EEP Event Draws National Audience

"Do we have to provide a label for a child to give the services he or she needs?" asked Dr. Alexa Posny a presenter at REL Southeast's recent conference, Using Research to Strengthen Response to Intervention (RtI) Decisionmaking and Implementation. More than150 participants, including representatives of the U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies, and local education agencies from 35 states addressed this and other key questions at the March 2009 event. The conference also drew participation and collaboration from nine of the ten RELs and Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers.

The Experts bring Evidence to Practitioners (EEP) event conveyed research-based evidence along with practical guidance to support ongoing RtI implementation efforts at the state and local levels, and allowed education leaders throughout the country to engage in a meaningful dialogue about RtI.

Response to Intervention (RtI) is a multi-tiered education approach designed to provide early, effective interventions for students struggling academically or behaviorally. Discussions at the conference focused on recent research related to the effectiveness of RtI, from how it is being implemented at the state level to the impact it is having on students in the classroom. The event also provided practical and research-based information regarding RtI implementation, including the What Works Clearinghouse's new Practice Guide, Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: Response to Intervention and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades.

Throughout the event, researchers and direct service providers alike stressed the need to offer teachers appropriate support and professional development to implement RtI interventions effectively. RtI touches both general and special education, and as presenter Dr. Kris Kasse put it, RtI "is simply a different way to do the work they [teachers] are already doing." Conference sessions also highlighted the fact that the focus on early intervention should not prevent older students who are struggling from receiving much-needed services and support.

The practicality and timeliness of the information presented at the conference was clearly articulated by Larry Hartzell, a participant representing the Oklahoma State Department of Education, "I can go back and report to people in my state that what we're doing is very much in agreement with what other states are doing in RtI."