Date of Conferral

5-28-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Alicia Wash

Abstract

Primary general education teachers are critical stakeholders in the special education identification process (SEIP) when using the multilevel system of support (MLSS) and response to intervention (RTI) frameworks. Previous research has included primary general education teachers and other stakeholder perspectives on using the MLSS/RTI framework during SEIP; however, primary general education teachers’ perspectives on the topic have not been the sole focus of previous research. Guided by Goodson’s educational change theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore primary general education teachers’ perspectives on the usefulness of the MLSS/RTI framework during the SEIP. Qualitative data were collected from virtual, in-depth, semistructured interviews with 12 purposefully sampled participants who had taught general education in Wisconsin public schools for at least 3 consecutive years. The data were thematically analyzed, resulting in five themes that described some conditions needed for the MLSS/RTI framework to be useful: communication between all stakeholders and intervention choices or opportunities; the largest barriers to the usefulness were time and schedule pressures, lack of resources and support, communication between staff members, and other external and personal barriers; implementation limitations; and positive and negative outcomes. Results from this study may contribute to positive social change by being used to help develop stronger district and school professional development/teacher training on using the MLSS/RTI framework to increase students’ academic achievement from the perspectives of primary general education teachers.

Download

Included in

Education Commons

Share

 
COinS