secondary Teachers\u27 Perceptions of the Implementation of Response to Intervention

Teachers at a local high school in Alabama were struggling to implement the tiered interventions of the response to intervention (RTI) model. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers\u27 perceptions of the implementation of RTI at one high school to help teachers and administrators understand what professional development training, supports, and resources were needed to implement the model effectively. The concerns-based adoption model, which examines educators\u27 concerns with new educational innovations, framed the study. The study\u27s research questions focused on the teachers\u27 perceptions, concerns, and required resources needed to implement the program as intended. The participants consisted of a purposeful sample of 12 secondary teachers from Grades 9-12 responsible for implementing the framework. Semistructured interviews were used as the primary source of data collection. The teachers were each observed twice in the classroom delivering the tiered interventions of the RTI model. Data were analyzed by open and thematic coding. Results included common themes related to ineffective and limited professional development (PD), differentiated instruction, inconsistent implementation guidelines, and the need for additional PD. Based on these findings, a 3-day PD was developed to address the teachers\u27 learning needs to deliver the RTI model with higher fidelity. Complete delivery of these 3 training sessions may contribute to positive social change by building the teachers\u27 capacity to execute the RTI model as designed. As a result, students\u27 individual academic needs will be met, leading to an increase in students\u27 academic achievement